Amir Khan v Marcos Maidana, 11th December

TheProdigy

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12183_6379218,00.html

Maidana will take this, very good fighter with lots of power, glad to see Amir stepping up to the challenge all the same

JacksonHeightsOwn

i havent personally seen Maidana if im being honest

but his record does set the heart racing thats for sure

i read he was pretty crap in his most recent fight though?

i dont despise Khan or anything, but its about time he's put his title on the line, i know everyone needs to make a few bob and all, but being THE CHAMPION [/B, means you have to take risks other guys dont, it comes with the territory imo

ill look forward to this one

walshb

As most will know here, I am big fan of Khan's boxing and skill.

BUT, I have been running out of patience with him of late. Should he step up here I think he deserves the credit. It's a real fight against a real LWW fighter.

Khan suffered one loss, aged 21 and at LW. I allow him that. And now is his time to keep progressing. Maidana is a step forward most definitely.

If Amir has strengthened sufficiently and improved the defense, he has all the skills, speed and decent power to beat this guy, who can be hurt, is wild and
not near the "boxer" that Khan is.

This fight should really tell us if Khan's chin has improved or stayed the same.
I won't write him off for his sole KO loss, or his wobbly moments while a young kid at a weight I believe he was struggling to make.

Here is something of concern regarding this bout. I hope it gets sorted.

Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 8, 2010

Dr. Gilberto Mendoza
WBA President
Mr. Gilberto Jesús Mendoza
WBA Executive Vice-President
Vía e-mail

Dear Dr. and Mr. Mendoza,

Trust this letter finds you and your families very well.

The reason I am contacting you guys is to request the World Boxing Association (WBA) to ratify my status of mandatory challenger of the current WBA Super Lightweight Regular champion, Amir Khan, as I am the current WBA Super Lightweight Interim champion.

I make this request in the light that Mr. Khan has systematically refused to fight with me for the last 10 months, even though he was well aware of his obligation of facing the Interim champion. And now, apparently he is questioning such obligation, so I would like the WBA to remind him.

In fact, I have been as flexible and patient as possible during this period of time, as Mr. Khan, his team and trainer Freddie Roach have always cited different excuses not to fight me. On the contrary, I make it clear that I have been always willing to face Mr. Khan, who has made false statements on the media mentioning otherwise.

Eventually, I got tired of this situation in which I had to read surprising statements on the news where Mr. Khan himself and his team tried to confuse the boxing fans and media by saying a bunch of lies, including an alleged offer that they made to me to fight last July, which in reality never existed, whatsoever.

If Mr. Khan does not want to fight me, he must say it loud and clear in public and give away the portion of the title he carries and I should be appointed the WBA absolute Super Lightweight champion.

Therefore, I ratify my willingness of facing Mr. Khan before the end 2010.

Many thanks for your kind attention,

Best wishes,
Marcos René Maidana

CC
Richard Schaefer – Golden Boy Promotions
Eric Gomez – Golden Boy Promotions

Rob113

I'd personally love to see khan beat this guy. I think he a great fighter to watch and his speed is unreal. I think he got unfairly hammered over his loss to Prescott that time. He seems to be a bit of a love or hate kind of character with the Brits especially so I'd like to see him silence some of his critics. Also if Freddie roach can turn him into a true champion then it will further cement his legacy as one of the greatest trainers of all time.
This certainly beats haye v audley in anyway.

walshb

Rob113 wrote: »

I'd personally love to see khan beat this guy. I think he a great fighter to watch and his speed is unreal. I think he got unfairly hammered over his loss to Prescott that time. He seems to be a bit of a love or hate kind of character with the Brits especially so I'd like to see him silence some of his critics. Also if Freddie roach can turn him into a true champion then it will further cement his legacy as one of the greatest trainers of all time.
This certainly beats haye v audley in anyway.

Absolutely, Rob.

Like him or not, the guy has serious skills and is great to watch, plus with that chin, he makes for the nail biting fights. I hope he progresses because I think his style and appeal is good for boxing. He makes for some tasty matches.

