Unified welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. announces Marcos Maidana rematch set for September 13.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., the so far undefeated unified welterweight champion announced last Thursday via social media that he and Marcos Maidana will meet in a rematch on September 13.
Mayweather previously successfully defended his WBC welterweight title and took Maidana’s WBA belt at their May 3 fight.
But the battle was way closer than expected. Post-bout, Maidana declared himself the winner and still disputes the decision.
That closeness is without question the reason why Mayweather agreed to the rematch. He will surely want to silence doubters once and for all that his majority decision — 117-111, 116-112 and 114-114 wasn’t the benefit of the doubt.
In last Thursday’s news release, Mayweather stated: “Marcos Maidana is a tough customer and he gave me a fight that had me work for the victory. His style is difficult at best, but with experience comes a way and will to win.”
His statement continued:
“I’m not one to give second chances in the ring,but I want to give the fans what they want to see. I will be as prepared as I always am when I step in the ring on Sep. 13. I only see the outcome one way and that’s another successful night for me and my team.”
The 37-year-old’s words echoes the promise he made straight after his May victory.
“This was a tough, competitive fight,” Floyd admitted after that fight. “Normally when I fight I box and move. This was a tough fight. I wanted to fight. If the fans want to see it again, we will do it again.”
Mayweather-Maidana II, shortened to “Mayhem,” will be Mayweather’s 10th consecutive fight at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. It will headline a Showtime PPV card and notches up the fourth fight of Money’s six-fight deal with Showtime/CBS.
So what does Argentina’s Maidana have to say about the upcoming rematch with the man he thinks he beat last time?
“The rematch with Mayweather is the only fight that really motivates me,” says Maidana.
He added: “I feel I earned it in the ring and Floyd owed it to me.”
“I’ve already proved that I don’t care if the man I have in front of me is the best pound-for-pound champion. I was close to ending his reign last time. On September 13 he will not get away undefeated.”
That really is fighting talk.
“Mayhem Mayweather vs. Maidana 2 September 13, 2014 MGM Grand in Las Vegas Live on Showtime PPV,” read the message on Mayweather’s official Twitter account last Thursday.
So far, Mayweather has been victorious in all 46 of his boxing fights compared to Maidana’s 31 wins and four losses.
Of the upcoming duel , Mayweather Promotions chief executive Leonard Ellerbe told ESPN:
“It was such a great fight in May and I know everywhere I’ve been going the fans have been saying that and that – Floyd should fight him in a rematch. So why not? Maidana thought he won the fight. Floyd knows he won the fight. It was a tremendous fight.”
We’ll certainly be tuning in on September 13 for two reasons. For the fight – which we hope Maidana will fight clean this time — and to see if Justin Bieber will walk out Mayweather for the fourth time.