Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather Jr. beat Conor McGregor with a technical knockout in the tenth round of their bout on Saturday the 26th of August, and has confirmed that so-called Fight of the Century will be the last one he will take part in.
This match brings Mayweather’s number of undefeated fights up to 50, and saw the 40-year old fighter making off with the in-demand Money Belt and a minimum of US$100 million.
Mayweather’s Retirement is a Sure Thing
Mayweather restated that this fight will be his last, and his second retirement sees him surpassing Rocky Marciano, the heavyweight legend, for most wins without either a loss or a draw. He went on to say that he was glad of the dance partner he selected for his last waltz.
The American dominated the fight, and by the tenth round, his move in for the kill recorded his first early finish since he managed to stop Victor Ortiz, albeit controversially, in a very similar fashion almost six years ago.
McGregor Pleased by His Performance
As Australian sports betting sites and those around the world started calculating wins and losses and paying out punters either ecstatic with their support of the favourite, or unhappy with their bet on the underdog, Conor McGregor, the fighter reappeared, clutching a bottle of Irish whiskey, and returned to the boxing ring for the press conference which took place post-fight.
McGregor was pleased with his fight, and did not take kindly to the marks two of the three judges gave him, with these declaring that he had won only one of the rounds. He went on to announce that his next ambition was to stage a takeover of the whiskey market with his own drink, branded with his nickname, Notorious. He stated that he thought the match was a close one, and that he felt it should have carried on into the final two rounds.
It’s Back to the UFC for McGregor
Although McGregor has promised to keep his options regarding his next project open, it is most likely that his next bout will be in the UFC octagon. He could even be set to tackle his ex-sparring partner, Malignaggi, although McGregor has stated that he would be interested in considering another bout in the boxing ring if an opportunity to do so should arise.
Mayweather’s Record-Breaking Win Brings in Big Money
Mayweather already holds the record for the biggest amount of money generated by a boxing fight thanks to his 2015 bout with Manny Pacquiao, but the money-spinning showdown that was Mayweather versus McGregor is likely to break that record. Quite a feat when one considers that it stands at US$600 million, but after the incredible sporting performance from both athletes, many would say it was worth it.
The fight ultimately proved to a rather one-sided contest, as many predicted it would be, and Mayweather easily got his groove back after two years of inactivity. Although a number of observers felt that McGregor won the first three rounds, after fatigue settled in, an issue which has hampered the Irishman previously, Mayweather took centre stage and stayed there.