Rob113

He's certainly the only British fighter with the skill set to take on the best and become a superstar. Haye is a class operator but really there are only 2 fights out there for him that would generate any real interest. For khan the opportunities are endless and he is still so young. If he can get his defence up to scratch and protect that fragile chin of his then he really could become a great. I reckon he still has to lose the large entourage as they attract a lot of negative publicity and come across as very racist and almost as Muslim extremists. I know religion shouldn't come into it but it could damage him in the states if he becomes known for having a trouble making crowd following him around. Think Ricky hattons supporters - loud and quite annoying but they made for a good atmosphere with the singing or whatever. Khan brings a different following with him and from reading some reports of his fights there seems to have been trouble with racism and fighting in the crowd.

nacho libre

Madiana can bang, but from what i've seen of him lately he seems a limited fighter. I think Khan, with his dazzling handspeed and slick footwork, should prove too much for him.

Benny Lava

This will be an intriguing fight.

Khan has improved his defence significantly under Freddie Roach. Can he avoid the big shots from Maidana for 12 rounds? That remains to be seen. Maidana has power but by all accounts he was quite poor against Corley. I see Khan outboxing Maidana for most of the fight (however long it lasts) but if Maidana can land one big shot it will be over. Very difficult to call but it's great that it's that way.

Overall, a great match-up and definitely a fight to look forward to. Far better than that Haye/Harrison shyte!!!

iluvcheese92

I see Khan dominating and jabbing Maidana to death and possibly getting the late knockout. Everyone keeps referring to Khans chin but has anyone stopped to realize Maidana doesn't exactly have a chin of stone. And in relation to Maidana having the power advantage, Im not so sure about that theory either. Still should be a great fight

deisedelight

cant wait for this one.
from a spectator point of view i hope khan dont hide behide his jab all night . would love to see these two bang. khan has serious power too so this could be an early night for either man if they decide to trade but doubt that ll happen.should be a great fight.

Kaizer Sosa

There's no chance Khan will stand and trade during this fight or it'll be lights out à la Prescott. He'd be a fool not to box for this fight. We saw what happened Ortiz when he went to war with Maidana and Ortiz, I think, will eventually prove to be the greatest of these great light welters.

colly10

deisedelight wrote: »

would love to see these two bang.

No way does that happen, unless Khan has learned nothing over the last few years.
Khan wins this fight well in my mind, yes Khan has a weak chin but I think this is where he'll silence his doubters and some will see he's the best in the division.

Bradley ducks just as much as Khan, he doesn't have the skill and speed of Khan and I think that if Khan shows that he can win well against Maidana without any scares then Bradley won't want anything to do with him

TheProdigy

colly10 wrote: »

No way does that happen, unless Khan has learned nothing over the last few years.
Khan wins this fight well in my mind, yes Khan has a weak chin but I think this is where he'll silence his doubters and some will see he's the best in the division.

Bradley ducks just as much as Khan, he doesn't have the skill and speed of Khan and I think that if Khan shows that he can win well against Maidana without any scares then Bradley won't want anything to do with him

Khan definately won't go in to bang with Maidana but the question is whether he will be forced into a brawl..Its very different in the ring when you have somebody like Maidana coming full belt at you every round, we saw it with Ortiz.

I wouldn't classify Khan as the best in the division tbh, its got to be Victor Ortiz for me. When that guy boxes like he can to his ability he is a very class act, slips beautifully with powerful shots. Really hoping the winner of this will face him then, I think he beats both of them at the moment imo.

walshb

TheProdigy wrote: »

Khan definately won't go in to bang with Maidana but the question is whether he will be forced into a brawl..Its very different in the ring when you have somebody like Maidana coming full belt at you every round, we saw it with Ortiz.

I wouldn't classify Khan as the best in the division tbh, its got to be Victor Ortiz for me. When that guy boxes like he can to his ability he is a very class act, slips beautifully with powerful shots. Really hoping the winner of this will face him then, I think he beats both of them at the moment imo.

