Masterful Mayweather Fights Smarter, Not Harder, Beats Maidana UD12

Floyd Mayweather had some difficulty last time against Marcos Maidana, and said he made it harder on himself because he wanted to give fans their money’s worth, four months ago. This time, “TBE” had an easier time of it, as “Money” fought smarter, not harder, enroute to a UD12 at the MGM in Las Vegas on Saturday, Sept. 13, and on Showtime pay-per-view.

Floyd used the ring like a general, kept off the ropes, used his legs to keep from getting tagged, and clinched copiously. He was aided by a ref who didn’t allow any interior work. The scores, all for Floyd: Cavalleri 115-112, McKay and Moretti 116-111.

Punch stats: Floyd went 166-326, to 128-572 for Chino.

We saw a doc look at fingers or finger on Floyd’s left hand right after the bout ended. After, Floyd told Jim Gray his left hand was numb, because Chino bit his glove. “He bit my left hand,” he declared. He said he didn’t want to stay on the ropes, and then thanked the fans that came from Argentina. He was asked if he grabbed on purpose. He said he listened to his dad, to try and hit and not get hit. He felt sharper in the first fight, not this fight. “I felt kind of dry and dead,” he said, strangely.

Floyd (46-0 entering, with 26 KOs; born in Michigan, lives in Las Vegas; age 37 1/2) weighed 146.5, while Chino (35-4 entering, with 31 KOs; from Argentina; age 31) was 146, 157 tonight.

Floyd refused to step on a scale tonight, who knows why, maybe just a silly stab as buzz-gathering.

A WBC 147 and BC 154 crowns were up for grabs. Yes, though nobody weighed more than 146 pounds. Boxing logic, friends. Don’t ponder it too much, lest your brain overheat.

Kenny Bayless reffed.

In the first, Floyd moved, looked to jab, stay away from the ropes, work center ring. Floyd hugged a couple times when he did feel like moving. In the second, Chino pressed but wasn’t the busy guy we saw in the first fight. He threw just 16 punches in the first. Floyd’s left hook looked sharp tonight, and his legs looked strong. His left hook and scoot left was so smart, and kept him from getting tagged. A counter right landed well for Floyd. Robert Garcia asked for body work for Chino after.

In the third, the counter and lead right by Floyd scored well. A lead right for Floyd after Chino scored a jab told Chino he’d not get into a rhythm. A straight right wobbled Floyd at the end of the round.

In the fourth, Chino came out grittier. Floyd got stuck on the ropes more so, like in the first fight. Floyd tried to steal it with hard work the last third. The four hardest punches of the round were thrown by Floyd. Floyd’s power might have tied the round for him.

In the fifth, the right hand was so on message for Floyd. Maidana didn’t press, didn’t bull, waited in center ring and tried to out box the master. “He’s slowing down,” Floyd Sr said after. “You’re waiting too long, jab, jab, then attack,” said Garcia.

In the sixth, Floyd was in a movement mode. The crowd hooted. Floyd held three, four times, to get a rest when Chino was pressing too much. Chino landed a couple tosses but he needed to be the nasty, snarly cheap shooting bull.

In the seventh, Floyd jabbed more, and was happy that Chino wasn’t bull rushing him. Right uppers for Floyd worked. Underneath to the body was placed so smartly.

In the eighth, Floyd moved, as if the ropes were electrified, and held when he wanted to. A right clanged on Floyd when he got backed to the ropes, at 45 seconds. Floyd then said Chino bit his hand. Ref Bayless warned Chino not to bite, though he said he didn’t see it. he did maybe bite the left glove, while Floyd rubbed his glove in Chino’s face.

In the ninth, Bayless broke Chino right away as he had Floyd on the ropes. Floyd tagged Chino coming in with a left hook, showing still majestic timing and hand speed.

In the tenth, Floyd scooted left, not looking to get moved into a left hook, early. Floyd’s expert use of clinching continued. Bayless took a point from Chino, for extracurriculars. He didn’t like a forearm shove to Floyd’s face. Chino got crazed and bolder.

In the 11th, Chino wanted to land that looping right which worked in May. A Money left, then a body shot left, hit home on Chino. Chino got a break, when Floyd went low. Floyd’s legs were still there, no darned doubt, as he slithered and scooted to safety.

In the 12th, Floyd stayed on message. His defense was spot on. The crowd hooted as he scooted. Left, right, light on feet, Floyd fought smart, and not in a fan friendly manner.

We went to the cards…

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