Floyd Mayweather enhanced his reputation as the best boxer in the world as he dominated Saul “Canelo” Alvarez from the opening bell to claim a points victory in their hotly anticipated Las Vegas clash last night.

Mayweather was sharp, efficient and sometimes brutal in dismantling an unbeaten fighter who was bigger and was supposed to punch harder.

He frustrated the Mexican early, pounded him with big right hands in the middle rounds, and made him look just like he said he would — like any other opponent.

Mayweather was favoured 117-111 and 116-112 on two ringside scorecards while a third surprisingly had the fight 114-114.

“I just listened to my corner, listened to my dad,” Mayweather said. “My dad had a brilliant gameplan and I went out there and got the job done.”

Mayweather stretched his unbeaten run career to 45 fights and added the WBC light middleweight and WBA super world light middleweight titles to his collection, in a fight that was fought at a catchweight 152lb limit.

Alvarez weighed in at that weight, but was an unofficial 165lb when he got into the ring while Mayweather was an even 150lb.

Mayweather’s speed was the difference all night as he was able to land straight rights and left jabs then get out of the way before Alvarez was able to respond.

But while Mayweather defended brilliantly he wasn’t afraid to attack often and at different angles, finding Alvarez with punches he couldn’t anticipate.

“He’s very talented, very elusive,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez was supposed to be Mayweather’s greatest challenge but, like others before him, he spent much of his night punching at an opponent who had already moved away.

“I didn’t know how to get him, it’s extremely simple,” Alvarez said. “He’s a great fighter, very intelligent. The frustration was getting in there, but he’s a great fighter. We tried to catch him.”

The sellout crowd at the MGM Grand tried their best to urge Alvarez on, but the cheers of “Canelo! Canelo!” were faint by the late rounds.

Alvarez kept trying to force the fight, but every time he went after Mayweather he paid for it with a counter right or a combination to the head.

By the fourth round he was beginning to get frustrated, landing a low blow.

The fight was one of the richest ever with a $41.5 million (£26m) payday for Mayweather.