Mayweather vs. Cotto Predictions: Why Boring Fight Will End in Win for 'Money'

It's impossible to blame Floyd Mayweather for sticking with a winning strategy. He's won all 42 fights during his storied career and I expect him to stretch that number to 43 against Miguel Cotto on Saturday night, but don't expect an unforgettable thriller.

Mayweather hasn't reached the elite plateau because of luck. He knows his strengths, which are defense and counterattacking ability, and uses them effectively against every fighter he faces. It's a combination that can be incredibility frustrating for an opponent.

He just sits back and waits for an opening. One usually comes after a couple rounds and Mayweather almost always takes advantage to gain control of the fight. He doesn't always score a knockout, but he always finds a way to win.

On the other hand, 30 of Cotto's 37 victories have come via knockout, so he'll feel the need to become the aggressor in the fight. It's the same game plan almost every Mayweather opponent has tried and none of them have been successful.

Mayweather has simply become too good at what he does for anybody other than Manny Pacquiao to trouble him. Cotto beat Antonio Margarito in his last fight and would be a challenge for most boxers, just not the undefeated "Money May."

The sport of boxing suffers when hyped bouts like the one on Saturday fail to live up to expectations. There are a lack of huge draws left, so when one of them fails to leave fans satisfied, boxing as a whole takes a hit.

It's not Mayweather's fault by any means; winning supersedes excitement. But unless Cotto can mount some type of surprising upset bid, which isn't likely, it's hard to imagine fans walking away from the show overly excited.

Mayweather will slow down the pace until it fits his game plan and then just methodically wear down Cotto until he doesn't have enough energy to pose a threat. Big names like Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya have suffered the same fate.

That's why it's such a shame that Mayweather and Pacquiao could never reach an agreement for a blockbuster fight. Not only would it generate a boatload of much-needed attention for the sport, but it would actually live up to the hype.

Since both men are so used to being a heavy favorite and sticking to their approach, it would be interesting to see which guy cracked first and started going outside their comfort zone. It'd be the definition of a toss-up.

Ultimately, that fight would at least giving the sport the jolt it needs to starting gaining momentum again. Instead, fans are stuck with two lesser bouts that won't attract nearly as much of mainstream audience.

In Saturday's fight, look for Cotto to attack early, but he won't be able to land enough significant shots to pull Mayweather in danger. From there, "Money May" will take control and cruise to a unanimous decision victory.