Steve Bunce: Pace and quality decisive again as Floyd Mayweather bowls Marcos Maidana over

The imperious Mayweather extended his perfect record to 47-0

Floyd Mayweather lands a punch on Marcos Maidana on Saturday night (GETTY IMAGES)

There is no polite way of saying that Marcos Maidana was a flop in Las Vegas on Saturday night when he made $3m for following Floyd Mayweather all over the ring in front of the MGM’s star-struck fans.

Mayweather was faster than he has been for a couple of years, far more alert to the shortfalls that made their first fight back in May so gruelling and on Saturday night, as he made a guarantee of $32m, his class finally exposed Maidana. In May we were left with the teasing prospect that Maidana could somehow solve the defensive riddle that is Mayweather, but after 12 rounds the pug-faced Argentine was left scratching his bristly head just like the rest of us.

It was a fight that followed an often monotonous pattern, a speedy plan perfectly performed by Mayweather, who has been measuring the risks he takes inside the ring for too long. There was, finally, on the bell to end round three, a moment of shock when Mayweather’s legs stiffened and he fell back into the ropes after getting caught clean on the chin. It was just a second of hesitation with pain and confusion clear on his face, but so few are the moments of terror in Mayweather’s career that the tiny slip in his perfection gave hope to fans that a marauding fight would break out. It never did.

Maidana did win round five but that was it for him until Mayweather took the entire 12th round off to rest his weary hands, ignore the jeers of Maidana’s hefty travelling contingent and perhaps reflect on what is left for him in boxing as he floated all over the ring.

There was a moment of anger and near comedy in round eight when Mayweather doubled over, his face contorted in pain, and pleaded with the far too compliant referee, Kenny Bayless, to reprimand Maidana.

Mayweather complains that Maidana bit him (REUTERS/Steve Marcus)

“He bit me, he bit my hand,” screamed Mayweather. The ref, who was exceedingly helpful all night and allowed Mayweather free use of his forearm but stopped Maidana from working when the pair were close, halted the fight and looked at Mayweather’s left glove. “I don’t see a bite. Where?” Bayless asked almost apologetically.

“I never bite him; he thinks I’m a dog. Perhaps he put his glove in my mouth,” said Maidana at the end and for the first time there was a twinkle in his eyes. It did look, having watched a dozen replays, as if Mayweather was indeed trying to smother Maidana’s face in a clinch, which is not pleasant or legal, and then it does certainly look like Maidana has a bit of Mayweather’s left glove in his mouth.

“He bit my fingers and my hand was numb,” complained Mayweather. “He’s a wild fighter and I knew that I had to do what I was told. It was not a great performance but 47 and zero says it all.”

WATCH: DID MAIDANA BITE MAYWEATHER?

(warning: video contains strong language)

He also retained both his WBC welterweight and light-middleweight titles.

Maidana tried to claim a victory, repeating the now redundant mantra that Mayweather ran and refused to fight; he will know he failed to develop the best parts of his game from the May fight. His corner man, Robert Garcia, could barely hold his tongue and the disgust was obvious on his face. However, there is no easy way to tell a boxer that he was poor in the ring when you are about to collect in excess of $250,000 for your role in his downfall. The time for honesty in boxing is never before the cheque is cashed.

Mayweather, 37, has two fights left on his contract with ShowTime and to be brutally honest he is fast running out of opponents, which is part of the reason Maidana was given a second chance. In Las Vegas late on Saturday night, where there was an ugly stampede again as fans left the MGM’s arena, a dozen names were being thrown about by fight people.

Bolton’s Amir Khan, who dropped and beat Maidana on points in 2010, was a ringside hopeful and does appear to tick various boxes; both Khan and Mayweather are “advised” by the secretive former music mogul Al Haymon and both have fight contracts with ShowTime. It is a fight that would work in May but it would inevitably mean Khan would have to win a hard fight in November or December to satisfy the TV men who sanction pay-per-view fights and slap a $75 price tag on the product.

Mayweather hands a blow on Maidana (REUTERS/Steve Marcus)

There is also bold talk again that the Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao could feature at some point in one of Mayweather’s last two fights. The pair have been missing each other for about five years and the once-great showdown has been diluted by time and natural decay and will now forever remain a blot on Mayweather’s record.

There is an unbeaten young light-welterweight, also handled by Haymon, called Danny Garcia and he is moving closer to being Mayweather’s natural last opponent. The plan is for Mayweather to fight in May and September next year but I would not be surprised if he misses the May fight – he did appear older on Saturday and far more subdued than I have ever seen him.

He simply looks like he needs a break from the chaos of his private life and the demands of his life inside the ropes, which is often so repetitive that a moment of hurt or a bite to the glove can become highlights of what was in reality a masterclass.