Experts' predictions for Mayweather-Ortiz

Floyd Mayweather is an 8-to-1 favorite over Victor Ortiz in Saturday's welterweight championship fight. (AP)

SI.com's boxing experts predict Saturday's welterweight title fight between Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz. Share your prediction in the comments below.

CHRIS MANNIX

Ortiz has the edge in youth, strength and, presumably, stamina. He's easily the toughest opponent Mayweather has faced since his high-profile win over Oscar De La Hoya. But you can measure ring savvy or an ability to absorb and not be overwhelmed by the moment. Ortiz will challenge Mayweather early but by the ninth round Floyd will be cruising. Mayweather by unanimous decision.

RICHARD O'BRIEN

There’s every reason to believe this will be a competitive, even an exciting fight -- and quite possibly a dangerous one for Mayweather. Ortiz’s blend of size, power and youth is something Mayweather hasn’t faced in a long time. And, if it comes to that, Mayweather hasn’t faced anyone in a long time. A 16-month layoff is significant, especially at age 34.

Still, Ortiz is unlikely to be able to show Mayweather anything that Floyd hasn’t seen a thousand times -- and Floyd has a thousand moves that Ortiz has never seen. I’m sure Mayweather thinks this will be an easy night’s work. And it should be. But there’s a real chance that Ortiz could tag Floyd early and take him out of his game, make it a rough, bruising bout. Mayweather hasn’t really had any all-out wars and if Ortiz -- who, despite the “quitter” label hung on him after the Maidana fight, has shown great resilience -- can rock him and take the fight to the trenches, he could make Floyd look old and maybe even stop him.

In the end, though, I expect this to be another frustratingly slick performance by a great, if never as great as he thinks, fighter. Mayweather by unanimous decision.

BRYAN ARMEN GRAHAM

Mayweather stays in shape 24/7/365, so I don't read too much into the layoff. But consider the ages of Floyd's last eight opponents: Shane Mosley (38), Juan Manuel Marquez (36), Ricky Hatton (29), Oscar De La Hoya (34), Carlos Baldomir (35), Zab Judah (28), Sharmba Mitchell (35), Arturo Gatti (33). No shortage of marquee names there, but it's been nearly a decade since Mayweather was put in against a competitive young fighter.

Mayweather by unanimous decision.