In a resurfaced interview that reignited the age-old boxing versus mixed martial arts debate, Floyd Mayweather Jr. made headlines with his pointed criticisms of MMA while elevating the status of traditional boxing.
The undefeated boxing champion didn’t mince words when comparing the two combat sports, stating that “it takes true skills to be in the sport of boxing” while dismissing MMA as being for casual enthusiasts.
“Boxing is for everybody,” Mayweather declared, before making a provocative comparison. “You can’t take my shoes off and take my shirt off and just throw me in a cage. You do that with animals. You don’t do that with humans.”
The financial aspect of the sports was another point Mayweather emphasized. He boasted about generating $250 million in revenue from just two fights lasting a total of one hour, claiming MMA competitors “are not even on my level at all.”
Mayweather also highlighted what he considers boxing’s superior physical demands: “You must be running eight and nine miles for boxing. You must be able to box, not five rounds, 12. It used to be 15 rounds.”
He further suggested that MMA borrowed heavily from boxing’s structure. “Now they got rounds. Now they got judges. Now they got cut men. Once again, MMA stole boxing whole body,” he said. “You can’t take a blueprint and try to run with it.”
Perhaps most controversially, Mayweather ventured into racial territory, stating: “In boxing, we know who’s dominating. Black fighters and Hispanic fighters are dominating in this sport. This is not a racial statement, but there’s no white fighters in boxing that’s dominating. They had to go to something else and start something new.”
The comments reflect the competitive relationship between the two combat sports, which continue to vie for audience attention and athlete talent. While Mayweather’s statements were clearly designed to elevate boxing’s status, they also highlight the ongoing evolution of combat sports and the different skills each discipline requires.
Critics of Mayweather’s position point out that MMA incorporates multiple fighting disciplines including wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and various striking techniques, requiring practitioners to master a broader range of combat skills than boxing’s more focused approach.
