Mayweather vs. Canelo: Fantastic Main Event Puts Boxing Back on the Map

Not even a 23-year-old undefeated rising star named Saul "Canelo" Alvarez could bring down Floyd Mayweather, as the 36-year-old champ keeps showing fans why boxing can be a thrill to watch. After this incredible main event from Las Vegas, boxing isn't just "a thrill" anymore—it's back boldly on the map.

This bout had all the makings of an instant classic. Mayweather, then 44-0, was facing arguably his toughest matchup yet in Canelo, who came into the fight at 42-0-1 with 30 KOs and boasted the physical skills to make it interesting.

With Mayweather having the edge in experience and Canelo having the edge in youth, this bout between undefeateds figured to be one that would captivate both the boxing world and the sports world at large.

It's been a long time since boxing has been able to do that. Not since the days of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Leonard has boxing been a sport that attracted the attention of the masses.

Boxing certainly garnered some interest after Manny Pacquiao lost to Timothy Bradley in June 2012, but that match was met with much controversy and ultimately hurt the sport's credibility. All the buzz was a result of some questionable judging on the scorecards and not so much about the fight itself.

This fight, however, gave boxing exactly what it needed to get back to prominence. It took an experienced superstar with personality and an unblemished record (Mayweather) matched up with a young, exciting and budding fighter with fantastic skills and a relentless style (Canelo) to build the deserved hype.

Mayweather, still the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, handled Canelo as many expected he would. He won in a majority decision, with the judges' scorecards reading 114-114, 116-112, 117-111.

Mayweather has won eight world titles in five different weight classes and defeated 16 former champions, so defeating Canelo should have been a breeze, right? Well, the fact that neither fighter could knock out the other before going to a judge's decision is indicative of just the type of fight the sports world experienced last night.

Both fighters displayed heart and resiliency, with the result coming down to whom the judges saw as the most effective fighter. Undoubtedly, that fighter is still Mayweather.

Mayweather's undefeated streak, personality and sheer dominance will be what continues to draw people to boxing. His character is unmatched by arguably anybody in sports, and, if his Lil Wayne-Justin Bieber entrance doesn't tell you, he's not afraid to make a spectacle of himself.

But it was Canelo's performance, even in a loss, that will attract more fans to the boxing world moving forward.

A stud even before taking on Mayweather, Canelo had yet to take on the pedigree of fighter as Mayweather in his career. His most recent victories have come against guys like Matthew Hatton, Shane Mosley, Austin Trout and Ryan Rhodes—not exactly household names like Mayweather. Talent-wise, they are a league below both fighters.

Canelo's ability to hang with Mayweather for most of the fight—even if Mayweather clearly had the advantage—should bring him more attention and likely earned him a few more fans. Now that the boxing world has another fighter that may interest fans both young and old, it'll draw that much more attention to the sport when he fights.

In the end, Mayweather defeated the younger, more powerful boxer. It's this resilience that gives Mayweather a legitimate chance at ranking among the best boxers of all time.

Mayweather has shown no signs of slowing down at 36 and definitely has more than a few fights left in him. These will all attract tons of attention, bringing even more fans to their televisions to watch the legend grow.

At 45-0, he's just five victories away from 50. Assuming he stays undefeated through 49-0, the fight that could bring him to 50-0 will surely make headlines around the world.

Boxing is back in large part because of Mayweather, and his continuing legend will continue to bring people to the sport as he looks to cement himself amongst the biggest names in boxing history. He's well on his way there, and expect more than a few people to track his progress along the way.