1. Mayweather’s all-time ranking in boxing history is a contentious issue
Floyd Mayweather Jr. refers to himself as “The Best Ever” (TBE), a dubious claim if self appointed — no matter how much swag one wears bearing the acronym. And yet, there’s no denying that Mayweather is a historically great fighter. The almost unanswerable question, however, is: how great?
Mayweather’s BoxRec.com encyclopedia page entry lists his historical ranking from various outlets. Here’s the breakdown:
"Named the 48th greatest boxer of all-time by ESPN in 2007."
"Named the 29th greatest boxer of all-time by Bleacher Report in 2012."
"Named the 47th greatest boxer of all-time by Boxing.com in 2013."
"Named the 12th greatest boxer since World War II by a panel of experts in The Ring Magazine in 2014."
"Named the 19th greatest boxer of all-time by a panel of experts from Yahoo! Sports in 2015."
"Named the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of the last 25 years by a panel of experts from ESPN in 2016."
Interestingly, that period from 2007 to 2016 did wonders for his overall esteem at ESPN, as Mayweather came in ahead of Manny Pacquiao, Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr. and Julio Cesar Chavez. However, a pound-for-pound ranking is different from an evaluation of pure greatness, the latter suggesting the production of the kind of indelible moments that can only spring from taking on herculean challenges. Mayweather, to put it mildly, leaves one wanting in that regard.
Ultimately, what these lists suggest is that Mayweather is in no way, and in no universe, even close to being regarded as “The Best Ever.” Frankly, he’d rank higher on a list of the most skilled fighters, or greatest defensive operators, of all time. In fact, in a compelling piece for Deadspin, Charles Farrell, arguably the best boxing writer out there, produces both a nuanced and historically grounded critique of Mayweather-McGregor, all while offering provocative claims like the viable reality that Manny Pacquiao and James Toney are better fighters that Mayweather.
Next: 30 little-known facts about Conor McGregor
“The Best Ever” debate is one that cannot be settled easily, let alone rationally. But here’s a final fact for you about “Money:” Floyd Mayweather Jr. fighting Conor McGregor does nothing but damage to his preposterous claim as “TBE.”