Logan Paul takes Floyd Mayweather the distance in exhibition boxing bout

YouTube star rocked in fourth round but hangs tough with former world champion

Floyd Mayweather punches Logan Paul during their exhibition boxing fight at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. AFP

Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul in action during an exhibition boxing fight at Hard Rock Stadium. Reuters

Floyd Mayweather fights Logan Paul during an exhibition boxing bout at Hard Rock Stadium. Reuters

Floyd Mayweather exchanges blows with Logan Paul during their exhibition bout at Hard Rock Stadium. AFP

Floyd Mayweather exchanges blows with Logan Paul during their exhibition bout at Hard Rock Stadium. AFP

Floyd Mayweather evades a punch from Logan Paul during an exhibition fight at Hard Rock Stadium. AP

Floyd Mayweather exchanges blows with Logan Paul during their exhibition fight at Hard Rock Stadium. AFP

Floyd Mayweather lands a punch on Logan Paul during their exhibition boxing bout at Hard Rock Stadium. AFP

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Logan Paul trade punches during an exhibition bout at Hard Rock Stadium. Reuters

Floyd Mayweather lands a punch on Logan Paul during their exhibition bout at Hard Rock Stadium. AFP

Floyd Mayweather blocks a punch from Logan Paul during an exhibition bout at Hard Rock Stadium. Reuters

Logan Paul ducks a punch from Floyd Mayweather during an exhibition bout at Hard Rock Stadium. AP

Logan Paul stands in the ring prior to his fight against Floyd Mayweather. Reuters

Logan Paul makes his walk to the ring for his exhibition bout against Floyd Mayweather. AFP

YouTube personality Logan Paul took former boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather the distance in their eight-round exhibition bout in Miami on Sunday night.

With no ringside judges but knockdowns and knockouts permitted, the only way an unofficial winner could have been declared would have been via stoppage.

Mayweather, who retired undefeated and with world titles in five different weight divisions, was expected to toy with an opponent whose only experience in the ring has come against a fellow social media star.

However, Paul used his significant height and weight advantage to hang with Mayweather and even landed a few notable punches. The 26-year-old displayed his intent by launching a combination at the end of the first round, although it only found the gloves and arms of Mayweather.

Mayweather, though, never looked troubled and rocked Paul with a solid hook in the fourth round that looked to be the beginning of the end. To Paul's credit, he rode it out and managed to evade most of his fellow American's bigger punches for the remainder of the fight.

"I had fun. You've got to realise I'm not 21 anymore," Mayweather, 44, said post-fight. "He's better than I thought he was. He's a tough, rough competitor. I was surprised by him. He knew how to use his weight and tie me up."

Paul entered the bout at Hard Rock Stadium with only one professionally sanctioned fight under his belt, against fellow YouTuber KSI, and said after the fight he would be keen to run it back with Mayweather.

"I don't want anyone to tell me anything is impossible ever again," he said. "Everyone has it in them.

"Floyd Mayweather, it was an honour. You never know with this guy. I'm going to go home thinking, 'Did Floyd let me survive?'

"This is the coolest thing ever. Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul 2?"