Ortiz on par is a beautiful boxer/puncher. So well balanced and effortless. He looks better than Khan in the balnace and rythym sense, but overall, I think Amir's speed and more natural aggression will beat Ortiz. Khan has a stoppage win over Victor in the amateurs. Now, different game here, but Ortiz can be hurt just like Khan. Ortiz seems to have really bounced back well following his strange defeat to Maidana, with wins over Vivian Harris and Nate Campbell.

megadodge

TheProdigy wrote: »

Khan definately won't go in to bang with Maidana but the question is whether he will be forced into a brawl..Its very different in the ring when you have somebody like Maidana coming full belt at you every round, we saw it with Ortiz.

I wouldn't classify Khan as the best in the division tbh, its got to be Victor Ortiz for me. When that guy boxes like he can to his ability he is a very class act, slips beautifully with powerful shots. Really hoping the winner of this will face him then, I think he beats both of them at the moment imo.

Strange choice, bearing in mind the way his fight with Maidana already went.

I haven't been as impressed with Ortiz (even before Maidana) as everyone else is and the disgraceful way he quit v the Argentine doesn't bode well for when the going gets tough (which it inevitably will at some stage considering the division he's in).

I think Khan stops him unless he lands on that shaky chin. A rematch v Maidana won't happen any time soon unless Maidana gets hammered in the meantime.

I would definitely favour Bradley over him also. Far too clever and tough.

walshb

I don't see it as a strange choice at this time. I know well Victor quit vs. Maidana. But, in that fight it was clear to me who was the classy boxer. Ortiz for whatever reason bottled it. Now, he has had that experience and I think it may help him a lot. Maturity and experience do count. On paper he is a far better overall talent.

If Ortiz has gained that edge, that fight and hardness, I think his skills and punching will be a stiff test, even for Bradley, who to be honest isn't as good as he has been made out. Ortiz and Khan will out box Bradley. His only hope is that they crumble, and Bradley isn't all that big a hitter.

I would favor Ortiz (in the right frame of mind) over Maidana 8/10 times...

Benny Lava

Ortiz looked classy early on against Maidana and showed that he has good power to compliment his boxing skills. Maidana looks more like a Kiko Martinez/Breidis Prescott style one trick pony who just goes in there and relies on his power to get him through. If they were to fight a rematch I think Ortiz would coast to a decision or even knock out Maidana late on when he gets desperate for the knock-out. That is, of course, assuming Ortiz has learned from his loss (which hasn't been proven yet). The more of Maidana I watch the more I favour Khan to beat him. I get the feeling Khan will catch Maidana when he gets wreckless and could stop him in about the eighth round. On the other hand, Maidana could end it early on if Khan isn't careful but I get the feeling he will be on the night.

megadodge

You can be a very forgiving person at times Walshb

I don't have a problem with your defending of Khan's loss v Prescott. He certainly has learned from it. What he learned is that his chin is not good enough to mix with punchers, so, just outbox them. That's a tactical lesson.

Ortiz, however, showed he hasn't got the one thing you just can't teach - heart! He quit very, very lamely and that shows a lack of desire, a lack of bottle, a lack of do-whatever-it-takes attitude that is an absolute must for all aspiring champions.

At some stage in a very talented division, he's going to face similar (or even worse) situations to what he found himself in v Maidana and the natural quitter in him will just come to the surface again. He mightn't make it as obvious, but he could just go into his shell and stop trying to win, which is much the same but doesn't look as bad.

I'd expect Bradley to have too solid a game and just want it too bad against Ortiz.

walshb

Mega, I give every fighter a pass, ONCE, unless it's for a despicable act inside the ring that endangers his opponent. Ortiz quit in a very physically demanding bout, as a young man, not yet fully mature and lacking a good deal of experience. So, I feel that maybe the guy can learn from it, mature, gain that experience and become a better fighter for it. He has all the right moves, so I think all he needs now is that toughness and guts. Who can definitively say that Ortiz won't go from strength to strength and never quit again?

Rumors did surface when Clay met Liston that Clay wanted the gloves ripped off him only for Dundee to push Clay back out for the 6th or 7th rd. Now, that is how very delicate and sensitive this ridiculoulsy tough sport can be.

I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss Ortiz for that ONE decision he made as a young and not so experienced fighter.

