Floyd Mayweather defeats Manny Pacquiao by a unanimous points decision

The welterweight clash at the MGM Arena in Las Vegas has been six years in the making, and will be most lucrative fight in boxing history, with the combined earnings for the pair expected to top £300m.

"I outboxed him," Mayweather, who took Pacquiao’s WBO belt and retained his WBC and WBA titles, said afterwards. "He never figured out my jab and my right hand."

The 38-year-old Mayweather boxed brilliantly on the front foot from the first round. One stiff right jab sending an early message to Pacquiao.

Pacquiao began the second on the attack, but soon the movement of Mayweather started to cause him problems. Pacquiao was swinging, but not getting close.

Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao – in pictures

 

Mayweather said Pacquiao was "reckless" in the build-up, and he offered miss after miss in the third, as the American opened up a 3-0 lead.

In the fourth, Pacquiao finally caused Mayweather some trouble, rocking Mayweather to the ropes with a solid left, but he just could not capitalise.

Floyd Mayweather hits Manny Pacquiao with a left jab Pacquiao tried to up the tempo in the fifth and sixth, but there was only one man controlling this fight, and it was ‘Money’ Mayweather.

It was in the eighth when Pacquiao had some success again, another stiff left connected but soon Mayweather continued his domination of the fight, with Pacquiao, who just was not throwing enough combinations, growing more and more frustrated.

Beyonce and Jay Z were two of many celebrities in attendance The crowd at the MGM Arena soon booed as Mayweather coasted to the final bell. The judges then scored the fight 118-110, 116-112, and 116-112 in Mayweather’s favour.

Pacquiao did not agree with the decision, claiming that he should have won.

The pair embrace after the final bell "I thought I caught him many more times than he caught me," Pacquiao said. "I was never hurt. I was very surprised at the scores. I hit him more times than he hit me."

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, didn’t seem as surprised after watching his game plan for penetrating Mayweather’s defense largely fail to unfold.

Mayweather retained his WBC welterweight belt

"Between rounds, I asked for more combinations from Manny," Roach said. "I thought he fought flat-footed a little too much."

Mayweather’s record now stands at 48-0, while Pacquiao has lost six of his 65 fights, with two draws.

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