Floyd Mayweather Jr., one of boxing’s all-time greatest, has revealed his rankings of the sport’s best heavyweight champions, and his choices have sparked some interesting discussion.
Mayweather, who retired with an unblemished 50-0 record, recently participated in a “winner stays on” video with MailOnline, where he shared his picks for the greatest heavyweights of all time. While his selections included some expected names, his decision to choose Anthony Joshua over Mike Tyson has raised a few eyebrows.
In Mayweather’s rankings, he placed Frank Bruno ahead of Deontay Wilder, before selecting Tyson over Bruno. He then went with Vitali Klitschko over Tyson, followed by Joshua over the Ukrainian. Mayweather then chose Joe Frazier over Joshua, Wladimir Klitschko over Frazier, and Tyson Fury over the younger Klitschko brother. Finally, he selected Lennox Lewis over Fury and Lewis over Muhammad Ali in a controversial final decision.
Mayweather’s choice of Joshua over Tyson is particularly noteworthy, as Tyson is often considered one of the most dominant and fearsome heavyweights in the sport’s history. However, Mayweather’s reasoning likely stems from Joshua’s impressive resume, which includes 28 wins in 31 professional bouts, with losses against Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua’s recent achievements, including his victories over Wladimir Klitschko and Dillian Whyte, may have influenced Mayweather’s decision. The 32-year-old British boxer has established himself as a major force in the heavyweight division, with his powerful punching and impressive size making him a formidable opponent.
While Tyson’s legendary status and knockout power cannot be denied, Mayweather’s selection of Joshua over him in his GOAT heavyweight rankings reflects the American’s belief that the current generation of heavyweights is arguably superior to the past. This debate is sure to continue among boxing fans, as they weigh the merits of different eras and the dominance of various heavyweight champions.
