Mayweather vs. Cotto: What Promoters Must Do to Add Intrigue to Fight

Instead of getting Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao on May 5th, we get a matchup between Mayweather and Miguel Cotto.

This fight is no doubt a disappointment to fans across the country and isn't the fight everyone wants to see. As a result, the interest in this fight could be minimal at best and that isn't good for the sport and two of its best fighters.

So what can promoters do to beef up the interest in this fight? Have no fear, I'm here to help save the day with a few ways they can get this done.

Move theater showing

Usually, half the battle for a boxing pay-per-view is the insane cost it takes just to watch the thing.

But with this new idea of showing a major boxing event in movie theaters is a great idea to help bring in more people to watch. This fight will follow that recipe and make it much easier as well as cheaper for the sport's fans to watch important fights.

This way, fans can still watch and not have to take out a loan to pay their cable bill the next month. That's a huge hurdle boxing will continue to jump in the future if they continue this new trend.

Weigh-in fight

Pre-boxing match press conference fights are as American as apple pie and can often create a buzz around a fight that is sorely lacking it.

I don't like manufactured things happening days before a major fight, but this particular matchup could use the boost. Even as much as a quick scuffle that sends papers and other things flying off the press conference tables and to the floor should be sufficient.

The more people falling off the stage and the more punches thrown, the better in this case. Anything to get people talking about a fight that simply isn't getting enough respect in the boxing world as a must-see fight.

Hint at Mayweather vs. Pacquiao

Somehow, some way, the promoters of this fight must create a new-found belief that a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather could be upcoming after Mayweather takes Cotto apart.

That would leave a lot more riding on this fight, as a win could lead to Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. As I eluded to earlier, that is the fight everyone wants to see.

The fact that it hasn't happened after all this time will make boxing fans skeptical of any promise of such a fight. Promoters will have to look awfully credible if they want fans to believe the line they are trying to sell about the potential dream fight.