Floyd "Money" Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez will square off in a highly anticipated championship bout in Las Vegas on Saturday that can best be described as a can't-miss clash of unbeatens.
The best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet, Mayweather is a flawless 44-0 coming into the fight while Canelo is 42-0-1 since making his professional debut as a teenager in 2005.
While both fighters hold several notable titles, Saturday's bout will be a 12-round battle for the WBA Super Welterweight World Championship.
Let's set the table with a breakdown of what you should be watching for on Saturday night.
What: Super Welterweight World Championship
When: Saturday, September 14 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas
Watch: Pay-per-view
Can Canelo Land Significant Blows?
It's certainly no secret that Mayweather is among the greatest defensive boxers of all time. You definitely don't go 44-0 without being able to avoid significant shots.
For Canelo, finding away to penetrate Mayweather's sound defense and not only throw the champion off his game, but actually hurt him will be the biggest and most obvious key.
Mayweather's last opponent, Robert Guerrero was only able to land 19 percent of his punches. Canelo should do much better, but will he connect on the devastating shots?
No one else ever has against Floyd, and that's why the odds are stacked against Canelo in this bout.
Will Mayweather's Jab Be Effective?
While Mayweather is an elite defensive boxer, what makes him truly remarkable is his ability to turn his superb defense and movement into opportunities to strike.
When Mayweather is ducking and dodging combinations from his opponents, he's usually setting them up for his own flurry. The jab is one of Money's most dangerous punches and will be a key for him against Canelo, per Iconic Boxing on Twitter:
Alvarez is a tough fighter, but over the course of 12 rounds Mayweather's jabs could start to have a devastating effect.
Although Money's last two fights each went to a judges' decision, keep in mind that Mayweather has 26 career victories by knockout. If Canelo isn't careful, he could be No. 27.
Prediction
Mayweather and Canelo are both elite boxers with a whole lot of game, but Money has been dominating for a much longer period of time.
Canelo has a lot of questions to answer, mainly whether he can hang with the top pound-for-pound boxer in the world for 12 rounds. On the other side, Mayweather has been schooling opponents for nearly two decades, finding a way to beat each and every fighter put in front of him.
Experience is a huge factor in this fight, and Mayweather has the undeniable edge in that area.
It also doesn't hurt that he looked incredibly sharp in his most recent outing last May.
While there's certainly a case to be made for the younger challenger, he's never faced a fighter with a resume like Mayweather's. Money is just a different kind of beast, and will earn another convincing victory on Saturday.
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