While training for his May 5 bout against Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather Jr. wore a T-shirt that read: God gifted -- the best ever -- a champ that is here to stay -- 43-0.
Like him or not, "Money" Mayweather is one of the best fighters of our generation. His mouth is faster than his hands sometimes and his cocksure attitude often rubs people the wrong way, but you can't argue the simple fact that the man has never lost in 42 professional fights.
Correction. Make that 43 professional fights, if you ask Floyd.
When Mayweather steps into the ring Saturday night at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena against Cotto, a man who has only lost two professional fights, Money May will most likely add another notch to his boxing legacy. Here are three keys to a Mayweather victory:
1) Defense Wins Championships
Nazim Richardson, who trained Shane Mosley for his 2010 bout with Mayweather, describes the pound-for-pound champ as a "talented coward." It sounded like a diss but Richardson was actually paying Floyd a compliment. Richardson was basically pointing out the fact that Mayweather can dominate an opponent without having to put himself in harm's way. It's a credit to his impenetrable style, an approach that has served him well in his career.
2) Timing Is Everything
Mayweather has quick hands, but what makes his punches a lot faster is his incredible timing. His ability to catch his opponents with the perfect counterpunch is the reason why he's such a special athlete. And he can counterpunch with either hand with pin-point accuracy from a defensive stance, making it extremely difficult to mount a consistent attack on him. Cotto tends to dip his head when he moves in, so watch Mayweather slow him down with left hooks and straight rights.
3) Game-changer
In the Mayweather-Mosley bout in 2010, Mosley, knowing Mayweather was going to stay back on his heels, came out fast and furious in the first two rounds and even rocked Floyd with a right hand in round two. What did Floyd do? He flipped the script and became the aggressor. Mayweather repeatedly beat Mosley to the punch and easily won a unanimous decision. Whatever Cotto has planned for Saturday night, expect Mayweather to change on the fly and make the proper adjustment to secure the victory.
-- Related Story: Cotto's Keys Vs. Mayweather
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