HOLLYWOOD—If others won’t say it, then Floyd Mayweather Jr. will do it himself. And he’ll defend his right to say it.
As expected, Mayweather did not retract his claim that he’s better than Muhammad Ali, hailed as “The Greatest,” in Thursday’s media teleconference call. He merely expounded on why he thought so.
READ: Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I’m better than Muhammad Ali
Among other things, Mayweather cited his flawless record (47-0) and his longevity as a fighter, which, he said, sets him apart from the rest of the fighters of his generation.
“I feel like I have done just as much in the sport as Ali,” said Mayweather.
“It is hard for a guy to be like me, still sharp at 38. No disrespect to Ali, but I feel like I am the best at what I do. Just like he called himself “The Greatest,” I call myself The Best Ever.”
By way of comparison, Mayweather pointed to Ali’s (five) losses, including one against the unheralded Leon Spinks.
Mayweather also boasted that some Filipino boxing fans will be rooting for him when he tangles with Manny Pacquiao on May 2 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“I am pretty sure I got Filipino fans that like me,” said the flamboyant American, currently regarded as boxing’s pound-for-pound king.
READ: Mayweather wears Philippine-inspired shirt during media workout
While giving Pacquiao credit for his contributions and accomplishments in the ring, Mayweather insisted that he saw fear in the Filipino’s eyes when they met for the first time in Miami in January.
According to Mayweather, he has a solid game plan for the megabuck bout which he said won’t even define his legacy as a fighter.
“I have trained extremely hard. You don’t want to overtrain. You want to train so you are completely ready,” Mayweather said.
Come May 2, the world will know whether Mayweather really deserves to be called The Best Ever.