Floyd Mayweather celebrates Saturday after defeating Carlos Baldomir in their welterweight championship bout at Mandalay Bay. Mayweather won all 12 rounds on two judges' cards. Photo by John Locher. Floyd Mayweather lands a left against Carlos Baldomir during their welterweight championship bout Saturday at Mandalay Bay. Mayweather won by unanimous decision. Photo by John Locher.

It was no contest and no surprise.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. affirmed his spot as boxing's best fighter with a virtuoso performance Saturday before 9,427 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

He nearly pitched a no-hitter in drubbing Carlos Baldomir, claiming the welterweight title by using his blinding speed and brilliant ring mastery to drub the gritty Argentinian.

Judges Chuck Giampa and John Keane scored it a shutout, 120-108, as did the Review-Journal.

Paul Smith scored it 118-110 for Mayweather.

Baldomir was credited with 79 connects in 12 rounds, but few were clean and none bothered Mayweather.

The only down side for Mayweather was that he injured his right hand in the middle of the fight and rarely used it down the stretch. He almost matched the mythical feat of boxing Hall of Famer Willie Pep in the 10th round, winning the round without landing a punch.

He spoiled the mark by landing a combination in the final 10 seconds of the round, but that was one of the few downers of the night for Mayweather, who earned $8 million and put himself into position to make at least twice that for a bout against Oscar De La Hoya.

"I thought I'd be able to get the knockout going down the stretch, but I hurt my hand," Mayweather (37-0, 24 knockouts) said. "He was pretty resilient and he definitely fought with a lot of heart."

Baldomir, who was dubbed "The Cinderella Man" after upset victories earlier this year over Zab Judah and Arturo Gatti, tried to press the action, but all it got him was a cut over his eye, another on the bridge of his nose and welts over the rest of his face.

Baldomir landed a straight right early in the second round and connected on a hook inside during the seventh.

That, though, was it for Baldomir, who clearly became frustrated in the second half of the bout. His body language showed by the fourth round that he knew he had little chance.

"He was too fast and I couldn't catch him," Baldomir said. "When I did, I just wasn't strong. I felt sluggish."

Mayweather, who came into the ring dressed like one of the Roman centurions from down the Strip at Caesars Palace, showed off every skill a boxer could want. He stung Baldomir with blistering rights, he used his blinding speed to make Baldomir look amateurish and he controlled the pace and tenor of the fight with his legs.

His 77-year-old cutman, Rafael Garcia, said any doubts of Mayweather's greatness were erased.

"I knew he could fight like this because I see it every day," Garcia said. "He's a beautiful fighter. His moves, they are wonderful. You have to think a long time before you find someone who could (beat him).

"Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray (Leonard), they were the best of their time. Floyd is the best of this time. That's the kind of fighter he is."

He's now going to begin the posturing for what figures to be the biggest fight financially in boxing history.

He has been seeking a bout with De La Hoya for many years and is now tantalizingly close.

De La Hoya hasn't definitively said he'll take the fight, but Mayweather issued a warning Saturday after his one-sided rout of Baldomir.

"I think he'll get in the ring with me after tonight," said Mayweather, who went off as a 5-1 favorite. "If he wants to, he knows how to reach me. If De La Hoya really wants to fight me, I'll tax that ass, too."