“He Would Have to Wake Up and Apologize”: Daughter Rasheda Ali and Grandson Give Stern Reality Check to Floyd Mayweather for Claiming to Be Greater Than Muhammad Ali (Exclusive)

In 2020, Floyd Mayweather made a bold statement claiming he was the greatest pugilist of all time, better than boxing legend Muhammed Ali, whom he placed in the 5th spot. Ali’s daughter Rasheda Ali and grandson Nico Ali Walsh spoke on the matter in the latest episode of the EssentiallySports FanCast.

At the age of 23, Nico Ali Walsh has successfully established his presence in the world of boxing. After suffering his first career defeat against Sona Akale in August last year, he has bounced back successfully, improving his record to 9-1. With his next bout yet to be finalized, Nico and his mother Rasheda appeared in an EssentiallySports Exclusive Interview where they touched upon several topics, one of which was whether or not Mayweather is a better boxer than “The Greatest.”

Rasheda Ali quotes Muhammad Ali to slam Floyd Mayweather’s claim

During an appearance on ESPN more than three years ago, Mayweather was tasked with selecting the greatest boxer from a list that included legendary names like Ali, Rocky Marciano, and Joe Louis. Mayweather promptly declared himself the top choice, citing his accomplishment of defeating more world champions in a shorter span and with fewer fights than any other boxer. While talking to Kenny Ducey for the EssentiallySports FanCast, Rasheda Ali gave her two cents on the issue.

In response to the question, she said, “I am going to steal my dad’s quote, the quote that he told Frazier, where he said, ‘If you whoop me, you’ll have to wake up and apologize.’ So I’ll just say to Floyd that if he thought that he was the greatest, he would have to wake up and apologize.”

Nico Ali Walsh had a less fiery answer. He believed that fighters have to think that way in order to be successful. He said, “I obviously don’t think he’s better than my grandfather, but I don’t know if he thinks that. I think when he said those things, I think that was during the Manny Pacquiao time when he was fighting Manny Pacquiao.”

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Giving Mike Tyson’s example, he said “Mike Tyson in his heyday thought he could destroy anybody on earth, that’s how you are supposed to think when you’re a fighter but when Mike Tyson got older, he became more humble.” According to Nico, once Floyd hangs up his gloves forever, he will possibly have a different answer.

It’s safe to say that, much like most fans, both Rasheda and Nico disagree with Mayweather’s claims. What do you think of Mayweather’s statement? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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