MANILA, Philippines – Floyd Mayweather had an easier time outboxing Marcos Maidana in their rematch Sunday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to retain his WBC and WBA welterweight titles.
Mayweather, in a fine display of boxing skills and movement, kept Maidana at bay throughout the fight and won on all three judges’ scorecards, 116-111 (twice) and 115-112. The American thus stretched his unbeaten record to 47-0,
The bout paled in comparison to their first meeting last May where Maidana came out with guns blazing and threw everything he got on Mayweather, who had trouble with his opponent’s pressing attack. Sunday’s fight though was different as Mayweather started the first two rounds by brilliantly using his lateral movement to stay away from Maidana.
But Maidana had his moments, including landing his best punch of the fight in the third round – a right straight before the closing bell that dazed Mayweather near his corner. Nevertheless, it was Mayweather’s show throughout.
Things got interesting in the eighth round when Mayweather complained that Maidana bit his hand during a clinch, and replays show the Argentine’s mouth coming in contact with Mayweather’s left glove.
"When the referee was breaking us, he (Maidana) bit my hand," the American said in an interview right after the fight, something Maidana denied.
“He thinks I'm a dog, but I never bit him,” said the heavy-handed Maidana, who fell to 35-5, with 31 knockouts.
Mayweather spent the day flicking his jab at Maidana, who this time had trouble penetrating his foe’s defense, which wasn’t the case during the early part of their first encounter in May. Maidana would occasionally land blows, but most of his shots were either blocked or countered by Mayweather.
Afterwards, Mayweather was faced with the inevitable question about Manny Pacquiao.
"If the Manny Pacquiao fight comes around, let's make it happen," Mayweather said to the delight of the crowd.
Pacquiao faces Chris Algieri on Nov. 23 in Macau, and Mayweather said the Filipino needs to take care of business first before thinking of getting in the ring with him in a bout expected to be the richest in boxing history.
“Pacquiao should focus on the guy in front of him now (Algieri). Once he gets past that, then we'll see what the future holds,” Mayweather explained.