After Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, Junior dos Santos says MMA is ‘way bigger than boxing’

Now that one of the biggest fights of all times is in the books, what’s next for boxing and MMA?

Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night in one of the most anticipated fights in the history, and a former UFC heavyweight champion and boxing fan made sure to watch it.

“As everybody, I did,” Junior dos Santos told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “I enjoyed it a lot. It was a good fight between big champions. That was a good fight.”

Mayweather improved to 48-0 with a unanimous decision (118-110, 116-112 and 116-112) over Pacquiao, and “Cigano” believes “Money” made enough to win.

“I think Floyd Mayweather did a great job because I think he connected the better punches, and that’s why he won,” he said. “All the time Pacquiao was walking forward I think he scored points too. I think the judges decided that Mayweather won because he connected the better punches. I think it was a very good fight, for sure.”

Mayweather-Pacquiao generated a $70 million dollar gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and is expected to have sold millions of pay-per-views, but dos Santos sees the sport of mixed martial arts taking over boxing now.

“When I can I watch it because I love boxing, I really like to watch a boxing fight, but it’s hard to be watching, especially here in Brazil. When I can, for sure I watch it,” he said. “For sure, the UFC and MMA became way bigger than boxing. Of course, the athletes in boxing make a lot of money, that’s the biggest difference. For sure, we are as famous as they are. We are bigger than boxing now.”

Coming off a unanimous decision victory over Stipe Miocic in December, dos Santos expects to be back inside the Octagon “around October or November.”

Now that one of the biggest fights of all times is in the books, what’s next for boxing and MMA?

Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night in one of the most anticipated fights in the history, and a former UFC heavyweight champion and boxing fan made sure to watch it.

“As everybody, I did,” Junior dos Santos told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “I enjoyed it a lot. It was a good fight between big champions. That was a good fight.”

Mayweather improved to 48-0 with a unanimous decision (118-110, 116-112 and 116-112) over Pacquiao, and “Cigano” believes “Money” made enough to win.

“I think Floyd Mayweather did a great job because I think he connected the better punches, and that’s why he won,” he said. “All the time Pacquiao was walking forward I think he scored points too. I think the judges decided that Mayweather won because he connected the better punches. I think it was a very good fight, for sure.”

Mayweather-Pacquiao generated a $70 million dollar gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and is expected to have sold millions of pay-per-views, but dos Santos sees the sport of mixed martial arts taking over boxing now.

“When I can I watch it because I love boxing, I really like to watch a boxing fight, but it’s hard to be watching, especially here in Brazil. When I can, for sure I watch it,” he said. “For sure, the UFC and MMA became way bigger than boxing. Of course, the athletes in boxing make a lot of money, that’s the biggest difference. For sure, we are as famous as they are. We are bigger than boxing now.”

Coming off a unanimous decision victory over Stipe Miocic in December, dos Santos expects to be back inside the Octagon “around October or November.”