Who won Conor McGregor vs Floyd Mayweather?
The bout between former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor and undefeated eleven-time boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr took place on 26th August 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Nevada. It was one of the biggest events in boxing history and was dubbed the "Money Fight".
The bout was scheduled for twelve rounds. However, Mayweather won by TKO in the tenth round. The purses for the two fighters was reportedly $280 million for Mayweather and $130 million for McGregor, making this the second-highest pay-per-view buy rate in history.
The lead up to the McGregor vs Mayweather fight
The two fighters had their first of four international press conferences at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 11th. They then went on to have three more scheduled conferences in Toronto, New York and London on July 12th, 13th and 14th.
It was to no one's surprise that both fighters put their trash-talking skills on full display in each one of these conferences. Both fighters predicted knockout victories for themselves. Mayweather even predicted that the fight would not go the distance - and he was correct.
The main event of the evening
Conor McGregor started strong with a variety of punches from different angles. That opening allowed McGregor to win the first three rounds on the judges' scorecards. Mayweather then picked up on McGregor's rhythm and spent the next few rounds attacking the body.
McGregor, who is known for not having the best gas tank, started to look very fatigued and wobbly late in round seven. He was able to bounce back by winning round eight. But by this time McGregor's punching power had begun to fade along with his stamina. He even attempted to sneak in a few shots that were not considered inside boxing rules.
Overall, the MMA star put on an excellent performance showing excellent technique, even though this was his professional boxing debut. Mayweather's composure led him to victory by TKO. Referee Robert Byrd was forced to stop the fight at 1:05 of round ten to prevent further possible injury.
After the bout, both men showed immense respect for each other, with McGregor saying: "I thought I took the early rounds pretty easy, he's composed. He's not that fast, he's not that powerful, but boy, is he composed."
Mayweather responded by saying: "He's a lot better than I thought he was, he used different angles. He was a tough competitor, but I was the better man tonight. Conor McGregor, you are a hell of a champion."
At the stoppage, Mayweather led on all three judges' scorecards (87-83, 89-82, 89-81).
What's next for these two fighters?
Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced that he will return to the boxing ring on Feb. 20, 2021, for an exhibition bout against YouTube star Logan Paul.
Conor McGregor has shown interest in fighting Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East. However, after his recent loss to Dustin Poirier, he is also eagerly awaiting the trilogy.