Evander Holyfield says he's better than Muhammad Ali. The four-time heavyweight champion believes his record puts him above "The Greatest" in boxing history.
Holyfield, known as "The Real Deal," holds a unique place in boxing. He's the only fighter to win the heavyweight title four times. He also made history as the first boxer to be undisputed champion in two weight classes - cruiserweight and heavyweight. This record stood for 24 years.
Despite these achievements, Holyfield feels overlooked when people talk about the best boxers ever. He said:
"I'm the only four-time heavyweight champion of the world but they are still talking about Ali when I broke his record. I've been the only four-time heavyweight champion of the world for 24 years."
Ali, widely considered one of boxing's greatest figures, won the heavyweight title three times. His career included an Olympic gold medal in 1960 and famous victories like his win over Sonny Liston in 1964 and the "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman in 1974.
Holyfield pointed out another of his accomplishments that he feels doesn't get enough attention:
"You can't talk about it until you break someone's record, they don't say nothing about me. How do you cut somebody out of history? Now I didn't even know I was the first person to be undisputed in two weight divisions, until Usyk did it."
Oleksandr Usyk recently matched this feat, becoming undisputed champion in both cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Usyk unified all four world heavyweight titles in May by defeating Tyson Fury.
Holyfield wrapped up his argument simply:
"They keep saying Ali is the best fighter, no I am. He was three times, I'm four."
While Holyfield's achievements are impressive, Ali's impact on boxing and popular culture continues to influence discussions about the sport's greatest figures.
