Only looks like one outcome in Mayweather v Cotto

Knock-out victories have not come particularly easily to Floyd Mayweather in recent years and the 10/11 in the boxing odds that he is successful via points looks the stand-out option ahead of his battle with Miguel Cotto.

Mayweather has previously stated that his toughest opponent from his 42 professional opponents to date was US journeyman Emmanuel Augustus.

However, this would seem debatable given that he required a split decision to beat Oscar De La Hoya in 2007 and this result certainly represents the closest he has come to losing his unbeaten record.

Mayweather makes his first return to the light-middleweight ranks since this fight and another battle at 154 pounds may tempt some punters that he is at risk again.

The one obvious disadvantage for Mayweather comes in terms of power and if he allows himself to get backed onto the ropes in the same way he did in his last fight against Victor Ortiz, he could find himself under greater pressure.

This would appear the logical strategy for Cotto, as he will be playing second best in almost all other departments.

Most notably, Mayweather will be the faster of the pair and has the greater hand speed, which would be especially beneficial if opting to use his superior defence to fight on the back foot.

Cotto will be no pushover, but the fight does represent his biggest in the three years since he was demolished in a particularly one-sided bout with Manny Pacquiao.

He has since claimed three knock-out successes in a row, making his move to light middleweight from welterweight a positive one, but power alone will not be enough to give him victory.

Mayweather has only knocked out two of his last seven opponents since April 2006 and one of those was his slightly controversial stoppage of Ortiz in September.

With Cotto bigger than most of these, Mayweather looks less likely to win by stoppage, meaning that the points success is the way forward.