Saul "Canelo" Alvarez Just Another Pretender to Floyd Mayweather's Throne

Tomorrow night, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (44-0, 26 KOs) will meet Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KOs) in the boxing ring for what many believe will become the richest fight in history.  This matchup is receiving an unprecedented amount of media attention, but why?

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a polarizing figure who has overwhelmingly dominated his sport for the last decade.  He is a proven draw, but there has to be something extra special about Saul Alvarez to make this fight more revered than other Mayweather bouts in the past.

Unfortunately, there is nothing extraordinary about Saul Alvarez as a boxer. 

Alvarez is a good, if not great boxer, but he is nowhere near the level of Floyd Mayweather Jr.  Most of Alvarez's credentials that make fight fans interested in him as a Mayweather opponent are an illusion.

Canelo's record at a glance looks fantastic.  His most notable wins have come against respected names like Austin Trout, Josesito Lopez and Shane Mosley.  The problem is that several of these names have been over-hyped too.

Trout made his name by beating an over-the-hill Miguel Cotto, and Lopez became significant by beating Victor Ortiz, who has shown a lack of heart throughout his career.

Shane Mosley is a future boxing Hall of Famer, but he was well past his prime when he faced Alvarez.  He was 40 years old at the time they met.

The only other name on Alvarez's record that has any weight to it is Kermit Cintron, and he never became the great champion that many hoped he would become.  His skills were gone by the time he fought Alvarez.

The rest of Alvarez's record is padded with a long list on nobodies.

Other than the facade of a sterling record, Alvarez has some other traits outside of his boxing skills that have aided him in becoming a top draw.  His youth has added to his legend.  He is 23 years old, which makes fight fans hopeful that he has acquired just a fraction of his potential.

He is also a good-looking guy, which makes him desirable to retailers and marketable to the public.  His most lucrative endorsement deal is with Under Armour. 

Mayweather is going to overpower Alvarez with his counter-punching and movement. He is going to pick Alvarez apart without sustaining damage.  This is Mayweather's typical game plan, and he is going to enact it successfully against Alvarez.

Ultimately, this is just going to be another giant payday for Mayweather and a reminder to the public that there is no one in boxing right now that can beat him.