Of all the things that might have derailed Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul’s exhibition bout, rain was not high up on the list.
But the Florida weather has struck Monday (AEST), with an undercard fight briefly delayed due to torrential rain, which made its way into the ring with the aid of some wind.
Despite the canvas being under cover, Jarrett Hurd and Luis Arias’ fight was stopped — for a moment — in the second round after Arias slipped on a wet advertising sticker.
It was stopped again in the ninth after the rain picked up again. Hurd was awarded a knockdown in the ninth, despite replays appearing to show Arias slipping on the wet deck.
The event is taking place at the open-top Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
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Floyd Mayweather has invited ridicule ahead of his latest return to the boxing ring but the unbeaten American couldn’t care less.
The dubious prospect of Mayweather, the 44-year-old former welterweight world champion who retired with an unblemished record of 50-0, taking on a 26-year-old internet star with just two bouts to his name, has been greeted with disdain in much of the sporting world.
Exposing the gulf in experience between the two is the fact Mayweather’s career has spanned 50 wins and $1.1 billion ($A1.42b) while Paul has pocketed just $900,000 ($A1.16m) previously.
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Sunday’s bizarre exhibition bout against Logan Paul, with no judges ringside, is scheduled for eight rounds at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
Promoters are hoping the event will generate pay-per-view sales in the two million range, delivering a lucrative payday for its protagonists.
Jake Paul, Logan’s younger brother, reportedly brought in 1.3 million views and earned around $75 million ($A97m) for his fight in April against mixed martial artist Ben Askren, so it’s plausible to imagine those numbers could be trumped given Mayweather’s appeal and the social media popularity of his opponent.
BOXING STAR’S $50K TROLL
Logan Paul doesn’t have many in the boxing world convinced he can do the unthinkable.
And it’s why Regis Prograis (26-1-0), one of the top super lightweights in the world, was able to turn some heads with a single tweet.
“Tonight is the night,” Prograis tweeted.
“Mayweather is going to lose. Logan Paul is over 30lbs bigger. They make weight classes in boxing for a reason. I’m putting up 50K that Logan will get the KO. You heard it here first.”
Paul (189.5 pounds) weighed in 34.5 pounds (15.6kg) heavier than Mayweather (155 pounds).
Fans and experts were confused, until Prograis later tweeted: “SIKE!!! Who believed me? The craziest thing is that it’s some people that really believes that.”
MAYWEATHER HITS BACK AT CRITICS
Mayweather meanwhile is aware his first foray into the ring since another exhibition fight in Japan on New Year’s Eve in 2018, which ended in the opening round, has left the boxing purists cold.
Yet the American brushes off the criticism of those who believe he is tarnishing his legacy and the sport.
“I don’t really worry about the (pay-per-view) numbers,” Mayweather told AFP.
“I am just here to have fun and entertain.
“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I live for Floyd Mayweather and I choose what I want to do. If I want to go out, have some fun and make $50, $60, $70, $100 million, let me do it. I am not bothering anyone. I am not out robbing or killing. I am doing what I want to do.
“I retired but I didn’t retire from entertaining and making money.”
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PAUL EYES THE ‘IMPOSSIBLE’
With the Paul brothers both garnering huge attention for their respective bouts over the last few years – Jake is 3-0 while Logan’s record is 0-1-1 – promoters and fighters keen to make extra money have become creative.
Logan Paul, whose first fight against fellow YouTube star KSI in August 2018 generated 1.3 million buys worldwide and made the event in Manchester, England the largest non-professional boxing match of all time, said: “This whole thing is just so crazy, we have already defied the odds. When my manager asked if I wanted to fight Floyd Mayweather I just laughed.
“I am here to achieve the impossible.”
For Mayweather, however, it’s just another payday and a return to the limelight.
“You know what’s crazy? I am in a no-win situation,” he said.
“If I knock him out in the first round they will say it wasn’t worth it. And then if it carries on for a few rounds, they will say it’s not worth it.”
FULL CARD
Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul — exhibition
Badou Jack vs. Dervin Colina — light heavyweight
Luis Arias def. Jarrett Hurd — middleweight — via split decision (97-93, 94-95, 95-93)
Chad Johnson vs. Brian Maxwell — exhibition
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