Floyd Mayweather And Marcos Maidana Meet In New York
New York, NY (CBS) — The ravages of time get to everyone—even Floyd Mayweather. Age slows reflexes. Seeps into joints. Slows what wants were fast hands into moderately fast hands. And hampers the ability to get out of the way of a punch. On the side of Mayweather's left eye is a quarter-inch scar—on his scalp is another, and over his right eyelid is a little reminder of the war Mayweather was in with Marcos Maidana back in May.
It's a fight Mayweather won by a majority decision, but a fight many thought he lost. It's the most competitive fight Mayweather had been in since "Money May" won a split-decision over Oscar De La Hoya in May 2007.
On Monday, at Marriott Marquis in Times Square, Mayweather and Maidana kicked off a five-city, four-day media announcing the Mayweather-Marcos rematch on September 13, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Mayweather seemed a little defensive, about winning according to judges Dave Moretti (116-112 for Mayweather) and Burt A. Clements (117-111 Mayweather), while judge Michael Pernick had it a 114-114 draw. Many saw Maidana force Mayweather into a number of uncomfortable situations in the first six rounds.
Mayweather (46-0, 26 KOs) said there was a reason for that.
"He has to do something different—I don't," Mayweather said about Maidana. "The only thing he can do is take the dirty fighting away. If he did that, he probably wouldn't win one round. I told Leonard [Ellerbe, head of Mayweather Promotions] that this camp is going to be totally different though; totally different. I'm going to rest a lot more and let my body rest my body a lot more. I'm going to do more physical training for this fight, because is it safe to say, I'm not fighting a boxer. I'm fighting an MMA fighter."
Maidana (35-4, 31 KOs) enters the fight feeling extremely confident—and not afraid of Mayweather's power and speed.
"There was always that question how powerful and strong Mayweather was, but what Maidana told me after that fight, we have nothing to worry about," said Robert Garcia, Maidana's trainer. "With Maidana, there's no doubt that Mayweather can't hurt him. We're going to rough him up again—this time for over 12 rounds."
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