Mayweather vs. Cotto: Likeliest Next Opponents for Both Fighters

Undefeated boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26 KOs) conquered Miguel Cotto (37-3, 30 KOs) on Saturday night at the MGM Grand to claim his eighth belt spanning five divisions. 

Mayweather won a fairly obvious decision after 12 rounds of entertaining boxing, but both fighters should be proud of their effort in front of the more than 16,000 in attendance, which included Justin Bieber and Lil' Wayne.

So, who's up next for these two fighters?

Who's Next For Mayweather?

Clearly the future looks to be a bit blurry for Money Mayweather, who will begin serving an 87-day jail sentence on June 1 for domestic abuse. The prison term likely means that boxing fans won't see Pretty Boy Floyd in the ring until sometime in 2013. 

Until an opponent is officially announced and a date is set in stone, the demand for a mega fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will only grow. Based on the outrageous amount of money that could potentially be made from such a fight (an estimated $150 million), there is no way a businessman named "Money" lets it get away.

Though it may require Mayweather to swallow his pride and give Pacquiao the 50/50 split of revenue he deserves, the super fight seems within the realm of reality. Mayweather-Pacquiao is the only fight out there that boxing fans are dying to see.

Who's Next For Cotto?

Miguel Cotto definitely boosted his stock while going toe-to-toe with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday night in Vegas, and for that he should be rewarded with a legitimate challenge. If Mayweather's camp doesn't set up a fight with 21-year-old Mexican sensation Saul Alvarez, who defeated a way-past-his-prime Shane Mosley in Saturday night's undercard, then look for the 31-year-old Cotto to potentially land a shot at Alvarez. 

Cotto-Alvarez has the potential to become a Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry for years to come, as both are relatively young fighters still in, if not reaching their primes. Alvarez, known by his nickname, "Canelo," has cemented himself as one of the sport's best with an impressive 40-0-1 career record. Alvarez made his professional debut at age 15 and has been boxing quality opponents for nearly seven years. 

Another solid boxer on Cotto's radar may be American Timothy Bradley, who is 28-0 with one NC in 29 career fights. Bradley has 12 knockouts to his name and will fight Manny Pacquiao this June. 

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