Marcos Maidana Wants Timothy Bradley Next Year
by Scott Christ on Oct 10, 2011 1:25 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
Email
Print
After Bob Arum's recent statement that he tried to get Marcos Maidana for a November 12 fight with newly-signed Top Rank junior welterweight Timothy Bradley, Maidana tells Chris Robinson that he's definitely interested in that fight next year:
"I’d like Bradley to win and then I can fight him. About a year ago my former manager arranged a fight with him behind my back and then when I realized it he made up an injury to justify that I didn’t sign the contract. Some people thought I was the one who faked the injury but if you asked Golden Boy Promotions they know exactly how it happened. Then, I heard that Bradley himself had managerial issues and I understand it 100%. But now we are now clear to fight each other."
Maidana (31-2, 28 KO) and Bradley (27-0, 11 KO) are both near the top of the 140-pound division, and a fight between the two is an interesting style clash, I think. Maidana's reckless aggression and Bradley's craftiness could make for a really good fight, and also a pretty "dirty" fight, as I could see the two of them getting pretty chippy.
One thing seems clear: We're not going to see Amir Khan vs Timothy Bradley any time soon. With Khan ready to move up to 147 after his December 10 fight with Lamont Peterson, the British star is aiming for a 2012 fight with Floyd Mayweather. I'm not saying that Khan vs Bradley will never happen -- if they both keep winning, it would probably be inevitable at 147, maybe in 2013 or so. But both are being positioned for bigger money fights. Khan wants Mayweather, and there's been interest on both sides, and Bradley is widely believed to be in line for a crack at Manny Pacquiao next year. Imagine if both won those fights. Khan and Bradley would instantly be serious stars and very bankable guys.
Maidana also mentions Paul McCloskey as a potential next opponent. Those two went back-and-forth on Twitter a while back in a very respectful manner, simply acknowledging mutual interest in a fight. That one might be realistic, especially as Maidana has expressed a willingness to go to McCloskey's turf for the fight. Another possible opponent for Maidana is Erik Morales, but for some reason I just don't see that rematch happening.
As for Maidana calling Lamont Peterson a "cherry-picked" opponent for Khan, I know that Maidana and Khan both talk a lot of trash, but I think one thing is overlooked pretty often: Maidana lost to Amir Khan. He got that fight, which most thought Khan wouldn't take, and then he lost. I'm not knocking Maidana wanting a rematch or anything, because I'd gladly welcome one as it was a great fight, but the way some people talk about it, you'd think Maidana beat Khan or there was some controversy or something.
69 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
That said...
I’ve got asterisks next to Khan’s last 3 fights.
To his credit, he was winning all of them.
Were they really THAT controversial? I don’t think the “controversy” was asterisk worthy.
Judah quit, McCloskey wasn’t close to being in the fight and got cut, and Cortez broke Maidana and Khan up a little early on many occassions.
The controversy is that there is no controversy.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
no cortez deducted a sham point
and imposed his will on maidana. Which given that its cortez isn’t really surprising at this point in time.
That being said, Khan survived that 10th round, so I feel like there shouldn’t really be much controversy.
by journeyintosound on Oct 11, 2011 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Ugly fight
…but count me in.
by Shitali Klitschko on Oct 10, 2011 2:59 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
one thing is overlooked pretty often: Maidana lost to Amir Khan. He got that fight, which most thought Khan wouldn’t take, and then he lost.
This irks me. Khan’s detractors will always find a way to diminish his wins. They said he wouldn’t take the Maidana fight, then he takes it, it’s a very tough fight, and he clearly wins, yet they are not satisfied. wtf?
People still call him chinny despite being blasted with uppercuts all night (v Maidana) too. I do think theres a racist element to some of the hate tbh.
by Shitali Klitschko on Oct 10, 2011 3:33 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I get where you are coming from, but I think it is valid in this case.
However, we are talking about pretty unsophisticated fans and human beings here. The Youtube warriors we are all so fond of.
