Mayweather fans relish win, others enjoy ‘once in a lifetime’ Las Vegas experience

By Chris Kudialis

Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 | 11:01 p.m.

As Floyd Mayweather Jr. finished off Conor McGregor Saturday night in the 10th round at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegan Darrell Carter put his hand around his date as smiled.

"It was only a matter of time," Carter, 32, said as he adjusted a pair of gold rimmed glasses over his nose. "Conor was sleeping on his feet."

Carter and girlfriend Maya Robinson, 27, we're two of about 3,100 fans at the neighboring Park Theater watching the spectacle on a trio of 70-by-70 foot closed circuit screens.

Hundreds of fans gathered near the arena carrying flags and signs, and wearing everything from Irish-flag colored Mohawks and cowboy hats among other items commemorating the fight. Fans of both Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor continued celebrating in large numbers outside T-Mobile over a half hour after the fight concluded.

One such fan, 29-year old Harmony Jones, said the fight "more than lived up to the hype."

"I don't think anybody expected it to be that close," said Jones, a Dallas native supporting Mayweather with her husband, Deionte. The couple traveled to Las Vegas for the weekend after purchasing tickets two weeks ago.

Many of those who couldn't afford ticket prices ranging from $1,500 to $35,000 inside T-Mobile arena packed closed-circuit watch parties, like the Park Theater, around the arena and across the Strip.

Wearing "Notorious" black T-shirts with a white sketch of a celebrating Conor McGregor, Ireland natives Daniel Goddard, 28, Ryan Murphy, 24, Vicky Haughton, 30, and Chelsea Ainsworth, 24, called their two-day Las Vegas vacation a "trip of a lifetime," adding the $3,500 they each spent to get here "was worth every penny."

"McGregor is stronger and in his prime years," Goddard said from the closed-circuit watch party at the Park Theater less than an hour before the main event. "We expect him to win."

MGM sold 18,000 closed-circuit watch party tickets across nine of its Strip casinos, including 3,100 tickets at $165 each at Park Theater, spokesman Scott Ghertner said. Ticket prices at other venues, including the Mandalay Bay Theatre, Luxor's Criss Angel Theater and The Mirage's Events Center, ranged from $165 to $290.

Holding a mini Irish flag in his hand and wearing a cowboy hat, Conor Dwyer, 25, led a group of first-time Las Vegas visitors from Ireland at the Park Theater watch party. They celebrated to the tune of "Olé, Olé, Olé" with dozens more fans also sporting Irish flags, McGregor t-shirts and Celtic memorabilia.

"That's was a great fight," Dwyer said. "Conor showed he belongs with the best in the world."