Moments ago, WBA jr. welterweight champion Amir Khan successfully defended his title against hard-hitting challenger Marcos Maidana, winning a hard-fought 12-round unanimous decision at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Using his superior boxing skills, Khan barely kept the aggressive, straight-forward style of Maidana at bay behind his consistent jab and a series of flashy combinations. Although Maidana would come on strong, even hurting and battering Khan severely late in the fight, in the end, official scorecards were 114-111, 114-111 and 113-112 all in favor of the champion. Relive all the action in FightHype in-depth, minute-by-minute round-by-round results.
PREFIGHT
The challenger, Marcos Maidana, comes out first. He doesn't have much of an expression on his face, but he looks confident. The champion, Amir Khan, comes out next. He's looks amped up and ready to get the fight started.
ROUND 1
Maidana comes out fast with a big swing and a miss. Khan begins to pump his jab. BIG right hand lands for Maidana and that gets the attention of Khan. Maidana coming right at Khan. Khan lands a hard uppercut and a stiff jab. Now Maidana backs up. Overhand right lands for Khan. Quick four-punch combo lands for Khan. Maidana lands a right to the body. Two left hands land for Khan. The difference in speed is visible. Straight right lands for Khan. Khan doing a good job of using the ring. 1-2 lands for KHan. HARD left hook to the body lands for KHan and Maidana is down. Wow. He's up and takes the count, but he's hurt. Khan jumps on him and lands a right hand and a left hook at the bell. BIG round for Khan.
Khan 10 Maidana 8
ROUND 2
Maidana still covering up his body. Blistering four-punch combo lands for Khan. 1-2 lands for Khan. Left hook lands for Maidana, but he eats a right from Khan. Right and a left lands for Khan. Another right and a left lands for Khan, who's putting on an offensive display. Maidana lands a jab. 3-punch combo lands for Khan. Another hard and fast four-punch combo lands for Khan. Maidana already appears to have lost all the steam on his punches. Another HARD left hook to the body lands for Khan and Maidana backs up. Lead right lands for Khan. Another. Maidana lands a left hook to the body. Round to Khan.
Khan 20 Maidana 17
ROUND 3
Khan continues to circle around the ring, using his superior boxing skills and fast combinations. Maidana plods forward looking to land something. Right hand over the top lands for Khan. Uppercut and a left lands for Khan. Maidana lands a nice right though against the ropes. Another right lands for Maidana. Khan covers up. Short right lands for Khan. Maidana tries to rough him up against the ropes. Khan lands a 1-2. Maidana still trying to throw bombs though. Another quick combo lands for Khan. Jab lands for Maidana. Khan lands a a left hook. Uppercut and a left hook to the body lands for Khan, but he eats a four-punch combo from Khan. Quick 1-2 lands for Khan. Right hand lands for Maidana. Khan lands a right hand in return. Round to Khan, but much better round for Maidana and it could get interesting.
Khan 30 Maidana 26
ROUND 4
Both men pumping their jabs. Quick 1-2 lands for Khan. Maidana doing a little better job of slipping punches. Hard right hand lands for Khan. Maidana tries to muscle him against the ropes, but Khan ties him up. Another three-punch combo lands for Khan. Maidana works the body on the inside. Overhand right lands for Maidana. Maidana still working Khan on the inside. Jab lands for Khan. Maidana lands a right hook on the break. Left to the body lands for Maidana. 1-2 from Khan, but he eats a couple of uppercuts from Maidana. Close round, but I give it to Maidana for his work on the inside.
Khan 39 Maidana 36
ROUND 5
Khan doubles up on the jab. 1-2 lands for Khan. Leaping left hook from Maidana is blocked. They trade jabs. Maidana backs him to a corner and lands a couple of shots. Khan lands a combo in the center of the ring. Maidana works him against the ropes again. Wooooow. Referee Joe Cortez just took a point from Maidana for attempting to land an elbow. No warning at all. The action resumes. Khan lands a quick combo. Left hook to the body lands for Khan. Right cross lands for Maidana. HARD right to the body followed by an uppercut lands for Maidana. Round to Khan.
Khan 49 Maidana 44
ROUND 6
Maidana lands an overhand right. Now Khan lands a right hand. Maidana works him in the corner again. Khan dancing on his toes and using all of the ring. Maidana lands a right, but he eats a right from Khan too. Uppercut lands for Maidana and a nice left hook. Khan lands a sloppy right hand and then holds on. Maidana still bringing it. Uppercut and a left hook to the body lands for Maidana. Khan is definitely feeling some pressure in there. HARD right hand down the middle lands for Maidana. Round to Maidana for landing the more telling shots.
