Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul effectively fought to a draw Sunday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The bout went the full eight rounds, and no winner was announced since it was merely an exhibition. Although he wasn't recognized as the victor, Mayweather was by far the stronger of the two, and he's laughing all the way to the bank.
The full details of each fighter's earnings from Sunday night are unknown.
Mayweather told TMZ Sports he is guaranteed to get around $30 million and that his total haul could net him between $50 million and $100 million. While that wouldn't match the $180 million he reportedly received from fighting Manny Pacquiao in 2015, it would be an excellent haul for an easy night of work.
SportsCenter @SportsCenterA look at the stats from #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/XssjsH6Stl
Fans knew well in advance what to expect in the ring Sunday night. Still, it was tough to process the spectacle once it became a reality. Some might consider it a crowning achievement of sorts for a fighter who reveled in being the bad guy because it was massively profitable.
Pablo S. Torre @PabloTorreNo fighter has made more money off pay-per-view than Floyd Mayweather, who’s been trolling people into watching his content for more than a decade. He was a YouTuber before YouTubers existed. Of course he’s doing this
As expected, Mayweather was able to coast and dictate the pace of the fight. The 44-year-old was a best defensive boxer of his generation, so avoiding Paul's biggest shots was probably a breeze.
Ariel Helwani @arielhelwaniLogan empties the tank at the end of round 1 with a flurry of punches … only to see them blocked by Floyd. He’ll pay for that.<br><br>Mayweather is just having a laugh.
HOT 97 @HOT97Logan Paul against Floyd Mayweather #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/ZMyoDMvuKb
Mayweather wasn't known for spectacular knockouts toward the back half of his career. He demonstrated in his 2018 drubbing of Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa that he can make an inexperienced opponent pay, though.
There was the sense he could put Paul's lights out whenever he felt like it.
Andreas Hale @AndreasHalePaul looks terrible. Mayweather can end this at any time. Paul just missing and then starts winging punches. Mayweather avoids everything. End of the round.
Marcus Mosher @Marcus_MosherLogan Paul. pic.twitter.com/3g0EFJIgoM
Paul managed to connect with some big punches on Mayweather, but they had little effect. Going on the defensive was a double-edged sword, too, since he left himself exposed to counter-punches.
SHOWTIME Boxing @ShowtimeBoxingSHEESH 😳 #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/Xi7DvJbBcD
SHOWTIME Boxing @ShowtimeBoxingTrading blows in round 4 💥👀 #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/jrAn0Vzo9R
Paul looked to be in good shape. The 26-year-old, however, learned that being physical fit is slightly different from being in good boxing shape.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportUpdate on Logan Paul:#MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/yUS7aw2Yf8
By simply remaining on his feet, the YouTuber may have gained a level of respect. Even against a version of Mayweather operating at well below full capacity, Paul probably outperformed expectations.
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannixLogan Paul is one round away from going the distance with Floyd Mayweather. Honestly -- Paul has been OK. He's holding and leaning on Mayweather a lot, but what else is he supposed to do? Going the distance would be a win.
One question is whether Mayweather may have actually hurt himself in the long run by failing to send Paul to the mat.
His fights weren't the most aesthetically pleasing and that was on purpose because he thought it was the best way to guarantee victory. Fans may not be all that enthusiastic about watching the same story play out in situations where he's head and shoulders better than his opponent.
Mike Coppinger @MikeCoppingerAnd it’s over. Surprisingly no KO for a Floyd Mayweather. And this is an exhibition so there is no official winner. Crowd not happy. Floyd warned y’all and called this event a legalized bank robbery #MayweatherPaul pic.twitter.com/FzYJStu6vB
The theory will presumably be put to the test once Mayweather makes a fight with Jake Paul official. The two squared off at a press conference hyping up Sunday's event
During the TMZ Sports interview, Mayweather didn't make any firm commitments about his future but acknowledged it's "probably Jake," in reference to the other member of the Paul family.
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