FLOYD KEEPING HIS FANS HAPPY
FLOYD MAYWEATHER Jnr is “giving the people what they want” by coming out of retirement to fight UFC champion Conor McGregor. The former five-weight world champion, 40, who retired unbeaten in 2015 after 49 bouts, will face McGregor in Las Vegas on August 26. Mayweather said: “They asked for this fight. I was in retirement, but they wanted me back and I’m back. “McGregor is a tough competitor. People all around the world demanded this fight, so I had to give them what they wanted to see.” In Las Vegas on Saturday, Andre Ward stopped Sergey Kovalev in the eighth to win their light-heavyweight rematch and retain his WBO, WBA and IBF belts.
The champion, who won all three titles from the Russian by a controversial points decision in their first bout, is unbeaten in 32 fights.
Meanwhile, Paul Smith’s career hangs in the balance after losing a third attempt to win a world title.
Tyron Zeuge retained his WBA world super-middleweight belt with a unanimous points decision.
The Brit has been beaten seven times in 45 pro fights after the three judges in Germany each ruled the fight 119-108 in Zeuge’s favour.
Promoter Eddie Hearn said: “Is there another level he wants to compete at? That is one for Paul Smith.”
Double Olympic medallist Paddy Barnes has won his first professional title in his home city of Belfast by beating Romanian Silviu Olteanu.
In only his third pro contest, Barnes earned a majority points verdict to claim the vacant WBO European flyweight belt.