Floyd Mayweather Jr. AP FILE PHOTO
He doesn’t refer to himself as “TBE” (the best ever) for nothing.
And in a recent interview with ESPN Deportes, Floyd Mayweather Jr. reiterated his claim to the throne by listing his top five boxers of all time and, as expected, placed himself at the number one spot.
On ranking himself on top, Mayweather said, “He’s beaten more world champions than any other fighter here; He’s done it in a shorter period of time than any other fighter up here; And he’s done it with less fights than any other fighter up here.”
READ: Floyd Mayweather: ‘No one is better than me’
After him, the 38-year-old placed Panamanian great Roberto Duran at number two, ex-welterweight titlist Pernell Whittaker at three and Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez at four.
But what surprised people more is that he placed Muhammad Ali at number five.
Mayweather explained, “He was only at one weight-class. This is me just being honest. It’s so hard (picking a top five). This is my top 5.”
This was not the first time Mayweather said he is better than Ali as he told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith back in April, “No one can ever brainwash me to make me believe that Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali was better than me.”
READ: Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I’m better than Muhammad Ali
He, however, recognized the effort of Ali to stand up for African-Americans.
“Ali was the greatest for standing up at in an era when Black people did not stand up for each other,” he said.
Mayweather will probably be in his final professional fight in September against Andre Berto, which, should he win, would send him to a tie with another boxing great Rocky Marciano with an undefeated 49-0 record. IDL