There are those in the boxing industry who believe Floyd Mayweather Jr. is just blowing smoke when he says he is the greatest fighter of all time - Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson notwithstanding.
After all, Mayweather is one of the sport's greatest blabbermouths.
But when Mayweather made that declaration on an episode of HBO's "24/7" promoting his fight Saturday against "Sugar" Shane Mosley at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, he seemed sincere. He also sounded straightforward during a recent conference call when asked why he believes this.
"Why not?" said Mayweather, 33. "I take my hat off to them. I got respect for Sugar Ray Robinson. I've got respect for Muhammad Ali. But I'm a man just like they're men. I put on my pants just like they put on their pants. 
"What makes them any better than I am? Because they fought a thousand fights? In my era, it's totally different. It's pay-per-view now, so things change. It's out with the old and in with the new. Things change. Like I said, Muhammad Ali is one hell of a fighter. But Floyd Mayweather is the best.
"Sugar Ray Robinson is one hell of a fighter, but Floyd Mayweather is the best."
Bob Arum, Mayweather's former promoter, insinuated even Mayweather doesn't believe that.
"It's Floyd Mayweater," Arum said. "Who can take anything he says serious? So why get upset when he compares himself with Ali or Sugar Ray Robinson. He didn't even mention Sugar Ray Leonard. So who even cares what he says?"
Certainly not Arum, who said he thinks only reporters and not the average boxing fan care about Mayweather's rhetoric.
"If this was a guy who didn't say stupid things always and just came out with one stupid thing, it would be newsworthy," Arum said. "But he says everything stupid. He's a pretty stupid guy."
There is no love lost between Arum and Mayweather. But Angelo Dundee - Ali's trainer - has nothing against Mayweather. The 88-year-old Dundee, in the game during Robinson's prime, even likes Mayweather.
But when told of Mayweather boasting he is better than Ali and Robinson, Dundee chuckled slightly.
"Everybody is entitled to their opinion," Dundee said via telephone Monday. "We are all allowed to dream. There are so many people that try to be Muhammad Ali. The funny part about this sport is there are no two people alike.
"There will never be another Sugar Ray Leonard (another Dundee fighter), there will never be another Muhammad Ali. I know the kid means well. He is a nice kid."
Dundee did not want to take away from the accomplishments of Mayweather, who is 40-0 with 25 knockouts and has won major titles in five weight classes.
"He's a great fighter, no doubt about it," Dundee said. "But in this profession, there is always a guy out there who can beat another guy. And I think Mayweather is meeting the guy who can do it.
"The experience Shane Mosley has is second to none. He fought every tough guy on the way up, at the smaller weights and then he grew into the bigger man he is. He is bigger than Mayweather and the stronger man and he won't be fooled by Mayweather."
But, Dundee said, "Mayweather deserves everything he gets. He is such a hard worker."
Freddie Roach, the three-time Trainer of the Year who turned Manny Pacquiao into a superstar, had an interesting take. He gave Mayweather some praise, then took some back.
Roach said he liked what Mayweather did at lightweight and super lightweight, but isn't all that impressed with what he's done since moving up to welterweight and super welterweight - although the latter division was just a one-shot deal with Oscar De La Hoya.
"You look at his fights at 147 and 154, I don't see the greatness," Roach said. "He struggled with Oscar De La Hoya; he almost lost that fight. Manny Pacquiao demolished (De La Hoya). It wasn't like he (De La Hoya) was a shot fighter in one fight. Mayweather didn't hit him enough; he didn't take a beating in that fight or anything like that. He barely got hit.
"And then against an ordinary guy like Ricky Hatton, who was competitive with him for six rounds, that fight was about even after six, right? He (Hatton) gets demolished by Pacquiao."
Mayweather stopped Hatton in the 10th round, Pacquiao knocked out Hatton in the second round a year and five months later.
"I see a good fighter, yes, but great? Never," Roach said. "Sugar Ray Robinson? He couldn't carry his bag."
Not yet, perhaps. But until someone beats Mayweather, he can say what he wants. Interestingly, even Roger Mayweather seems to know his nephew hasn't reached the lofty status of best-ever.
"You remember this," said Roger Mayweather, who trains Floyd. "You've got a whole bunch of good fighters, but there are very few that are great, and the greatest fighter who put those gloves on to this day is Sugar Ray Robinson."
Roger Mayweather did say his nephew is "on his way to greatness. Come May 1, I guess you'll see for yourself."
Source: dailynews.com
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