Floyd Mayweather showed why he’s the best boxer of his generation tonight as he let Conor McGregor tire himself out in the early stages of the fight and then started to take over until he finally found a TKO finish early in the tenth round.
Round One:
At long last the fight everyone’s been talking about is underway in Las Vegas after a strict reminder of the rules from the referee!
McGregor presses forward and lands a few shots as Mayweather covers up against the ropes. McGregor continuing to take the center of the ring and it looks like Mayweather is going to be happy to let the UFC star take the lead for now.
Nice left hand gets through partially for the Irishman. Mayweather unleashes and McGregor looks to counter.
Mayweather looking for a body shot. McGregor puts his hands behind his back for a moment. Another body shot for Mayweather.
McGregor looking to trick Mayweather as he sets up a left hook that just grazes Mayweather. McGregor with a good uppercut.
‘The Notorious’ feeling out with the jab as the round ends – a good start for the UFC champion and that looks like he’s got a round in the bank.
Round Two:
McGregor moving forward again and flashes out a one-two. Mayweather against the turnbuckle and the UFC fighter lands a couple of punches to the top of his opponent’s head that the ref stops him for and warns him about.
Body punch for Mayweather. McGregor takes his time and then goes to the body himself. Grazing shot from McGregor from one of those unusual angles. Nice stance switch from McGregor as he presses forward with punches.
A clinch is quickly broken up. McGregor with a short right hook. A couple of times McGregor stepping around behind Mayweather in the clinch and that’s something the boxer won’t be used to.
Another round gone and McGregor is looking comfortable out there so far, but Mayweather hasn’t even attempted to step up a gear yet. This may well be all part of his gameplan.
Round Three:
Nice combination of left and rights to start the third as Mayweather goes back to the ropes.
McGregor working close to the clinch and still stepping around to the side as he’s doing so. Body shot for Mayweather.
Jab for McGregor and then they clinch. Nice punch to the body from McGregor. Into the clinch again and McGregor bounces his gloves off the top of his opponent’s head.
McGregor lands two jabs. Another connects. Nice work from McGregor – not particularly hurtful, but he’s getting through Mayweather’s defense.
McGregor outsretches his arm as he takes a little breather. Body punch from Mayweather. McGregor takes a few steps back and then suddenly bursts forward, but doesn’t land and that’s the end of round three. Mayweather must be looking to tire out the UFC fighter here, but he needs to be careful as McGregor’s speed could trouble him.
Round Four:
Mayweather again unloading early in the round as Mayweather goes against the ropes. Nothing meaningful really getting through though.
Into the clinch and Mayweather landing to the body. Mayweather lands with a combination and McGregor lands a counter. Suddenly Mayweather is starting to push the pace. McGregor into the clinch and steps to the back again, breaking up that action.
McGregor not looking quite as bright as in the earlier rounds. Mayweather lands to the body.
Mayweather moving forward with his guard high and McGregor landing to the body. Right hand for Mayweather as McGregor tries to counter with his left.
Stance switch from mcGregor and then a short flurry of left hands. That’s the end of the round and McGregor is definitely starting to wear down a little from his early exertion, while Mayweather still looks fresh and is likely going to turn up the heat.
Round Five:
McGregor flicking out the jab to start the fifth. Clinch here and the ref wants it broken up quickly as the UFC superstar attempts to play rough at close range.
McGregor backing up more in these last couple of rounds. Left hand for Mayweather as he comes forward. Body punch from McGregor and then a brief clinch.
They barely get going and then it’s another clinch. McGregor landing to the gloves. Mayweather with a combination. Nothing too meaningful, but he’s getting McGregor’s attention. More shots and McGregor looks a little discouraged at this stage.
Exchange of body punches. Mayweather shoves McGregor at the end of the round. He’s growing in confidence now as his boxing experience starts to pay off. McGregor’s energy reserves are his biggest enemy right now.
