Mayweather: I out-boxed Pacquiao
There was a mix of confidence and appreciation from Floyd Mayweather Jr, who preserved his unbeaten status with victory over Manny Pacquiao.
WBO welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr said he was too smart for rival Manny Pacquiao, though he reserved praise for the Filipino veteran following Saturday's blockbuster boxing bout in Las Vegas.
In a showdown five years in the making and billed as the 'Fight of the Century', Mayweather claimed a unanimous points decision after 12 rounds to extend his flawless professional record to 48 wins.
Pacquiao thought he won the fight when interviewed in the ring at MGM Grand but Mayweather saw it differently, while paying tribute to his 36-year-old opponent, whose record slipped to 57-6-2.
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"First off I want to thank God for this victory, I want to thank all the fans that came to Las Vegas. I want to thank all the fans around the world that supported this event," Mayweather said post-fight.
"He is a hell of a fight and I take my hat off to Manny Pacquiao. Now I see why he is at the pinnacle at the sport of boxing.
"I knew he was going to push me, I knew that he was going to win some rounds. He had moments in the fight, but I kept him on the outside.
"I was a smart fighter. I out-boxed him. I wasn't getting hit with a lot of shots until I sit right there in the pocket, that's when he landed a lot of shots and we did what we had to do tonight. I am truly blessed.
"I am a calculated fighter. He is a tough competitor. But I got to take my hat off to my dad because without my dad I would not be where I am at."
With Mayweather the undisputed champion, the 38-year-old still plans to walk away from the sport in four months' time.
"My last fight is in September then it is time for me to hang it up. I am almost 40 years old now. I have been in the sport 19 years now, been world champion 18 years," he added.