I think there's a chance its valid too
by Sweet science on Oct 10, 2011 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Khan has this douchebagness aura about him. I don’t think it has anything to do with his race. He is a great fighter… in my opinion the best 140 but I think it is silly to assume that people hate on him and his chin( which is solid esp that he isn’t boiling to make 135 as a 5’10 fighter) because of his upbringing and color of his skin.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
I hear stuff like “I hope the paki gets KTFO” all the time during his fights (I watched the Salita & Prescott ones at the pub and it was rife there), its nasty, but it certainly happens. Not to say Khan is an easy guy to like, however.
by Shitali Klitschko on Oct 10, 2011 7:48 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
People still call him chinny despite being blasted with uppercuts all night (v Maidana) too.
I would say he certainly doesn’t have a great chin, but it isn’t terrible. He took some tremendous shots from Maidana. Shots most people assumed would KO Khan.
I do think theres a racist element.
I think you are right. I think it’s more so in the UK, because of xenophobia against Pakistani immigrants, “Pakis”, as they are sometimes called over there. There is of course always his religion, which turns off many people in the US as well.
You worded it better
Theres plenty reason to dislike Khan, dont get me wrong. It does feel like whatever he does wont be good enough for some ppl though, who still see him as the guy who got iced v Prescott rather than the much improved fighter he is today.
by Shitali Klitschko on Oct 10, 2011 7:59 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
In 33 fights, the list of people who lasted 12 rounds against Maidana without ever getting stunned or hurt: Kotelnik. Khan’s chin is much better than what he showed against Prescott all those years ago. Khan definitely deserves a lot of credit for taking the fight and looking real impressive for most of the fight. Let’s not forget a normal human being would have been stopped by Khan’s body shot in the first round.
it would probably be inevitable at 147, maybe in 2013
This is the shit that I absolutely hate about boxing. Two top talents in a division may face each other in two years. Not because they have totally awesome fights lined up, but because they could go to another division and try for a big money fight. The problem is that two top fighters fighting doesn’t lead to directly to a big fanbase and big money (see Alexander and Bradley). If boxing/we can’t fix this problem, shit like this will keep happening.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
I would love to see this fight… but I can’t see TR putting Bradley in such a dangerous fight.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
It would just ruin a Manny Bradley fight if Maidana were to get their first
Let Bradley fight Maidana after Manny has disposed of him. That really would make it interesting I believe is coming off a stoppage loss.
by Sweet science on Oct 10, 2011 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Bradley outboxes Pacquiao and Maidana IMO. Holler!
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
Bradley outboxes Pacquiao
I believe he’l beat Maidana. But Manny is just a different league. Why do you think Bradley will beat Manny?
by Sweet science on Oct 10, 2011 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I have no idea why a result versus Maidana would affect his performance against Pacquiao? They are completely different fighters with completely different styles, speeds, and punches. Unless Bradley gets absolutely destroyed in a massive war like Cotto v. Margo, I can’t see one of these fights changing the other.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Oct 10, 2011 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't understand your point
I just asked Cylee why he thinks Bradley beats Pacquiao. And above that I was refering to the promotion of the fight. Bradley being undefeated… they can hype up a Manny fight pretty easily. Bradley fighting Manny after being knocked out by a crude slugger in Maidana…. Much harder to do
by Sweet science on Oct 10, 2011 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Bradley fighting Manny after being knocked out by a crude slugger in Maidana…. Much harder to do
I’m not trying to be crude but why is that? I really don’t think that Bradley has a chance either way, but getting beaten by a totally different fighter shouldn’t change his trajectory. Top Rank already played that game with Clottey and considering that a Pacquiao fight seems to be the only reason TR signed Bradley…
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Oct 10, 2011 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Basically if Bradley loses to anybody he’ll lose any expectation of fighting Manny.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
Why exactly is this? Does Bradley have this huge fanbase that will leave him if he loses? Is there some sort of ranking system that disqualifies him from facing Pacquiao?
I’m not trying to be difficult but what exactly makes a loss so damaging to someone who would be a massive underdog to Pacquiao no matter the circumstance.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Oct 10, 2011 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions
a Pacquiao fight seems to be the only reason TR signed Bradley…
So why sign a guy to fight one of the top two guys in the sport, then risk him getting stopped against a limited fighter like Maidana. It will be much harder to sell to the wider audience.
Like I said, I think Bradley beats Maidana and from my perspective (a fan’s) I would love to see them fight. But if I was thinking business, I would give Tim a soft touch that would not endanger a Manny Bradley fight.
by Sweet science on Oct 10, 2011 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions
The counter-question is ‘Would a win or a loss versus Maidana significantly elevate or deflate Bradley’s popularity amongst casual fans?’
