Dubai: Floyd “Money” Mayweather lived up to his boast when he scored a decisive technical knockout victory over UFC champion and first-time boxer Conor McGregor in a spectacular night’s boxing at the T Mobile arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Prior to the much-hyped and much-anticted fight, the richest in boxing history with PPV amassing over $600 million, the undefeated Mayweather predicted that the cross-sport fight would not go the distance.
And it did not, with the referee, Hall of Famer Robert Byrd, calling a stop to the 12-round contest at 1:55 into the 10th round after Mayweather appeared close to knocking out massively gassed-out McGregor.
The American, who eclipsed the great Rocky Marciano’s long-standing record of 49 wins and no losses, backed his game Irish rival into the ropes and pummelled him with a barrage of shots to the body and head.
With Byrd seeing that McGregor could not defend himself he stepped in to call an end to the fight with 1:55 remaining in the round,
“I gave the fans what they wanted to see,” said Mayweather, who announced that this was the last fight of his career “without doubt”.
“I told them that I would give them something after the Pacquiao fight and that I would give them a real show,” he said.
Mayweather reportedly earned $250 million for the fight while McGregor, who surprised many with the boxing skills he displayed in his high-profile debut, earned $75 million.
