Mayweather vs. Cotto: Complete Guide to Saturday's Epic Showdown

Floyd Mayweather Jr. makes his triumphant return to the ring after eight months to take on Miguel Cotto this Saturday from Las Vegas. The odds are clearly in favor of "Money" as fight night approaches, but Cotto is not exactly a pushover. Our handy guide to the fight will give you all the information you need to get prepared for the WBA Light Middleweight title fight. 

Mayweather's Career Stats

Record: 42-0-0 (26 knockouts, 16 decisions)

Strengths: speed, defense, combos, stamina, reach

Weaknesses: size, power, age

Breakdown

Mayweather is taking a risk by moving up to 154 pounds for this fight. Cotto is naturally bigger than him, so he will have to use his smaller frame and speed to control the tempo of the fight. 

His ability to move in and out while landing quality punches is unmatched in the sport. He doesn't have traditional knockout power. Instead, Money relies on quickness and accuracy with his punches to wear opponents down before dropping them. 

Since Mayweather can't match Cotto punch for punch, it is imperative that he is able to use that speed to avoid taking big shots early and wearing the champion down in the later rounds. 

Cotto's Career Stats

Record: 37-2-0 (30 knockouts, 7 decisions)

Strengths: size, power, youth

Weaknesses: stamina, defense, reach

Breakdown

Cotto is the polar opposite of Mayweather. He doesn't want to use any kind of speed or defense to wear an opponent down. His bread gets buttered by attacking at the opening bell and trying to knock anything down that moves. 

Given that this is Cotto's natural weight to fight at and his body is bigger than Mayweather's, he needs to find a way to break that wall of defense in the early rounds. 

Despite being a power puncher, Cotto has a four-inch disadvantage in reach. Mayweather's long limbs help keep opponents away from him, preventing him from ever taking hard shots. 

He has to be careful early so as not to gas himself before the middle and later rounds, thereby preventing him from being able to even make it to a decision. 

Mayweather's Best Chance For Victory

Work the Fight into the Later Rounds

Since Cotto wants to strike early, Mayweather has to play his usual game of cat and mouse when the fight begins. He is not going to shy away from attacking, but he also knows not to get into a brawl. 

Instead, Mayweather has to let Cotto bring the fight to him. Doing that will allow him to use that wall of defense early, as Cotto uses all his energy trying to end the fight in the fourth round. 

If he is able to do that, Mayweather will be able to dictate the tempo and pace of the fight as the middle rounds approach. With him landing more shots in those rounds, it will be easier to go for a finish in the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds. 

Cotto's Best Chance For Victory

Be Selectively Aggressive Early to Keep Stamina Late

It is imperative that Cotto not try to make a statement early and use all of his energy trying to end the fight before it even begins. He is going to be so amped up that it would be tempting to go for the finish soon. 

Mayweather is going to be expecting that, and he knows how to handle himself in that kind of situation. 

Instead, the best thing Cotto can do is beat Mayweather at his own game. Take the fight to Mayweather early, but do so in a conservative way. Pick your spots instead of just flailing your arms hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. 

Prediction

Mayweather via Unanimous Decision

It is impossible to bet against Mayweather against almost anyone right now. Cotto has the power to knock him out, but he doesn't have the right style to land the punches to end it or earn a decision. 

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