Gloves at issue again for Mayweather-Maidana rematch

LOS ANGELES — There were a pair of oversized boxing gloves on the podium. There was a birthday cake made out of giant boxing gloves.

Think Marcos Maidana was trying to send Floyd Mayweather Jr. a message?

You bet he was.

The two fighters wrapped up their four-day, five-city promotional tour Thursday in downtown Los Angeles’ Pershing Square for their Sept. 13 world welterweight title fight rematch at the MGM Grand Garden.

And Maidana let it be known that he wants to wear his preferred style of gloves, ones he wasn’t allowed to wear in their first fight, a majority decision for Mayweather on May 3 at the MGM Grand.

“It’s an open issue,” Maidana said. “It hasn’t been resolved. But I’m going to fight to use my gloves in the rematch.”

For their first fight, Maidana wanted to use a style of Everlast gloves that has less padding. And though the Nevada Athletic Commission initially approved the use of the Mexican-style gloves, Mayweather objected to them, and it took hours of negotiating the night before the fight before a compromise was reached.

Maidana said the gloves he ended up wearing were too soft and that he doesn’t want to use them in the Showtime Pay Per View rematch.

“They were like using pillows,” he said.

Thus the props on the stage at Thursday’s news conference. Robert Garcia, Maidana’s trainer, said of the oversized gloves: “Floyd talks about being safe. Let’s use these gloves so Floyd can feel safe.”

Garcia tried to goad Mayweather further, appealing to his gambling side. Garcia offered to put up Maidana’s purse, believed to be $1.5 million, as a wager if Mayweather allowed Maidana to use the gloves he prefers.

But Mayweather didn’t take the bait. He just leaned against the table, stared into the crowd of about 3,000 and ignored Garcia. And he didn’t partake in singing happy birthday to Maidana, who turned 31 on Thursday and had the boxing-gloves cake presented to him onstage.

Mayweather (46-0, 26 knockouts) said he’s not going to put his health in jeopardy.

“If he wants to fight MMA (mixed martial arts), I wish him the best,” Mayweather said. “If he wants to fight bare knuckle, I wish him the best. But if you’re going to fight me, you’re going to fight me on a level playing field.

“I gave you the rematch. Don’t go complaining about the gloves. You said you won the first fight? If you think you won the first fight, then fight me with the same gloves you say you beat me with the first time.”

Mayweather then turned his attention to Garcia.

“Robert Garcia, he’s one of the best trainers in the world,” Mayweather said. “He doesn’t need to cheat to win. If you’re going to beat me, earn it the hard way.”

On Thursday, two men who are used to fighting without gloves — Jarret Stoll and Alec Martinez of the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings — were on hand to present both fighters with personalized Kings jerseys. But the gift did not come with hockey gloves.

It was a nice moment on what was a not-so-nice exchange of oral taunts between the camps.

Garcia said the sides are engaging in a psychological war, and he accuses Mayweather of starting it.

“Before the first fight, Mayweather was nothing but friendly to us,” Garcia said. “Now, he’s trash-talking us. So what does that tell you?

“Floyd’s talking about fighting dirty and all that. He’s trying to get influence with the judges and the referee, whoever that will be.”

Garcia said even if the gloves are the same ones used in the first fight, there will be changes in Maidana’s preparation for the rematch. For starters, Alex Ariza was not brought back as Maidana’s strength and conditioning coach. Garcia said it was a “team decision” and that Maidana, who opens training camp Monday in Oxnard, Calif., will prepare the old-fashioned way.

“We’re going back to the tried-and-true methods to get ready,” Garcia said. “We’re going to bring Chino in lighter on fight night. He was too heavy on fight night (165 pounds). We’re not going to make that mistake again.”

Maidana (35-4, 31 KOs) expects an easier camp this time around.

“Now that I know what to expect from him, I can plan accordingly,” he said. “I’ll be focusing on what I do so I can be at my best.”

Mayweather said he’s not changing a thing.

“I don’t have to make no adjustments,” he said. “Sure, he landed a few (punches) in the first fight. But that comes with the territory. It was an easy fight the first time, and it’ll be an easy fight this time.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.