Mayweather Fight: Identifying Ideal Strategies for Money and Maidana
Marcos Maidana (35-4-0) has punched his way into one of the rarest opportunities in boxing—a rematch with Floyd Mayweather (46-0-0). Jose Luis Castillo is the only other boxer to face Mayweather more than once, back in 2002, with Money winning both fights by unanimous decision.
The unusualness of this event will only intensify the analysis of both boxers' strategies. Fans and pundits alike will look to see if Mayweather can parlay his defensive wizardry into another win, while Maidana will have to show signs of some new tricks or prove that his relentless, straightforward style is enough to overwhelm the undefeated pugilist.
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The approach each fighter takes in the early rounds will be heavily dissected. There are many fine strategies to utilize in a boxing match, but both men will need to take the best possible course of action to come out victorious on Saturday night.
Let's take a look at the ideal strategies for each fighter to follow at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Mayweather Must Focus On Movement, Using the Whole Ring
Maidana may be six years his junior, but Mayweather has aged like a fine wine thanks to his relentless workout routines.
Showtime's All Access series gave fans a glimpse into the legendary workouts that have kept Mayweather several steps ahead of his younger competition and preserved his undefeated record:
Mayweather should take advantage of his top-notch conditioning and superior footwork Saturday night. In their first fight, Maidana's bull-rushing style seemingly caught Mayweather off guard, and he had some difficulty staying off the ropes and avoiding powerful shots to the head.
When Maidana drew blood, it was clear that Mayweather was in danger and needed to do a better job of maintaining separation from his brave opponent.
If Mayweather can force Maidana to chase him in the early rounds of the rematch, it should sap El Chino's power and mitigate the danger of a late knockout. Mayweather can then dig in and close out the fight with his deadly accuracy and defensive repertoire, especially his excellent shoulder-rolling technique.
Maidana has even admitted that he tired in the first fight. Forcing fatigue to settle in early will be a difficult task for Money, but it is his best chance at maintaining a perfect record.
"I think I did get tired in the first fight. I have to pace myself a little better, and this time around I will be better. If the knockout comes, great, but I'm ready to go the distance, as well. I'm ready to make history," Maidana said, via ESPN.com's Dan Rafael.
This fight will be an exercise in disaster management once again, and forcing Maidana to waste breath on moving around the ring will only help Mayweather outbox him in the later rounds of the fight. It will also prevent fans, judges and pundits from focusing too much on the volume of punches Maidana is throwing if his accuracy is even worse than it was in the first fight.
Maidana Must Show Patience, Look for the Knockout Blow
A wide chasm separates the technical talent of Mayweather and Maidana. For the latter to come out victorious, he will almost certainly have to end this fight before the final bell. Going 12 rounds spells doom for the Argentine fighter. Thirty-one of his 35 professional victories have come via knockout, so this isn't necessarily a new strategy for Maidana.
His ability to rack up the total number of punches landed against Money earned him the respect of many pundits and fans. Showtime Stats relays the key numbers from the first matchup:
However, this wasn't enough for Maidana to earn a victory. Mayweather kept the fight going and won with a majority decision. Maidana must do a better job of pacing and picking his spots if he is to land a (potential) famous knockout blow, especially since Mayweather will have a much better idea of what to expect from the 31-year-old this time around.
Former boxer Paul Jones believes Maidana doesn't have much of a chance in this one:
Maidana must not panic and feel that he has to make up points if Mayweather dominates him in the first few rounds. The longer he holds on in the fight and saves his energy, the better his chances are of catching his opponent off guard.
Mayweather hasn't scored a knockout since his controversial TKO victory over Victor Ortiz in 2007, but that doesn't mean Maidana can rush forward with impunity. Money is looking to throw more punches in this contest.
"I expect to throw more combinations this time. I can't say if the rematch will be easier. I won the first fight, [so] it's up to him to change. The champ can make adjustments, and I can be especially smart about it. Nobody can solve the May-Vinci code," said Mayweather, via Rafael.
This shift in strategy could not only stymie Maidana's attack but also reinforce the notion that he will need to win via knockout or technical knockout. Mayweather is good enough that an extra emphasis on attack won't necessarily mean a drop-off in his defensive game.
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