When Floyd Mayweather speaks, you listen, which is typically the case because the boxing icon routinely ruffles feathers in every interview.
One of the interviews in question came on SportsCenter when Mayweather, who retired on his own terms with a spotless 50-0 record, took umbrage at the fact that the anchors did not have himself ranked number one on their list of the top five boxers of all time.
In typical fashion, Mayweather bided his time and struck when he had the room in the palm of his hand, making the argument that he was a more complete boxer than Muhammad Ali, their chosen man for the top spot.
“If we’re judging fighters on taking less punishment and breaking records, then it’s (the greatest ever) Floyd Mayweather.”
The 50-0 boxing king added that Muhammad Ali paved the way for him and he’s a legend in his own right, but when it comes to record-breaking and ducking hits while winning fights, there’s no one better than him; not now, not ever.
“The name of the game is to hit and not get hit. It’s not about taking punishment. I love Ali, but sitting on the ropes, taking punishment, that’s not cool.”
Mayweather pointed towards Ali losing his title to Leon Spinks, who had just seven fights under his belt at the time. He argued that no one in their right conscience would put a seven-fight-old boxer in the ring with him.
Spinks, though, was 12 years Ali’s junior and an Olympic gold medallist at the time. He went 15 rounds with the champ and landed a late flurry of punches to register one of the greatest upsets in the history of the sport.
“I have to take my hat off to Ali,” Mayweather concluded, before stressing, “But I didn't give this sport 40 years to say that there's another fighter better than me."
Mayweather certainly retired on his own terms in what is hailed as “The Biggest Fight in Combat Sports History.”
He went up against UFC icon Conor McGregor in his 50th fight, defeating the Irishman in the 10th round via TKO.