IBR on The Cruelest Sport

“For years, Mayweather events have been little more than grand exhibitions of sly matchmaking and wearisome promotion. Because “The Moment” involves Maidana, however, this card will appeal to anyone who appreciates an injection of meritocracy into a world that regards connections as tantamount to worth. Since losing a lopsided decision in his February 2012 welterweight debut, where the clutch-and-grab tactics of Devon Alexander not only stymied Maidana but also, incredibly, managed to make him boring, Maidana has reeled off four consecutive wins. In those wins, among them stoppages over fellow roughnecks Jesus Soto-Karass and Josesito Lopez, Maidana exhibited his power and vulnerability, while revealing technical improvements that, in all fairness, are usually ingrained by the amateurs. Better late than never, of course, whether it is a fighter learning to jab or earning a payday that changes his tax bracket.”

Read Cruising: Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Marcos Maidana Preview on The Cruelest Sport.

IBR on The Cruelest Sport

“Broner may be too lost in the swirl of his own hype and hype-men to ever learn from, or even acknowledge, his shortcomings. But Broner is unlikely to forget whatever he gleaned from the twelve painful rounds he shared with Maidana. Brought in yet again as a supporting player for another network star, Maidana, like he did to Victor Ortiz in 2009, threw the script in the garbage. Largely dismissive of Maidana in the build up to Saturday night, Broner, Cincinnati, Ohio, assured all that the plodding slugger was not on his level. The stoic Maidana promised only to do his part and to hit his opponent very hard. Which is what he did, for twelve merciless rounds.”

Read A Lesson In Violence: Marcos Maidana W12 Adrien Broner on the Cruelest Sport.

IBR on The Cruelest Sport

“Broner is making his second foray into the welterweight division, having outpointed Paulie Malignaggi in June. To many—including judge Tom Miller, who scored the fight for Malignaggi—Broner struggled in his first performance at 147 pounds. But while Broner never even sniffed danger against Malignaggi—the feather-fisted Brooklynite did little more than dust Broner for prints—he also presented less of it than anticipated. Perhaps Broner overlooked Malignaggi, a fighter long enough in the tooth to expose the root; perhaps the physical advantages Broner used to undo smaller men were mitigated by moving up two divisions. Whatever the reason for the twelve anticlimactic rounds that were Broner-Malignaggi, it was almost certainly not the arrival Showtime and Golden Boy Promotions hoped for. And that makes the selection of Maidana as an opponent interesting. Is Maidana a step up, a step back, or a lateral move? And what does the answer to this question say about Broner’s prospects?”

Read NO RESERVATIONS: Adrien Broner-Marcos Maidana Preview on The Cruelest Sport.