A few weeks ago, ahead of his headline bout on ‘The Last Crescendo,’ Shakur Stevenson blind-ranked boxing’s top 10 greatest fighters. He didn’t hesitate to place Floyd Mayweather Jr. at No. 1. Revealing a lifelong admiration for the undefeated legend, Stevenson said in an interview, “Floyd is the GOAT to me.” That’s high praise coming from a three-division world champion. But admiration for Mayweather isn’t limited to those who’ve laced up gloves. Enter Andrew Schulz.

The comedian and actor recently stirred up a media frenzy during an interview with Ariel Helwani. Schulz didn’t just call Mayweather the greatest boxer. He claimed Mayweather’s dominance in boxing surpasses what Stephen Hawking achieved in science. That one-minute tribute has been making the rounds, generating both awe and debate across the internet. Mayweather, who’s never been shy about calling himself the greatest, noticed. His response? Short and classic.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. acknowledges praise from an unlikely source

“Thank you,” wrote Mayweather on his Instagram story, alongside a clip of Schulz’s praise. So, what exactly did Schulz say? The discussion turned to boxing when Schulz was talking about his favorite UFC fighter. Reflecting on the modern need for fighters to market themselves, he referenced Miguel Cotto as an example of a more reserved fighter who might have struggled in today’s social media-driven environment. “He’s like more stoic, quiet guy, yeah, and if you want to sell fights, you got to make some noise.”

Helwani then asked the inevitable: which he preferred – boxing or MMA? Schulz replied that if it’s the elite level, he leans toward boxing. Otherwise, without context or emotional investment in the fighters, he found MMA more consistently engaging.

“With boxing I need to be really interested in the fighters… maybe there’s something about their journey I really like… but if it’s the highest level, I prefer boxing,” Schulz explained. When pressed to name his all-time favorite fighter, regardless of sport, Schulz went with Roy Jones Jr., citing childhood admiration so strong that he even wore Roy’s signature boxing shoes.

But then, he paused and added another name: Floyd Mayweather. “Yeah, him and but also Floyd,” he said before adding the now-viral quote, “I think Floyd is the greatest great like I think Floyd is better at boxing than Stephen Hawking was at science…like I don’t think anybody’s been as great at a thing as Floyd has been at boxing.” He acknowledged Michael Jordan‘s iconic status but made a key point. Mayweather never lost. In a sport where the smallest mistake can lead to a knockout, Mayweather’s record is virtually untouchable.

From Roy Jones Jr. to Floyd Mayweather: Andrew Schulz’s Boxing Icons

Schulz marveled at how few times Mayweather was even in danger. He listed a few instances such as the fight with Zab Judah, DeMarcus ‘Chop Chop’ Corley, and Shane Mosley, where he got seriously wobbled. “That’s three mistakes in a span of 50 fights,” Schulz noted, highlighting how extraordinary that is in such a punishing sport.

He then described Mayweather as the perfect hybrid of athletic discipline and skill: “He’s Tim Duncan and Michael Jordan. He, you know he is Jokic and Anthony Edwards. He’s everything.” Schulz emphasized Mayweather’s early career knockouts. His dominance continued even as he moved up in weight and dealt with hand injuries.

The sentiment was clear: Schulz wasn’t celebrating Mayweather’s flash or persona. He was celebrating his craftsmanship, flawless execution, and mental edge. It’s admiration grounded not in emotion, but in precision and performance.

Is Andrew Schulz right? Has Floyd Mayweather set the ultimate bar for greatness?