Ahead of his much-publicised welterweight showdown on May 2 against Manny Pacquiao, American boxer cites his perfect 47-0 record to claim that he’s the best boxer ever
Graphic artist and barista Zach Yonzon uses coffee latte milk froth to depict faces of boxers Manny Pacquiao (left) and Floyd Mayweather at his cafe in Manila yesterday. Inset: Muhammad Ali
Los Angeles: Never one to talk himself down, Floyd Mayweather declared on Wednesday that he isn't just good, he's better than Muhammad Ali, the man many call 'The Greatest.'
Graphic artist and barista Zach Yonzon uses coffee latte milk froth to depict faces of boxers Manny Pacquiao (left) and Floyd Mayweather at his cafe in Manila yesterday. Pic/AFP
With just over a week to go before his super fight in Las Vegas against Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather said his career and flawless record — he has never been beaten — speak for itself.
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"I feel like I have done just as much in the sport as Ali," Mayweather said. "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."
Mayweather pointed out that while Ali lost to the unheralded Leon Spinks in 1978, among others, he has a perfect 47-0 record. "Ali lost in his career to Leon Spinks. He lost some other fights and is still known as the greatest. That is what it is."
Muhammad Ali
Mayweather spoke to reporters on Wednesday in a teleconference call for his May 2 welterweight showdown with Filipino superstar Pacquiao, which is expected to generate a record $400 million in revenue.
Mayweather added that even boxing fans from Pacquiao's home country — where Pacquiao is an icon — will be cheering him on at the MGM Grand. "I am pretty sure I got Filipino fans that like me," said the American boxer, who is arguably the current number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Pacquiao is a hero and celebrity in the Philippines, where he worked on the streets before his success in the ring helped launch careers in politics, music and film.
Solid game plan
Mayweather said he has a solid game plan for this fight and had made sure not to go overboard. "I have trained extremely hard. You don't want to over train. You want to train so you are completely ready," he said.
Mayweather said he is trying not to get caught up in the hoopla surrounding the blockbuster fight which is expected to be the richest in boxing history, with Mayweather's purse topping $100 million.
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