Mayweather vs. Cotto: Epic Matchup Will Be Money's Toughest Test to Date

Undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0) is in store for one of his toughest challenges to date inside the boxing ring this coming Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is scheduled to meet 31-year-old Miguel Cotto (37-2) for Cotto's WBA junior middleweight title.

Mayweather, champion of five divisions at the moment, will attempt to run his perfect record to 43-0 next weekend, less than a month before he is scheduled to serve a 90-day jail sentence—which begins on June 1—for domestic abuse.

Saturday's HBO pay-per-view special will feature plenty on the line. Most notably, though, Money Mayweather's pursuit of boxing perfection is on the line, as well as any shred of hope of a potential mega fight between Pretty Boy and Manny Pacquiao.

At age 35, there is a real chance that Mayweather slips up or fails to wow the judges with his smooth defense in between the ropes. Cotto is four years younger and is slightly heavier, giving him a distinct physical advantage.

Although we have never seen it before, a Mayweather defeat only becomes more and more likely with each fight as the 16-year American pro approaches the half century figure in terms of total fights (42).

Even so, mentally, the advantage still lies on Mayweather's side, as his larger than life record looms over every fighter in his path. His history of success provides him with a world of confidence, as be is capable of running his opponents into the ground as the bout weighs on, often times for the full 12 rounds.

The most undeniable danger that Cotto presents Mayweather is his incredible knockout prowess. Thirty of the Puerto Rican's 37 wins have come via knockout, and his 31st would likely shake up the sport's current landscape.

If Cotto can't get the knockout, who knows how boxing's politics will play out. Controversy is almost inevitable in the case of Mayweather, whose bouts have required the judges to make the call five out of the last seven times.

Obviously, anything can happen when two men meet in the boxing ring, but something tells me that, win or lose, Floyd Mayweather is in for a 12-round storm this coming weekend in Vegas.

Follow Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more Boxing.