Mike Tyson doesn't think Floyd Mayweather is the best boxer ever. The former heavyweight champ shared his thoughts in a recent interview, pointing out other fighters with more impressive records.
Tyson burst onto the boxing scene in 1985 and quickly made his mark. He became the WBC champion in 1986 by knocking out Trevor Berbick in just two rounds. This made him the youngest world heavyweight champion in boxing history. Tyson went on to capture the undisputed heavyweight championship by beating James Smith for the WBA title and Tony Tucker for the IBF belt.
But Tyson's reign at the top came to a shocking end in 1990 when he lost to James 'Buster' Douglas in what many consider one of boxing's biggest upsets.
Floyd Mayweather, on the other hand, had a perfect career in the ring. He won world titles in five different weight classes and retired with a spotless 50-0 record. Mayweather, who's 48 and from Grand Rapids, Michigan, calls himself the 'Best Ever'. He hasn't completely ruled out a return to professional boxing, even though he retired in 2017. Since then, he's had a few exhibition matches against fighters like Tenshin Nasukawa, Logan Paul, and John Gotti III.
But Tyson doesn't buy into Mayweather's claim of being the greatest. In a YouTube interview, Tyson explained his view:
"Floyd's a great fighter don't get me wrong but listen Sugar Ray Robinson had 47 fights, he lost one then he had a 78 fight winning streak. Don't tell me about he's [Mayweather] the greatest fighter with 50 and 0, you're great no doubt about it but no, [Julio Cesar] Chavez had 90 [fights before he lost]."
Tyson's point is clear: while Mayweather's undefeated record is impressive, it's not the only factor to consider when talking about the greatest boxers of all time. He believes that the number of fights and how long a boxer stays at the top matter too.
It's worth noting that Mayweather's career was marked by strategic matchmaking and careful timing of fights, which helped him maintain his undefeated status. But for Tyson, the sheer volume of fights and long winning streaks of boxers like Sugar Ray Robinson and Julio Cesar Chavez make a stronger case for greatness.
This debate about who's the greatest boxer ever will likely continue. It shows how tricky it is to compare fighters from different eras and weight classes. While Mayweather's perfect record is remarkable, Tyson's comments remind us that there's more to consider when talking about boxing's all-time greats.
