Mayweather vs. Maidana Rematch: Pros and Cons of a Money vs. El Chino Trilogy

Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana went to battle for the second-straight time on Saturday night. Mayweather won via unanimous decision. SportsCenter provided details on the fight and Mayweather's take on his performance:

Now questions will likely be raised about whether they should fight again.

Mayweather is probably going to pursue other options in the short term, and there will be no shortage of challengers hoping for their shot at him. Yet, that doesn't mean he won't circle back around to Maidana before he decides to hang up his gloves for the final time.

With that in mind, let's check out some of the positives and negatives associated with possibly creating a trilogy at some point in the future. The number of pay-per-view buys will obviously play a role once those are released to illustrate viewer interest in the second fight, as well.

Pros

Need More Rivalries

An extended rivalry is part of what makes sports special. Whether it's the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox, Ohio State against Michigan or Muhammad Ali against Joe Frazier, it creates a sense that a normal game or fight simply can't match.

Boxing has changed from the days of Ali and Frazier, though. The sport has become more specialized with a more intense view on what could create the most hype next time rather than the big picture. As a result, there's been fewer long-term rivalries.

That's not to say Mayweather and Maidana could approach what Ali and Frazier did, of course. But Money sets the standard right now, and others tend to follow his lead. If he paved the path toward more rivalry fights, which the sport could certainly use, many would replicate the approach.

Style Clash

Maidana is not the most talented fighter Mayweather has faced in his career, but his style makes him a tricky foe. He's a powerful brawler who isn't afraid to take some chances while the five-division world champion prefers a more cerebral plan of attack.

The Argentine is also willing to use some questionable tactics to get under his opponent's skin. BoxingNews24.com mentioned that while defending the fight against fans who didn't improve of a rematch, let alone a trilogy:

"

On paper it would seem Floyd Mayweather should easily defeat any fighter with the same style as Maidana. However, Maidana is unique. He throws barrages of hurtful power shots to the head, arms, shoulders, body, back of the head, kidneys even the legs at times!

He is renowned for pushing the boundaries of the rules and shows little if any respect for the man standing in front of him.

"

It creates an interesting dynamic, especially with Maidana having already proven he's capable of getting Money out of his comfort zone. Few opponents have been able to do that. And that clash of styles provides some added intrigue.

Cons

Limited Mayweather Fights

Nobody knows how much longer Mayweather is going to fight. He still has a couple of additional bouts under his current deal with Showtime, and he has suggested that could be the end. But that doesn't automatically mean he's going to finish it. It could be a ploy to generate hype for a few more fights.

He was already talking about retirement heading into the first Maidana fight, though. Mitch Abramson of the New York Daily News provided remarks from the longtime boxing sensation, who said he would be happy with his legacy if his run ended then.

"I'm not really worried about [GOING 50-0]," he said. "I'm being honest—I be contemplating every day... getting out of the sport now. I'm very comfortable. Very comfortable.

"If I choose to walk away then I walk away. It's just me being a human being. If I feel like walking away, then I'm walking away."

Obviously he chose to fight again, but it's a sign that the end may be near. It's something he confirmed leading up to his latest bout. Since there's a limited number of fights left in his career, using another one on Maidana when there are so many other potential opponents isn't the most appealing idea.

Lack of Maidana Star Power

Boxing needs to generate interest from mainstream sports fans in order to sell the fight. While Maidana is able to give Mayweather a battle, he's neither a household name nor a young fighter on his way toward superstardom. He's already 31.

In turn, it would likely prove challenging to create enough hype for a third fight. There are other options on the table such as British star Amir Khan or Manny Pacquiao, even if the latter bout may be a long shot after previous failed attempts to reach an agreement.

Perhaps the outlook will change if Mayweather fights and dominates other opponents, which will make Maidana look even better by comparison. As for now, however, he probably lacks the star power necessary to warrant another matchup in the immediate future.