Floyd Mayweather has beaten Manny Pacquiao on a points
decision during one of the most lucrative boxing matches of
all time.
Neither of the fighters, regarded the world’s top two, failed to
land a winning blow during 12 rounds late Saturday night, and
judges awarded May weather the fight on a points decison.
All three judges scored Mayweather higher than Pacquiao in a
unanimous decision.
The new unified WBC, WBA, and WBO
Welterweight champion scored 118-110, 116-112, 116-112.
American Mayweather took his unbeaten record to 48-0, with
Pacquiao’s record slumping to 57 wins and six losses after
the Filipino’s defeat.
Saturday’s long-awaited bout, which had been more than five
years in the making, had transcended the traditional boxing
scene, catapulted the sport back into the public
consciousness and promised to rewrite the record books as
the richest fight of all time.
Las Vegas was buzzing ahead of the welterweight world title
showdown and the money men were rubbing their hands: total
revenue for the bout could reach an eye-watering $400
million, fuelled by as many as three million pay-per-view
purchases.
The breathtaking figures – touted as high as a possible $180
million payday for the unbeaten American and an estimated
$120 million bonanza for Filipino icon Pacquiao – have
intensified the spotlight on a fight between two of the most
successful boxers of their generation.
