I've been pretty busy the last couple of days, but let's still try and predict stuff, namely with Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s near-annual Cinco de Mayo bout, this time against non-Mexican Marcos Maidana. If there was one fighter that I could pick that would have a good shot of beating Mayweather outside of Manny Pacquiao, much less one fighter I would like to see him face, it would be Maidana. He is a natural welterweight, has power, has grown considerably as a pugilist over his last few fights, possesses a tenacious, smart-pressuring style that should match well against Mayweather's more technical and careful style, the instinct to capitalize and try to finish a hurt opponent, and has an underrated sneakiness to him.
All-around, beyond the traits, Maidana has long struck me as someone who could pose a significant threat to Mayweather. The latter has been snacking on baby food for far too long in his career and seemed to allow a few too many shots to land from the green Canelo Alvarez last year. Maidana is more battle-tested and attuned to his skills, and one has to wonder if Mayweather's 37 years of age and potentially-slowing reflexes will combine for a tough night for him.
So, then…why am I not in a rush to pick the Argentine to win?
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