Floyd Mayweather: A Guide to Who His Next Opponents Will Be

Floyd Mayweather (42-0, 26 KO) is looking to silence any doubts and any remaining criticisms about his legacy. In order to do so, his next fight will be imperative beyond measure.

He's 34 years old and turns 35 in February of 2012. Though his defense has saved him from the dramatic downward slide in ability most boxers endure in their mid-thirties thanks to decades of punishment, the truth remains: He's no spring chicken.

Mayweather likely only has one or two years left in the sport tops. He's called out Pacquiao and is really pushing for the fight everyone wants to see him in, but who else should he face if that fight doesn't happen?

He and Pacquiao negotiated before with still no fight in sight two years later. Rather than pick opponents, it may be smarter to narrow the field down based on a few requirements.

Here is a guide on how Mayweather might choose his next few opponents.

The Opponent Will Not Be Too Young

Mayweather has proven that no one under 30 can beat Mayweather and if they do, there will be foul cries of the younger fighter catching Mayweather out of his prime. It's a lose-lose scenario.

Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO) is a fighter 10 years Mayweather's junior. Mayweather took this fight to address the idea that he fights only senior citizens and he garnered more flack than ever before.

Ortiz was knocked out in the fourth round by catching a flush two-piece to the chin while looking at the referee, losing the WBC world welterweight championship he had just won earlier in the year.

Amir Khan (26-2, 18 KO) was set to be the next 25-year-old that could challenge Mayweather possibly within a year's time. Khan was well on his way after knocking out Zab Judah (41-7, 28 KO) in five rounds.

Then came his upset to junior welterweight Lamont Peterson (30-1, 15 KO). Khan is now in need of a comeback, making him in no position to challenge Mayweather anytime soon.

These young fighters are having a lot of setbacks and are showing the general public that young fighters just aren't ready for Mayweather. Therefore, Mayweather's next opponent will be 30 and older.

Who Does This Eliminate?

Marcos Maidana (31-2, 28 KO) is a powerful puncher that even Mayweather's uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather mentioned as a possibility. Now Maidana debuts at welterweight in February.

His opponent is the mandatory for Mayweather's WBC belt, Devon Alexander (22-1, 13 KO). Though Alexander is another skilled-for-his-age 24-year-old kid, Maidana is a little older at 28.

The 30 and over rule excludes him but maybe the rule can be bent should the hard puncher get beyond Alexander in impressive fashion. He turns 29 in July. What's a year anyway?

The Opponent Will Not Be Too Old

Mayweather chose Ortiz to address the criticism many had with how old his opposition had been. Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KO) was "too old" despite being only four years older than Mayweather.

Shane Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KO) was considered too old despite being only five years older. At age 34 and soon 35, Mayweather won't be too much younger than anybody at this point of his career.

The official ruling is as follows: Mayweather's next opponent will be no more than three years above his age. That means his next opponent won't be any older than 38.

With the likes of a 34-year-old WBA world champ Vyacheslav Senchenko (32-0, 21 KO) and 31-year-old Paulie Malignaggi (30-4, 6 KO) hovering around in his division, don't expect this rule to limit Mayweather's options by much.

And let's not forget 36-year-old Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO) who turns 37 in February is still ready and willing.

Who Does This Eliminate?

Cornelius Bundrage (30-4, 18 KO), also known as "K-9", is the IBF junior middleweight (154 lbs) world champion. Mayweather visited that weight once, but it's doubtful Mayweather visits the weight unless it's a big one.

Bundrage isn't a big one and even if he were, he's too old for the excuse-seeking boxing public to blame his loss on anything other than age. It wouldn't matter how bad Mayweather beats K-9 down.

Bundrage is 38 and turns 39 in April of 2012 as Mayweather turns 35 in February. That's about a four year age difference between the two, effectively eliminating Bundrage as a potential opponent.

The Opponent Will Not Be Coming off of a Loss

Mayweather has made a conscious effort to fight all his major pay-per-views since Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KO) against opponents coming off major victories.

Mayweather's next opponent will be coming off a major victory. When a fighter wins a major fight of their career, momentum and confidence are built.

This insures the best version of this warrior comes to battle. The victory can also convince the buying public that the opponent is a legitimate threat to Mayweather, helping sell pay-per-views and tickets.

