Advertisement

Mike Tyson rips Floyd Mayweather over 'greatest ever' talk

LAS  VEGAS – Never one to holster an opinion, Mike Tyson had a distinct take – some would call it scalding hot – on Floyd Mayweather's assertion that he's the greatest fighter of all time.

Mike Tyson attends the fight between Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martinez on June 7, 2014. (Getty)
Mike Tyson attends the fight between Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martinez on June 7, 2014. (Getty)

In addition to Mayweather's humble line of "The Best Ever" apparel he regularly flaunts, he also famously said in the buildup to Saturday's megafight with Manny Pacquiao that nobody could convince him Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson – considered two of the greatest boxers ever – were better than him.

Tyson, the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history, didn't agree with Mayweather and offered some bold and maybe at times bizarre words on the current pound-for-pound champ.

"He's very delusional," Tyson told Undisputed Champion Network. "He can't listen. If he was anywhere near that realm of greatness with Ali, he'd be able to take his children to school by himself. He can't take his children to school by himself and you're talking about he's great? Greatness is not guarding himself from the people. Greatness is being accepted by the people.

"He's a little scared man. He's a very small, scared man."

For what it's worth, though, his opinion on Floyd Mayweather the person isn't clouding his opinion on the fight. In fact, he really doesn't have a lean either way.

"It's gonna be an interesting fight," Tyson said. "At first I took Pacquiao … you know, this is gonna be interesting. I know it's gonna be a good fight regardless of who wins. It's going to be a good fight, both guys are going to be up for this fight. I think it's going to be a knockout; I don't think it's going to go the distance."