*Boxing legend Evander Holyfield previously sparked controversy by claiming that Floyd Mayweather Jr. does not deserve his undefeated 50-0 record.
Mayweather, who retired in 2017, is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive fighters in boxing history. His career saw him conquer five weight classes, defeating notable opponents like Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya, and Juan Manuel Marquez. However, Holyfield believes that Mayweather’s perfect record may not be entirely justified.
Holyfield, a former undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight champion, is no stranger to legendary achievements himself. He remains the only four-time heavyweight champion, having triumphed over boxing icons such as Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and Riddick Bowe. While both he and Mayweather are considered among the sport’s all-time greats, Holyfield took issue with one particular Mayweather fight—his 2015 showdown with Pacquiao.
The bout between Mayweather and Pacquiao generated $72 million and 4.6 million pay-per-view buys, per SecondsOut.com. Mayweather emerged victorious by unanimous decision, but Holyfield was unconvinced by the outcome.
“The fact of the matter is, you’re the more aggressive one, you hit him with the shots… Pacquiao seem to hit him (Mayweather) more times than he hit Pacquiao,” said Holyfield in a 2015 interview with ESPN.
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When asked if he believed Pacquiao should have won, he stated, “I totally thought he did.”
“I actually thought Pacquiao was doing well. I don’t know how people scored the fight, I thought he was doing well,” he added.
“I don’t think it was a bad fight. I thought it was a great fight. Floyd did the way he fights. Manny did the way he fights. Both did the way they did to win the fight,” he said.
His opinion aligns with some boxing fans and analysts who criticized Mayweather’s defensive style in the fight, arguing that Pacquiao’s aggression and work rate should have earned him the victory.
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