At least one party is up for making a rematch between Adrien Broner vs. Marcos Maidana.
Multiple-division champion Broner indicated in a recent interview that his former nemesis, the hard hitting and now retired Maidana, reached out to him on social media about getting together for a rematch, if only as an exhibition bout.
Argentina’s Maidana sensationally upset Broner in 2013, dropping the brash Cincinnati native twice en route to winning a 12-round unanimous decision. The win catapulted Maidana into two mega fights with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Although he lost both fights, Maidana was well remunerated in both outings, allowing him to retire from the sport.
Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) made it clear that not only would he be willing to take up Maidana on his impromptu offer but that he remains close friends with his former opponent, despite the shellacking he received in their fight.
“Actually, Maidana’s my n---- too,” Broner told Cigar Talk. “That n---- just hit me up in my DMs. He wanted to do a rematch. Like an exhibition joint.
“Hell yeah. I’d love to get in the ring with Maidana again.”
Maidana has not fought professionally since 2014, although his name has come up every now and again about making a return to the sport. In 2019, it was reported that Maidana signed with Premier Boxing Champions, the company that backs Broner, on a multi-fight deal but Maidana never ended up fighting. More recently, Maidana has promoted fights in his native country and has been connected to certain exhibition bouts that have never materialized.
Broner recalls their pitched 12-round affair in favorable terms.
“That was fun,” Broner said. “That was the most fun fight I ever had.
“Maidana, man. It’s crazy, but that’s really my n----.”
“By far (toughest fight),” Broner continued. “He was the strongest guy I’ve ever been in the ring with.”
Although Broner lost decisively to Maidana, he battled back in the second half to make it competitive and even seemed to hurt Maidana at times. Broner said the way he fought Maidana “toe-to-toe” even earned the respect of Mayweather, who did not escape completely unscathed in his two fights with the Argentinian.
“I’mma tell y’all something,” Broner said. “I’mma tell ya what really got––of course, Floyd respects me because of what I done in boxing and everything I accomplished.
“But after he fought Maidana, we actually talked. He fought Maidana the first time and he looked me in my eyes and said, ‘AB … you a tough motherf-----. I don’t know how you fought that motherf----- like that. I don’t know how the f--- you fought that motherf----- toe-to-toe like that. That n----’s strong. He hurt me, man. He hurt me’ … That’s what Floyd said. I don’t know how you did that AB. I respect you on a whole ‘nother level.”
Broner is scheduled to break out of an 18-month absence from the ring against Omar Figueora Jr. in a 140-pound bout on Aug. 20 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
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