Las Vegas –The tough guy was no match for the one-handed speed merchant.
Floyd Mayweather gave a boxing clinic Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in winning by unanimous decision over Carlos Baldomir and claiming the World Boxing Council welterweight title.
Mayweather dazzled an enthusiastic crowd of 9,427 with his hand speed and overall quickness as he constantly made Baldomir hit and miss. And the performance on the HBO Pay Per View card was particularly impressive because Mayweather was fighting with an injured right hand.
“I hurt the right hand in the middle of the fight, maybe the sixth round,” said Mayweather, 37-0. “I feel down the stretch I would have knocked him out if I hadn’t hurt it. He fought his heart out and I fought my heart out.”
The 29-year-old Mayweather promised that even without the presence of his uncle and trainer, Roger Mayweather, that he would be able to handle the rugged Baldomir. He did that so well that two of three judges called the fight a shutout, awarding all 12 rounds to Mayweather. Even Baldomir was impressed.
“He was definitely too fast,” said Baldomir, now 43-10-6. I couldn’t catch him. When I did catch him I just wasn’t strong.”
Mayweather made a grand entrance into the ring, Dressed as a gladiator, he was wheeled into the ring on a chariot. He fought with pink gloves. In the ring, however, he was all business.
“I can win under any circumstances,” Mayweather said of fighting with a hurt hand. “This is ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd. I am the best of the best. I will fight anyone and beat anyone.”
Mayweather also tossed a bombshell after the fight announcing that he would have just one more bout before ending his 10-year career. Some thought, however, that it was posturing to get Oscar de la Hoya into the ring for a megabucks fight.
