Floyd Mayweather: Experts Sound Off on Cotto Fight

The experts have all weighed in on who they've picked to win the upcoming Floyd Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto fight.

There is a resounding consensus that Mayweather is going to come away with another victory, upping his record to 43-0.

Here are what the experts are saying.

ESPN's Dan Rafael:

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As much respect as I have for Cotto, I think Mayweather is on another level. I see this fight going in a similar manner to Mayweather's fight with Ricky Hatton: competitive early on, and Cotto will have his moments, but Mayweather will use his speed and faster hands to slowly break Cotto down before stopping him in about the 10th round. I think cuts could also be a problem for Cotto.

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My take: Rafael knows what he's talking about. Cotto isn't quick enough to block all of Mayweather's punches. I think Rafael hit the nail on the head about Cotto being vulnerable to cuts, and, if anything, I expect the match to be over before the 10th round.

SI.com's Chris Mannix:

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This would have been a great fight six years ago, when Mayweather and Cotto were at the top of the 140-pound division. But too much time, too many beatings (for Cotto) have passed to make this fight anything more than it is: another high-profile win for Mayweather. Cotto won’t be a pushover; his experience and ring generalship, coupled with his comfort at 154 pounds should make it interesting early. But Mayweather is a master at hitting and not getting hit. He will pot-shot Cotto from a distance and rattle him in the later rounds. It will go the full distance but when the final bell rings there won’t be any doubt who the winner is. Mayweather by unanimous decision.

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My take: I love the way Mannix lays out the inevitability of Cotto's demise, but I don't think this match will go the distance. 

ESPN's Kieran Mulvaney: 

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Cotto has to impose himself on Mayweather and keep him against the ropes. At times, early on, he may do just that. But Mayweather's shell defense will prove impregnable, and Floyd will begin firing fast punches up the middle to back Cotto off. By the middle of the fight, he'll be doing that at will, and he'll wind up with a dominant decision or a late stoppage.

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My take: Mulvaney's analysis is spot on. Cotto's only chance to win is via knockout, and the only chance he has to knock out Mayweather is by attempting to dominate the action. In the end, though, his only chance to win will lead to a loss, as Mayweather's defense is truly impregnable.

Final Word

Cotto isn't young enough, fresh enough or quick enough to outbox Mayweather. The only chance I see him having to win the fight is if he gets lucky on a couple of shots and manages to cut Mayweather—causing a loss of vision.

Barring such luck, Cotto is doomed to be victim No. 43.

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