True prize fights are few and far between in boxing today, but it's nearly impossible to deny that Floyd "Money" Mayweather vs. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez is about as big as it gets. Two of the biggest stars in boxing will meet on Saturday night in a WBC/WBA Light Middleweight Championship unification bout, and you can catch it on pay-per-view.
Ever the businessman, Mayweather been pushing the fight plenty on Twitter, and he's encouraged his followers to order it as soon as possible:
Since there are so few must-see boxing matches to speak of in the current landscape, there is understandably a ton of hype surrounding Mayweather vs. Alvarez. Marquee boxing matches used to appeal to everyone, including non-boxing fans, and while that may no longer be the case, Mayweather vs. Canelo promises to transcend the sport.
Here is a look at how you can catch the year's biggest fight, as well as a breakdown of what to look for while you're viewing.
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
When: Saturday, Sept. 14 at 9 p.m. ET
Watch: Showtime PPV
Undercard Fights
Although most of the focus on Saturday night will center on the Mayweather vs. Alvarez main event, the undercard at MGM Grand Garden Arena is stacked with quality bouts. A unified light welterweight championship fight between titleholder Danny Garcia and Lucas Matthysse could highlight its own card on most nights, and while it will play second fiddle to Mayweather and Alvarez, hardcore boxing fans may be just as excited about the second-to-last fight on the card.
If that isn't enough, junior middleweight champion Ishe Smith will take on Carlos Molina. The live crowd figures to be heavily invested in this particular bout, as Smith is a native of Las Vegas. Molina is coming off wins over brand-name fighters such as Cory Spinks and Kermit Cintron, so the former The Contender contestant will have his hands full in front of a partisan hometown crowd.
To top it all off, Pablo Cesar Cano and Ashley Theophane will open the night at 9 p.m. ET with a fast-paced welterweight contest. Cano has lost consecutive fights to Paulie Malignaggi and "Sugar" Shane Mosley, but he'll enter Saturday night as the favorite to defeat his British opponent.
While some cards offer little outside the main event, those who buy this pay-per-view won't want to miss a single second of the action.
Keys to Mayweather vs. Canelo
Both Mayweather and Alvarez will enter Saturday's fight with undefeated records, but one of them will leave Vegas with a blemish in all likelihood. Mayweather is arguably the best fighter of his generation, and his 44-0 record supports that. The 23-year-old Alvarez doesn't have nearly as much big-fight experience as his much-older opponent, but his record is sterling in its own right at 42-0-1.
One of the big reasons why this fight figures to be great is the contrasting styles that are involved. Mayweather is a defense-first fighter who uses his quickness and evasiveness to tire out his opponents. Alvarez is just the opposite, as he is constantly on the attack and looking for knockouts. With that in mind, this could very well be a game of cat and mouse in which the best strategy ultimately prevails.
If that is the case, then Mayweather has to have the upper hand. Past opponents have tried every trick in the book in an effort to stymie him, but Money is one of the best in the history of the sport when it comes to adjusting.
Alvarez is likely to come out with guns blazing, and while that has never worked against Mayweather before, he has rarely seen power reminiscent of what Alvarez possesses. Because of that, both men will probably play to their own strengths and hope that it's enough to come away victorious.
Mayweather vs. Canelo Predictions
As a -280 favorite, according to Bovada, the betting public is fairly confident that Mayweather will come out on top. But Alvarez obviously can't be counted out. Canelo is considered to be the future of boxing, and it's entirely possible that the future is now. Mayweather has run through many of the best opponents that the sport has had to offer over the years, though, and he won't be intimidated by Alvarez, regardless of his immense skill and potential.
Mayweather has been counted out plenty of times over the course of his career, particularly after long layoffs, but he had no issue defeating the likes of Victor Ortiz and Robert Guerrero. Alvarez is a far tougher opponent, but there is no rust to speak of when it comes to Money, so he'll almost certainly be better prepared for this fight than he has been for his past several.
There is an inherent danger when it comes to Alvarez because he possesses one-punch knockout power. That means Mayweather's undefeated record could go up in smoke in the blink of an eye. He is one of the most cerebral fighters in the sport, though, and he rarely puts himself in a vulnerable position.
Mayweather will try to box, while Alvarez will try to brawl, and the boxer will come out on top in this one, as Mayweather will prevail by unanimous decision.
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