TheProdigy

Benny Lava wrote: »

That is, of course, assuming Ortiz has learned from his loss (which hasn't been proven yet)

:rolleyes: Watch the Nate Campbell fight.. Ortiz put on a masterclass in that fight, especially against somebody who many people thought would give Victor problems and drag him into a brawl. Ortiz showed his maturity that he stayed on the outside and tore Campbell to shreds.

He has had 2 very good performances since the Maidana fight to be perfectly honest, only onwards and upwards for this fella.

walshb

TheProdigy wrote: »

:rolleyes: Watch the Nate Campbell fight.. Ortiz put on a masterclass in that fight, especially against somebody who many people thought would give Victor problems and drag him into a brawl. Ortiz showed his maturity that he stayed on the outside and tore Campbell to shreds.

He has had 2 very good performances since the Maidana fight to be perfectly honest, only onwards and upwards for this fella.

Yes, but what Benny I think is saying is that since the loss, Ortiz has yet to be in a similar type of fight, a gruelling and tough scrap. Vs. Campbell, Victor dominated and never looked in bad shape. So, in that respect, the jury is still
out, however, I will wait and see before writing him off, just like I will wait and see if Amir Khan can really keep progressing and beating the best fighters out there.

megadodge

Rumors did surface when Clay met Liston that Clay wanted the gloves ripped off him only for Dundee to push Clay back out for the 6th or 7th rd. Now, that is how very delicate and sensitive this ridiculoulsy tough sport can be.

But that was when he was blinded and fought a full round where he couldn't actually see and assumed (IMO correctly) that something was put on Liston's gloves. I think he was so disgusted that cheating like that could occur he wanted to show it up. It was an unusual situation to say the least, whereas Ortiz's was exactly what you can expect in the ring any time you get in there.

Anyway, I'm not convinced of his worth. Even besides his quitting, there's something about his style too that I just can't warm to.

Benny Lava

TheProdigy wrote: »

:rolleyes: Watch the Nate Campbell fight.. Ortiz put on a masterclass in that fight, especially against somebody who many people thought would give Victor problems and drag him into a brawl. Ortiz showed his maturity that he stayed on the outside and tore Campbell to shreds.

What the hell are you rolling your eyes about? Beating an old version of Nate Campbell doesn't prove he has learned from the Maidana loss. It showed that he has great boxing skills (which we already knew) but he has yet to prove that he can handle the pressure from prime or near-prime brawlers. If he had beaten Maidana in a rematch in the same manner that he beat Campbell, then yes, I would say he has learned from his loss. The jury is still out.

JacksonHeightsOwn

anybody watching the Murray fight on sky???

Khan has just said if Murray wins, he'll then fight Victor Ortiz on the undercard to Khan vs Maidana :eek:

Benny Lava

chrisbonnie wrote: »

anybody watching the Murray fight on sky???

Khan has just said if Murray wins, he'll then fight Victor Ortiz on the undercard to Khan vs Maidana :eek:

Well maybe he sees the Ortiz fight as the only way to get the fight with Khan. Although if the winner of each fight are expected to face off then I'm not sure Murray is a good choice of opponent for Ortiz. The same questions will remain and he mightn't have rebuilt sufficiently from Maidana 1 for Maidana 2 or a fight against Khan.

pbffan

I see December 11 as the night Amir Khan finally silences his critics. He's going in there against the biggest hitter in the division, a vicious knock out merchant in Maidana. Just look at what he did to Ortiz, the way Victor was talking after the fight you'd swear he was retiring, Maidana gave him the beating of his life that night. Maidana isn't invincible though, in fact he's a pretty limited fighter tbh. He doesn't possess any technical boxing skills, his footwork isn't great, and he has no plan B. If Ortiz had blocked out the crowd that night, and fought his own fight rather than brawling, I believe he would have won, and quite handily.
Khan is ultra talented, he's one of the fastest fighters in the world, and is technically proficient. That jab of his comes at opponents like a laser, even Mayweather would have a job avoiding it. His Achilles heel though, as we all know, is his chin. He's been put down by pillow punchers like Willie Limond in the past, and we all know what Prescott did to him. I don't actually read too much into the Prescott loss though, it lasted about 30 seconds and proved nothing. A 21 year old rookie went in gung-ho against a banger and got KO'd quickly, end of. Prescott will never be world class, but Khan played right into his hands that night. Much like Ortiz with Maidana, Khan fought a stupid fight and paid for it. Since that defeat, he's a changed fighter. He has Freddie Roach on his team, his whole body composition has changed and he has developed from a boy into a man. Crucially though, his defence has improved threefold.
I still wouldn't like to see Khan relying solely on his defence to beat Maidana, but he won't be. His footwork and speed are league above Maidana's, he's not going to stand there in front of him and wait to get hit, he'll constantly be on the move, he'll come in from angles, and he'll box the ears off Maidana. He is going to get hit at some stage though, and that will be the acid test for him. The first punch Maidana lands will tell all - If Khan winces, we know he's going to be knocked out at some stage, if he takes it like a man, I actually see him knocking Maidana out. The Argentinian was down a few times against Ortiz and was hurt. Khan is a great finisher, and won't let him escape.