Who Does This Eliminate?

Amir Khan (26-2, 18 KO) is already eliminated for being 25 years old, but now he's got a major loss he has to recover from.

Khan is coming off a close decision loss to Lamont Peterson (30-1, 15 KO). If Mayweather were to choose Khan right now, he'd be criticized to hell for choosing an opponent coming off a major loss.

Khan would need to either avenge his loss or beat someone else like Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO) or Andre Berto (28-1, 22 KO).

The Opponent Must Have at Least One Win at Mayweather's Weight Division

Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO) gave his all against a Mayweather that was coming off a nearly two-year break only to suffer the worst loss of his career.

Marquez had to leap two weight divisions from lightweight (135 lbs) to welterweight (147 lbs) and the world criticized Mayweather for making him do it. Since then, Mayweather has fought only welterweights.

Mayweather is not likely to pick another fighter coming up in weight. Mayweather's next opponent will have to have had at least one great win at the weight class Mayweather fights in.

If Mayweather should move up to junior middleweight, it will be likely that he'd face someone who has a great win at that weight like Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO).

The main reason Victor Ortiz became a viable opponent for Mayweather was because of his upset win over former WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto. If not for that, Mayweather wouldn't have fought him.

Who Does This Eliminate?

Robert Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 KO) is 28 and turns 29 in March so he's not over 30 like the first rule says but he still wouldn't qualify even if he were 30 and over.

The Mexican-American warrior is a lightweight (135 lbs) who has yet to touch the stages of junior welterweight (140 lbs), let alone welterweight (147 lbs).

Sure, he's a southpaw and blows up quite a few pounds on fight night, but he's never taken a welterweight punch. It's likely he can take one, but what about 30-60 accurate 147 lb punches a round?

Mayweather is 150-151 lbs on fight night and lands upwards of 30-40 shots a round on fighters with no defense. Guerrero is tough, but his defense is slacking, especially against the likes of Mayweather.

Maybe if Guerrero moves up to 140 to face a decent challenger and then moves up to welterweight to beat someone who's a major challenger at the weight like Berto or Ortiz, a fight with Mayweather would open up.

The Opponent Must Have a World Championship Belt

Mayweather's last seven fights have been against men who held world championships of some kind.

Only junior welterweight (140 lbs) world titlist Rick Hatton (45-2, 32 KO) and lightweight (135 lbs) world titlist Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO) didn't hold welterweight (147 lbs) world titles of the seven.

The point is they held world titles when Mayweather beat them. Mayweather's next opponent must have a world championship. His legacy is to make the other champion look ordinary in the ring.

Who Does This Eliminate?

Andre Berto (28-1, 22 KO) turns 29 next year and is in need of a championship belt. Maybe the 30 and older rule can be overlooked for being so close to the necessary age, but a championship belt can't.

Mayweather's fought only champions so far and should continue to do so. Unless Berto can reclaim his IBF or take the WBA belts back, Mayweather doesn't owe Berto a shot even if he beats Ortiz.

Ortiz gave Berto his first loss in April and now the two are set to square off again in February. Beating Ortiz helps Berto's cause, but winning a championship afterwards can seal the deal.

So Who's Ready?

There are only three opponents that come to mind when asked to present any opponent that passes all of these five requirements. They are Manny Pacquiao, Sergio Martinez and Miguel Cotto.

Each is over 30 with Cotto being the youngest at 31 years old. Each currently holds a world championship belt with Pacquiao being the only one holding a welterweight world belt.

Cotto holds the WBA junior middleweight (154 lbs) world title. Martinez holds the Ring middleweight (160 lbs). Because Martinez has won world titles at 154 before, that would be a good meeting place for them.

All three are coming off big victories, including Pacquiao whose victory over Juan Marquez is questioned by many members of the boxing media, but is still accepted as an official win.

Cotto's coming off a revenge TKO against Antonio Margarito (38-8, 27 KO) in Madison Square Garden. Martinez is coming off a streak of three knockouts in a row.

Mayweather has a world of opportunity to close his career with some fantastic fights. Now it's up Mayweather to choose between the gifted three.

These are the types of fights Mayweather can not only take to the bank, but also take straight into the history books.