There's Something About Marcos Maidana

"Don't write checks, your ass can't cash," goes the adage. Such was the case for Adrien "The Problem" Broner vs. Argentine strongman Marcos "El Chino" Maidana, who clearly and brutally solved The Problem. For someone touted as the heir apparent, Broner was never, ever in a position to pull off what everyone, obviously except Maidana, thought would be his coming out party. It was more like an exposition. On paper, Maidana had no business winning this fight, needless to say by unanimous decision. But, boxing is a strange sport. You can always expect the unexpected. Broner like Naseem Hamed was exposed as nothing more than hype. Obviously he's talented. You don't win three titles in three weight classes and not have some substance. However, the whispers were in the air as late as his previous fight with Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi. "Where's the power at Welterweight...He doesn't look as effective at the weight...he doesn't seem as explosive vs. elite competition." However, the character outside the ring eclipsed the whispers: the rapper, amateur porn star, and world-class antagonizer became bigger and it appears, far more groomed than the fighter. Boxing is a jealous sport and if you desire to be a showman, you better be on your game. There in lies the difference between Mr. Broner and his "big brother," Floyd Mayweather. For all his braggadocio and bombast, Mayweather is clear that he is a boxer first. 

There’s something about Marcos Maidana. At first sight there’s seemingly nothing special about him and no reason he should be as far along as he is. No frills, no extravagance, stoic to the core, as real as they come, not a tinge of hype. Perhaps that's his magic. Perhaps that's how he seduces these budding superstars to see him merely as a stepping-stone. He draws them in only to find they're in a struggle with an immovable mountain. He was suppose to be Victor Ortiz' warm up act, instead it set his career ablaze. He was suppose to be Adrien Broner's entry into the big time, but, alas Maidana, not Broner found himself elevated. In the talent latent Welterweight division, Maidana stands firmly among the divisions best; and he did it the old fashion way. No head games, no sex tapes, no rap albums, just an unapologetic commitment to craft. Maybe good guys do finish first.

© 2013

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