By Kirk Jackson
Saturday May 3rd, Cinco de Mayo weekend, also known as Cinco de Mayweather weekend, will feature one of the best fight cards fans can anticipate all year. Any boxing event headlining the sport’s biggest star Floyd Mayweather, and generally any event featuring Mayweather is usually one of the biggest sporting events of the year.
This affair will feature high profile fights which includes J’Leon Love vs. Marco Antonio Periban, Adrien Broner vs. Carlos Molina, Amir Khan vs. Luis Collazo and the main event Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana.
Every single fighter featured in the main lineup in searching for their “Moment” so to speak and may very well find it.
Love and Broner are seeking redemption after suffering mishaps in both their personal and professional lives. Love trying to move past the failed drug tests in months past, while Broner is trying to get back to his winning ways after suffering his first professional defeat at the hands of Maidana.
Broner’s defeat was definitely memorable, as it propelled the Argentinian Maidana to top star status, allowing him to secure not only a huge pay check, but a place in history, if he can be the first man to defeat Floyd Mayweather.
The light dimmed on Broner’s super-star status after catching that beat down from Maidana and left many doubting how good Broner really is.
The damage he suffered against Maidana may be irreparable, but his fight against Molina may be an effort from his promotional company to not only display that Broner is still the same fighter, but may be actually hiding the fact that he may not be. All in all, it’s a good fight for Broner in a division better suited for him (140) and maybe he can regain his confidence, get his swagger back.
Molina is a good fighter, he just lacks the punching power at an elite level and has an extended stretch of inactivity. His last fight was against Amir Khan back in December of 2012.
But there is no telling what kind of Adrien Broner we will see in the ring come Saturday. Remember he is a guy coming of devastating thumping from a bigger, stronger, power puncher. He recently grew out a beard, but even that can’t hide that his jaw still looks messed up from his last fight. Do not be surprised if Molina spoils Broner’s return and scores the upset.
Amir Khan and Luis Collazo is an interesting match-up. Khan has struggled in recent years, he is searching for a way to climb to boxing’s elite status once again and ultimately he’s chasing the big money fight with Mayweather.
And even though Khan won his last few fights, including a victory over Adrien Broner’s upcoming opponent Carlos Molina, he has not been regarded as the same elite fighter prior to his TKO defeat to Danny Garcia in 2012. A change in trainers from Freddie Roach to Virgil Hunter has altered his style; Khan is more patient in the ring, utilizing his jab more and searching for openings rather than just forcing them.
But Khan still has a susceptible chin, something Collazo will be sure to test in their fight this weekend. Collazo has always been under the radar as an elite fighter in the welterweight division. He gave Ricky Hatton hell for 12 rounds and arguably beat Hatton in their closely contested championship fight in 2006. Collazo also arguably bested Andre Berto in 2009, back when Berto was a hot commodity. And just a few months ago, Collazo ended Victor Ortiz’s career as a top fighter with a stunning 2nd round knockout.
Khan is searching for his moment, his longing for a fight with Mayweather and seeks to earn that this weekend. Collazo is just probing for his moment in the sun, as a guy who’s been overlooked his entire career, he just wants some well deserved credit for the excellence he has displayed throughout his career and of course wants that shot at a big payday. Collazo will shock many, with his surprising upset knockout of Amir Khan mid-way through the fight.
And of course the main event featuring Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana. Mayweather isn’t necessarily searching for his moment with Maidana. The only other thing he can achieve is recognition for being boxing’s best for his era.
He’s established that he is the best of his era with most knowledgeable boxing fans, but there’s still a few critics that have an opposing opinion. A victory over Maidana won’t solidify that, albeit it would still be an impressive win. For those same people, it would take a victory over Manny Pacquiao to solidify the fact that he is the unquestioned best of his era.
Maidana’s moment of course, is landing that game-changing punch, that punch or series of punches that will propel him to victory. Whether he discovers that moment, remains to be seen.
Some may picture Maidana as some no-hoper that has no shot of dethroning boxing’s longstanding king. And those that think that certainly have a point. Comparing skill sets, resumes, past fights whatever, it’s hard to argue Maidana has a shot of beating Mayweather.
But there is a few things that cannot be measured and a few things that cannot be underestimated. Punching power and how one reacts to that for one, also the heart of another fighter cannot be measured as well.
We also never know what happens till the fighters step in the ring, because one punch can change the outcome of a fight. It’s cliché but fights aren’t won on paper, they’re won inside the ring and we won’t know till the fight materializes.
Don’t think a Maidana upset victory is in the cards, but a victory for Mayweather is not certain either. But given the type of opponent, this fight with Mayweather and Maidana will be more exciting than Mayweather’s last couple of fights that featured Canelo Alvarez and Robert Guerrero. Expect Mayweather to walk down Maidana, and bring the fight to him in a scintillating and highly entertaining match.
