Floyd Mayweather claimed the WBC light middleweight and WBA super world light middleweight titles here on Saturday night, producing a masterclass against the young Mexican star Saul Alvarez.
On the money: Floyd Mayweather once again proves he is the best Photo: GETTY IMAGES
It was awarded as a 12-round majority decision by the judges, although
universally seen as a shutout from media to boxing veterans to aficionados.
The great champion showed that he is 'The One', as the promotion was called,
and remains boxing's No 1 pound for pound fighter, par excellence. After the
weigh-in, at 152lbs, Alvarez entered the ring at 165lbs.
Mayweather, who looked nothing like his 36 years against a man 13 years his
junior, commanded the entire championship bout against the bigger man, in
spite of judge CJ Ross scoring the unification bout even, as the master
extend his unbeaten professional record to 45 fights.
There was universal derision to the score of 114-114 from the female judge CJ
Ross, although afterwards, Mayweather was not overly critical, in spite of
the one-sided performance.
Clearly, however, the $8,500 dollars Ross was paid for this contest was not
worth it. In the real world, in a fight set to potentially gross $150
million dollars, working people get sacked for such misjudgements.
It was so crass a decision that it dominated the line of questioning afterwards.
"From what I found out, this is the same judge who scored the fight for Timothy Bradley over Manny Pacquiao. The Nevada State Athletic Commission is the best commission in the world, and if they feel it is right for the lady to judge, then that is fine by me. Things happen."
Asked if he thought the scores of 117-111 and 116-112 were just, Mayweather added. "Canelo fought hard in there. He fought hard in there."
I had it 119-110 for Mayweather, having given Alvarez the eighth round, in which he came out with more zest. Listening to a withdrawn Alvarez afterwards, it was clear he felt he was shut out by Mayweather's sublime boxing skills.
"He's very fast, very accurate," he said. "His punches were not strong, but he scores points with them. It is what it is. He took me out of my game plan. And I had no answer for it."
Mayweather added: "This young man will carry the torch. He has everything to go on and be a legend in this sport. It was just my night tonight. I always say it, every day, it's about hard work and dedication. We did it again.
"I just took my time, and took advantages of opportunities when they came. It would not say it wasmy best performance. I still have four fights left on the Showtime deal."
The highly rated 23-year-old Alvarez headed into the bout having built an unbeaten record of 42-0-1, and was regarded by many as the biggest threat yet to Mayweather, based on his youth, power, and explosive combinations.
But the American always looked in control, his fast hands doing enough to edge most rounds, however much the Mexcian tried to impose himself.
Time and again, Alvarez was left hitting air. This was a chess match, and the sweet science belonged to Mayweather. It was a sweet, poetic masterclass.
Overall, Alvarez was unable to live up to the hype as Mayweather, who earned a basic purse of US dollars 41.5million (£26.1m), controlled Alvarez with the jab, movement and technique from the first to the last round.
The Michigan man imposed himself early in the fight, landing a fast jab and showing that his reflexes, four years short of 40, were still razor sharp. He landed right hooks, moreover, and opened up more aggressively than usual.
"My father encouraged me to do that. He said I looked a bit tight...." explained Mayweather.
For round after round, changing levels, moving as was his want from the ropes to the centre of the ring, Mayweather landed a faster crisper jab, the straight right and right cross, and in the final third of the fight, a beautiful short right uppercut through Canelo's gloves. Precision, poise, poetry. Mayweather does not have power; nor does he need it.
All Alvarez could do was attack in bursts, but then few punches landed, Mayweather countering with as many of his own.
Alvarez mustered, in the penultimate round, a wild right hand which connected only with the ropes and out, much to Mayweather's amusement. The champion paused, looked out through the ropes and gesticulated, as if to say, 'Where was that punch going...'
There was audible laughter in the crowd. But there was nothing funny about this performance. It was boxing class, pure and simple. Mayweather exposed his great experience, greater technique, and growing greatness. It is still his time. He remains 'The One'.
It was so crass a decision that it dominated the line of questioning afterwards.
"From what I found out, this is the same judge who scored the fight for Timothy Bradley over Manny Pacquiao. The Nevada State Athletic Commission is the best commission in the world, and if they feel it is right for the lady to judge, then that is fine by me. Things happen."
Asked if he thought the scores of 117-111 and 116-112 were just, Mayweather added. "Canelo fought hard in there. He fought hard in there."
I had it 119-110 for Mayweather, having given Alvarez the eighth round, in which he came out with more zest. Listening to a withdrawn Alvarez afterwards, it was clear he felt he was shut out by Mayweather's sublime boxing skills.
"He's very fast, very accurate," he said. "His punches were not strong, but he scores points with them. It is what it is. He took me out of my game plan. And I had no answer for it."
Mayweather added: "This young man will carry the torch. He has everything to go on and be a legend in this sport. It was just my night tonight. I always say it, every day, it's about hard work and dedication. We did it again.
"I just took my time, and took advantages of opportunities when they came. It would not say it wasmy best performance. I still have four fights left on the Showtime deal."
The highly rated 23-year-old Alvarez headed into the bout having built an unbeaten record of 42-0-1, and was regarded by many as the biggest threat yet to Mayweather, based on his youth, power, and explosive combinations.
But the American always looked in control, his fast hands doing enough to edge most rounds, however much the Mexcian tried to impose himself.
Time and again, Alvarez was left hitting air. This was a chess match, and the sweet science belonged to Mayweather. It was a sweet, poetic masterclass.
Overall, Alvarez was unable to live up to the hype as Mayweather, who earned a basic purse of US dollars 41.5million (£26.1m), controlled Alvarez with the jab, movement and technique from the first to the last round.
The Michigan man imposed himself early in the fight, landing a fast jab and showing that his reflexes, four years short of 40, were still razor sharp. He landed right hooks, moreover, and opened up more aggressively than usual.
"My father encouraged me to do that. He said I looked a bit tight...." explained Mayweather.
For round after round, changing levels, moving as was his want from the ropes to the centre of the ring, Mayweather landed a faster crisper jab, the straight right and right cross, and in the final third of the fight, a beautiful short right uppercut through Canelo's gloves. Precision, poise, poetry. Mayweather does not have power; nor does he need it.
All Alvarez could do was attack in bursts, but then few punches landed, Mayweather countering with as many of his own.
Alvarez mustered, in the penultimate round, a wild right hand which connected only with the ropes and out, much to Mayweather's amusement. The champion paused, looked out through the ropes and gesticulated, as if to say, 'Where was that punch going...'
There was audible laughter in the crowd. But there was nothing funny about this performance. It was boxing class, pure and simple. Mayweather exposed his great experience, greater technique, and growing greatness. It is still his time. He remains 'The One'.
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