Floyd Mayweather was never seriously threatened by Robert Guerrero. The first round was competitive and then the undefeated American took complete control. The easy victory should lead to a bigger-name opponent for his next fight.
Guerrero was a safe choice for the five-division world champion. Mayweather was returning to the first time in a year, so it's hard to blame him for playing it safe. He wanted to prevent a possible loss due to ring rust.
Even though "The Ghost" had lost just once in 33 career fights before Saturday night, he had never beaten, or even faced, an opponent anywhere near Mayweather's level. His record was inflated by wins over lackluster opponents.
He deserves credit for wins over Andre Berto and Joel Casamayor. Going from those type of bouts to facing Mayweather is a gigantic jump, though. And while he survived for 12 rounds, there was never a feeling that he was going to pull off the upset.
Guerrero didn't have the weapons necessary to knock off Mayweather, who's once again established himself as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Now that he's shown the year away didn't have a major impact on his ability to dominate a fight, it's time to start looking ahead. Fans will be hoping for a more competitive, at least on paper, opponent.
The best option would be Saul Alvarez. Like Mayweather, "Canelo" is undefeated as a professional. He deserves the chance to show whether he belongs in the best-in-the-world conversation and the only way to do that is stepping in the ring with "Money."
Alvarez is coming off an impressive victory over Austin Trout. Beating the previously undefeated southpaw should have been more than enough to capture the attention of Mayweather's camp, but that doesn't mean a fight is on the horizon.
Just like with the Manny Pacquiao situation, just because a bout seems like the best plan for both sides doesn't mean it's going to happen. There are a lot of factors that come into play, including Mayweather's willingness to take on a particular opponent.
Alvarez has the tools necessary to make it a close fight. That makes him the direct opposite of a safe choice like Guerrero and makes the path to an agreement a little more tricky.
Pacquiao is scheduled to face Brandon Rios in November, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN, which means that long-awaited matchup will continue to elude fans. It also leaves few other good options on the table for Mayweather.
Amir Khan and Danny Garcia are other options who should be considered. They wouldn't represent the same level as Alvarez, but both would be reasonable opponents. Both young fighters have shown the ability to make the next step.
But the best possible choice is Alvarez, and it's not enough close.
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