Round Six:
Early clinch and McGregor steps to the back again, but this time lets loose with body shots and Mayweather doesn’t like that and tries to get away while complaining to the ref.
They get back to it and both men are starting to throw some heavy shots. Clubbing right hand for Mayweather. The Boxing legend steps forward and land hard again. McGregor looking a little red around his left cheek.
McGregor with some light shots. Mayweather fires back with heavier work, including a solid body shot.
McGregor smiling, though it’s not clear why. Mayweather steps in with a hard right hand, but McGregor slips it.
Left hand for McGregor and Mayweather lands a swiping counter. Good right hand for Mayweather and McGregor looking to piece together hooks in response.
Mayweather got the better of the round, but McGregor didn’t expend too much energy there. Is he conserving some for the later rounds? There’s a long way to go!
Round Seven:
McGregor with a right hand, but a lot of his other shots are bouncing off Mayweather’s gloves. Body shot for ‘The Notorious’ and then more shots off the gloves.
Mayweather looking to press forward, but McGregor clinches. They are broken up and McGregor clinches again. McGregor lands a body shot.
McGregor moving backwards as Mayweather pressures and lands a few nice shots. Clinch work from McGregor and the ref doesn’t like it.
Quick hands from Mayweather as he repeatedly tags McGregor. McGregor tries to fool the boxing ace with his footwork, but Mayweather still connects as he does so.
A little blood coming from McGregor’s mouth now. McGregor doesn’t seem to have the energy to put the kind of pop in his shots that could re-earn Mayweather’s respect.
Round Eight:
McGregor does that moves to the back clinch again and lands shots. Mayweather doesn’t like it and neither does the ref.
Mayweather back to bossing the action. McGregor lands a couple of light shots to the body. left hook from McGregor bounces off the gloves.
mayweather with a right hand and another jab behind it. McGregor with a body punch. Nice uppercut from Mayweather. Solid left hand for McGregor. That was his best shot for a while.
Another right for Mayweather. McGregor tired, but still in there for now. He needs to keep his defense tight though, and at some stage he needs to find his second wind.
Round Nine:
Good body punch for McGregor at the start of the round and that seemed to hurt Mayweather.
Now Mayweather is coming forward throwing some heavy leather. McGregor returns fire, but he’s working hard here without really landing anything meaningful through the guard.
Mayweather walking him down again and lands a few shots. McGregor looking in trouble here and he goes for the clinch. Mayweather looking for the finish.
Mayweather with a big right hand and McGregor takes it, but he’s struggling. Another right hand lands. McGregor repeatedly going for the clinch here to buy time. He’s just extremely tired now, and that’s very concerning given that Mayweather is unlikely to tire and still has three rounds to get the finish.
Round Ten:
McGregor with short shots against the gloves and clinch work. He’s happy to tick down the clock at this stage. Mayweather smartly lands a couple of body shots to further sap him.
Mayweather with a few shots and McGregor looks to be hurt. Another punch lands and McGregor staggers backwards on unsteady legs.
Right hands landing and this is close to being stopped. McGregor back against the ropes after a left hook as Mayweather looks to tee off, but before he can land anything else too meaningful the ref steps in and ends the contest with McGregor still on his feet with 1.05mins of the tenth round gone.
Post-Fight Thoughts:
So there we have it – as virtually everyone predicted, Mayweather gets the win, and as he said it came inside the distance, though he had to go to the tenth round to do it.
Mayweather was a consumate professional and appeared to be willing to let McGregor take the lead early, though he would perhaps have been a little surprised that the UFC champion was able to land shots on him and show some creativity in the ring.
However, the gameplan worked in the end for Mayweather as McGregor did indeed start to run out of steam after his good work in the opening three rounds, with the sting visibly going out of his shots and the constant forward movement evaporating.
After that Mayweather was very much in the driving seat until he stepped it up a notch and got the TKO stoppage – though McGregor will take pride in the fact he took one of the best boxer’s of all time to the tenth round and ended the fight still on his feet.
