LEGENDARY promoter Don King does not believe that Floyd Mayweather is ‘The Best Ever’ because his career does not compare to that of heavyweight great, Muhammad Ali.
“Floyd Mayweather is in a group of the greatest fighters of all-time,” the 84-year-old told Boxing News. “But to be the best he would have to extricate Muhammad Ali from that group. Muhammad Ali is undeniably the best ever. Ali lost four years, at the height of his career, and then came back when they vindicated him so nobody knows or can judge how good he would have been in those four years he was absent.
“Ali stands alone in that No.1 position, so we’ll give him the ‘super No.1’ and then we have the rest of them. But Mayweather is doing excellent, I like him a lot.”
King – clutching a bundle of flags – is in Las Vegas to watch Mayweather take on Andre Berto in his 49th – and perhaps final – contest. The promoter believes it’s foolish to discount the underdog, and Mayweather must be wary of losing focus against a fighter widely thought to be levels below the welterweight king.
“People are coming to see whether Mayweather continues or if he loses,” King said about tomorrow’s contest. “Mayweather should beware of the word ‘upset’ because yesterday’s nobody becomes tomorrow’s somebody. He has got to be ever vigilant, and ever alert and keep his mind together because he is truly the best in the world today.”
