On Sunday, YouTuber Logan Paul got in the ring with one of the greatest boxers of all time, Floyd Mayweather. However, as part of their contract, there were no judges and no winner announced. But while there were no judges, knockouts were allowed per their contract.
The Paul vs Mayweather fight was slotted for eight three-minute rounds. Each boxer would have 12-ounce gloves with no headgear. And the final rule for the fight, Logan Paul had to stay under 190 pounds.
Floyd Mayweather came into the fight at 155 pounds, which is the heaviest of his career. Logan Paul came in 34 pounds heavier and 6 inches taller than Mayweather. While Paul had those advantages, Mayweather’s decades of experience and 50-0 record loomed large. Paul has been boxing for the last few years and has headlined two pay-per-views with a record of 0-1-1.
The fact that with no wins on his record, Paul secured a fight with the greatest boxer of his generation is a marvel. Even if the fight ended with Paul being knocked out, just being in the ring was a win. Then looking at the potential payday for each fighter, it was a definite win.
The Fight
Paul entered the ring first to ‘From Now On’ from The Greatest Showman with a gold-plated Pokemon card around his neck. Followed by Mayweather, who entered the ring for the first time since 2018 when we saw him fight kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in Japan.
Logan came out swinging with a flurry of punches with no real efficiency in the first round. Mayweather, who is notorious for his defense and counter ability is a master at letting his opponents wear themselves out, and that’s just what Paul did. The social media personality was visibly winded in the rounds that followed. Floyd went on to toy with the YouTuber in the seven rounds that followed.
Similar to each of Mayweather’s recent bouts, Paul vs Mayweather was an obvious ploy to make quick and easy money. Mayweather did little to initiate action beyond quick jabs and counters. The future Hall-of-Famer seemed content letting this fight go on a few rounds, playing possum as Paul continued to tire.
Throughout the fight, there was one maybe two moments that it appeared a knockdown or knockout might occur. However, Paul made it the distance and went all eight rounds. While Paul was visibly exhausted and dripping in sweat, Floyd Mayweather looked fresh off a light jog.
Winners and One Big Loser
Sunday’s fight was a glorified sparring session. Floyd let Paul throw punches for three minutes at a time while seemingly waiting for the clock to run out and a $50 million-plus check to cash. With no judges or decision, what incentive did Mayweather have to try? He had already won. He was set to make over $50 million from a fight with an amateur boxer with zero wins.
As a result, Logan Paul also won. The man who has spent the last decade doing things to go viral headlined a fight on Showtime against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather. That alone is an incredible feat. But he went through the entire fight without getting knocked out and even was praised by the champion Floyd Mayweather. He also leaves the fight an estimated $10 million richer from 24 minutes in the ring.
However, with neither of the boxers losing in this fight, that does not mean there was no loser. The sport of boxing lost again Sunday night. Just as it has in each of Mayweather’s recent fights, boxing has been more of a circus than a respected sport. Boxing has a major problem when the only fights doing real PPV numbers are publicity stunts with non-boxers.
The pattern isn’t going anywhere, however. Last month, Jake Paul, Logan’s brother, signed a multi-fight deal with Showtime Sports. He announced his next opponent being the washed-up MMA fighter Tyron Woodley. The Paul’s have proven one thing in boxing, they know how to sell a fight. With over 60 million social media followers many tune into see the fight, and many to see them lose.
But just like the Paul vs Mayweather matchup, the only loser is the sport of boxing and the actual boxers. Outside of recent exhibitions the only boxing matches getting major PPV sales are Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, and Deontay Wilder. If the sport cant find better ways to promote their fighters who have spent their life dedicated to the art of boxing, they will continue to be outshined by these celebrity circus act exhibition matches.
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