I would tend to think that the casual fan has no idea who either of these two fighters are, but you could sell this fight to HBO pretty easily to make a little money on Bradley immediately. It really depends on what your answer is to that first question.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Oct 10, 2011 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Bradley is African American
He has been marketed poorly to date. His job now is to win and/or lok really good against whoever he is matched with so that he can be made more marketable.
Surely, you must see that if Martinez, the best Argentine fighter ad one of the best fighter’s in the world, has little drawing power, Marcos Maidana, the ‘other’ Argentine is hardly more easy to market than a black kid like Bradley from the US.
It really isnt that hard to understand. That is why there is new investment in Bradley.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
I mean if you guys can somehow make Bradley slightly more interesting than go ahead I would love to see it. But this is a guy who doesn’t have a great personality, doesn’t have an exciting boxing style, and doesn’t have a huge fanbase.
How do you guys pimp Bradley if he isn’t on TV? If you guys can sell a terrible fight to HBO, more power to you and I guess that’s the direction you are going to go. However, Maidana can make anyone exciting and he can give a guy a boost even through a loss (Hello Morales!). I just don’t see this huge downside that everyone is talking about.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Oct 10, 2011 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Top Rank…..
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Oct 10, 2011 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Waldo
I know them socially and I know some (very little, but some) of their thinking….principally because I love boxing but also becasue as a gallery owner, I represent international artists for a living….and thus am interested in promotion per se.
I heard their logic on Bradley and I get it. More importantly, it is their money…and they are putting it on someone they believe can be marketed. It’s all in the public record; most of it in Cali newspapers since teh Bev Hills press conference.
One thing I can tell you is that these ‘guys’ make bets but they don’t really act as cheerleaders for any one fighter. Their philosophy, like most agencies, is that stars come and go but the business stays no matter. I was actully surprised at how “Swiss” their positions vis a vis any one fighter is but when you think about it, if you put two of your own guys …or any two guys for that matter…in the ring in Boxing, shit happens. Winners lose…and sometimes underdog win.
If a whole business was based on one fighter, or two, you are basically fucked when the guy inevitably loses, quits or retires.
Smart agencies try to have multiple talents under contract because believe me…no matter how much you try and or do, they are not going to ultimately give you undying credit for their fame and fortune. That’s just how it rools. It is the veerty very rare star that is born , raised and stays with his first agent, agency or promoter.
Give it a think. I sleep knowing that they will come and go but I have to go on regardless.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Bradley wants more than HBO.
As we know from Martinez and others, TV is not the be all and end all. He wants to be promoted as a clean cut, family man who has the mentality if not the ability to be a beast in the ring. And….is a winner.
At least thus far.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
A win wouldn’t, because most casual fans would likely never heard of Maidana. So then if he does lose, casual fans might ask the question, whoose this bum?? He got knocked out against some Maidnana bloke in his last fight. He’s got no chance.
