BOXING

For years, boxing devotees yearned for a match between Manny Pacquiao, a powerful puncher, and Floyd Mayweather Jr., a defensive wizard. For years, their warring camps failed to make the fight happen.

The fighters finally made it to the ring on Saturday night in Las Vegas, with Pacquiao now 36 and Mayweather 38. Pacquiao, complaining later of a right shoulder injury, barely connected at all with the elusive Mayweather. Mayweather won a unanimous decision from the judges to improve his career record to 48-0.

The fight was, by most accounts, a typical Mayweather bout. He slipped most of Pacquiao’s punches, dodged and moved and then collected a lot of money for doing it. He showed off a $100 million check afterwards and there will be more once the pay-per-view numbers settle. The fight cost about $100 for home purchase.

Mayweather said he will give up his unified welterweight titles and will look for a farewell bout in September.

NBA

The San Antonio Spurs’ reign as NBA champions is over. They were eliminated in a seventh playoff game, 111-109, by the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Chris Paul, playing with a hamstring injury, hit the winning basket for the Clippers with one second left. … The Washington Wizards and Golden State Warriors won their respective openers of their next playoff series.

HORSE RACING

The favored America Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby, with Firing Line second and Dortmund third. Pharoah and Dortmund were both trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who saddled the fourth Kentucky Derby winner of his illustrious career. The Derby set an attendance record at Churchill Downs with 170,517 on hand. Next up in the Triple Crown races: The Preakness Stakes on May 16.

BASEBALL

Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees hit his 660^th career home run on Friday night, tying Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time list.

Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .