Boxing

Former Heavyweight Champion Claims He Is the Greatest Boxer of All Time, Not Muhammad Ali

Evander Holyfield compares his legacy to Muhammad Ali's.
Apratim Banerjee|
IMAGO / Sven Simon

Evander Holyfield recently claimed that his boxing legacy is greater than Muhammad Ali's. "The Real Deal" further claimed that he is the original greatest of all time.

Holyfield recently appeared at the annual Ring Magazine Award ceremony which took place in London. The event was a star-studded affair as Oleksandr Usyk took home multiple awards.

Holyfield is a four time heavyweight champion, holding the undisputed title between 1990 and 1992. Holyfield then captured the WBA and IBF title between 1993 and 1994.He then held the WBA and IBF titles between 1996 and 1999 and finally the WBA title in 2000.

Holyfield believes his achievements in the boxing ring rank him higher than Ali on the GOAT list. He said:

I’m the only four-time heavyweight champion of the world but they’re 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 til you break somebody’s record and they’ve not even said nothing about me. How do you cut somebody out of history? They keep saying Ali is the best fighter, no I am. He was three times, I’m four.
Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield has a professional record of 44-10-2. He has a dazzling resume consisting of wins against Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and more.

Ali, meanwhile, is often regarded as one of the greatest athletes to ever live. A master in the craft of Boxing, Ali's impact transcended the sport. Hence, Holyfield's claim is a sensitive one to judge.

The Latest Boxing News

Tyson Fury Announces Boxing Retirement In Shock Instagram Post

Mike Tyson Shares Take On Potential Roy Jones Jr vs Jake Paul Fight

Oleksandr Usyk Sends Classy Message to Tyson Fury After Winning Ring Magazine Award

Shakur Stevenson Gives Honest Take On Potential Ryan Garcia vs Devin Haney Rematch

Published
Apratim Banerjee
APRATIM BANERJEE

Apratim is a Boxing and Soccer reporter for On SI. He has been in the industry for five years, having also worked for The Sporting News, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, and more. After coming from an engineering background, he started pursuing a career in sports media. Apratim also holds an MSc. Sport Marketing degree from Loughborough University London and is a keen practitioner of social media and digital marketing. In his spare time, Apratim likes to play an array of sports and practice calisthenics. He is also an avid enthusiast of improving his martial arts skills.