Boxing Enthusiast Barrios Retains Title in Gritty Title Defense
On Saturday night in Las Vegas, Mario Barrios successfully defended his secondary welterweight title with a hard-fought victory over the resilient Fabian Maidana. The fight, featured on the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Jaime Munguia undercard at the T-Mobile Arena, saw Barrios edge out Maidana by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 116-111 in his favor.
The 28-year-old Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) entered the ring with one eye nearly shut, a testament to the tough test he faced against the younger brother of former champion Marcos Maidana. Despite the swelling, Barrios managed to control the action, even sending Maidana (22-3, 16 KOs) crashing to the canvas in the third round.
“The eye was a little bit of a factor, I had to pick my shots,” Barrios acknowledged after the fight. “Once my eye started swelling up it was hard to find my range, but we stuck to the fundamentals, tried to find openings and came out with the victory.”
Barrios was well aware of the challenge that Maidana posed, having expected a difficult evening against the seasoned warrior. “I knew he came in for a hard fight, he was a warrior like I thought he was,” Barrios said. “These types of fights are the ones that are the hardest. It was a great fight.”
With the win, Barrios solidifies his position in the ever-changing welterweight landscape. As Terence Crawford and Errol Spence appear to be moving up in weight, Barrios is eager to establish himself as one of the top contenders in the division.
“I want to fight the best,” Barrios declared. “I’m ready for anybody. I’m chasing world titles.”
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