Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be the pound-for-pound king of boxing, with the one of the biggest fights of his storied career coming in a few short weeks, but former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva isn't impressed.
Silva, who was recently knocked out by up-and-coming fighter Chris Weidman after 16 consecutive victories, including 10 title defenses, was asked repeatedly for his thoughts on Mayweather during a Sirius XM radio interview. After dodging a few times, and pretending he wasn't aware of who "Money" Mayweather is, then called him Papa Smurf before finally relenting. "I no respect Mayweather," the Brazilian legend admitted.
Silva explained why, referencing his respect for the sport of boxing, and Mayweather's role in boxing history. He then said that Mayweather doesn't respect him, or anything, so he can't return that sentiment.
Boxing and mixed martial arts have long been considered rival sports, despite the fact that boxing is an integral part of mixed martial arts. In the imagined battle for combat sports supremacy, boxing plays the role of the old, stodgy, stuck-in-its-ways guard, while MMA, and specifically Ultimate Fighting Championship is brash and new.
Many of the complaints about the sport of boxing today, the politics and failure of the best to fight the best, are absent in UFC. However, UFC struggles with the perception of more severe brutality, which can turn off potential viewers.
Regardless, Silva knows Mayweather's position. For years before his most recent defeat, Silva was the pound-for-pound top dog in the UFC and the sport's unquestioned best.
Perhaps that is why Mayweather's dismissal of him in July may still be sticking in Silva's craw. In July Mayweather was asked what he thought of Silva, and his reign of terror over the UFC. Mayweather responded, "I don't know that guy. Tell me, he's been at the top for 17 years? Seventeen? Half a decade more to go, then talk to me."
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