IBO Boxing Honesty and Integrity
By Scoop Malinowski
Floyd Mayweather outboxed UFC champion Conor McGregor after a slow start but took control of the fight after round three with his superior boxing skills. McGregor was game but clearly outclassed, showing his heroic fighting spirit to extend the fight but Mayweather, sensing a fatigued adversary, increased the pressure and forced referee Robert Byrd to step in and stop the fight. There were no knockdowns or severely damaging punches.
It appeared that Mayweather may have carried McGregor and intentionally tried to make the Irishman look better than he really was but that is just speculation. McGregor looked comfortable in the boxing ring, probably far more comfortable than Mayweather could be expected to perform against McGregor in the UFC Octagon.
Though Mayweather did box well at age 40 he was not as sharp or as crisp as he was in his most recent great performance against Manny Pacquiao in May of 2015. Mayweather said before the fight this would be his final professional fight and he repeated the statement after the victory which was the 50th of his illustrious career.
McGregor’s stock and popularity will surely increase after this very positive performance, which was only his first as a professional boxer. One could only imagine how much better and more seasoned the talented McGregor can become as a boxer if he continues to train and refine his craft but he is expected to return to UFC fighting although there have been whispers that a future boxing match against Paul Malignaggi is definitely a strong possibility.
