Problem solved.
In a surprisingly lopsided performance, Marcos Rene Maidana (35-3, 31 KO) dominated Adrien "The Problem" Broner (27-1) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, winning by unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 115-110, 116-109 and 117-109—all in Maidana's favor—to crown the Argentinean as the new WBA welterweight champion.
ESPN's Brian Campbell talks about how Maidana got it done:
Broner is as talented as any fighter in boxing today. But Maidana, thanks to a suffocating attack, simply wanted it more and was able to overwhelm and overpower him. Maidana followed the blueprint for intelligent pressure against Broner, drawn up by Daniel Ponce De Leon and Paulie Malignaggi in tight defeats, and applied his punching power appropriately to see through the plan.
From the outset, Maidana showed poise while applying constant pressure. A big right hand dropped Broner in the second round and a huge left hook put him down in the eighth. He was wobbled multiple times in the other rounds.
Perhaps boxer Paulie Malignaggi—who called the fight ringside for Showtime—deserves an assist of sorts for the win. His pressure and ability to land against Broner in their June bout exposed some of The Problem's weaknesses.
Malignaggi didn't have the power to complete the job, and lost by a controversial split-decision. Maidana, however, had the pop necessary to dethrone the formerly unbeaten 24-year-old.
Early in the fight, Broner was messing around, at one point taunting Maidana with a sexual gyration. The 30-year-old Maidana kept his composure, though, and continued to plow ahead. In the 11th, feeling confident and in control, Maidana returned the favor with a similar taunt, to the delight of the fans in attendance.
In an effort to come back on the judges' scorecards, Broner over-dramatized the effect from a Maidana headbutt in the eighth round, falling to the mat and rolling over following the illegal blow. Though referee Laurence Cole took a point from Maidana, the fact that he had dropped Broner earlier in the round made it 9-8 instead of 10-8.
Cole also warned Broner several times for pushing, but never took a point away after threatening to early in the fight.
Support for Broner is already coming in from some of boxing's major players. Floyd Mayweather Jr. tweeted this after the decision was read.
In any case, the right man won the fight and now Broner has to pick up the pieces after suffering the first defeat of his career. Maidana has put himself in position to earn a huge payday in his next fight, and on a short list of fighters who could challenge Mayweather sometime in the future.
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