Floyd Mayweather Jr. will turn forty-six just a day before the first exhibition match of the year against Aaron Chalmers. However, advancing age has barely slowed down the former world champion. Instead, he could be as busy with the exhibition circuit as he used to be during his pro boxing days. In a strict sense, ‘Money’ never retired. He picked the gloves roughly a year after the last professional fight against Conor McGregor. Last year he participated in three exhibition bouts, and per credible reports, this year, he plans on having five, starting with the UK fight against one-bout-old Chalmers.

The Atlanta Olympic bronze medalist has a distinguished place in the annals of boxing history. In 2016, ESPN named him the best boxer in the last 25 years. In addition, BoxRec rated him the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time per May 2021 standings. Given his situation, Mayweather Jr. is a favorite of analysts and laymen who frequently stack him against some of the best boxers of our time and the past.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. shares his views on boxing greats

The orthodox boxer holds his contributions to the sport in high esteem. As a result, it frequently lands him in the crosshairs of naysayers, making it a point to highlight the works of a few others who contributed equally, if not more than him.

One instance happened today when “onlyfullfights.com” shared a comment purportedly made by Mayweather Jr through its Facebook handle. The ensuing storm has so far witnessed nearly five hundred comments.

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The FB page had a pic of Floyd Mayweather Jr. above his statement: “All the guys you all said were extraordinary, the Canelo, The Pacquiao. I made them look ordinary.”

As time passed, fans joined the discussion, with some agreeing and a few disagreeing.

Fans and followers respond strongly to his comments

One user came to the point straight. He said Mayweather’s fights against “championship level” opponents were considered warm-ups for Sugar Ray Leonard. He faced some of the greatest fighters of all time, such as Hearns, Pryor, Duran, and Benitez. Whereas Floyd never faced more vigorous opponents in the ring. Against any contemporary boxer, Leonard would have had a significant advantage in speed and punching power. When remembering these great fighters, it is evident that they possessed both relentless punching ability and exceptional boxing skills. They were not just there for show; they came to compete. The maximum number of rounds allowed in their fights was 15, per the regulations.

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The following user explicitly stated that despite not sharing the same level of excitement for Floyd Mayweather as others do, it should be acknowledged that he was a highly competent champion, even though he was not well-liked. Floyd deserves recognition as one of the greats, but that doesn’t necessarily make him the best. Many other notable fighters participated in many a contest in boxing’s history. Commenting on the famous “Fight of the Century,” between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, the following user said that the former waited until Pacquiao became physically unfit due to his political duties before facing him in the ring. However, Pacquiao still fought bravely.

Meanwhile, NBA legend Charles Barkley, in an episode of ‘All The Smoke’, said, “The only problem I have with Floyd. He waited too long to fight Pacquiao but he did fight Pacquiao,”

Another user stated that Mayweather Jr. chose opponents beyond their prime. They were either “too young and inexperienced,” or they had surpassed their peak and were no longer performing at their best. As if talking to the former champion directly, the following user sought a bit of truth. Mayweather Jr. got into fights with boxers whenever he felt like it. Not when he should have done it. Taking Canelo’s example, he said that the Mexican was barely prepared. Likewise, the Pacquiao bout came along six years too late.

The following user added thoughtfully that fighting is a distinctive aspect of boxing matches. The history of boxing is renowned for the warrior spirit of its greats, who took numerous blows and persisted. Finally, one user mentioned that if one wants to see a true professional, look at Julio Cesar Chavez. He has participated in over a hundred fights and lost fewer than ten. Floyd Mayweather Jr, however, does not have a record of being considered among the top fighters. Despite this, he holds himself as the greatest in his mind.

While the arguments and counter-arguments may continue, there’s no point denying that Floyd Mayweather Jr. holds a record with a few parallels. Besides being the most precise striker, he remains the greatest defensive boxer of all time.

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Who, in your opinion, is the pound-for-pound greatest boxer of the last three decades? Do share your views and thoughts with us in the comments below.