Mayweather vs. Maidana 2: Last-Minute Predictions for Marquee Rematch

Saturday is the night for the big fight. Floyd Mayweather Jr. will put his perfect record on the line once again, squaring off with an undaunted underdog, Marcos Maidana, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Plenty is at stake, namely Mayweather's defense of four titles and his legacy in the ring. Bleacher Report breaks down how the two boxers stack up ahead of this marquee bout:

The superior reach and savvier feel that are part of Mayweather's complete package allowed him to wear down Maidana after the Argentine had a promising start to their first bout. As many adjustments as both men are likely to make in their preparation, it's reasonable to predict that Saturday's fight will unfold very similarly to how the battle on May 3 did.

Mayweather announced he would retire in late 2015 earlier in the week. While much will be made of his future in light of that public proclamation, he still has his sights set on the task at hand, via ESPN.com's Dan Rafael:

"

My next fight is in May and my last fight is in September, so a year from now will be my last fight. As of right now, my focus is on Maidana. I can't focus on the other two fights after that. I have to focus on Maidana. After that we can't say who's the next two are going to be but I'm pretty sure the next two will be exciting fights.

"

And it's a good thing Mayweather, with an eye toward hanging up the gloves, isn't getting too far ahead of himself. Maidana gave Money all he could handle at least in the early going of their first encounter, which Mayweather won by a majority decision.

As eager as he will be to prove he is still the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, Mayweather will be patient again in this second serving.

Even though a technician as fundamentally sound as Mayweather has had a full fight against his familiar foe, having that strategic advantage may not translate to greater success. There is no denying Maidana packs serious pop and can dish out punishment with the best of his contemporaries. That is perhaps his only advantage over Mayweather—sheer might, muscle and power.

Well, that and youth. El Chino is 31, six years Mayweather's junior. Mark Kriegel of NFL Network took time to weigh in on that element of Saturday's showdown:

The oddsmakers' perception reflects confidence that Mayweather will adjust accordingly, avoid being pummeled as much at the outset and make his age and experience work in his favor.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated referenced this in his analysis:

An uncompromising, aggressive style saw Maidana fade versus Mayweather, but that shouldn't discourage El Chino from deploying a similar strategy. Thus, a swift beginning, featuring a flurry of combinations and reckless abandon, is what Maidana is bound to offer up again.

But just as was the case in the initial tilt, Mayweather has all the tools in his arsenal to weather the storm. Unless Maidana can strike Mayweather just right on the chin and score an unprecedented, shocking knockout, the stamina, toughness, defense and speed of Mayweather will shine through the longer the fight goes on.

For a final prediction, look for Mayweather to pull this one out with another majority decision. Six of his past seven wins haven't featured a knockout, and he won't risk ending things early by being too bold. Mayweather knows his strengths, knows how to play to them better than anyone and knows how to beat Maidana above all, because he did it mere months ago.

Improving to 47-0 will bolster Mayweather's resume, yet his level of competition will continue to be questioned by his detractors if the fight plays out as predicted. Maidana is a respectable adversary—just a touch outmatched in most facets of The Sweet Science.

Fans will continue to pine for Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. With an official deadline for Mayweather's career on record, time is running out for that dream matchup to become reality. Some critics will likely consider Mayweather's final two fights to be an anticlimactic conclusion if Pacquiao isn't on the schedule.

With the hype surrounding Mayweather vs. Maidana 2, Saturday's fight will yield that type of result and sentiment.

Prediction: Mayweather wins via majority decision