Floyd Mayweather has defended his claim that he is a superior boxer to Muhammad Ali as the countdown to his £332million clash with Manny Pacquiao continues.
Mayweather, unbeaten in 47 fights and favourite to extend that record against Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2, is scathing of the five losses Ali endured during a celebrated career spanning 56 bouts.
While the comments made during an international conference call on Wednesday night will not win him any new fans, the 38-year-old is unconcerned by the criticism he knows he will receive.
“No disrespect to Muhammad Ali, but he did it in one division. I just look at Ali’s career when he fought Leon Spinks and lost to a fighter with seven fights,” Mayweather said.
“There were some other fights he lost and he’s still known as The Greatest because that’s what he put out there. It is what it is.
“He called himself The Greatest and I call myself TBE (The Best Ever). I’m pretty sure I’ll get criticised for what I said, but I couldn’t care less. I could care less about the backlash.”
Mayweather’s boast will have done little to prove as inaccurate the role of bad guy given to him by Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer who is billing the showdown at the MGM Grand as a battle between good and evil.
“I’m not fighting Freddie Roach, I’m fighting Manny Pacquiao. He’s trying to get his fighter the edge,” Mayweather said.
“He’s basically making it a god against a devil kind of thing, but he doesn’t have to get in there and fight.
“He’s entitled to say what he wants to say, but the fighters aren’t speaking like that and it comes down to the two fighters.
“I’m not going to speak negatively about Freddie Roach because I’ll be accused of picking on someone who isn’t 100 per cent healthy (in reference to the Parkinson’s disease suffered by Roach).”
Mayweather has offered few crumbs to Britain’s Amir Khan, who is desperate to face the pound for pound king before he retires.
“I believe in taking it one fight at a time. Manny Pacquiao is the guy in front of me right now and that’s my focus. My last fight will be in September, but I don’t want to overlook anyone,” Mayweather said.