Have A Good Christmas? Floyd’s 2014 Merry-Go-Round of Maidana, Khan and Pacquiao
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s springtime is rapidly approaching. The sun will soon shine on the next Floyd Mayweather Jr. mega fight in 2014. While it seems like the Europeans are willing to put up money for Floyd to fight Amir Khan and would sell the mega show via European and worldwide pay-per-view, the public may not buy it. Khan was beaten in 2011, and 2012, and his bouts with Breidis Prescott and Danny Garcia prove Khan has absolutely no chin. The ‘no chin’ angle basically neutralizes Khan as a serious opponent. The money might be on the table for Floyd, but a bout between Floyd and Khan, while is has visibility and marketability, has on credibility at this point for a fighter of Floyd’s statue. Khan has won his last two bouts, but is not a fighter on par with Robert Guerrero and his guns, and Saul Alvarez
Manny Pacquiao just beat Brandon Rios, after having loss to Timothy Bradley and getting knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez, could prove to be a marketable fight for Floyd, though not the bout will not be worth as much as Floyd and Pacman would have gotten if the bout were held a few years back.
Amir Khan has lost two of the last four, Pacquiao has lost two of the last three. At 45-0, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will have to do better for his next ‘super’ opponent. Nine of Floyd’s last ten bouts stretching back to 2005 has gone into the tenth round or later. The one which didn’t, Victor Ortiz, happened because the nervous referee Joe Cortez, had failed to send the fighters to the neutral corner and signaled time in and allowed Ortiz to get knocked out on an illegal procedure. The bizarre ending, which should have been a no contest, had all the trappings of a Bernard Hopkins street fight. By the way, Hopkins could probably get a payday against Floyd at 160 pounds and give a good accounting of himself, better than Amir Khan at any rate, so why wasn’t Bernard on the latest short list?
Which brings us to the critical question. Will Floyd Mayweather Jr. have the guts to fight Marcos Rene Maidana? Maidana is actually bold and crazy enough to take more chances with Mayweather than he did with Adrien Broner, and Maidana would try to take the fight to Floyd and knock him out. The public wants a real fight, not just a Floyd makes an appearance fight. The public wants game. Maidana drew blood when he beat Broner, Floyd’s 27-0 with 27 knockouts and exposed him as a fake Floyd protégé imposter.
Maidana, 35-3, 31 knockouts, Buenos, Aires Argentina, is the real challenger for Floyd’s next bout. Maidana earned his chance by beating Broner. Las Vegas and Madison Square Garden are both outstanding venues for Floyd to stage a Floyd versus Maidana super card.
Maidana would take big chances to try to beat Floyd, and represents a higher level risk bout ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd may be unwilling to take. Risk,, ladies and gentlemen, is the nature of the game in every game, not just boxing. Floyd’s decision as to who the next challenger will be rapidly approaches. After Maidana’s sparkling win over Broner, Floyd can no longer duck the name Marcos Rene Maidana any longer. Soon, the public will have its answer. If Floyd takes the ‘safe’ fight by taking Amir Khan for his next bout, the seriousness of Floyd’s super reign as king of the boxing world will be in question.
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