Two show professionals in one ring and the big question: Will Youtuber Logan Paul survive a fight with former world champion Floyd Mayweather?
Miami (AP) – The scratch next to the left eye he should gladly accept: Youtuber Logan Paul (26) can not only look forward to millions in income after the show fight against boxing legend Floyd Mayweather (44), but also properly indicate its performance.
Finally, the self-marketing artist muddled on Sunday (local time) in the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami against the former world champion in five different weight classes until the last gong of the eighth round. Many spectators had expected a knockout from the beginner in the good 30 minutes. Because it didn’t exist, both could see themselves as winners.
“Nobody should ever tell me again that something is impossible”, Paul said euphorically into the microphone, but then also admitted: “I’ll go home and ask myself, did he let me survive? It was an honor. That’s the coolest ever. “
Crazy, sometimes questionable videos published on Youtube have made Paul, like his younger brother Jake, a social media star with millions of fans – and a worthwhile opponent even in the eyes of a retired ex-boxer. Because Mayweather (nickname: “Money”) is always available for good business. “Before I even walked into the stadium, I made a million. When I sat in the locker room, I made a million, ”Mayweather reported afterwards.
In his active days as a professional he won all 50 fights and was for some experts the best boxer of the past decades – but Mayweather really silvered his reputation with the show fights outside the norm. This time it is reported to be 50 to 60 million dollars. Before appearing in Florida, he was last in the ring almost four years ago with the Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor and defeated him prematurely by means of a technical knockout according to boxing rules. “I have resigned from boxing. But I haven’t resigned from entertaining and making money, ”Mayweather said.
How many people bought pay-per-view access for $ 49.99 was initially unknown. However, if you take the millions of clicks on the videos in advance as a guideline and the live tickers at reputable media companies such as ESPN, the Washington Post or the New York Times, it is clear that enough people were interested in loudmouth Paul’s duel with Mayweather, who is now a grandpa. “My goal is to be the greatest entertainer on the planet. And doing big fights and big shows as a freelance fighter is a good way to get there, ”Paul had said at ESPN ahead of the fight.
The extent to which both of them enjoy their roles was already evident when they arrived in front of the approximately 25,000 spectators in the stadium, according to the media. Paul chose a song from the musical film “The Greatest Showman” with Zac Efron. Mayweather had rapper Moneybagg Yo as a personal artist.
The fight itself? A couple of hits on both sides, Mayweather mostly waiting, Paul already pumping hard after three rounds. But he persevered, afforded a weak defense and an occasional cheeky grin. “His goal wasn’t to knock me out. His goal was to survive, “Mayweather said, concluding,” That was a victory for him. “
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210607-99-896176 / 4
