Maidana to Mayweather: I don't hit as hard as Canelo

So - if you thought the glove controversy was over, apparently it isn't. Maidana wants to use his preferred Everlast MX gloves for the rematch, which Mayweather previously objected to because of the lack of apparent padding in the knuckles. There's still no definitive word on whether or not he'll be allowed to use them this go-round, though it seems unlikely that Mayweather would give ground on that issue all of the sudden. What's worse is that this looks like its setting up to be a recurring theme throughout the promotion of Mayweather-Maidana II, something I could personally live without.

"I want to use my gloves. I don’t hit that hard. I don’t hit as hard as Canelo," said Maidana, during a 15-minute conference call with reporters on Monday in advance of his Sept. 13 rematch with Mayweather. "But the gloves are not a big issue. I’m going to beat him no matter what gloves I use."

Hmmm, where should I go with that? Maidana is known to be one of the hardest pound-for-pound punchers in the sport, but according to him, he doesn't hit that hard. Ok. He then goes on to say he doesn't hit as hard as Canelo. Well clearly Canelo is a bigger man than Maidana, but I would submit that Maidana is still a bit heavier-handed than Canelo is. Finally he states the gloves aren't a big issue and that he'll win anyway. That has to be disingenuous at best because the whole glove issue has been brought up ad nauseum ever since the first fight and is now carrying over into this fight. So yeah, whatever.

On a couple of other interesting side-notes, Maidana offered up that he has no plans on changing his strategy this time around and that he's willing to take on Mayweather's bet of his entire purse.

"I'm not going to change anything whatsoever. I work with Robert, and he's going to come up with the game plan. No, I'm not going to change my style. That's how I felt the first time, and the second time, I feel the same.

"It's all in the preparation. I'm not going to change my style. I just have to fine tune a few things, and to be able to get my punches off a little better, and I think that will make the difference."

"As far as the bet, yeah, I'm willing to take the bet no problem. I will take the bet."

The gamesmanship is now in full-swing. Will the selection of gloves make any difference in the outcome of the fight? Will Maidana employing the exact-same strategy benefit him against the versatility of Mayweather? And how silly is it for Maidana to bet his entire purse against what amounts to only a fraction of Floyd's?