Marcos Maidana is approaching a full one-year layoff since his second defeat to Floyd Mayweather Jr., and his trainer Robert Garcia believes a decision needs to be made soon by "El Chino" about coming back to the ring.
According to reports Maidana, 32, has gained substantial weight, and even if he does commit to returning to the ring, it will take months to shave off the weight if he wants to continue as a welterweight.
"When he comes back it won't be easy," Garcia said. "If he gained that much weight it won't be easy. It'll take three to four months just to get the weight off. I don't expect him to want to fight any time soon, so we're just waiting to see what he wants to do."
Maidana has become a very popular fighter since 2013. He humbled Adrien Broner late in 2013, knocking him down twice and handing him his first loss of his career. He followed that performance with a spirited challenge vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May 2013. Maidana hit Mayweather more than almost any other opponent, and became the first fighter since Jose Luis Castillo in 2002 to earn a rematch.
In their second bout, Mayweather was able to keep the fight in the center of the ring more, and he won more convincingly. Maidana has not fought since. Garcia hopes Maidana can fight again as soon as possible so he doesn't squander the momentum he built from those three fights.
"At his age and the stage he's at, he needs to do something soon because the longer he waits the more weight he's going to gain and the less people are going to remember him," Garcia said.
"Even now, almost a year since his last fight, he became a superstar. People are always asking about him. Everyone still wants to see him fight."
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