‘Money’ was revelling in his success at the post-fight press conference when the subject of Pacquiao’s supposed ailment was raised, along with potential talk of a rematch due to the ‘Pacman’ not being at his very best for the contest.
“I had injuries also,” Mayweather pointed out. “But if he had won the fight I would have got up here and though I got to show respect that he was the better man if he beat me.
“Both of my arms were injured. Both of my hands were injured, but like I said before, I will always find a way to win.”
On the possibility of meeting Pacquiao again on a rumoured September 12 date, Mayweather, who is now 48-0, questioned the timing of the query: “It hasn’t even been two hours and you guys are throwing me right back into a battle. If I’m not mistaken, everyone was saying for years that I was scared and I will lose (to Pacquiao). All you guys who wrote negative things about me and said I was scared, I want to wake up early tomorrow and I want to see those (positive) stories.
“I made you guys eat your words. I only want the best for my family. I work hard and I’m an American dream. Manny Pacquiao is still a champion and still has a lot left, but I was the better man tonight. A more calculated fighter.
“All I want to do right now is rest. Go home and rest. I’m not thinking about Manny Pacquiao at this particular time. We both made, I mean we can’t even put a number on it, but my team told me I made 2.8 million dollars a minute. We looking at upwards of 200 million.”
When pushed on who is next, even the likes of British fighter Amir Khan, Mayweather said: “Here you go again, here you go again. Let me enjoy my victory. Can I enjoy my victory – please?”
Mayweather’s future remained a hot topic throughout the proceedings though and the inevitable debate on whether Floyd wants to break Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record was thrown out there and duly swatted right back by the current two-weight champion.
“I always wanted to do things my way. I didn’t come into this boxing business or boxing game to try and outdo anybody else. I really just wanted to be me and just do things for me. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.
“Rocky Marciano is a hell of a champion. He is one of the guys that paved the way for me to be where I’m at. Rocky Maricano, Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, but it’s no different from Ali who called himself ‘The Greatest’ as this is my era and in my era I am ‘TBE’ (The Best Ever).”
The 38 year-old, who won ten rounds with one judge and eight with the other two, said that he felt comfortable fighting Pacquiao right from the first punch the seven-weight world title holder connected with and knew he had the fight in the bag for most of the contest.
“From round one I knew where I was at. I knew what I had in front of me. I wanted to see his jab so I could use my right hand to counter his jab.
“Everything was just calculated moves. I’m ten steps ahead of any fighter. Even when he hit me with a real good shot, I knew what it takes to just wait and make him miss. I just go downstairs and hit him to the body and then I feint him and hit him with the jab,” he added.
