Floyd Mayweather, Jr. won a split decision against Oscar De La Hoya on Saturday night in Las Vegas.  Mayweather had talked big all week but was rather fortunate to come away with the win.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. wanted to give Oscar De La Hoya a beating. He had to settle for just getting a win. Mayweather won one of boxing’s richest fights ever Saturday night by using his superb defensive skills and superior speed to take a 12-round split decision and win the WBC 154-pound title in his first fight at that weight.

The fight was billed as one that would save boxing, and while it didn’t do that, it was an entertaining battle between two proud champions who fought hard from the opening bell through the end of the final round.

The fight ended with the sellout crowd on its feet roaring and two fighters trading punches wildly at the final bell. They then stopped and embraced each other.

Mayweather was favored on one scorecard 116-112 and 115-113 on a second. De La Hoya was ahead 115-113 on the third scorecard. ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael had Mayweather winning 116-112, as did The Associated Press.

Mayweather had predicted he would dominate De La Hoya and give him a beating, but De La Hoya took his best punches and came back with enough of his own to make it a close fight. De La Hoya appeared staggered by a right hand with 20 seconds left in the fight, but finished with a flurry as the crowd erupted in delight.
De La Hoya was the aggressor throughout the fight, and he managed to get through Mayweather’s defenses in the early rounds as Mayweather moved away and counterpunched without great effect. Every time Mayweather went near the ropes, De La Hoya tried to trap him there and land a flurry of punches to the body and head.

I would love to see Oscar come back and beat this chump in one last final fight for the Golden Boy.