Mayweather vs. Canelo

In less than 12 hours, Floyd Mayweather will put his undefeated record on the line against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in a bout that has created more buzz for boxing than any other fight in recent memory, which will undoubtedly translate to major dollars. So, what generated this amount of press coverage? Quite simply, it's a rare occasion where two contrasting superstars are featured in a pay-per-view event. Floyd's most recent fights with Miguel Cotto and Robert Guerrero, respectively, were bouts against good fighters, but certainly not scenarios that put his undefeated streak in jeopardy. During the various media promotion in the week leading to the fight, Mayweather mentioned that some of his opponents were handpicked in an attempt to ensure victory, which really isn't news, considering he has been avoiding a fight with Manny Pacquio for years. Basically, Floyd would only agree to fight contenders he knew he could defeat and they didn't pose a serious threat to him, but as Floyd also mentioned in the interview, people were still paying to see the fights. Despite his arrogant attitude, Floyd is a smart business man and he knows that a blemish on his record could translate into less revenue for his next fight, so why would he risk a fight against a younger and stronger Canelo Alvarez?

The answer is simple, fighting the next potential superstar in boxing brings Floyd the most money, as he's guaranteed a record $41 million dollars for the Alvarez fight. At 36 years old, Floyd is probably near retirement and when will he get the opportunity to fight an opponent that will pay that amount again? Even if Floyd is defeated, he cashes the biggest pay check of his career while he had the chance to get the record setting purse. However, Floyd isn't just about the payday and judging from the negotiations prior to the fight, winning is still a top priority for Mayweather.

The odds say that Mayweather will remain undefeated, which is seemingly based on his skill, rather than just the name value he brings to the table. The fight will take place at 152 pounds, which is probably a disadvantage for Canelo, mostly because it seems as though he could fight at a different weight class, so he will have to attempt to bulk up more than usual before the fight. The 23 year-old Alvarez doesn't have the experience and how he reacts to the bright lights could affect him.

Floyd Mayweather also has incredible speed and defense, which he showed during the Guerrero fight when he avoided many punches and countered in a tremendous technical display. However, if Canelo can close the distance and land some of the powerful punches he's known for, he could rattle Mayweather. The bottom line is Canelo is going to have to use his strength and being the bigger fighter if he's going to defeat Mayweather. If Canelo can actually defeat Floyd, he could become the next superstar for boxing, but Floyd could maintain his place at the top of the sport so it will be interesting to see what happens during the fight. This is more of a guess than anything and I could be wrong, but I will guess than Canelo wins a decision.