If Floyd "Money" Mayweather defeats Saul "Canelo" Alvarez on Sept. 14, it would be the pinnacle of an already Hall of Fame career. Canelo Alvarez is a very good fighter, but he isn't the best Money has ever faced. While smart money is on Mayweather to win by decision, a stoppage would make a huge statement.
Most expect Money's quickness, agility, guile and tremendous boxing I.Q. to lead to a decision win. But if Mayweather can parlay all those advantages into a KO/TKO win, he will have asserted his dominance over the best young, realistic challenger to his crown of best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
To accomplish this over a man 13 years his junior would be amazing. When Mayweather won his first world title, Alvarez was just eight years old. Those types of facts are impressive to read, but despite the aberrational success Bernard Hopkins has sustained, boxing is still a young man's game.
It would be impressive if Money, with 13 more years of wear on his tires, can beat Alvarez. If he stops him it would be an awe-inspiring and mouth-shutting performance for Mayweather's admirers and haters, respectively.
Anyone who has followed Mayweather's career knows he's not a KO fighter.
While 26 KO wins in 44 bouts produces a respectable KO percentage of 59.09, Money is perhaps a medium between Paulie Malignaggi's meager 18.92-percent mark and Pipino Cuevas' ferocious 88-percent KO rate.
Alvarez has not only never been stopped or beaten, he's never even been hit by a punch that seemed to stun him. Those fact would only add to the accomplishment if Mayweather is able to end Alvarez's night early.
While the numbers and specifics may make this result seem unlikely, it is possible.
Mayweather is all about making statements at this point in his career. With the end of his time in the ring drawing near, he is fighting with his legacy at the forefront of his mind. He's ultra competitive and he's driven by being known as the best.
If he follows a game plan and makes the adjustments accordingly, he should have the opportunity to break his young foe late in the fight. That is assuming Alvarez doesn't land something night-changing before the fight takes its natural course.
Stamina has always been an issue for Alvarez and that could get him into trouble against Money. Don't be shocked if Canelo's corner makes an executive decision to halt the bout late if their fighter is battered, beaten and exhausted.
He'll only be 23 years old at the time of the fight. His image can be rebuilt, but the effects from a punishing KO may take more time to heal. Any legitimate win for Mayweather would continue his dominance, but a KO/TKO win would be hard to top moving forward.
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