Win would open doors for Maidana

“I know a diamond when I see one,” Diaz said. “This kid is special.”

Maidana (29-1, 27 knockouts) has a chance to experience one of those moments when his world never will be the same afterward. A win Saturday over WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan at Mandalay Bay Events Center would open doors for more lucrative fights and create marketing opportunities outside the ring in his native Argentina that he never thought imaginable.

“Winning this fight would change everything,” said Maidana, the WBA’s interim champion who will make $550,000, the biggest payday of his career, to face Khan (23-1, 17 KOs). “It will get me bigger fights, and I want to fight the best.”

Before he committed to working with Maidana, Diaz talked to people in Argentina about the fighter, and they told him it would be worth his while to get involved.

“He was a natural, in the truest sense,” said Diaz, who began training Maidana 18 months ago. “He had such power. He was born to be a boxer.”

The seventh of eight children, Maidana, 27, grew up in Santa Fe, Argentina. His parents had a small farm, and they lived off the land. At age 14, he accompanied a friend to a local gym where youngsters were boxing in a club tournament. Maidana put on a pair of gloves and knocked down his opponent.

Right there, he knew his future didn’t include a pitchfork or a tractor.

But when he’s through with boxing, Maidana can see himself coming full circle and having his own farm.

“That is my dream,” he said. “I have great memories of growing up on a farm when I was young. I still ride horses, and I would love to own my own piece of land one day.”

Maidana turned pro in 2004 and reeled off 25 straight wins, 21 of which came in three rounds or fewer. His loss came in February 2009 when Andreas Kotelnik took a 12-round split decision to retain his WBA junior welterweight title. Kotelnik lost the belt to Khan five months later.

Since then, Maidana and Diaz teamed, and the fighter has bounced back with four straight wins. He stopped Victor Ortiz in the sixth round in June 2009, knocked out William Gonzalez in the third round in November 2009, knocked out Victor Cayo at the Hard Rock Hotel on March 27 and took a 12-round decision from DeMarcus Corley on Aug. 28 in his most recent fight.

Maidana was having issues outside the ring as he prepared to face Corley. He was in a bitter dispute with his manager and trying to leave him. His focus wasn’t where it should have been, and Diaz had to work extra hard to get him ready.

“That fight made him realize if he was going to be serious about his training, he had to get away from Argentina,” Diaz said. “If you really want to capitalize with your power and punches, you’ve got to train in the place where you really focus about it.”

Maidana has spent the past 10 weeks in Las Vegas, working with Diaz at Barry’s Boxing. He said he’s ready to face Khan.

“I’ve prepared for every scenario,” Maidana said. “I want to be one of the elite fighters in the world. But I have to pass this test.”

■ NOTES — Khan, who will make $975,000, is a minus-340 betting favorite at MGM Resorts sports books. Maidana is a plus-260 underdog. … Khan turned 24 on Thursday and was presented with a huge chocolate cake at a news conference for the fight. … Today’s weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. at Mandalay Bay Events Center is free and open to the public. … The HBO broadcast will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The first bell for the undercard is at 2.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.