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Undefeated boxing icon Floyd Mayweather Jr. (50-0) will battle social media star Logan Paul (0-1) atop the June 6 pay-per-view (PPV) card inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Fla., but the state athletic commission won’t sanction the bout for a variety of reasons.
Including the discrepancies in both weight and experience.
Regulators did, however, reveal the official ruleset for this weekend’s showdown. The Mayweather-Paul exhibition will have no ringside judges and no official winner at the conclusion of eight, three-minute rounds.
Assuming it lasts that long.
With no head gear permitted, a referee will be on hand to score knockdowns — and potential knockouts — putting an end to the fight before time expires. Mayweather and Paul will be wearing 12-ounce gloves, according to a report from ESPN.
“It’s not an exhibition,” Paul insisted (via Sky Sports). “What exhibition is eight three-minute rounds? This is a fight. He’s trying to make an example of the big brother, so the younger brother has to suffer and watch and witness. I don’t know if you’ve seen ‘Scarface’, but that’s what he’s trying to do.”
I don’t blame him, especially after this embarrassing video.
The ruleset may leave Mayweather in a no-win situation. If he boxes up Paul for all eight rounds; well duh, he’s expected to. If he doesn’t score a knockdown or knockout, then Paul takes home a moral victory. Let’s also not overlook the fact that “Money” recently turned 44 and still relies on speed and timing to avoid the knockout blow — two skills that deteriorate with age.
Does that create enough doubt to warrant a $49.99 price tag? We’ll find out this weekend.