Rematch more likely than Retirement for Mayweather

LAS VEGAS - There weren't any knockdowns and just a few punches of significance, and it was far from the massacre Floyd Mayweather Jr. promised Oscar De La Hoya in their WBC super welterweight title fight last night at the MGM Grand. While the expected $100 million-plus of gross revenue will be the most profitable non-heavyweight fight in history, the bout itself like most with this type of anticipation did not quite equal the hype. The speedy Mayweather used great defensive instincts in avoiding a flurry of shots from De La Hoya while landing 43 percent of his punches and earning a split decision. It was dubbed the "Fight of the Century" by some observers as the spotlight was on two of sport's biggest stars and more marketable figures. They did their part in delivering. "It was a great fight," De La Hoya said. "You can't say anything bad about him because he is a talented fighter. We did a good job of entertaining the fans. The question that now lingers is: Would they be willing to do it again? Mayweather, 30, retired after the fight, although several boxing insiders feel he won't stay away. Meanwhile, the 34-year-old De La Hoya is inching closer to turning his boxing interests into full-time promoting with his Golden Boy Promotions. The general consensus is a rematch would be too tempting. Even the now-retired Mayweather said he would have to talk it over with his family if the opportunity presented itself. "Right now, I'm going to stick to my word," Mayweather said. "Right now, Floyd Mayweather is officially retired from the sport of boxing." The retirement of both fighters could hurt the sport. Mixed martial arts is gaining popularity, and the knock on boxing is that it has no superstars left, specifically in the heavyweight division. Celebrities such as recording star Usher, Magic Johnson and movie star Will Ferrell attended Saturday fight, a sign of the twosome's marketability. "Oscar is an extremely popular guy," Mayweather said. "He's a good fighter. You can't take anything away from him. He is a good champion." De La Hoya made an estimated $25 million and Mayweather $10 million. That kind of money - and possibly more - would be on the table for a sequel. "The 12th round was amazing. The people really loved it," said former heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko, who attended the fight. "I believe, yes, a rematch would be good. This was a fun night." If Mayweather does stay retired - a rarity in ring history - he will leave as one of its legends. His perfect 38-0 record was underscored by a defining victory as the "Pretty Boy" used his mesmerizing speed to fend off a flurry of punches from the aggressive De La Hoya. Mayweather landed 207 of 481 punches, according to CompuBox. De La Hoya threw 587 punches but landed only 122 - or 21 percent. Judge Chuck Giampi scored the fight 116-112 for Mayweather and judge Jerry Roth also scored it for Mayweather at 115-113. Tom Kaczmarcek ruled for De La Hoya, 115-113. "I'm not Superman. I can't win every round," Mayweather joked. "There were a couple of rounds I took off so he could burn himself." Mayweather won with defense, never letting De La Hoya make solid contact, although he felt his all-around armor was the clincher. "I am not the judge, but offense wins fights and defense wins fights," he said. "All his shots were on my arms and shoulders. He has bruises, I am unmarked. I am a great champion and he is a great champion. "I worked well with my jab, with my right hook and my left hook. I took time and stuck to my game plan." De La Hoya could not give a definitive answer when asked if this was his last hurrah. But money talks in this business. So stand by for "Pretty Boy" vs. "Golden Boy," the return. The world awaits.