Bigger Mayweather Too Much to Handle

LAS VEGAS -- Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. promised his return to boxing would be worth the 21-month wait, and only those loyal followers of Juan Manuel Marquez came away disappointed Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In a not-so-surprising mismatch that proved Mayweather's obvious size and speed advantage would be too much to overcome, "Money" scored a unanimous decision over the lighter and shorter Marquez that actually invites more questions than it answers.

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What's next for Mayweather, now that he totally dominated the undersized opponent he specifically chose for his triumphant return to boxing after nearly two years? After years of ducking larger opponents, it seems Mayweather may be at a loss to find someone who will take him on at welterweight after this fight.



When the final bell sounded following 12 rounds of total domination by the six-time world champion in five weight divisions, Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) already had danced around the ring in triumph. He had landed more jabs in each of the 12 rounds than Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) did in total punches.

Marquez's longtime trainer, Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain, told his fighter before the 12th round, "Finish with dignity."

Marquez, 36, did just that. But Mayweather, 32, dominated in the final PunchStat numbers, overpowering Marquez 290-69 in total punches landed, and 105-48 in power punches that connected.

FanHouse scored the fight 120-107 for Mayweather.

Judge William Lerch scored it 118-109; Bert Clements scored it 120-107 and Dave Moretti had it 119-108 for the undefeated Mayweather.

With little to celebrate after a bout that many in boxing criticized as an unimpressive matchup to mark his return to the ring after his self-imposed hiatus, Mayweather even found himself being taunted and challenged by longtime nemesis Shane Mosley.

"We just want to get it on!" Mosley said in the middle of the ring, while Mayweather engaged in a contentious exchange with HBO pay-per-view analyst Max Kellerman.

"Shane is desperate and it was very disrespectful for him to get into the ring," Mayweather complained. "All I ask for is respect. It was my fight and my moment. He's desperate."

Mayweather came into this fight weighing 146 pounds -- two pounds more than the contractually agreed catchweight of 144 pounds. That cost him $300,000 a pound. Marquez, who has never fought heavier than 135 pounds, used all his might to tip the scale Friday at 142 pounds.

And given "Money" Mayweather's well-publicized reluctance to pay his bills and creditors, Marquez may have to chase down Mayweather Promotions to get his penalty money.

HBO tried to weigh Mayweather before the fight but he declined. So how many pounds did Mayweather carry into the ring? You figure he put on at least 10 more pounds between the weigh-in and first bell, making the difference between the two fighters a minimum of 10-15 pounds.

Marquez -- whom Beristain claimed weighed 148 pre-fight on HBO's scale Saturday night -- may have even lost a pound or two.

Marquez, who was knocked down only once, in the second round, conceded the weight disparity made a difference in how he performed.

"It was a very hard fight. He surprised me with the knockdown. He hurt me in that round but not any other time," said Marquez, whom many suspect may retire from boxing after this defeat. "I don't want to make excuses but the weight was the problem. He was too fast. But when I hit him, I knew he felt my punches."

Conversely, Mayweather came across as a guy who just did some light sparring and finished a workout at his gym across town.

"I've been off for two years, so I felt like it took me a couple of rounds to really know I was back in the ring again. And I know I'll get better," Mayweather said. "Marquez is tough as nails. He's a great little man. He was really hard to fight and he kept taking some unbelievable shots.

"But I dropped him and he jumped back up. When I dropped him with that shot, which I don't think he saw, He got back up and kept fighting."

When did Mayweather finally realize that his retirement had ended?

"You know what? I was sitting there before the bell rang, and I thought about my kids. Then I was back in the ring and I thought, 'Just stay calm and box smart.' I had my jab working. I really liked my jab."

"He's a great small man. Don't forget, I came from a great small weight class, too."

Was Mayweather surprised by anything he saw from Marquez?

"There was one point in the fight where I pulled a counter-punch and he actually tried to do the same," said Mayweather, who called this a nice return to the ring.

"I needed some rounds and some work," Mayweather explained.

The reaction in the boxing world was swift, and not so complimentary toward Mayweather.

"Floyd, congratulations for beating the best lightweight in the world," Freddie Roach, trainer for current No. 1 pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquaio, in a statement released through publicist Fred Sternburg.

This fight didn't figure to feature a lot of action, pitting a defensive specialist (Mayweather) vs. a career counter-puncher (Marquez). But the obvious difference in size (Mayweather three inches taller) and weight between the two fighters was the overriding factor

The opening round showed just that, with Marquez sitting back and respecting Mayweather's speed and power. And the PunchStat numbers supported it, with Mayweather outpunching Marquez 31-18.

In the second, Mayweather began using the jab -- finally utilizing it as a weapon -- and he used it effectively to set up punches. Marquez walked into a Mayweather left hook at 1:38, knocking him to the canvas.

The jab then transformed into an effective counter-punch for Mayweather in the third round as he methodically worked Marquez away from the center of the ring.

In the fourth round, Mayweather's overpowering hand speed and strength opened a small gash over Marquez's right eye, but there was little bleeding from that wound. However, a furious fifth round, during which a cocky Mayweather began taunting his opponent, prompted Marquez to unleash a flurry of punches as the round ended, and the Mexican underdog emerged with blood streaming from his nose.

During the break, Marquez appeared to ask his corner if he was behind. Beristain told him Mayweather was indeed winning.

It became more lopsided in the sixth, when Mayweather began tagging Marquez with left jabs at will, sitting back and waiting for opportunities to connect. In the seventh, Mayweather taunted Marquez even more, inviting him to throw punches in the corner.

That set off a rash of "Si se puede!" (Yes we can) chants from the largely pro-Marquez crowd that totaled 13,116 -- short of a sellout.

Through seven rounds, however, Marquez had landed only 40 punches. He retreated to his corner after another futile eighth round, looking like a fighter who had lost all hope but not his heart.

In the ninth, Mayweather went on the attack again, this time using his powerful right hand to punish Marquez even more. But Marquez got some measure of respect in the 10th round, going toe-to-toe with the bigger opponent in the middle of the ring and scoring with a solid left hook to Mayweather's chin.

Didn't matter. When the bell sounded to end the round, Mayweather went to his corner and began dancing – proving to everyone that Marquez wasn't hurting him at all.

Then again, a welt appeared under Mayweather's right eye in the 11th round, which was more damage than he sustained in his last fight before announcing his retirement, a December 2007 bout against Ricky Hatton.

While many in boxing are hoping this outcome will eventually lead to a boxing box-office Holy Grail -- a Mayweather-Pacquaio welterweight showdown -- "Money" hasn't entertained any PacMan questions throughout fight week.