Special to the NNPA from the St. Louis American
In what some were calling Mayweather’s toughest test in many years, he authored a clinic against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez as he rolled to a majority decision to unify junior middleweight world titles Saturday night — on Mexican Independence Day weekend — at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena, where the all-time gate record of $20,003,150 was set by the 16,746 in attendance.
The crowd was overwhelmingly cheering for Alvarez, the 23-year-old Mexican hero, but he was no match for the brilliance of Mayweather, who did as he pleased in Rounds 1 through 12 in the biggest fight in years.
“Canelo is a young, strong champion. A great Mexican champion,” Mayweather said. “I take my hat off to him and to Mexico. He can take a loss and bounce back.
“Seventeen years, and I’m still going strong. I think had I pressed the attack earlier, I could have gotten the stoppage, but I am very happy with my performance.”
The fight likely will set the record for the richest event in boxing history and could challenge the all-time pay-per-view record of 2.44 million buys. Both those records were set by Mayweather’s 2007 win against Oscar De La Hoya.
Although Mayweather cruised, the judges incredibly made it a majority decision.
Judges Dave Moretti (116-112) and Craig Metcalfe (117-111) had it for Mayweather, while judge C.J. Ross scored it an unconscionable 114-114. She also is one of the two judges who gave Timothy Bradley Jr. a decision win against Manny Pacquiao in one of boxing’s most controversial decisions in years.
“I’m not in control of the judges,” Mayweather said. “I’m a little in shock, but everything is a learning experience.”
For his easy work, Mayweather also made easy money, a guaranteed record purse of $41.5 million. He surely will earn much more once the profits from the Showtime pay-per-view event are tallied.
Information from Espn.com contributed to this report.