A retired heavyweight legend believes he was even greater than Muhammad Ali.
Ali is often credited with being the greatest fighter of all time, acting as an instrumental figure in the heavyweight division during the 1960’s and 1970’s.
His 1964 victory over Sonny Liston saw him become world heavyweight champion for the first time, before he would go on to make eleven successful defences of his crown until he was beaten by Joe Frazier in the spring of 1971.
Ali would avenge his defeat to Frazier several years later, just months before he claimed a historic victory over ‘Big’ George Foreman in ‘The Rumble In The Jungle’, becoming heavyweight champion once again in one of boxing’s most iconic moments.
Despite his outstanding career success, there is one fighter who firmly believes that he ranks even higher than Ali in the discussions for being the greatest heavyweight of all time.
In an interview with Seconds Out, Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield made no mistake in naming himself as the best ever as he plays down the credentials of ‘The Greatest’.
“I’m the only four-time heavyweight champion of the world but they are still talking about Ali when I broke his record. I’ve been the only four-time heavyweight champion of the world for 24 years.
“You can’t talk about it until you break someone’s record, they don’t say nothing about me. How do you cut somebody out of history? Now I didn’t even know I was the first person to be undisputed in two weight divisions, until Usyk did it.
“They keep saying Ali is the best fighter, no I am. He was three times, I’m four.”
Holyfield remains just the second fighter in boxing history to have won the undisputed championship at cruiserweight and heavyweight. This record was finally broken by Ukrainian superstar Oleksandr Usyk last year, over 30-years on from Holyfield’s incredible victory over James ‘Buster’ Douglas in 1990.
