MMA fans (not all obviously as some also watch boxing and have a sense of perspective) have been saying it is far superior to boxing and that the fighters are more skilled not just overall but at the disciplines that collectively make up the MMA. It is why we saw the arguments that McGregor would bring stuff boxing has never seen before when in fact it has all been seen before and just pale imitations as it isn't focused on one discipline.
A lot of what we are hearing now is just spin because if you break it down this was the easiest professional fight that Mayweather had in his career, it looked like a light sparing session for Floyd much of the fight and Coner was blowing after the second, on top of that Floyd is a 40yo out of retirement against one of the big stars of UFC in their prime who is suppose to be one of the heavy hitters but his punches didn't do a thing and lacked any snap. It must mean a lot to some because we are still hearing people say Conor won 3 rounds, he didn't he won one. Also highlighting that he landed more punches than Pac even though besides the first round Mayweather was pretty much open the entire fight and was happily taking hits without flinching, whereas the first proper hit Coner took he looked spooked and his body language and style completely changed.
There is also the race issue I think The Guardian put it best: "They figured out long ago that more fans would hand over their scratch to watch him lose than to watch him win and they rode the formula to more than $1bn in revenue based on an inconvenient truth: there will always be a market for some in America for the possibility of watching an unapologetic black fighter getting beaten."
sorry. as a boxing fan first and an mma fan second, this is such bullshit. i didnt think mcgregor would even land a punch. but i had him win the first 3 easily. then mayweather turned on the engines and ripped away. i had maybe the 8th going to conor too. i dont think mayweather was ever in any danger but give the guy some fucking credit. he did way better than most boxing fans expected.
and objectively, ufc IS more exciting overall than boxing. just look at the fucking undercards of a ufc event compared to the undercard of this, the biggest event in history. and i think ufc fans have a point, if it was fight, a fight fight, conor would smoke mayweather. he's the better overall fighter. again. i never actually believed conors boxing would trouble mayweather though. i had him losing both diaz fights. but i want to seperate that first part out from that.
and finally, the heel/face thing isnt based on race. its based on being the bad guy. its conor's schtick too. and ronda. and brock lesnar. but then you have someone like anderson silva who is a face. so its not race.
and in mayweathers case he's an undefeated trashtalker with a history of domestic violence who flashes his wealth. of course people are gonna want to see him get beaten up. its bullshit to put it down to race. especially in boxing.