Mayweather vs. Guerrero Will Go Down as Money's Closest Fight to Date

Will Floyd Mayweather ever lose a fight? More importantly, will he lose to Robert Guerrero when the two meet on Saturday night?

I'm not entirely sure of the first answer, but I'm pretty sure the second is, "No, but it will be one heck of a fight." In fact, it could be as competitive a fight as we've seen Money endure in quite some time.

Here's why. 

Guerrero Can Pound Mayweather Inside

One thing we saw when Mayweather took on Miguel Cotto is that Money can be vulnerable if a fighter is willing to get inside and simply pound away. The fastest way to lose against Mayweather is to get cute and try to beat him in technical skill.

Get in close enough and relentlessly pound away from the beginning of a round to the end and you've got a shot. It's impossible to match Mayweather's speed, but if you can crowd him or back him into corners, you can neutralize it.

There's no question that Guerrero is tough enough to go inside and leave himself open for Mayweather's counter-punching, and he certainly has the power to ensure that Mayweather will feel his every blow. For Guerrero, the question is simple—does he have the stamina to keep the pressure up for 12 rounds, and the accuracy in his striking to effectively wear Mayweather down?

If the answer is yes, he could make this fight very interesting and possibly even win it.

Guerrero is Hungry

One of the reasons I believe Guerrero will come into this fight in the finest shape of his career and as technically sound as we've ever seen him is because he knows this is his opportunity. A victory over Mayweather would make him a made man, and while Mayweather doesn't quite seem ripe for the upset after the Cotto fight, he showed some chinks in the armor.

Desire alone won't win this fight. But paired with a solid game plan and relentless pressure, it might just be enough to shock the world.

A Few Fighters and Experts Like His Chances

I can list my opinions all you like, but we both know you'll take a professional boxer's word over mine any day of the week when it comes to projecting this fight.

Over at ESPN, Dan Rafael compiled a few fighter projections. Here are the guys that either picked Guerrero to win or believe he has an excellent shot:

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Canelo Alvarez: "Robert Guerrero has a great opportunity to win. He's hungry for glory and will try everything to get the victory. I am picking Guerrero.” 

Ponce De Leon: “I think Robert Guerrero can win if he fights the same way he fought Andre Berto, pressing the action like Jose Luis Castillo did against Floyd Mayweather. However, Mayweather is a great fighter and so difficult because his style, but I think Guerrero will win.” 

Peter Quillin: “I never count Floyd Mayweather out. He's the best pound-for-pound fighter. He's who every fighter looks up to. I call it the Floyd Mayweather era of boxing. Robert Guerrero wanted this for a long time. He's a multi-division champion and he deserves it. They both have something to prove. I don't know who to pick here." 

Austin Trout: “I'm picking Floyd Mayweather, but this fight is not as easy as everyone thinks it'll be. Robert Guerrero is hungry and has the ability to make it a tough fight.” 

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Like I said, you don't have to take my word for it. Guerrero is going to give Mayweather all he can handle and then some. Money will end up going 44-0, but he'll look vulnerable as he did against Cotto.