Floyd Mayweather: Sizing Up Possible Opponents for Money's May Bout

So it turns out Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is not going to prison today after all.

As it was first reported by TMZ, Mayweather's 90-day sentence for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in 2010 has been delayed. Instead of starting today, it will start on June 1, 2012.

Why?

So Mayweather can take part in a fight in May, of course. He has contractual obligations to fight, and he needs time to train.

As for who Money will fight in May, his adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, says that news is coming soon. Here's the latest from Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports.

So...who will Money fight then?

Let's take a few educated guesses.

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez

If you believe Iole, Canelo is the most likely opponent for Mayweather.

Canelo is indeed a likely opponent. Per BoxingScene.com, he was hoping to land a fight with Mayweather before Mayweather was sentenced to prison, and he was hoping to fight on April 21 or May 5.

May 5 is, of course, the date Mayweather has been promising as his next fight date.

Canelo is  also a worthy opponent for Mayweather. In 40 professional bouts, he has 39 wins and a tie. He is the current WBC light middleweight champ, but he has fought and won at welterweight. 

The only real issue is that Canelo doesn't have the biggest name under the boxing sun. Mayweather's camp may have its sights set a bit higher. 

Manny Pacquiao

Okay, not this high. It's not going to happen. Count on it.

Amir Khan

Now here's a boxer with a big enough name and a big enough reputation for Mayweather. And if you believe what Khan said back in October, a fight between him and Mayweather was already in the works.

The only trouble now is that Khan is coming off a loss to Lamont Peterson, making him a much less attractive opponent. To boot, fighting Mayweather would mean fighting at welterweight for the first time. 

Given the circumstances, I would say it's more likely that Khan's next fight will be a rematch against Peterson. He needs to regain what he's lost before he takes on Mayweather.

Miguel Cotto

Miguel Cotto was last seen getting some much-deserved revenge against Antonio Margarito. That fight was in early December, which makes May 5 a pretty legit target for his next bout.

As Examiner.com pointed out recently, Cotto is now free from his Top Rank contract and is eyeing big fights. A bout against Floyd Mayweather would obviously fit the bill, and Cotto has a big enough name for the fight to come to fruition.

The only issue I can think of is that Mayweather's camp may reject Cotto because he's too much of a challenger, and the last thing any of them want is to see Money head to the slammer following a loss.

But I'll admit that's a stretch. I would put Cotto in the "maybe" pile.

Beyond these names, no obvious candidates come rushing to the forefront. There are other potential challengers out there, but the good ones already have fights booked early in 2012.

Of the names listed above, Canelo does indeed seem to be the most perfect fit. The fight would be a huge hit in Mexico, and he's a fighter who Mayweather can probably handle.

Since Canelo was already looking to book a fight on May 5, negotiations between the two sides will be that much easier.

Whatever you do, don't hold out hope for a superfight with Manny Pacquiao. I dare say that ship sailed the moment Money was sentenced.

We'll know for sure next week. Right now, all we know is that it is possible for justice to give way to entertainment.