Bernard Hopkins Previews Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Victor Ortiz

As the Sept. 17 date for the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Victor Ortiz showdown closes in, the boxing world is beginning to break down the welterweights and how they match up against each other.

Light-heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins appeared on the most recent Friday Night Fights show and gave a quick preview of whom he thinks will win the fight.

"[Ortiz] is very tailor made because he's right there in front of you," said Hopkins, 46, who recently became the oldest boxer ever to win a major world title. "Floyd's been off for almost two years, but his hand speed and IQ in boxing—I don't think Ortiz is going to overcome it early.

"I guess that when the heat gets going, I think Floyd Mayweather will come out with the experience," he continued. "He has very, very high experience. I think it will be a good fight, and I think win or lose, Ortiz will come out of this fight learning something."

Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO) defeated Andre Berto earlier this year to win the WBC welterweight championship. He got off the canvas twice to win a unanimous decision over 12 rounds.

"When you go into a fight where a guy has been busy and another guy hasn't been busy, and that's Floyd Mayweather, there is always a mental risk and also an injury risk," said Hopkins, who takes on Chad Dawson in October on HBO pay-per-view. "At the end of the day, Floyd Mayweather should win the fight, but things happen when guys are off for 14 months, 16 months, two years."

Mayweather (41-0, 25 KO) hasn't fought since defeating Shane Mosley in May, 2010. He won a unanimous decision.

"Floyd Mayweather has the IQ," Hopkins continued. "He has the experience, and that's why I give him the edge in this fight. Ortiz is a gutty guy. You have seen him get off the canvas to win his championship. He wants to stay in the championship light, conversation. He wants the big fights, and Ortiz is a young, hungry fighter, but Floyd Mayweather's IQ is, to me, just as high as mine. When you're going up against that, you're in trouble."