• Irishman loses to Mayweather in 10th-round knockout defeat in Las Vegas • ‘I’m sure there’s options that will present themselves in the boxing game’

Only the most devoted supporters of Conor McGregor, of which there were no shortage in Las Vegas, gave him a chance in Saturday’s junior middleweight fight with Floyd Mayweather. What hope did a mixed martial artist who had never boxed professionally or even at the senior amateur level have against not just any elite boxer, but a slick technician regarded as the greatest of his era?

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Yet for the first three rounds of Saturday’s money-spinning blockbuster at the T-Mobile Arena, the unimaginable appeared within touching distance. McGregor found Mayweather with jabs. He touched him with right hands and body shots and even a sharp uppercut. Against all odds, this was a fight.

The class, poise and experience of the American prevailed in the end but McGregor delivered a far more credible performance in his debut than even the most cynical observers could have expected, placing the UFC’s first ever simultaneous two-division champion at an unprecedented crossroads.

“This was some buzz to come in and face this man,” said a cheerful McGregor at the post-fight press conference. “So many doubters. First it was this fight is never going to happen, then it was like I’m not going to lay a glove on him. So many things to overcome. I just enjoyed the whole experience. I have many options in mixed martial arts. I’m sure there’s options that will present themselves in the boxing game.

“But right now I’m a free agent. My name is on the ring.”

Make no mistake, Mayweather was in control from the jump, his slow start attributable to a constellation of factors including his advanced age, ring rust from a lay-off of nearly two years and a strategy of tactical concession designed to draw a novice boxer into deep waters. McGregor was stopped inside the distance and any flowing praise would amount to grading him on a curve.

But consider that a total of nine Mayweather opponents landed less than 100 punches in a 12-round fight, among them Manny Pacquiao, while McGregor landed 111 in less than 10.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Conor McGregor taunts Floyd Mayweather during the fight by putting his hands behind his back. Photograph: Steve Marcus/Reuters

“I believe the first couple of shots flustered him,” McGregor said. “But then he started reading them and parrying the shots well. He had a good strong parry on his lead hand. And he dipped low and caught the body shots well. I enjoyed the fight, it was a great contest and a lot of stuff I’ll take with me.”

He added: “I have many options in MMA. I love a good fight and this was a damn good fight. I enjoyed myself and long may it continue. I cannot tell you what is next, but something will be next.”

The UFC president, Dana White, speaking before McGregor’s arrival at the post-fight debriefing, was understandably reticent about the biggest name in his stable remaining in boxing.

“I would rather he did not,” White said. “This isn’t what he does. He’s a mixed martial artist where he goes in and he uses all of his weapons, and tonight he was only allowed to use his hands. I think he did great tonight. I don’t think there’s anything left to prove.”

But it may not be White’s choice. After earning a minimum of $30m, a tenfold increase on his previous career-high purse of $3m, which could balloon to $75m once his share of the pay-per-view receipts, live gate, closed-circuit revenues and foreign sales are tallied, McGregor might like to see how far he could go in the square circle.

“The check is all right,” said McGregor with a laugh when asked to assess the difference between boxing and MMA. “The check’s not bad. But I’ve already been raising the MMA checks, so don’t get it twisted. I’m gonna raise the MMA checks when I go back there.

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“I don’t know what the difference is but it’s different. It’s very different. It’s just a little more cleaner or something. But I enjoyed it very very much, it was an honor for me to come over on to the boxing side and showcase my skills.

“I know there was a lot of disrespect and disregard for my skill. I’m a multiple-weight free-fighting world champion, I was a little taken aback by the disrespect and disregard that I was shown. In fairness, Floyd and his team never showed that disrespect. It was just the overall, everyone else. And it was almost like a jealousy thing so I just got over it. But the disrespect for my skill set was … it took me back a bit. But I always knew when the fight came around on August 26th I’m going to show up and give a good account of myself.”

“I am certainly open to all options. I am young, I’m fresh and I am ready.”

Mayweather v McGregor in numbers

10 – The round in which Mayweather stopped McGregor.

50 – Mayweather’s total number of career fights, and victories.

1 – Remains the number of times Mayweather has been officially knocked down in a fight.

14,623 – The attendance inside the T-Mobile Arena.

1 – The amount of rounds won by McGregor across all three scorecards at ringside.

170 – Punches landed by Mayweather (53 per cent of 320 thrown).

111 – Punches landed by McGregor (26 per cent of 430 thrown).

83 – McGregor’s highest score on the cards for the nine completed rounds, the one of judge Dave Moretti.

100 – Million dollars, reportedly earned by each fighter.

40 – Dollars per hat being sold in the arena carrying the 50-0 record Mayweather now owns.

514,300 – Public mentions of the fight on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram between 9.05 and 10.05 Pacific Time.

355,420 – Mentions of McGregor during the same period.

2 – McGregor still owns two UFC world titles.