MIAMI GARDENS, Florida – Floyd Mayweather didn’t draw any of his weapons until the third round of this “legalized bank robbery” Sunday night.

Once Mayweather began landing punches on a fatigued Logan Paul, however, the significantly bigger, younger fighter had little chance to succeed against the defensive-minded, undefeated legend. Mayweather wasn’t declared the winner because judges weren’t assigned to score their eight-round exhibition at Hard Rock Stadium.

Though the retired five-division champion couldn’t knock out Paul, he consistently landed the harder punches during the final six rounds of their Showtime Pay-Per-View main event. The completely inexperienced Paul still taunted Mayweather as their fight came to an end because the social media/YouTube superstar understandably considers going the distance against the best boxer of this generation a victory.

“I was surprised by him tonight," Mayweather said. "That was some good little work. … Even without much experience, he knew how to use his weight to tie me up tonight.”

Mayweather went off as only a 7-1 favorite, according to the William Hill sports book, despite his enormous advantages in skill and experience. The 26-year-old Paul had huge size and age advantages, as he stands seven inches taller than the 44-year-old Mayweather and out-weighed him by 34½ pounds at their weigh-in Saturday.

Their unofficial fight didn’t count on the records of Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) or Paul (0-1), who lost his only professional bout, a six-rounder, by split decision to YouTube rival Olajide “KSI” Olatunji in November 2019 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“I don’t want anyone to tell me anything is impossible ever again,” Paul said. “The fact that I got in here with one of the greatest boxers of all time, it proves the odds can be beat. Anyone can beat the odds and do great things in life. This is one of the greatest nights of my life. I’m happy.”

Mayweather participated in his second exhibition since his last official fight – a 10th-round stoppage of UFC superstar Conor McGregor in August 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. In his previous exhibition, Mayweather dropped Japanese featherweight Tenshin Nasukawa three times on his way to a first-round, technical-knockout victory in December 2018 in Saitama, Japan.

Mayweather didn’t really press for a knockout – the only way he could be declared the winner – during the eighth round. Paul, who initiated clinches for much of their fight, didn’t land significant punches in those final three minutes, either.

Mayweather and Paul employed questionable tactics during the seventh round, when referee Samuel Burgos warned both boxers. Neither fighter landed many significant punches during what amounted to an ugly seventh round.

A sweeping left hook by Mayweather landed as Paul moved backward with just under 20 seconds to go in the sixth round.

Mayweather nailed Paul with another thudding left to the body 40 seconds into the sixth round. Paul spent most of the sixth round attempting to hold Mayweather, who continually pressed the action.

Mayweather buzzed Paul with a right hand that landed when there was just over two minutes to go in the fifth round. An exhausted Paul tried his best to hold Mayweather and prevent him from punching, but Mayweather was too smart and skillful.

Mayweather drilled Paul with a right uppercut when there was just over a minute to go in the fifth round. Mayweather caught Paul with a left hook to the midsection later in the fifth.

Sensing Paul was tired, an aggressive Mayweather went after him as soon as the fourth round started. Paul connected with a right to the side of Mayweather’s head about 45 seconds into the fourth round.

Mayweather blasted Paul with a right hand with 1:35 to go in the fourth round. Mayweather began unloading on a tiring Paul thereafter and landed several flush punches as Paul retreated and tried to hold.

There was a lot of clinching in the first half of the third round. Mayweather caught Paul with a counter right hand, when there was about 1:10 remaining in the third round, though.

Mayweather landed multiple body shots when they were tied up on the inside during that third round. The favored fighter also caught Paul with a counter left hook in the third round.

Mayweather came forward more in the second round than in the first round. He mostly made Paul miss with his jabs and power shots in that round, but he didn’t get close enough to Paul to land a significant shot of his own.

Mayweather mostly moved away from Paul and stayed out of his punching range in the first round. Mayweather missed wildly with a left hook about 1:05 into the opening round.

Paul missed with an overhand right just before the midway point of the first round. Then they clinched and Mayweather hit Paul with a left to the body as they came out of it.

Paul complained to Burgos about Mayweather throwing that shot, but it was a clean punch off the break.

Paul went on the offensive late in the first round, but Mayweather covered up, defended himself well and didn’t allow Paul to hit him with a clean shot.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.