Comparing Floyd Mayweather to Muhammad Ali

I was watching Mayweather last week in the ring and afterwards,” said Big Steve while hitting a heavy bag at the Y in Glendale:” And I can’t help but to compare him to Muhammad Ali. They are both as fast as greased lightening and they both talk a lot of smack… What do you think?” Let’s start with the speed. Muhammad Ali was one of a kind heavyweight with a lightning fast speed in both, his hands and his feet. He glided around the ring and befuddled opponents with movement that was as quick as any welterweight fighter. “I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark,” said Muhammad Ali. Welterweight Floyd Mayweather Jr is faster. He claims that whoever you put in front of him:” They can’t beat me.” “Floyd Mayweather’s mouth moves fast, but his punches keep up with it and round out his attack,” wrote a columnist Kyle Skov in his recent prediction of Mayweather Ortiz fight. But it is not just his speed, but a pin point accurate punching and subtle movement that have opponents confused in the ring. Floyd says he is the greatest fighter ever. Muhammad Ali used to say:” I am the greatest; I said that even before I knew I was.” Both men boast quite a bit about themselves and believe that they are a special gift to sweet science. Both men have offended people. However aside from really hurting Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali had a lot of fun trash talking and asserted himself as a media darling predicting fights and having verbal duels with legendary Howard Cosell. Floyd Mayweather’s sharp tongue spares no one. He has not been able to endear himself to media and has a huge chip on his shoulder about not getting his just due from reporters; thus his recent blow out with veteran color commentator, Larry Merchant. Are they bragging? “It's not bragging if you can back it up,” said Muhammad Ali. Both men can definitely back it up in the ring. However this is where parallels end between those two. Muhammad Ali became larger than life when he refused to fight a war that he did not believe in and went to prison while standing up for his rights. Floyd Mayweather believes he is larger than life because he is his own boss and takes one hundred percent of the revenues, thus a new handle, Money Mayweather. But the biggest difference between Floyd Mayweather and Muhammad Ali is the quality of the opposition. Ali fought all the best heavyweights of his era and his destruction of undefeated George Forman in Africa became the stuff legends are made off. However every great champion needs some body to take him to the absolute limit of courage and human endurance. In that regard Ali’s name is forever intertwined with Joe Frazier. Floyd Mayweather has fought all the best fighters of his era, but he has been constantly accused of picking the right opponents at the right time, but more than that, Floyd does not have a Frasier to test his limits. Or does he? Muhammad Ali once said:”He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” Would Floyd Mayweather have enough courage to face his Frasier whose name is Manny Pacquiao ?