By Eric Thomas: Marcos Maidana (32-3, 29 KO’s) won a grueling 8th round TKO victory over Jesus Soto-Karass (26-8-3, 17 KO’s) last Saturday night on the undercard of the Saul Alvarez vs. Josesito Lopez fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. For Maidana, this was his second fight at welterweight and he didn’t look great against a journeyman level fighter in Soto-Karass.

Maidana, who won the vacant WBA Inter-Continental welterweight title, failed to prove that he belongs at this weight unless he’s comfortable with being just a contender.

Maidana took severe punishment in rounds 4, 5 and especially 6 by Soto-Karass. In the 6th. it looked for a second there that Maidana was ready to get taken out after getting hurt by some hard left hooks to the body from Soto-Karass. Somehow, Maidana was able to make it out of the round in one piece.

In the 7th, Maidana started loading up on everything he threw and Soto-Karass was quickly stunned by a hard right hand from Maidana. Moments later, Maidana put Soto-Karass down with a hard right hand to the head. The round ended after Soto-Karass got back to his feet.

In the 8th, Maidana bombarded Soto-Karass while he was against the ropes causing referee Kenny Bayless to step in and stop the fight at 0:43 of the round.

Maidana really needs to consider moving back down because he was exposed badly in losing to Devon Alexander last February in a 10 round decision loss, and Soto-Karass was pounding the smaller Maidana around like a rag muffin through much of the fight last Saturday. Soto-Karass is someone that Maidana should have been able to destroy if he truly belonged at 147, but he couldn’t do it. He doesn’t have the size for this division, and his power isn’t as impressive at this weight than it is at 140.