For three rounds, Conor McGregor looked the business against Floyd Mayweather.
Unfortunately, professional boxing bouts don’t have the same number of rounds as MMA fights. Mayweather came in ready to slug it out for 12 rounds, McGregor didn’t have the gas tank.
Even at 40 years of age, Mayweather was just too damn good.
However, in the first three rounds, McGregor looked right at home in a boxing ring.
He tagged the undefeated prizefighter, he was scoring from awkward angles, he put his hands behind his back, but as soon as the fatigue set in, it was one-way traffic.
— Michael Shamburger (@mshamburger1) August 27, 2017
Once the scent of weakness filled his nostrils, McGregor’s mouth flopped open and the sting came out of his punches, there was only one man taking a step back. Mayweather walked McGregor down and outclassed him.
In round nine, the energy came flooding back into McGregor’s weary body. After a low blow landed, McGregor went for the kill again. One last burst, one last flurry and his body was sapped again. McGregor fell into the ropes with fatigue as Mayweather edged towards the finish. However, the bell came to McGregor’s rescue.
It was clear that he was spent when he stood back up from his stool for round 10. From there, it was child’s play for Mayweather. He walked him down and teed off on the staggering Dubliner. Then the referee stepped in to put him out of his misery with 1:55 left in the round.
McGregor went out on his shield. There were no knockdowns. He was still standing at the very end.
Afterwards, he revealed his disappointment that the fight was stopped, insisting that he was fatigued rather than stopped.
A jubilant Floyd Mayweather insisted that this was it, this time he was retiring for real.
Both men left the right smiling. That’s what all that money will do to you.