And still, If Bradley fights Manny in…. May, and loses. That still gives another 7 months to fight Maidna in 2012. Why take the risk of making less money by risking a loss to Maidana first
by Sweet science on Oct 11, 2011 7:00 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed
One other thus far unspoken consideration is the "Manny has not fought slick African-American fighters’ constituency. Now I am not suggesting that TB is ‘slick’ in that sense of the word and/or that that constituency will ever be appeased…but very few contemporary greats are….and in the end, Tim Bradley is black. So score one for Timmy.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
First, I think anyone who circles away from Pacquiao’s left hand will give Pac some trouble. Morales and Marquez have done it and have had success. A tired, old, but game Mosley did this and was rarely touched in the second half of the fight. Second, Bradley has better footwork, better endurance than 2011 version of Mosley, and he has the boxing ability, athletic ability, discipline, and ring IQ to carry out a great game plan for a whole 12 rounds. To add, Bradley has the tenacious ability to box and then fight with Pacquiao when he needs to. To be honest, I think Bradley has a better Ring IQ than Khan and Pacquiao, and is only second to Floyd in the 140-147 divisions or even 154. Bradley has fast feet, underrated defense and head movement, a good jab, goes to the body, and he prevails when the going gets tough. Third, look at Pacquiao’s last opponents: De La Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, Margarito, Mosley. None of them were classic boxers that worked on movement and a good jab. They were big guys that had the stylistic temperaments that make Pacquiao look good and give Arum something to laugh about to the bank. Pacquiao hasn’t fought a BOXER in his PRIME ever since he’s gone above 130lbs. The first Morales fight was a prime example of why they avoided those kind of challenges. I AM a Pacquiao fan, but I’m a boxing fan first (and a Bradley fan second :). Bradley has the best resume at 140 than anyone at 140 now, and the fact that I and others feel Peterson has a good chance agst Khan or the ability to make it a tough fight whereas Bradley dominated him for 12 rounds and made him look bad. If Bradley was simply an undefeated prospect that’s one thing. However, his record (Witter, Holt, Peterson, Campbell, ALEXANDER) speaks for itself. He’s tough and always in shape, he can box and is always improving, he’s smart in the ring, he’s fast, he can adapt, he’s tenacious in the ring, he’s a dedicated volume and body puncher, he can pressure and he can box. And also, look at how an OLD Mosley gave Mayweather and Pacquiao a few tough rounds. Imagine how the Mosley in 2006 who lost a close fight to Cotto would have done, or even the Mosley in 2009 that both Pac AND Floyd avoided after the Margarito fight. Bradley has what it takes, and that’s just my opinion. He’s one of those guys that pple aren’t really giving the credit he deserves, kind of like my main man Andre Ward until after he beat Allan Green. Holler!
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
Pacquiao hasn’t fought a BOXER in his PRIME ever since he’s gone above 130lbs.
Say what you may but Clottey was prime enough to compete closely and all but beat Cotto…who had one loss, albeit a big one. He gave Margarito hell. He beat Judah badly. He was prime enough to beat plenty of others.
Cotto’s not being prime may also be a bit overplayed. whether his loss to Margarito damged him for good, the Cotto that fought Pacquaio would have beaten a shitload of other world-class fighters. Unless one loss is ‘damaged goods’, that is pretty damn prime in my book.
The fact is Manny is the fighter who ends careers. He would IMO dent if not totally derail any path to glory for a fighter like Bradley tomorrow. In a few years, maybe…but unless and untill I see definitive deterioriation or slowing from Pacquaio soon, I think Bradley would be best to keep his distance and make a few (guaranteed) paydays first.
And BTW, if Pac slows down next month, expect Floyd to suddenly show up. If he doesn’t…and he destroys Marquez, forget ever seeing that fight made.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Yo man, None of those guys are pure boxers.
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
Who is, Caveman
Not very many in this era
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Mosley just tried to srivive Cylee. Bradley will have aspirations to win and for that to happen will have to throw some punches. I expect a closer fight, especially over the first 6, but I seriosuly expect Manny to pull away with Bradley struggiling to hang with him by the end
by Sweet science on Oct 11, 2011 7:11 AM EDT up reply actions
This would be an awesome fight and probably a good style matchup too. Bradley can box on the inside or outside, but his go-to style is putting pressure on his opponent, which plays into Maidana’s style. It’s really a tough fight to picture; I doubt Maidana has enough one-punch power to knock Bradley out completely, and I think Bradley’s punching power is underrated in that he can still stun opponents and keep them on their toes. I think Bradley wins this fight maybe 8 rounds to 4.
I think this is a terrible matchup for Bradley. If he chooses to try to pressure, Maidana hits much harder. If he tries to box, he doesn’t have the power to keep Maidana off of him, the speed of Khan, or the bag of tricks of Morales.
Not saying he can’t win, because Bradley is a good fighter, and lord knows Maidana has holes in his game. But I’d lay odds on Maidana.
by Verklemptomaniac on Oct 10, 2011 7:15 PM EDT reply actions
I agree with this.
I would mention, as I believe that you did, that while Maidana is really exciting, he’s very raw, and he seems propelled by energy and sheer talent. But I think that his momentum takes it.