Khan 58 Maidana 54
ROUND 7
Stiff jab lands for Maidana. Left hand lands for Khan. Maidana just drops his hands and taunts Khan...shaes of Ricardo Mayorga. Maidana lands a left hook. Khan dances away. HARD uppercut lands for Maidana. Khan lands a right. They trade jabs. BIG overhand right lands for Maidana. Another BIG overhand right lands for Maidana again. Two uppercuts land for Maidana. Khan just covers up. Maidana working him on the inside. Quick combo from Khan, but not much on them. Maidana works him with uppercuts again. Left hook, and two more uppercuts lands for Maidana. Good round for Maidana.
Khan 67 Maidana 64
ROUND 8
Quick three-punch combo lands for Khan. They trade jabs. Uppercut lands for Khan, but he quickly dances away. Another nice uppercut lands for Khan. Maidana taunts him again. Nice right hand down the middle lands for Khan. Maidana tries to work him against the ropes. Left and a right lands for Khan. Maidana lands a right and a leaping left hook. Quick right lands for Khan. Left hook to the body lands for Maidana, but not much on it. Quick 1-2 lands for Khan. Maidana lands a sloppy left. Round to Khan.
Khan 77 Maidana 73
ROUND 9
Stiff right lands for Khan to start the round. HARD uppercut lands for Khan. Khan slipping punches. HARD right hand lands for Khan again. And again. Maidana looks frustrated with having to chase Khan around the ring. Left to the body lands for Maidana. Maidana slips to the canvas after missing badly. No knockdown. Khan lands a short right. Maidana lands an uppercut and a left hook upstairs. Uppercut lands for Khan. Round to Khan.
Khan 87 Maidana 82
ROUND 10
Khan tripling up on that jab. Slapping left hand lands for Khan. Quick combo lands for Khan. WOOOOOOOO....HUGE right hand lands for Maidana and Khan is hurt. Maidana lands another right hand. Khan on the retreat. Another left hook lands for Maidana. Khan is trying to hold on. Left lands for Maidana. Khan looks ready to fall. Khan turns his back and takes a shot to the back of the head. Another right hand lands for Maidana. Can't believe he hasn't gone down yet. Khan covers up. Maidana lands a three-punch combo. Uppercut lands for Maidana. Another right lands for Maidana. And another. Another. Khan is wobbling around th ering on those legs. Somehow, some way, Khan survived that onslaught. Wow. BIG round for Maidana.
Khan 95 Maidana 92
ROUND 11
Khan dancing on his toes. Maidana lands some sloppy shots to the body. Right and two lefts land for Maidana. Khan literally running from Maidana. Madaina taunts him. Both men look tired. Maidana lands a couple of right hands to the side of the head. Khan just circling. Right and an uppercut lands for Maidana. They trade jabs. Khan lands a nice uppercut. Hard right and a left lands for Khan. Maidana works the body and lands some nice uppercuts. Khan trying to steal the round with a couple flurries hear and there. Maidana digs a couple of lefts to the body. Khan check the clock. Madaina works the body. HARD upercut from Maidana blasts Khan's head back. Round to Maidana.
Khan 104 Maidana 102
ROUND 12
Right to the body lands for Maidana. Overhand right lands for Maidana. Left to the body and a right upstairs lands for Maidana. Khan circles away. Uppercut lands for Maidana. Another. Chopping left hook lands on the inside for Maidana. Two more uppercuts lands for Maidana. Khan is getting worked on the inside. He looks hurt again. Overhand right lands for Maidana. Maidana batters him against the ropes. Khan runs away. Uppercut lands for Khan. Maidana works the body. Right hand lands for Maidana. Khan lands a nice left. Uppercut lands for Maidana again. HARD left hook to the body lands for Maidana. This all Maidana right now. Khan lands a nice left and a right. Maidana works him against the ropes again. Khan flurries at the end, but it's not enough to win the round. Round to Maidana.
Khan 113 Maidana 112
Harold Lederman scored the bout 114-111 for Amir Khan.
Official judges scorecards: 114-111, 114-111, 113-112
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...AND STILL WBA JR. WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD...AMIR KHAN
COMPUBOX
Khan total punches: 273/603
Maidana total punches: 156/767
Khan power punches: 190/360
Maidana power punches: 122/496
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