Published 15:35 IST, January 12th 2021
Mike Tyson explains why Floyd Mayweather is not the GOAT, compares 50-0 record with others
Boxing legend Mike Tyson claims that Floyd Mayweather cannot be considered as the boxing GOAT as his record is not the best in the sport’s history.
While speaking on his Hotboxin' podcast earlier, Mike Tyson claimed that Floyd Mayweather cannot be considered as the boxing GOAT (Greatest of All Time), considering his record is not the best in the sport’s history. The former heavyweight king insisted that both Sugar Ray Robinson and Julio Cesar Chavez had more impressive careers then Mayweather, who retired at 50-0.
Sugar Ray Robinson, who is hailed as an icon of the sport, retired from the sport with a record of 173–19–6. However, at one point of his career, he had seen only one loss (against Jake LaMotta) in 132 fights. Julio Cesar Chavez, on the other hand, was undefeated at 87-0 before his 1993 bout with Pernell Whitaker ended in a draw, and he faced his first professional loss a year later against Frankie Randall. Despite this, the Mexican retired with an impressive 107-6-2 record.
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Mike Tyson on Floyd Mayweather’s GOAT status
During the discussion, Mike Tyson hailed Floyd Mayweather for his accolades but claimed that the Money Man is not as great as those who came before him. “Floyd's a great fighter, don't get me wrong, but he had 50 fights. Listen, Sugar Ray Robinson had 47 fights, he lost one, and he had a 78-fight winning streak. With, like, 60 knockouts. Don't tell me about you're the greatest fighter with 50-0,” added ‘Iron’ Mike.
The Baddest Man on the Planet retired from the sport in 2005 but made his astonishing return last year against fellow legend Roy Jones Jr in an eight-round exhibition bout. Though the bout ended in a split-decision draw on papers, Mike Tyson was hailed by many for delivering an incredible performance despite being 54-years-old. Similarly, Mayweather hung up the gloves after his win over UFC megastar Conor McGregor in 2017 but is still competing in exhibitions.
In 2018, he wiped out featherweight kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in Japan, making $9 million for just 139 seconds of work. And now, he’s scheduled to face YouTuber Logan Paul in another special exhibition in February 2021. “Floyd’s gonna beat his (Paul’s) f***ing ass,” Tyson said about the upcoming bout while talking to Paul himself at the Impaulsive podcast.
Image Source: Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather/ Instagram
Updated 15:35 IST, January 12th 2021