Floyd Mayweather promised that his technical knockout victory over Conor McGregor on Saturday night will be the final time he steps into the ring.
Mayweather took his professional record to 50-0 by stopping boxing debutante McGregor when referee Robert Byrd stepped in during the 10th round.
He then immediately announced his retirement.
"This was my last fight tonight," Mayweather said. "For sure. Tonight was my last fight. Tonight I chose the right dance partner to dance with."
Boxing purists may sniff at Mayweather recording his 50th win, which took his record past that of Rocky Marciano, against an opponent whose area of expertise is in mixed martial arts, as champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight division.
"A win is a win, no matter how you get it," Mayweather added. "Rocky Marciano is a legend and I look forward to going into the Hall of Fame one day."
Given the accomplishments in his career, there is no doubt that such a goal will be attained. As for McGregor, he plans to go back to the UFC and continue his dominance there.
"He's composed, he's not that fast, he's not that powerful, but boy is he composed in there," McGregor, 29, said of Mayweather. "I thought it was close though, and I thought it was a bit of an early stoppage. I was just a little fatigued. He was just a lot more composed with his shots.
"I have to give it to him, that's what 50 pro fights will do for you."
When asked directly if his future lies in the octagon rather than the ring, McGregor nodded. "I have been strangled on live TV and I came back," he added, referring to a 2016 UFC defeat to Nate Diaz that he later avenged.
