Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz Card: Preview and Predictions for Each Fight

The first of four major PPV boxing cards left in 2011 is just days away, and it will feature six-time world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KO) going up against WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO) in the main event.

Mayweather hasn't fought since May 2010, while Ortiz recently defeated Andre Berto to win the title earlier this year.

The undercard is one of the better ones in a while, and it should surely live up to the hype, especially when the price of the PPV ranges from $59.95 to $69.95 (HD).

Other televised bouts include WBC light middleweight champion Saul Alvarez vs. Alfonso Gomez, Mexican legend Erik Morales vs. Pablo Cesar Cano and Jessie Vargas vs. Josesito Lopez.

Each fight features standout boxers and could provide very interesting and intriguing challenges for each one.

Junior Welterweight Bout: Jessie Vargas vs. Josesito Lopez

Undefeated prospect Jessie Vargas (16-0, 9 KO) will take on Josesito Lopez (29-3, 17 KO) in a 10-round junior welterweight bout that could end up being the best fight on the card.

Vargas is one of the best boxers who fights out of Mayweather promotions, and "Money May" himself said Amir Khan would have to fight Vargas before he could get a potential shot at him. He definitely has high expectations for the 22-year-old with those types of statements, and this will be the type of fight he needs to get himself out on center stage.

Lopez is coming off his upset victory over Mike Dallas Jr. on a January Friday Night Fights show. He has the makings to deliver a similar kind of upset if he can attract Vargas into brawling with him. It's something that Lopez has been known to do, and it's the type of fight that favors him.

Expect to see a fan friendly fight that has Vargas walking away with a very close split-decision victory.

Vargas wins a split-decision.

Light Welterweight Bout: Erik Morales vs. Pablo Cesar Cano

After Lucas Matthysse dropped out of his scheduled WBC light welterweight title bout with Erik Morales (51-7, 35 KO), undefeated up-and-comer Pablo Cesar Cano (22-0-1, 17 KO) stepped in to take on the former bantamweight and featherweight champion.

The 12-rounder will be a first for Cano. Morales will hold a considerable edge in championship experience, and it's one that goes back 17 years ago when he fought his first 12-round bout in 1994.

Morales has the edge in rounds boxed at 399 to 74. The question about how much he has left may come into play in this bout, but it's an even bigger question as to how prepared Cano is. The only thing Cano has going for him is his youth and trainer, Rudy Perez, who trained Morales' rival Marco Antonio Barrera.

Since he accepted the fight on late notice, it should be an easy night's work for Morales, who should win a clear unanimous decision to become the first four-division Mexican world champion.

Morales by unanimous decision.

Light Middleweight Bout: Saul Alvarez vs. Alfonso Gomez

The co-main event will feature a 21-year-old world champion in Saul Alvarez (37-0-1, 27 KO) going up against Alfonso Gomez (23-4-2, 12 KO). The bout will be broadcast from a separate venue at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Cali.

Some regard Alvarez as all hype, but his recent performances against top opposition have fans beginning to change their minds on the boxer known as "Canelo." He recently defeated top-10 ranked Ryan Rhodes in June. Victories over Carlos Baldomir, Matthew Hatton, Jose Miguel Cotto and Lovemore N'dou also make up the impressive 37 victories on his record without a single loss.

Gomez is an interesting challenge, but it's one that might not be the toughest of Alvarez's career. His most notable victories came against Peter Manfredo Jr. Jesus Soto Karass, Arturo Gatti and Jose Luis Castillo. Alvarez is no comparison to the last two when it comes to being younger, hungrier and more motivated to win.

As long as Alvarez keeps his focus going into this bout, he should have no problem defeated Gomez by a clear-cut decision or late stoppage. Expect to see him looking better than ever.

Alvarez wins a unanimous decision or late TKO stoppage.

Welterweight Bout: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Victor Ortiz

In the main event, six-time world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KO) will put everything on the line (except a title) when he takes on a fighter who is 10 years younger in "Vicious" Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO).

Ortiz will come into the bout as the WBC welterweight champion, but also as a heavy underdog to the much more superior boxer when it comes to technique and championship experience.

Technique will always be favored over punching power, and power is something Ortiz will have to rely on to win. He has knocked down every fighter he has ever faced and has exchanged knockdowns in the bouts where he didn't get the knockout. That may be the most intriguing thing about the bout. Can he be the one to finally knock down Mayweather?

Don't count on seeing it.

Mayweather should be fast and slick enough to avoid the power shots, and getting punched with a shot he doesn't see is the only way I see him getting knocked down before he gets back to business and out-boxes Ortiz to a clear unanimous decision victory with losing two or three rounds in the process.

Mayweather wins a unanimous decision.