In a fight of the year candidate, Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (34-4, 31 KOs) dropped welterweight champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (27-1, 22 KOs) twice and took away his WBA belt with a twelve round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Maidana immediately cracked Broner with a right hand in the first round and had Broner holding on. Maidana continued the aggression in round two and dropped Broner. Maidana continued to pummel Broner for the rest of the round. Round three was close, but Maidana outworked Broner again in round four. Broner landed the cleaner shots in rounds five and six. Miadana upped the pressure in the seventh but also appeared to be slowing down. Maidana dropped Broner again in round eight, but then was deducted a point for an intentional headbutt. Maidana had a big round nine punishing Broner with big shots. Maidana was busier again in the tenth. Broner’s corner advised him that he needed a KO entering the eleventh. Both fighters landed big shots in the eleventh, with Broner connecting right at the bell. A desperate Broner fought hard in the twelfth looking for a KO that didn’t come. Scores were 115-110, 116-109, 117-109.