Mayweather produces masterclass against Guerrero to cruise to punch-perfect victory

Floyd Mayweather Jnr came out of prison to elevate boxing to an art. To describe this maestro simply as the welterweight champion of the world is to do him an enormous disservice of understatement.

To call him the best boxer on the planet is closer to reality but Mayweather transcends that comparison, also.

                             

Still champion: Floyd Mayweather retained his welterweight title after unanimously outpointing Robert Guerrero

He made a rough, tough challenger with six world titles of his own at four weight levels to his credit look like a lumbering ox.

Robert Guerrero was so massively outclassed that the 117-111 scoring by the three judges also sold Mayweather short.

On my card Mayweather dropped only the second round in a 119-109 masterclass.

The first had been reasonably close but once Mayweather found his range in the third he set about impaling Guerrero on his lightning rights. Inevitably, the challenger was cut – beside the left eye in the eighth as it happened.

The longer it went the more comfortable Mayweather looked against one of the southpaw breed who have been a minor irritant to him in the past.

On target: Mayweather's rapier right hand did the damage as he outclassed a disappointing Guerrero

So when he let the left join the party we thought it was because he wanted to have more fun. In fact he hurt the right with one of the countless shots to the head.

Without that minor handicap he probably would have stopped Guerrero.

Mayweather was fighting for the first time since coming out of prison, Guerrero almost certainly for the last time before taking his turn in the penitentiary.

Only in boxing.

Mayweather had expressed relief that his two months for battering the mother of his children are behind him but claimed to be unaffected as a boxer by the experience.

Guerrero is thought to be facing at least two years for carrying a gun into a New York airport but denied being distracted from this job in hand.

One thing was certain, there was bad blood between them. So for this one night they focussed on inflicting the kind of damage on each other would get them both arrested and incarcerated if they did it in the street.

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Slipping and sliding: Mayweather demonstrates his brilliant defence to evade attacks from Guerrero

There was a mixture of cheers and jeers as the cameras picked out Amir Khan among a raft of celebrities at ringside. Khan had flown into Vegas during the afternoon hoping to press his claims for a super-fight with Mayweather next year.

The loudest roar before the fight was for former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.

But although the Garden was full and animated there was not quite the buzz and intensity of anticipation for previous Mayweather fights.

Guerrero came into the ring wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the legend God Is Great, perhaps hoping for divine intervention.

Mayweather arrived in a gold and black robe which resembled a frock coat, befitting the man who considers himself to be almighty.

                           

Hurt: Guerrero was cut by the end of the fight such was the punishment dished out by a dominant Mayweather

Guerrero was eager in the early stages of the opening round but despite connecting a couple of times, was mostly picked off by Mayweather’s accurate counters.

The underdog landed with big left early in the second session and, encouraged, did so two or three more times in similar fashion while Mayweather had to be at his most elusive to avoid further punishment.

But by the third round, Mayweather was getting his timing going and connecting with several punishing rights while Guerrero was already wary about throwing the left for fear of leaving himself exposed.


The speed of Money’s right hand continued to bewilder Guerrero and Mayweather also started to introduce more stinging lefts as the fight moved into the fifth stanza. Mayweather, not usually comfortable against southpaws, was easing into command.

Into the sixth round and Guerrero began trying to maul but just couldn't find the champion not only of the world but the defensive arts. The Ghost has a reputation as a dirty fighter and was by now beginning to get desperate as still the rapier right kept stabbing into the his reddening, swelling face.

Mayweather continued to lure his man in and Guerrero was left in a quandary. Aching to land a miracle left, he was clinically lacerated with Mayweather’s right whenever he dared attempt the shot.

                              

On the attack: It was clear from the early stages that there was only going to be one winner in Las Vegas

That Guerrero was still there for the penultimate round was a tribute to his courage but he looked like a club fighter in comparison with the master. Mayweather was by now looking for the stoppage and seemed close to it as rights followed by left rained in.

But Guerrero took the shots and heard the final bell. It may have looked easy but all the work and talent which went into this performance was remarkable.

Guerrero also sold Mayweather short after the fight when he said: ‘He’s better than I thought but I would like to fight him again before he retires. This wasn’t my night to beat him. He’s slick and he’s quick and he hit me with some good shots.’

Mayweather praised Guerrero’s fighting spirit and said: ‘I hurt my right hand midway through the fight so I couldn’t go for the knockout the way I wanted. I had to box smart. I still tried to get him out but the knock out I wanted for my fans didn’t happen.

                           

‘I was happy to have my father back in my corner. I got hit too often in my last fight against [Miguel] Cotto and my father took me back to using my defensive skills. I’m 36 now and I must hold on to those skills from now on.’