Las Vegas: One again, there was no arguing Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s ability to both show perfection in the sweet science and impress judges.
Mayweather won the fight of the century, which many will feel was closer to the bore of the century.
According to the three judges, it wasn’t even close. The scores were 118-110 and two 116-112 cards.
Mayweather summed up the fight simply.
“I outboxed him,” he said.
Uncharacteristically, Pacquiao disagreed with the decision. “I thought I hit him many more times than he hit me,” Pacquiao said. “He never hurt me.”
The victory kept Mayweather’s record unbeaten at 48-0. Pacquiao is now 57-6-2. Saturday’s fight is widely believed to be the most lucrative in boxing history with revenues of $400 million (Dh1.47 billion).
Even as the clash with Pacquiao loomed - sparking massive global interest - Mayweather was saying he was on his way out - with just one more bout to come once he’d finally crossed Pacquiao off his to-do list.
“Everyone’s been saying for years that I was scared and I would lose,” Mayweather said of five-years of finger-pointing as he and Pacquiao failed to get together.
The passion’s fading, Mayweather says, and only a desire to keep his word and fulfill his six-fight Showtime contract will see him fight again in September.
But a win in that fight would take his record to 49-0, matching the iconic mark of Rocky Marciano.
Could he then really resist going for a 50th victory?
“My last fight is in September, and then it’s time for me to hang it up,” the 38-year-old said.
“I’m almost 40 years old now. I’ve been in this sport for 19 years and have been a champion for 18 years. I’m truly blessed.”
Mayweather said his last fight might not even be a world title contest.
He plans to relinquish his World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization titles - maybe as early as next week.
“My last fight may not be a championship fight,” he said. “I might give up all my belts.”
“Why? Give other fighters a chance. I’m not greedy.”
The first three rounds were more interesting than exciting. Pacquiao pursued, Mayweather countered and ducked and ran and held.
But in the fourth, Pacquiao’s relentless attack clearly won a round.
And after taking a round off in the fifth, Pacquiao continued his relentless attack and appeared to go up, four rounds to two.
The fans oohed and ahhed with every lunge, but most of them were producing little damage on Mayweather.
The Pac Attack was back in the eighth, but Mayweather remained mostly unhittable, as he has most of his career. And this was often the stage of the fight where Mayweather takes over a tiring opponent.
But in the ninth, Pacquiao kept coming and Mayweather kept countering. Fans seeking blood and guts were getting the sweet science from two of the sweeter practitioners and eventually, if it stayed this way, it would add up to a boring fight.
It appeared to be possible that the 12th round would decide it, but then the 12th round appeared to be dead even. A frustrated Pacquiao chased a classic defensive star, who countered beautifully. So, it was left to the three judges, which is exactly what the sellout crowd of 16,700 and the millions watching at home did not want to see.
While the crowd and the boxers awaited the decision, both took to the ropes to cheer the crowd and celebrate what they thought was a victory.
Only Mayweather was correct, even though Pacquiao said afterward he still thought he won.
- LAT
