Former heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko felt the "tremendous interest" in the August crossover bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr and UFC star Conor McGregor was great for the sport of boxing.

One of the best pound-for-pound fighters of his generation, Mayweather came out of retirement to put his undefeated record on the line against mixed martial arts expert McGregor at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

McGregor's lack of boxing experience saw the fight criticised by some observers as a money-spinning circus. Mayweather, 40 years old, was inactive since defeating Andre Berto in September 2015. While McGregor, the UFC's lightweight champion, was making his professional debut as a boxer.

The contest, which took place at the junior middleweight limit of 154-pounds, received more negative press after the Nevada State Athletic Commission approved the contest to use 8-ounce gloves. Under normal rules by the NSAC for boxing matches, fights taking place above the welterweight limit of 147 pounds would require both boxers to use 10-ounce gloves.

When the fight began the Irishman made a strong start, but he ultimately struggled in the ring after becoming exhausted in the second half of the fight - with Mayweather taking full control of the entire contest to secure a technical knockout victory in the tenth round.

Klitschko, though, who hung up his gloves after losing to Anthony Joshua in London in April, can appreciate the positives of the publicity generated by the event. There was a media frenzy over the contest, with headlines circulating all over the world.

"I think it was great for the sport, that you can combine an MMA fighter in the boxing ring, even if he has not so much of a chance under boxing rules," he told Omnisport.

"The same way would be with Mayweather fighting in the cage, he would have little chance [to win], same as McGregor had.

"I think it was good for the sport because there was a lot of tremendous interest around the world. So it's all good."