Mayweather vs. Cotto Predictions: 5 Bold Statements for Saturday's Fight

Mayweather-Cotto may not be the fight that fans across the world are clamoring for, but it is certainly shaping up to be one of the more compelling matchups in recent history.

While both Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather excel in their craft, the heavy contrast in how they approach it makes Saturday night's bout an interesting clash of styles: Cotto, humble and calm in his demeanor, versus Mayweather, who constantly exercises his bravado, confidence and self-promotion. One is a speedy, brilliant defender and counter-puncher; the other is a tough and powerful puncher with a penchant for bloody brawls.

The question of how these two styles will clash come this Cinco de Mayo has generated enough interest to make Saturday night one of the biggest draws in recent pay-per-view history. With the stage set for a climatic showdown, we at Bleacher Report have done our best to compile five surprising statements that may very well become true on Saturday night.

Cotto Will Press Early and Often

While Mayweather himself loves to state that "there's no blueprint to beat me," his 2002 fight against Luis Jose Castillo may provide the best example of how Cotto can give himself a chance in the fight.

In what was arguably the closest fight of his career, Mayweather was kept uncomfortable and off-balance by Castillo's constant pressure and aggressive style. If Cotto wants to have a shot at taking down the motor-mouthed star, a game plan similar to Castillo's will likely be his best bet.

Mayweather is at his best when in open space and at a distance, so Cotto will need to cut down the size of the ring and keep Mayweather from settling into rhythm. 

If Cotto can keep Mayweather with his back against the wall in the early rounds, Mayweather's ability to exploit the obvious disadvantage in speed will be reduced, forcing Mayweather to fight outside of his comfort zone. 

Mayweather Will Get Rocked in the Early Rounds

If Cotto implements an aggressive ring strategy as predicted, the early rounds will undoubtedly be his best bet to dole out damage to Mayweather.

Mayweather's last two fights have revealed that he may no longer possess the same caliber of foot speed that has made him untouchable for the past decade. Against Victor Ortiz, he found himself pinned against the ropes several times and fought a much more stationary fight than most are use to seeing.

If this is the case during Saturday's fight, Cotto's strength and power advantage means that Mayweather could easily find himself on the receiving end of some devastating blows.

If Cotto does pin Mayweather against the ropes early in the fight, it will likely be the best opportunity for him to take control and shift momentum and the scorecards in his favor.

Cotto Will Once Again Absorb a Ton of Punishment

If Cotto doesn't succeed in sufficiently damaging Mayweather in the early stages of the fight, it could be another very long night for a fighter who's already been dealt his fair share of nasty beatings.

With Cotto pressing early, Mayweather's advantage will only grow as the fight continues. If he can withstand Cotto's punching power during the beginning rounds, his noticeable advantages in speed and stamina should afford him plenty of opportunities to dole out damage of his own. Cotto will expend a lot of energy early, leaving him susceptible in the later rounds to Mayweather's counter-punching and tactical strikes.

An incredibly tough fighter, Cotto has absorbed an abnormal amount of damage and continued fighting before. However, Mayweather's incredible hand speed is far above anything Cotto's seen before, leaving him vulnerable to lots of punishment in the later rounds.

Mayweather Will Take Control in the Later Rounds

Mayweather has the clear advantage in the match when it comes to pure boxing skill, and as the fight progresses this should become more and more obvious to both fans and judges.

With Cotto exhausting energy early, as long as Mayweather stays away from fight-altering blows, he should be in position to control the fight as the night continues. Mayweather prefers a patient, counter-punching method of winning, and his superior speed should allow him to do just that as Cotto begins to show fatigue.

Mayweather loves to show his prowess when it comes to dominating a fight and will look to command the pace of the fight as he finds his rhythm.

If Cotto fails to find a second wind after his initial push, Mayweather should hold sway over the later rounds.

Mayweather Wins in a Close Decision

Saturday's fight will likely be a tale of two halves, and Mayweather's superior skill and knack for taking control of a fight should ensure his victory after 12 rounds.

While Cotto has the potential to damage Mayweather, unless he is able to capitalize early, Mayweather should gain the upper hand as the night progresses. He may find himself down in the scorecards during the beginning stages if Cotto's aggressiveness pays off, but his ability to pick apart opponents methodically should allow him to dominate the later rounds.

However, Cotto is incredibly tough both mentally and physically, so don't expect him to go down or give up without a forced stoppage.

As long as Mayweather can avoid falling into a large point deficit early, his ability to dictate and control the pace and ring, combined with his unbelievable technical prowess, should allow him to pull ahead in points late in the match and take the win in a closer-than-expected decision.