Boxer claims he is better than Muhammd Ali

Floyd Mayweather has laid claims to be the best boxer in the history of the sports, even better than legendary Muhammad Ali.

Mayweather is currently training and preparing himself for the 'richest fight of all time' with Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, May 2.

Mayweather, who is widely considered to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, in an interview wth said that he is the best in the history of boxing.

"No one can ever brainwash me to make me believe that Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali was better than me. No one could ever brainwash me and tell me that," Mayweather told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.

"But one thing I will do, I'm going to take my hat off to them and respect those guys because those are the guys that paved the way for me to be where I'm at today."

Mayweather referenced Muhammad Ali losing his heavyweight world titles to Leon Spinks in 1978 when he was asked if he truly believed that he was better than Ali.

"Leon Spinks only had seven fights,"  he said.

"Never put a fighter in there with Floyd Mayweather with seven fights."

He further criticised Muhammad Ali's 'rope-a-dope' tactics.

"Are you going to tell me its cool to lay on the ropes and take punishment and let a man tire himself out from beating you," he asked.

"He's basically fatigued - you hit him with a few punches and he goes down and quits. You want to be glorified for that? Absolutely not, not me."