Lakers star LeBron James is one of the NBA’s biggest stars. When it comes to sporting athletes, he is right up there among the best. Another phenomenal athlete, is boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather. Over the years, the 44-year-old has racked up one of the most iconic winning streaks, courtesy of his unmatched work ethic. When LeBron James was declared as the Male Athlete of the Decade by Associated Press, Mayweather did not take it too kindly.
The knockout king is known to always be up for a fight. Entering the 2010s, Floyd had an unmatched 40-0 record. After taking a break, he returned, only to continue his run. For the longest time, the world champion was the richest athlete in the world, and one of the most looked up to. Thus, it is only natural that he deserves to be rated among the decade’s best sportsmen. On the other hand, Floyd has lashed out at the list.
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Floyd Mayweather destroys LeBron James after recent snub
The important point is, Mayweather wasn’t ranked in the top-5 of the list either. For a fighter who was practically unbeatable for most of his career, the call comes off as harsh. James placed in first, while Tom Brady, Usain Bolt, Lionel Messi and Michael Phelps completed the five. And Floyd Mayweather, who gave the 17-time All-star his due respect, felt he was snubbed. Here’s what he had to say.
“I love LeBron James,” admitted the fighting legend, “but when we’re talking about Athlete of the Decade, that’s me. That’s me. Hands down. We talking about from 1996 to 2020 and I’ve never received Athlete of the Decade. At the top of Forbes and I’m my own boss. No Gatorade behind me, no Sprite behind me, no Nike behind me. You got to realize, these are billion-dollar companies. And we like to call it ‘placement.’ So if they paying—you get what you want if you paying enough. But if we going off just honestly, I’m the Athlete of the Decade. Of the last two decades actually.”
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It was a bold claim made by the legendary Floyd Mayweather with regard to the Athlete of the Decade. Who in your opinion deserves the award? Let us know what your top-5 list is in the comments.