Floyd Mayweather is looking more vulnerable than ever as he prepares to fight Marcos Maidana on Saturday night.
Known for his stingy defence, the 37-year-old undefeated American took more punches than in any other of his 45 previous bouts when he fought the Argentinian slugger in their first fight in May.
Maidana landed 221 punches in that fight against Mayweather, who has not lost since the semifinals of the 1996 Olympic Games.
“I am going to try to change history and change Mayweather’s record,” Maidana said at the weigh-in in Las Vegas on Friday. “I am going to come out aggressive like I came out in the first fight.”
The atmosphere inside the MGM’s Grand Garden Arena was electric as the two fighters made their way on to a raised stage for the weigh-in.
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Maidana was first to enter the arena. He stripped off his light blue and white track suit and stepped on the scale in white boxers with blue stripes. He weighed 66.2kg.
Mayweather looked fit and trim in his green track suit and ball cap which read “Money just make it”. He tipped the scale at 66.4 kg.
“I had a tremendous training camp,” Mayweather told the crowd. “I am ready to fight. I know I can make adjustments.”
Like their first bout four months ago, the rematch will be fought at 66.7 kg.
Maidana’s trainer, Robert Garcia, said he wanted his fighter to come in at around 68kg.
In the first fight, Maidana, whose record now stands at 35-4, hammered Mayweather along the ropes before he ran out of steam in the later rounds. “We can do better. We got to pressure him all the time,” Garcia said on Friday.
Mayweather’s longevity in the sport has been attributed to brilliant counterpunching skills and a solid defence that doesn’t allow opponents to land many clean shots.
He has also survived so long by also taking huge chunks of time off. Between December 2007 and May 2013 he fought just four times, going 40 rounds.
Mayweather said he was ready for Maidana to come out aggressively and said it was important to keep his composure for all 12 rounds.
“I don’t worry about the pace. I worry about being me, being smart and winning the fight,” said Mayweather, who is trained by his father. “I have to take my time, not rush and listen to my dad’s instructions.” (supersport.com)
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