Mayweather vs. Cotto: 3 Things We Learned About Money in Win

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. showed us a different side of him last night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. He won a clear unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto. The result was nothing new, but the way he won the fight put a new spin on things.

He could have made the fight so much easier by being elusive and making Cotto chase him for 12 rounds, but he didn't. He traded as often as I've ever seen him, and it had to delight most boxing fans.

We learned some things about Mayweather after last night's fight, and here is a breakdown.

He's a Fighter, Not Just a Boxer

Floyd channeled his fighting instincts in this fight. Of course he used his brilliant athleticism and reflexes to win. But in many of the exchanges, he fired back at Cotto as a man, not just as tactic to win the fight. 

It showed heart, pride and fire. All of which he has been accused of not having in the past. No one has the right to question Floyd on any of those accusations moving forward.

He Understands Where He Is in His Career 

Floyd is 35 years old, and you can tell he knows he doesn't have a lot of nights like this left in his career. Even an athlete and boxer as skilled as Mayweather can't defeat father time. If he fights long enough, he will lose.

That could be in his next fight, or three fights from now. But I get the impression he is coming to grips with that reality of the sport. Hard fought wins like the one he enjoyed last night help to drive that point home.

Maturity

Money has matured, even though many of his critics won't acknowledge it. I never had a problem with his brash attitude; short of the racist comments towards Manny Pacquiao, I attributed most things he said to self-marketing.

But at his advanced boxing age, Floyd seems much more introspective. He apologized to Larry Merchant—who I believe deserves to be told a thing or two—for his part in their altercation after the Mayweather-Victor Ortiz bout.

Mayweather was quoted as followed by Christine Thomasos of The Christian Post:

"

"Me being the bigger man, I apologized and said, hopefully we can have a better relationship in the future," Mayweather explained. "I apologized for what I said, but sometimes anyone can get pushed to the limit and I felt like I got pushed to the limit, and the only thing I wanted was my just due."

"

After the fight, he was nothing but complimentary towards Cotto. It's a settling down that most of us go through. It is triggered by specific events, or it's a gradual process for some. Either way, we are all better for it after it happens.

Mayweather is set to start his jail sentence on June 1 for a domestic violence charge. Thomasos quotes him further:

"

"Everybody knows my situation. June 1st is just an obstacle that's in my way," Mayweather said. "When I go away, the only thing it can do is make me stronger as a person. And say to myself, 'Next time you're faced with that situation, approach it in a different way.' When it's all said and done, man can't judge. Only God can judge."

"

Nobody is perfect. Usually, the harshest critics are the most guilty. I'm glad to see Mayweather coming into his own as a man, and not just a fighter.

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