Floyd Mayweather Jr revealed his own top five list of the greatest boxers of all time in 2020, which drew criticism for some surprising omissions.
The 50-0 fighter is a man who draws critics, especially for opponent choices, as Mayweather hit back at a rival for the Conor McGregor fight backlash.
After being in the ring with legends like Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya, the five-division legend is more than qualified to give his top list of the greatest of all time boxers.
However, one of his past rankings was heavily scrutinised as he left two of boxing’s pioneers out in favour of some very different choices.
Floyd Mayweather surprisingly left out Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson from his GOAT list in 2020
During an interview with Shannon Sharpe in 2020, the acclaimed modern boxer revealed his top five: himself, Pernell Whittaker, Roberto Duran, Larry Holmes, and Aaron Pryor.
Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson failed to get a mention from the Michigan man.
When questioned on his decision to leave them out, he responded: “Floyd Mayweather is not a follower, this is my opinion, this is what I think.
“I will always love Sugar Ray Robinson, because he paved the way for Muhammad Ali… We all paved the way and care for and love one another.”
He did provide a reason why he left Ali out of the list, and it wasn’t to do with his achievements inside the ring.
“Ali will always be a pioneer because of what he stood for in that era, and I commend him for that. I would have done the same thing in that era; he did what he was supposed to do in that era,” Mayweather claimed.
Based on his achievements, ‘Money’ appearing in anyone’s top five would not be a surprise, even the man himself firmly believes that.
He said: “I ain’t really got to say myself, you ain’t got to put me in the top five, because everybody already knows I am in the top five. Got to be.”
Roy Jones Jr revealed his top five and ripped Floyd Mayweather for not fighting two opponents
The Hall of Fame fighter Roy Jones Jr has been having a public feud with the 48-year-old, which continued in a recent video where he revealed his rankings.
Jones Jr, an opponent of British boxing legend Joe Calzaghe, left the American out of his list because he didn’t face anyone equal to him.
The two fighters he should have faced who would have ‘validated’ his claim in one of the five positions were former Canelo Alvarez opponent Amir Khan and Paul Williams.
While ‘Superman’ may have used this as a way of slightly underestimating his achievements, he did admit he would be in the conversation for a lower spot.