Mayweather vs. Cotto: Why Money Mayweather Can't Lose

Floyd Mayweather is quite possibly the biggest villain in sports today and is the only reason boxing has a faint pulse in America.

His antics on HBO’s 24/7 anger plenty of boxing fans that believe he doesn’t respect the sport. In reality, it’s the only thing that keeps the show watchable. Miguel Cotto is as boring as a manila wall and the energy and insane spending Money May does in front of the camera is pure entertainment. That’s how you sell a boxing match in 2012.

We put up with his outlandish ways because he keeps winning. When you are 42-0, you can do whatever the heck you want.

That’s why he can’t lose to Cotto on Saturday.

If he succumbs to Cotto’s power punches via KO or a technical decision, it would be one of the bigger upsets in recent boxing history.

He’ll lose the luster, the swagger and the aura that currently engulfs him. He won’t be invisible anymore. Sure, he may not be the same boxer of say, two years ago, but we judge this sport by wins and losses and Mayweather has passed every single test given to him. You may despise him, but you have to respect him.

If he loses to any boxer that doesn’t have the name “Manny Pacquiao”, his persona has to be altered. His cockiness would have to be toned down and the wild antics of the “Money Team” would no longer be funny to watch. Who knows, maybe even 50 Cent would bail on him.

To keep up this incredible lifestyle, he has to stay perfect. He has to look like the absolute titan of the sport if he ever wants to fight Pacman. It’s a lot of pressure, no doubt, but this is a position Mayweather has been in before, and expect him to deliver yet again.

This guy is one of the all-time greats, and he will keep reminding you of that with every “W”.

Follow Eric Ball on Twitter.