By Team Maidana

 

After a deserved resting period in his native Argentina, WBA super lightweight champion Marcos Maidana travelled to Oxnard last Monday to join his new trainer Robert Garcia.  “El Chino” had a great welcome by his gym-mates including Brandon Rios.

“I’ve felt very good in my first week training with my new team. There are great fighters and great atmosphere around here.  Obviously it will take me some time to adjust and get a great physical condition but we’ll get there with hard work,” Maidana said.

Just when Maidana was finishing his firt week of work he was surprised by the news of a possible rematch with Victor Ortiz next June 23 after Andre Berto failed a doping test.

“The news caught me by surprise of course. My advisor, Sebastian Contursi, let me know that Golden Boy Promotions asked him whether it was possible for me to be ready for June 23 but of course I cannot do it in only five weeks. It’s a shame that the time framework does not fit as I would’ve love to face Ortiz again,” Maidana commented.

“I know this is the second postponement for Victor and I feel bad for him. Maybe if Golden Boy Promotions can secure a new date then we could talk about the rematch because I know people want it.”, “El Chino “added.

Maidana also referred to Amir Khan’s situation as the British is also looking for an opponent.

“That’s another rematch that I’d love to take. Everybody knows that I’ve been asking to face Amir again for more than a year now. But again time-wise it does not work as apparently Khan needs to fight on July 7. In any case, if either Ortiz or Khan are willing to fight me I’ll be ready for any of them by the end of July,” Maidana explained.

“I know Amir Khan is looking for his former belts to be given back to him after the Peterson case. If he wants a belt, let’s move his date two or three weeks and try to get it from me in the ring,” the WBA super lightweight champ said.