bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

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”.
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.
“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.”
Mayweather’s May 2 welterweight showdown with Filipino superstar Pacquiao is expected to generate a record US$400 million in revenue.
In addition to being the greatest, 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.
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 overtrain. You want to train so you are completely ready,” he said.


Mayweather to fight Pacquiao in long-awaited Las Vegas rematch in September

Manny Pacquiao returns to Las Vegas ring for 10-round exhibition fight against Provodnikov

Biggest fight in Japanese boxing history: ‘Monster’ Inoue has plan for Nakatani

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao hints at possible rematch with Floyd Mayweather

Manny Pacquiao

I am the greatest: Floyd Mayweather pronounces himself better than Muhammad Ali

Floyd Mayweather Snr (right) watches his son work out in Las Vegas. Photo: AP

A boxing ring stands in the lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas as a promotion for the  Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao bout. Photo: EPA

Sport

In addition to being the greatest, 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.
