Marcos Maidana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marcos Maidana
Statistics
Real name	Marcos René Maidana
Nickname(s)	El Chino ("The Chinaman")
Rated at	Light welterweight Welterweight Light middleweight
Height	5 ft 7 in
Reach	69 in
Born	(1983-07-17) 17 July 1983 (age 42) Margarita, Santa Fe, Argentina
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	40
Wins	35
Wins by KO	31
Losses	5

Marcos René Maidana, born on July 17, 1983, is a famous boxer from Argentina. He was a professional boxer from 2004 to 2014. Marcos was known for his incredible punching power. He held important titles like the WBA super lightweight title (2011-2012) and the WBA welterweight title (2013-2014). Even when he lost, he was never knocked out completely.

Marcos Maidana: A Boxing Champion

Marcos Maidana started his boxing journey in 2004, just before he turned 21. He fought his first 18 matches in Argentina. He won all of them, with 17 wins coming by knockout. This showed everyone how powerful his punches were right from the start.

Rising Through the Ranks

After his early success, Maidana started fighting in other countries. He fought in Germany and Panama. By the end of 2008, he had an amazing record of 25 wins and no losses. Almost all of his wins were by knockout.

First Big Title Fight

On February 2, 2009, Marcos Maidana got his first chance to fight for a world title. He challenged Andreas Kotelnik for the WBA super lightweight championship in Germany. It was a very close fight. The judges decided that Kotelnik won by a small margin. Many people thought the decision was unfair.

Fighting in the USA

Maidana's first fight in the United States was against Victor Ortiz on June 27, 2009. This was for the WBA interim super lightweight title. Both boxers were knocked down in the first round. Ortiz knocked Maidana down twice in the second round. But Maidana kept fighting. Ortiz got a cut in the fifth round and was knocked down in the sixth. The fight was stopped because Ortiz could not continue. Maidana won the title!

Defending His Title

After winning the interim title, Maidana continued to defend it. He knocked out Victor Cayo in the sixth round in March 2010. Cayo had never lost a fight before. This win showed that Maidana was a true champion.

He then fought DeMarcus Corley in August 2010. Maidana knocked Corley down, but the fight went all 12 rounds. Maidana won by a unanimous decision. This was only the third time in his career that a fight went the full distance.

Big Fights and Challenges

Marcos Maidana was always ready to face the best. He often called out other champions, wanting to prove himself.

Maidana vs. Khan

One of Maidana's most famous fights was against Amir Khan on December 11, 2010. Khan was the WBA super lightweight champion. Maidana wanted to take Khan's title. The fight took place in Las Vegas.

Khan knocked Maidana down in the first round. But Maidana showed incredible strength and kept fighting. Khan was ahead on points, but Maidana came back strong in the later rounds. He hurt Khan badly in the tenth round, but Khan managed to survive. Khan won the fight by a unanimous decision. This fight was so exciting that it was named "Fight of the Year" by boxing writers.

Maidana vs. Morales

On April 9, 2011, Maidana fought the legendary boxer Érik Morales. Morales was a champion in three different weight classes. Maidana started the fight very aggressively, hitting Morales with powerful punches. Morales's eye swelled up early in the fight.

However, Morales, despite his injury, fought back bravely. The fight became a back-and-forth battle. Both boxers landed many punches. In the end, Maidana won by a majority decision. Many fans disagreed with the decision, showing how close and exciting the fight was.

Moving Up in Weight

After his success at super lightweight, Maidana decided to move up to the welterweight division. His first fight at this new weight was against Devon Alexander in February 2012. Alexander was very fast, and Maidana found it hard to land his punches. Alexander won the fight by a clear decision.

Winning a Welterweight Title

Maidana didn't give up. He fought Jesus Soto Karass in September 2012. It was a tough fight with both boxers trading punches. Maidana won by technical knockout in the eighth round. This win helped him get back on track in the welterweight division.

He then won the vacant WBA Inter-Continental welterweight title by knocking out Martin Ángel Martínez in December 2012.

Maidana vs. Broner

In December 2013, Marcos Maidana got a huge opportunity. He fought Adrien Broner for the WBA welterweight title. Broner was undefeated and a big favorite to win. The fight was held in San Antonio, Texas.

From the very beginning, Maidana attacked Broner with powerful punches. In the second round, Maidana knocked Broner down for the first time in his career. Maidana continued to dominate the fight, knocking Broner down again in the eighth round. Maidana won the fight by a unanimous decision, giving Broner his first professional loss. This was a huge victory for Maidana!

Maidana vs. Mayweather Jr.

After beating Broner, Maidana earned a chance to fight the undefeated boxing superstar, Floyd Mayweather Jr. This highly anticipated fight took place on May 3, 2014, in Las Vegas. Mayweather's WBC and The Ring welterweight titles were on the line, along with Maidana's WBA title.

Maidana came out very aggressively, putting a lot of pressure on Mayweather. He forced Mayweather to fight in a way he wasn't used to. It was one of Mayweather's toughest fights. Mayweather won the fight by a majority decision, but it was a very close and exciting match. Many people felt Maidana had given Mayweather his hardest challenge yet.

Maidana vs. Mayweather Jr. II

Because the first fight was so close and exciting, a rematch was quickly set up. Marcos Maidana fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. again on September 13, 2014. This time, Mayweather was better prepared for Maidana's aggressive style.

Mayweather won the rematch by a unanimous decision. During the fight, there was a strange moment where Maidana seemed to bite Mayweather's hand while they were tangled up. Maidana denied it, saying Mayweather had his glove in his mouth. Despite the loss, Maidana earned a lot of respect for his fighting spirit.

Retirement

On August 9, 2016, Marcos Maidana officially announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 33. He decided to step away from the ring after a great career. Maidana ended his professional boxing career with 35 wins in 40 fights. Out of his 35 wins, 31 were by knockout, showing his incredible power. He only lost 5 times, and he was never knocked out himself.

Professional Boxing Record

Pay-Per-View Fights

Marcos Maidana was part of some big pay-per-view boxing events, which means many people paid to watch his fights on TV.

See also

In Spanish: Marcos Maidana para niños