When you say sheer talent, I hope you mean a talent for knocking people out, and withstanding great amounts of pain
by Sweet science on Oct 11, 2011 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, yes and no—he’s no SRR, but he wins all (but 2, Kotelnik and Khan) the time—if KOing the opposition is your only talent, he’s got it in spades, and so far he’s won 31 of 33 fights, 28 KOs. He doesn’t outbox them, and if they’re fairly elite he loses. But they’d better be strong as well, and I’m not so sure about Bradley being stronger than Maidana, either physically or mentally—we’ve never really seen Bradley in pain, not real serious pain, and Maidana win, lose, or draw, will introduce him to pain—we’ll see.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
by BoxAnne on Oct 12, 2011 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
What about against Kendall Holt
That first knockdown was pretty brutal and Holt is no light puncher. He also put Bradley down later in the fight with a short right if I recall. But Bradley controlled the rest of the fight.
by tacklerford on Oct 12, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I should have used the name I meant—I meant Maidana. Bradley can box better than most, but I remain unconvinced that Bradley can punch real hard—not as hard as Maidana, who can’t box anything like as well as Bradley. Maidana had trouble with Kotelnik—that was a while ago ( MM’s gotten a bit better since then) and Khan can punch hard as well as box well. If Maidana’s boxing ability has improved just enough, and he can land one solid one on Bradley, i don’t think Bradley can necessarily take the punch. Not a firm “position,” but a possibility that Bradley can lose this one. And yes, similarly, Bradley was in some trouble there for a bit with Holt.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
I really can’t see Maidana catching Bradley with one of his wide shots. And without that he’l need to catch him plenty for his shorter blows to grind Bradley down too. Bradley is too savvy and will tie Maidana up plenty.
by Sweet science on Oct 13, 2011 6:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Actually, yes, in a nutshell.
As I said, he’s very raw. But he has as much energy as the most energetic boxers I’ve seen in a while, he has great endurance, recovers well, he’s really fast, is not afraid to engage, hits with quite a bit of power, and throws multiple punches, including body shots and uppercuts.
I understand that he has no subtlety or artistry, and his timing is bad, and he has a bad tendency, like Pacquiao, to lunge. But he’s got a lot of raw talent.
I think this would be a great fight and all you have to do is look at the comments here to see that opinion is divided on who would win and that for me makes a great fight. I much prefer watching two fighters like these two than I have had watching the mayweather and pacquaio fights over the past few years. Purely because I can’t see mayweather or pacquaio losing to anyone in there division except each other. So when they fight I just see them winning, where as a fight like say cotto vs magarito fight, which could go either way is much more entertaining. Much better to discuss and gets me a lot more excited than mayweather vs Ortiz did and pacquaio vs Marquez will
Bradley has gained a reputation as a bit of a brawler, but really he’s a shifty clever fighter inside, who rarely gets hit flush. Maidana is the perfect opponent for him to thrive against, in my opinion. One guy will be swinging for the fences, while the other will be slipping under those wild shots and using his speed/accuracy to land effective counters. If it’s closer than 118-110 for Bradley, I’ll be surprised.
TheBoxingBulletin.com
I’m a bit closer to you on this A.F. but MM is a wildcard. He has the kind of power to change any fight and defy any prediction.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Also, although slowhanded, MM’s ability to actually box has significantly improved since Kotelnik, who hit him flush practically at will.. He’s still hittable, and boxing’s still not his strong suit, but it has really improved—more than he gets credit for.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
Scott,
Props for pointing out the fact that Khan beat Maidana.
He may have been given hell by Marcos but that liver shot convinced me that Khan can deliver with extreme prejudice. Just like that.
If he hits anyone else but Marcos the Terminator, the fight is over.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
It’s true he beat Maidana, but some of us aren’t sure he could do it again.
Also it was great fight and Khan is instead wanting to fight Peterson and Mccloskey?
http://fistonchin.com http://brightlightssports.com
some of us aren’t sure he could do it again.
That can be said for far too many fights historically to be a criticism
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
It’s not even a question of history, it’s a question of the limited nature of opportunity. This is like a Steelers fan saying that the Packers might have beaten their team in the Super Bowl, but what if they replayed the game 5 more times?
by El Destruyo on Oct 10, 2011 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Nicely played, El D
If I could have that kind of opportunity, Franco Harris never catches the Immaculate Reception and the Raiders rule the Seventies. If only.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bad Left Hook
Related FanShots on Bad Left Hook
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