I've had my doubts about Khan in the past, but I really think he'll show the world what he's made off on Dec 11. I don't believe his chin is quite as bad as many make it out to be, and expect him to school Maidana. I see this as a Calzaghe-Lacy type fight, only this time Lacy doesn't see the final bell. Khan KO

Bodhisopha

Maidana is the very definition of crude slugger. Ortiz lost that fight because knowing he could hurt Maidana he stupidly got his macho up and elected to trade shots with him. I'd back Ortiz to box his ears off in a rematch as i suspect Khan will. But if Maidana connects...

colly10

pbffan wrote: »

I see December 11 as the night Amir Khan finally silences his critics.

Khan may destroy Maidana but it won't silence his critics. Noone doubts his talent but his has a glass chin and thats the critics problem.
If Maidana really sits down on a shot an it lands flush on Khan's chin it'll be lights out, I think it's unlikely that he will catch him flush though so i'd expect Khan to win well.

The critics will always be there, if he wins this fight well it won't prove that he won't be brutally ko'd in the next. I think Khan is the most talented fighter in the division but I think this may be the most dangerous fight he could have taken

pbffan

To be honest, I think of all the 140 guys right now, Victor Ortiz has the best shot at beating Khan. He really lives up to his "vicious" nickname in the ring and packs a serious punch. Unlike Maidana though, Ortiz has more to his game than just a few big shots, he's a skilled guy who's capable of landing on almost anyone. Once he starts throwing bombs, it won't be long before his opponent hits the deck.
I think that Khan is just technically too good for Maidana, the difference in talent is absolutely shocking, Khan trumps him in pretty much every department other than power and chin. I might be wrong, but I think Khan's footwork, movement and skill will enable to avoid Maidana's biggest shots. Maidana is as one dimensional as they come and when taken out of his comfort zone, I see Khan destroying him.
Ortiz however is a completely different ballgame, he's a much more complete fighter than Maidana and he won't have the same problems landing on Khan. I don't think Amir's chin would hold out if that fight were ever to happen tbh.
I think Khan beats everyone else in the division though, including Bradley & Alexander

walshb

Ortiz is a lovely boxer-puncher. I feel that Khan's faster and more aggressive starts could be dangerous for Ortiz, who can be hurt. So, if Khan gets him early with that speed advantage, then Ortiz may never be allowed get into that lovely relaxed and precise rhythm.

As for the chin? Well, going on previous evidence, yes, it is weak, however, the guy was still very young and at a weight that I think was too low for him.

Age and maturity and weight increase may well help Amir to shake of shots
a wee bit better. Not saying he suddenly has a Hagler chin, but strength, conditioning, experience and maturity all play their parts in shot absorption

As for the rest at 140? Khan IMO is the best boxer of the lot, and "IF" he can take the shots, then I see
him being overall too skilled for any of them. He is that talented.

Ortiz is also a beautiful boxer; even more balanced than Amir.

Benny Lava

After that absolute farce of a fight at the weekend, it is refreshing to see two of the top fighters in the same division face each other. Also, Ortiz fights Lamont Peterson on the undercard and if he wins he could face the winner of the main event some time down the line.

