Mayweather stakes claim to ‘The Best Ever’

He has established himself as one of the best fighters of his generation.

But Floyd Mayweather Jr. sets his bar for greatness higher than generational. His bar is for the ages. Or as the “E” in his latest method of selling himself says — “Ever” as part of “The Best Ever.”

He really believes he’s the best ever. That includes Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong and Sugar Ray Leonard. And if Mayweather beats Manny Pacquiao tonight at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden in the much-anticipated world welterweight unification title showdown, he no doubt will attempt to bolster that claim.

“I respect Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and the others who came before me,” Mayweather said. “I tip my hat to those guys. They paved the way for fighters like myself.

“He called himself ‘The Greatest,’ and I call myself ‘TBE.’ I just feel like I’ve done everything I can do in this sport over my whole life for 30-something years. I feel like I’ve done just as much in this sport as Ali did.

“I believe what I believe. (Ali) probably got criticized at one particular time when he said that he was ‘The Greatest’ and he felt he was better than Sugar Ray Robinson. I’m pretty sure one day there’s going to be a fighter that’s going to come along and say he’s better than Floyd Mayweather and he’s going to get criticized.”

At 47-0 with 26 knockouts, Mayweather’s body of work is impressive for any era. Could he beat Leonard or any fighter from a different era? It’s impossible to say. But if he beats Pacquiao, it undoubtedly defines his legacy, even though he rejects that premise.

“This one fight, even if I didn’t fight Pacquiao, doesn’t define my career,” Mayweather said. “That doesn’t make it. My legacy is 47 fights over 19 years.”

Many boxing fans believe Pacquiao has the best chance of anyone in the past few years to hand Mayweather his first professional loss. Mayweather said people can believe what they want.

“I’m more calculated,” he said. “I truly believe I’m the smarter fighter. (Pacquiao) would be a better fighter if he wasn’t so reckless.

“It’s a gift, and it’s a curse. It’s a gift because he’s won a lot of fights by being reckless. But also you can be reckless and get knocked out, and getting knocked out in a harsh way can affect you in the long run, as far as longevity when your career is over.”

Mayweather was alluding to Pacquiao getting knocked out in the sixth round by Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012, a fight Pacquiao was well on his way to winning before he walked into Marquez’s right hand.

“I know I can fight,” Mayweather said. “I know I can really dish it out because I don’t take it so much. If I was a reckless fighter who didn’t really care, my career would have been really short.

“A lot of times people were criticizing me for being a defensive fighter. But when I was at home (Tuesday) night sitting with my mother and my daughter, and I thought to myself, ‘You know what? I’m proud of myself.’ To be in this sport for 19 years, the main thing is I’m going to be able to get out of this sport and still be sharp and have a sharp mind. I wasn’t involved in a lot of wars.”

For Mayweather, tonight is almost more of a business proposition than an actual athletic endeavor. He’s expected to make at least $180 million — it could be $200 million when it’s all said and done. He sees it as a job, while Pacquiao looks at it as being an entertainer who needs to put on a good show for the fans.

“I look at things from a business aspect,” Mayweather said. “It’s just work. I look at it, it’s just my job to go out there and do what I do.

“When all my kids, just from this fight, can get $50 million each, I think I made a smart move. Five years ago, this was a $50 million fight for me and this was a $20 million fight for him. The money was to make sure that my children and their children were secure and they’re OK. That’s the most important thing.”

Mayweather has two fights remaining on his six-fight deal with Showtime. Tonight will be No. 5. He plans to fight again in September, and that’s it. No opening the new MGM-AEG arena next spring. No attempt at surpassing Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record, assuming Mayweather wins his two fights.

His father and trainer, Floyd Sr., would like to see him quit.

“I think he should quit,” the elder Mayweather said. “If you stick around long enough, somebody’s going to get you sooner or later.

“But that’s my opinion. He’s a grown man. He can make his own decisions.”

The younger Mayweather said his father was making sense.

“My father was right. It’s time for me to walk away,” Mayweather said. “We’ll just have to see how everything plays out (tonight). When all is said and done, I’m my own man. But my father is right. September will be my last fight.”

Mayweather grasps the magnitude of tonight. He knows it’s not just about him and Pacquiao but for boxing, a sport that has long lost its luster as a national obsession in the United States and has been trying to hang on to niche status during Mayweather’s pro career dating to 1996. Yet he refuses to allow the moment to consume him or dictate how he needs to act.

“I know it’s the biggest fight in boxing history, but I can’t approach it like that,” Mayweather said. “I’m never going to put any unnecessary pressure on myself. I like to approach the fight like he’s a fighter who’s extremely talented. But my thing is to just be Floyd Mayweather.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.