The Marcos who doesn’t think

“Boxing is not about your feelings. It's about performance.” Manny Pacquiao

By Alex P. Vidal

When we hear the name Marcos, two things immediately come to our mind: Martial Law and brilliancy.

The late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos was known both as a brilliant orator and as a leader of the most hated regime that lasted for 20 years.

But he was a thinking president; perhaps, one of the most intelligent presidents to ever serve the country.

That was the secret of his staying power.

There was another Marcos whose name reverberated all over the sporting world last September 14.

This Marcos, 31, is otherwise known as “Rene Maidana” of Margarita, Santa Fe, Argentina. He is known in the boxing world as Marcos “El Chino” Maidana.

He is the Marcos who does not think.

Awarded with a once-in-a-lifetime rematch against boxing’s most charismatic personality, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Maidana (35-5, 31 KOs) blew away a second chance to become the first man to beat the 37-year-old black tornado, who cruised to a 12-round unanimous decision--John McKaie, 116-111; Dave Moretti, 116-111; Guido Cavalleri, 115-112--in their championship tiff at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

TEETH

Instead of using his brains, Marcos Maidana used his teeth in desperation in the 8^th canto to bite Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs).

It’s good the referee did not disqualify him for doing a Mike Tyson on Mayweather.

Early in the bout where they disputed the three baubles: WBC welterweight, WBC light middleweight, WBA super world welterweight, the five feet and eight inches Mayweather made sure Maidana could not anymore trap him on the ropes like in their first bout on May 3, 2014 on the same arena.

So accommodating was Mayweather in their first duel that he allowed Maidana to come near him they almost had a kissing scene from first to the 12^th stanza.    

Mayweather’s laxity in the first battle nearly cost him his unblemished record en route to escaping with a majority decision win--Dave Moretti, 116-112; Burt A. Clements, 117-111; Michael Pernick 114-114.

Although Mayweather spent the night eluding Maidana’s heavy-loaded uppercuts and maximizing his signature lateral movements, the tattooed Argentine brawler failed to introduce a new strategy that would convince his fans he deserved a third match should the fight ended in another hairline win for the loud-mouthed American champion.

FIRST

Like in their first meeting, Maidana could not send home a combination and missed several shots in the midsection.

It was also a failure for Maidana’s headhunting binge. 

Maidana wanted to brawl; Mayweather wanted to dance and uncork crisp punches side by side, fully aware that he needed to widen his lead in the scorecards if no knockout would come.

They had a mismatch even in the tune and the calisthenics.

Both their work rates were not as intense as in their first fracas in May this year where Maidana became the first fighter to inflict a wound on Mayweather’s right eyebrow with a legitimate punch.

The majority decision win in their first showdown also boosted loser Maidana’s stock and put a big question mark on Mayweather's capacity to absorb a punishment from never-say-die fighters like Oxnard-trained Maidana.

The unanimous decision win last September 14 stretched Mayweather’s victory without a knockout to five.

THREE YEARS

His last KO win came three years ago when he pulverized in four Victor Ortiz for the WBC 147-lb diadem on the same ring.

Mayweather’s not-so-impressive triumph in the Maidana rematch had the tell-tale signs of tiredness and weariness.

When he faces Manny Pacquiao (56-5, 38 KOs) in 2015 according to the grapevine, Mayweather will be up against the faster version of Marcos Maidana. He can still run yes, but he won’t be able to hide.

Pacquiao, 35, must first tackle tall Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) for the 12-round WBO welterweight championship in Macao on November 22, 2014.

A loss to Algieri will further dampen the dream match against Mayweather.

But since the Filipino congressman-cum-boxer and professional basketball coach is expected to walk over the inexperienced Algieri, there’s no stopping now for boxing’s two toughest senior citizens to finally meet in 2015 for boxing’s biggest and most expensive promotion in history.