Floyd Mayweather can be proud that he’s rated above rival Manny Pacquiao on the all-time list.
Mayweather appears above fellow boxing legend Pacquiao on a Ring Magazine ranking of the greatest pugilists.
Ring Magazine compiled a comprehensive list of the top one hundred boxers to grace the famous Ring Rankings through writer Cliff Rold.
Mayweather defeated Pacquiao in 2015 via decision. The fight came half a decade too late but netted both fighters a massive paycheck.
The event also remains the most successful Pay Per View in history, with over five million buys worldwide.
But fans on both sides of the fence, and neutral ones, for that matter, forever disagree about who was the better fighter and who held the best resume.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER
Holding Ring Magazine Championships at lightweight from 2002 to 04, at welterweight from 2006 to 08 and 2013 to 2015, and finally, super-welterweight 2013-15, Mayweather is widely considered the best fighter of his generation.
‘Money’ was also named Ring’s Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007. He won world titles in no less than five weight classes.
MANNY PACQUIAO
Pacquiao claimed belts in eight divisions. This fact gives his fans ammunition to put their fighter above Mayweather due to his accomplishments from a starting point of 105 pounds.
It’s an aging debate that will run for many years to come.
Running for President of the Philippines after retiring in 2021, Pacquiao was Ring Fighter of the Year in 2006, 2008, and 2009. Those were his best years and netted Pacquiao the WBN Fighter of the Decade nod for 2000 to 2010.
The Mayweather collision should have taken place that very next year. Sadly for everyone in love with our sport, it never did.
On the historic list compiled by Ring, Mayweather gets rated at six on the countdown, with Pacquiao at nine.
Let the argument continue.
Sugar Ray Robinson took the top accolade for his exceptional career. Heavyweight forces Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali came next to round out the top three.
RING MAGAZINE ALL-TIME TOP 10 BOXERS
1 Sugar Ray Robinson
2 Joe Louis
3 Muhammad Ali
4 Tony Canzoneri
5 Emile Griffith
6 Floyd Mayweather
7 Willie Pep
8 Ezzard Charles
9 Manny Pacquiao
10 Archie Moore
On how they came to this decision, The Ring explained some of the scoring details.
“Scoring for total points and peak points relied on a base 11-point scale (i.e., a champion and the top 10 contenders).
“A win over the champion of one’s weight class, in a title or non-title fight, was worth 11 points, a No. 1 contender was worth 10, etc.
“Losses worked in reverse. A loss to the champion was a one-point deduction sliding to 11 for a loss to the No. 10 contender.”
Read the complete list of scoring details via Cliff Rold’s story at The Ring.
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