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5 reasons Muhammad Ali is the greatest boxer of all time

By Dave Stevenson

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 03: Sarah Foster, 21, looks at a signed 'Float like a butterfly sting like a bee' robe worn by Ali's cornerman Bundini Brown at the 'Rumble in the Jungle' fight - at the preview of the 'I Am The Greatest' Muhammad Ali exhibition on March 3, 2016 in London, England. The exhibition showcases the life and career of heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali and features over more than 100 artefacts including personal memorabilia, unseen footage and photographs. It is open to the public from Friday March 4, 2016 at the O2 in London. (Photo by Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 03: Sarah Foster, 21, looks at a signed 'Float like a butterfly sting like a bee' robe worn by Ali's cornerman Bundini Brown at the 'Rumble in the Jungle' fight - at the preview of the 'I Am The Greatest' Muhammad Ali exhibition on March 3, 2016 in London, England. The exhibition showcases the life and career of heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali and features over more than 100 artefacts including personal memorabilia, unseen footage and photographs. It is open to the public from Friday March 4, 2016 at the O2 in London. (Photo by Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Getty Images /

1. He never backed down from a challenge

In the immortal words of Ric Flair, “to be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.” That’s precisely what Muhammad Ali did throughout his career. Even when he lost, Ali lost to the best because he would never back down from accepting a challenge from the best. That alone makes him better than Floyd Mayweather.

Ask any of Muhammad Ali’s opponents about Ali, and you would surely find that almost all of them, and probably every single one, have the utmost respect for him. Part of the reason for that respect is that Ali never turned down a challenge. Like a true champion, Ali not only faced the best, he wanted to face the best.

A champion never runs. That’s what Ali never did. Mayweather made excuses as to why he couldn’t fight Manny Pacquaio when the Pacman was in his prime. Not only would Ali have accepted a challenge from Pacquaio (if Manny was a heavyweight), knowing the fighter and the champion that Muhammad Ali was, he would have wanted a challenge from him. He took on guys like Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston, and Floyd Patterson. And he only lost five times (three of those losses coming after showing hints of his Parkinson’s disease). Only two men could beat Muhammad Ali. That’s what makes him the greatest boxer ever.

For more coverage and tributes to Muhammad Ali, check out our Boxing hub page.

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