I think Khan will have his defence sorted and will counter-punch his way to a stoppage win.

gonedrinking

After Khan disposes of Maidana, what are the chances of a fight against Pacquiao? Would be a much more entertaining fight than Pac against Mayweather in my opinion, due to their styles.

walshb

As much as I admire Khan's skills, I still think there is just something a little amateur about him. I hope he keeps improving, but he still shows that amateur style a little much. I don't think he is a real real pro, at least not yet.Will he beat Marcos? If he is cute and tough and focused, yes, he wipes Marcos's slate clean.

colly10

gonedrinking wrote: »

After Khan disposes of Maidana, what are the chances of a fight against Pacquiao? Would be a much more entertaining fight than Pac against Mayweather in my opinion, due to their styles.

There's no way that Pac doesn't land on Khan and there's no way Khan takes it. I wouldn't see it as much of a contest, Mayweather-Pac is far more unpredictable though and a much harder fight to call

Dan_Solo

gonedrinking wrote: »

After Khan disposes of Maidana, what are the chances of a fight against Pacquiao?

Zero I would imagine. Khan's not ready, his crew know it. Pac's above him, his crew know it.
The fight wouldn't serve either of them right now.

pbffan

Khan weighed in 140, Maidana 139

walshb

Judging by pics, Khan's height advantage is very litlle. I thought he would be maybe 3 inches taller. I would say from the pics it's more like 1 max

Lonesome Boatman

Personally i hope Khan gets knocked out, i find him quite arrogant.

sweetswing

Kahn takes this by ko in the mid rounds, his speed is awesome , he's an excellent finisher.
I think to much is made of his dodgy chin, he has grown as a fighter.
His defence is so much better now, I know you can't train a chin, but there are things you can do that help, I'm sure Freddy isn't training Kahn because he thinks he's a nice guy, Freddy sees quality in the kid.
He has a way to go yet for my liking ,but he is well on his way.

mark renton

I like khan, he has fantastic speed and skill. but this is the wrong fight. At this level there is no doubt he will be caught clean at some point and it wont be pretty

going into this fight knowing he cant afford to be hit clean once will affect his own boxing skills

Maidana KO rounds 2-4

iluvcheese92

john47832 wrote: »

I like khan, he has fantastic speed and skill. but this is the wrong fight. At this level there is no doubt he will be caught clean at some point and it wont be pretty

going into this fight knowing he cant afford to be hit clean once will affect his own boxing skills

Maidana KO rounds 2-4

i agree that khans chin is suspect but maidana doesn't exactly have a chin of concrete either and khan is no feather fists either. Late KO amir khan

Wild_Dogger

Khan hasnt fought somebody his own size since Prescott !

T'will be fascinating this one .
But maybe not quite so one-sided as people think .

A real test now for Amir , and make or break for Maidana .
Maidana lost a lot of credibility last time out ....
no doubt he will have prepared properly for this one

mkdon05

will this one be on TV around 11 or will it be 2/3am seeing as its in vegas?

sxt

around 4 am according to link here

http://www.buzzbiznews.com/034187/amir-khan-v-marcos-maidana-fight-preview-and-start-time/

efb

Can't wait to see Amir Khan-ned tonight!!!!

pbffan

Ortiz/Peterson ends up in a majority draw despite Ortiz winning the 3rd 10-7!

I still think he should have gotten the decision, even though he didn't win on any of the cards

Despite knockdowns, I thought Victor looked extremely gunshy. As well as that, he literally doesn't have a defence. He looks terrified of getting KTFO.

Maybe knowing Maidana is in the building his fried his brain :pac:

digme

pbffan wrote: »

Ortiz/Peterson ends up in a majority draw despite Ortiz winning the 3rd 10-7!

I still think he should have gotten the decision, even though he didn't win on any of the cards

Despite knockdowns, I thought Victor looked extremely gunshy. As well as that, he literally doesn't have a defence. He looks terrified of getting KTFO.

Maybe knowing Maidana is in the building his fried his brain :pac:

im laughting at your analysis but, i lost a bit of money.
Vic won !!!!!!

Boooourns

Maidana built for power, Khan built for speed.

Boooourns

Awesome by Khan in the first round, what a boxer!

TT09

some body shot took the wind out off him

Feargal as Luimneach

Khan is for real!!!