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Floyd Mayweather jnr will retire from boxing after beating Oscar De La Hoya on a split decision yesterday.
"I still plan on retiring," he said after winning the World Boxing Council super welterweight title. "I have nothing left to prove. I want to spend more time with mychildren."
After a slow start, Mayweather appeared to pull away during the middle part of the fight at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, catching De La Hoya with overhand right hands and parrying De La Hoya's flurries with his shoulders and arms.
"It was a hell of a fight. It was easy work for me," said Mayweather. "I could see his shots coming. I stayed on the outside and made him miss."
He began his professional career at super featherweight, winning the WBC crown in 1998.
"I came in on top, and I'm going out on top," he said. "He's a hell of a champion, I'm a hell of a champion, and we gave you guys a great fight tonight."
De La Hoya said after the bout that he "didn't feel like a loser". He had earlier questioned the verdict of the three judges, two of whom scored the fight for Mayweather.
"I felt I won," he said. "I landed the harder and crisper punches. I was pressing the fight. I'm the champion, and you have to do more than that to beat the champion."
Richard Schaeffer, chief operating officer of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, initially cast doubt on the validity of the scoring, saying there were anomalies in the scorecards, before backing off.
By the time he emerged to face reporters after the bout, De La Hoya also refused to be drawn further on whether he felt he had won.
"That was a great fight. We came out to do what we had to do. I commend Mayweather, he did what he had to do. Obviously, you have to respect the judges.
"Whatever the outcome, obviously he's the champion, and you have to respect that. You leave that to the judges, and obviously they're responsible and they're professionals."
De La Hoya left open the possibility of a rematch, but also hinted that he might retire.
"Obviously, I'm going to go back to the drawing board and talk it over with my family," he said.
The bout was broadcast to 176 countries, with total revenue predicted to top US$100 million.
- REUTERS
