Floyd claims he is better than Muhammad Ali

Floyd Mayweather Junior has never lacked confidence and now he claims he is better than Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson.

The outspoken Mayweather has won all 47 of his professional fights against some of the biggest names in boxing to lift titles at five different weights.

And ahead of his showdown with Manny Pacquiao on May 2, he claims this gives him the right to call himself the greatest.

"No-one can ever brainwash me to make me believe that Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali were better than me," he said.

"No-one could ever brainwash and tell me that.

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

Mayweather claims he is better than Ali because he lost some big fights, in particular his 1978 loss to Leon Spinks.

He also committed boxing heresy by questioning Ali's famous 'rope-a-dope' tactics against George Foreman in the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle.

"Leon Spinks only had seven fights," said the world's pound-for-pound king. "Never put a fighter in there with Floyd Mayweather with seven fights.

"Take punishment and let a man tire yourself out from beating you? You hit him with a few punches and go down and quit and you want to be glorified for that?"

Mayweather's comments are sure to antagonise many in boxing and Ali is regarded as the best boxer ever and Robinson as the finest non-heavyweight.