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Floyd Mayweather Snubbed Muhammad Ali And Mike Tyson When Naming The Five Greatest Boxers

Originally posted on KO on SI | By Apratim Banerjee | Last updated Aug 12, 2025 8:57 PM ET

Many boxing fans consider Floyd Mayweather one of the greatest to ever enter the ring. In a career full of accolades, he won world titles in five different weight classes.

Mayweather retired with a professional record of 50-0-0 with 27 knockout wins. He was a master of defense and was barely touched with a significant shot in his career. Wins over Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Arturo Gatti, Shane Mosley, and more are just some of the highlights from his incredible career.

Mayweather once told rapper Fat Joe who he thinks are the five greatest boxers of all time. Shockingly two of the consensus greatest boxers of all time, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, didn't make his list.

Here's who 'Money' chose.

Floyd Mayweather's five greatest boxers of all time

Fat Joe counted Mayweather as one of the top five, asking him to name the other four. First on Mayweather's list was Pernell Whitaker. Like him, 'Sweet Pea' was a master of defense and revolutionized the sport with his incredible craftsmanship inside the ring. He retired with a record of 40-4-1 with 17 KO wins.

Next up on the list was Roberto Duran. 'Hands of Stone' amassed a professional record of 103-16-0 with 70 of those wins coming by knockout. Duran won world championships in four weight classes: lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight, and middleweight.

Larry Holmes was Mayweather's next pick. Holmes had a pro record of 69-6-0 with 44 knockout wins. He is most famously known for his win against Muhammad Ali in 1980 and his reign as the undisputed heavyweight champion. Holmes also beat Leon Spinks, Earnie Shavers, and more.

Mayweather's final pick was Aaron Pryor. Pryor had a record of 39-1-0 with 35 knockout wins. He is a former two time light-welterweight champion.

The complete list (besides Floyd Mayweather):

Pernell Whitaker

Roberto Duran

Larry Holmes

Aaron Pryor

Floyd Mayweather explained picking Larry Holmes over Mike Tyson

Tyson defeated Holmes via fourth round knockout when they fought in 1988. Fat Joe claimed that he had Tyson over Holmes, and Mayweather proceeded to explain his choice in detail.

Larry Holmes beat everybody in his era. When Larry Holmes got beat by Mike Tyson, he got beat by a young hungry champion, and he came out of a year's retirement and got beat by Tyson.

Mayweather added, "He had the basic fundamentals, he had the jab, and even right now, he is still living a great life because he made smart investments. So he was good at the beginning of his career and also at the end of his career. Even Larry Holmes came back and beat a lot of young guys too. Even though Tyson beat him, he beat Ray Mercer."