Floyd Mayweather Jr is not best known for his tact or his sense of good judgment. Throughout the years he has made some outlandish claims and made some really bad decisions. One of those bad decisions, putting his hands on the mother of some of his children, even landed him in jail some years ago. On the week leading up to the biggest fight of his career and his richest economically, something very important to Floyd, Mayweather Jr did it again. This time he went after a sacrilegious subject, at least in the eyes of many boxing fans, and made some comments regarding the greatest Muhammad Ali.
Unless you have been living under a rock or not following the latest news coming out of May-Pacville, you missed the comments that Mayweather Jr regarding his legacy compared to Ali’s during an interview with ESPN. Mayweather Jr questioned why Ali was considered the greatest fighter of all time since he only fought in one division and suffered losses in his career.
As for Mayweather Jr, he still holds his coveted ‘0’ on the right side of his record and has not only fought but won titles in five different weight categories. Ali won a version of the heavyweight title three time during his career but suffered five losses in epic fights. Even though Ali was one of the greatest to lace up a pair of gloves, he is best remembered for his actions outside of the ring with his socio-political stands at the end of the sixties and the love fans all over the world have for him.
Needless to say, fans and celebrities came down hard on Mayweather Jr for his comments. Laila Ali, the former fighting daughter of the greatest, called him a “broken person” and even though he’s a grown man, sees a little boy with his antics. Fans and media also had their say on social media including Ali himself who through twitter simply said, “don’t forget, I am the greatest” but none other went after Mayweather Jr like former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Tyson, a self-confessed Ali mega-fan, ripped into Mayweather Jr calling him delusional and that a scared little man since he could not even take his kids to school without the help of bodyguards.
Mayweather Jr has not taken back his statement or even issued an apology.
So did Mayweather Jr really meant what he said or is this another great marketing ploy on his part? This event has gotten unprecedented coverage from all kinds of media outlets but a little more could always help, right? It would be half expected that Mayweather Jr at the post-fight press conference for him to issue an apology but it highly doubtful because unlike other questionable comments, including a racist rant against some years ago, this comment has to do with his legacy. Mayweather Jr protects that unfailingly and tells anybody that will listen that even though Muhammad Ali is considered the greatest, he is the TBE or The Best Ever.
Another great heavyweight champion probably said it best when Wladimir Klitschko stated that “people call the king the king, not the king (who says) ‘I’m the king’.”
