As nice as Floyd was, this was like 3rd rate Floyd in there. This was the worst Floyd that we've ever seen and it was simple to see that age and 2 years of inactivity had caught up to him big time. Time waits for no man. Floyd is a smart man, he knew it himself. Before the fight he said to Conor "I'm not the same fighter I was 20 years ago. I'm not same fighter I was 5 years ago. I'm not even the same fighter I was 2 years ago. But I still got enough for you." And so he did.
Floyd got through the fight with a fraction of his peak reflexes, and he was slow in pulling the trigger. But it was more than enough for Conor. I can guarantee that Floyd could have faced and beaten 3 fresh Conor's one after the other that night and still easily beaten all of them.
Look at their training approach. Conor's sparring consists of second rate sparring partners or old out of shape retired former champions. He then spars with them for 12 rounds, each round simulated 3 minutes with the normal breaks. He makes his sparring partner go 12 full rounds so his partner also gets tired along with Conor. Boosts Conor's self esteem that's all.
Floyd's sparring consists of bringing in top young bucks and active champions like Errol Spence. He spars with them sometimes going for 15 or more rounds (there are tales from his gym where he's even sparred for 30 rounds straight). His rounds aren't just 3 minutes either, usually 5 minutes (younger days some rounds went for 15 minutes). His breaks are sometimes shorter too. His sparring partners also only go 3 to 4 rounds each with him. So in a 15 round spar, he would have faced 4 or 5 fresh sparring partners who only have to go a few rounds each.
I mean how the fuck did Conor ever think he was going to compete with a guy like that?
Conor thinks he works hard. He does not, never has, nor never will work as hard as Floyd has worked in prep for each of his fights. Never gonna happen. I remember watching an interview with Zab Judah, who after their fight trained with Floyd in his gym and was sparring partner for Floyd's Pacquiao fight, and Zab couldn't believe how hard Floyd trains. He said that while Floyd is so rich, he trains like he's dead broke and that he's never seen anyone work that hard in the gym not even hungry young guys coming up through the ranks. He said it was unbelievable. Floyd loves his money but it's obvious that he lived and breathed boxing.