Marcos MAIDANA stops Victor ORTIZ in thriller!

Today the fight was officially announced, with the Chris John - Rocky Juarez rematch being the other televised fight on HBO. Some quotes from press release:

Oscar De La Hoya:
"The fight fans of Southern California are some of the best in the world and when we put a show on in LA, it's got to be top-notch. With this in mind, we made sure that we delivered top notch match-ups at STAPLES Center by presenting two world title fights that are bound to be exciting. Victor Ortiz is one of the top young fighters in the world and this is his chance to take the next step in his career with his first world title shot against a tough opponent in Marcos Maidana. As for Chris John and Rocky Juarez, their first fight was one of the best of the year so far and I have no doubt that they're going to do it again in their rematch."

Victor Ortiz:
"This is the moment all fighters dream of and I'm going to make the most of it. Maidana's got a good record and a lot of knockouts, but I'm not going to let him come into my backyard and beat me. That's just not happening."

Marcos Maidana:
"Ortiz is a good fighter, but he's never tasted power like mine. Once I hit him, he won't want to fight with me. That's when I'll move in, take him out and take the belt back home to Argentina."

 

It's fight week, and although Chris John had to pull out due to illness, HBO BAD's main event is quality enough to feel very excited. Golden Boy Promotions bet everything on Ortiz, they look at him as the next Oscar De La Hoya: troubled background, good looks, golden smile and a fan friendly style. But Maidana is absolutely for real, he's looking at this opportunity as a stepping stone to greatness and perhaps a US career. Here's an interview with Chino:

You’ve fought in Argentina, Germany, and Panama. What do you think about fighting and headlining in the US for the first time in your career?

I’m very happy to be fighting in the US for the first time. I have to take advantage of this opportunity and give the fans a great fight. This is also my first fight on HBO and I’d like to impress them so that I can fight in the US again in the future. I don’t feel nervous at all, I’m just ready to fight.

With just over a week to go before your biggest bout to date, how has training camp going?

Training is going very well: I’ve been training in Las Vegas for a month with Miguel Diaz. My usual trainer was not able to fly out, but Miguel is doing a great job improving my technique, my movement and my defense. I’ve been sparring with a Thai boxer and a few others who joined the camp later to help finish up my preparation.

What do you think of Victor Ortiz as a fighter?

I trained very hard for this fight. I’ve seen several of his recent wins, against [Emmanuel] Clottey and [Jeffrey] Resto. Since Ortiz is a southpaw I have to pay particular attention to his straight left hand, but I know that he also has a pretty strong right hook and I see that he scored some KOs with his right hand. He’s a strong fighter.

Do you think that you’ll be at a disadvantage considering that Ortiz is a Mexican-American fighter now living in Califormia?

No, when the bell rings it will be just me and him in the ring and I think I’ll get a fair shake. I’m physically prepared for this fight and “may the best man win.”

You lost a very close split-decision in your last fight against WBA Jr. Welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik. What are your thoughts on that fight?

It was a very close fight. Maybe I needed to finish stronger since he was the champion and I was fighting in his country. He was a tough fighter because of his defense: it was impossible to penetrate his high guard. I was a bit over-anxious because I was fighting for a title and it was in his home turf (Germany), so instead of going to his body to slow him down and finish him, I was desperately trying to hit him anywhere I could land: his arms, his head, etc.

Do you consider that your toughest fight to date?

Yes. I threw bombs for 12 straight rounds in that fight and I couldn’t get to him because of his defense. That was definitely my toughest fight and his high guard was frustrating.

Assuming you win this fight, do you want the Kotelnik-Khan winner for the full WBA title?

I would really like to rematch Kotelnik because I felt that the decision was in doubt the first time around. I feel that I know how to fight him now and the outcome would be different because I would adapt to what he’s doing in the ring and attack him differently. As for Khan, I haven’t seen him fight yet, but I’ve heard that he’s a very quick fighter with fast hands.

When did you begin boxing and why?

When I was 15 years old I walked into a gym in Santa Fe, Argentina, and a trainer there saw me hitting the heavy bag and asked me if I wanted to fight as an amateur. I started competing in tournaments and even as an amateur, I started knocking people out and stuck with the sport. I ended up going to the Olympic trials but lost in Mexico before being able to qualify. I then turned pro in 2004.

What are your career goals? Is there any particular fighter you’d like to face before you end your career?

I would like to win this fight impressively to introduce myself to the people in the US and the HBO network. I’d also like another title opportunity. My goals are to win a title, make a few defenses and then fight one of boxing’s elite fighters for over a million dollars!

What’s the state of boxing in Argentina today?

Boxing in Argentina is not the most popular sport, but it has its ups and downs as far as quality fighters. Recently we’ve had a couple of very good boxers emerge, like Omar Narvaez, Sergio Martinez, and Jorge Barrios. I hope to be Argentina’s next World Champion.

Do you have any closing words for your fans?

I want to acknowledge all of the fans that support me and the new ones I’ll have after June 27th. I hope you enjoy this fight.

 

Lol. Odo man, he said Maidana is NO joke, not Maidana is a joke. That's a slight difference.