Former world heavyweight champions Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield have shared their sentiments over a possible showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
"Well, until you beat the guy, Pacquiao's the best and that's the thing. Floyd hasn't done that yet," Holyfield told FightHype.com. "When Floyd left, he became the best because Floyd left, but now that Floyd is back, I guess they have to get it on to see who is the best."
Mayweather held the No.1 pound-for-pound ranking of Ring Magazine until he retired in 2007. The title now belongs to the Filipino boxing icon.
Holyfield thinks that fighting Pacquiao immediately after coming out of retirement is not a good move for Mayweather.
"I don't think that would have been smart. I don't think he needs to fight him immediately. That guy is good," Holyfield said of "Pacman."
"I think he'll give Floyd trouble. He's got fast hands too, he's left-handed and he's got a lot more speed than pretty much all the guys Floyd has fought," continued the four-time heavyweight champion.
Talks about a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight gained ground after Floyd Jr. came out of retirement last May.
Mayweather was supposed to have his comeback fight on July 18 against Juan Manuel Marquez but he sustained a rib injury during training. The fight has been postponed.
“Whether or not he believes that or if the fight will even happen, we will have to wait and see, but I would like to see it," Lewis, meanwhile, said of the Pacquiao-Mayweather match up.
“I think Floyd’s got the talent to beat Pacquiao,” said Lewis, who was recently inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Lewis, a three-time heavyweight champion, also has praises for Pacquiao for his accomplishments in boxing.
“He’s putting the Philippines on the map and showing the world that the Philippines is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to boxing,” he said. “I’m glad they don’t have any heavyweights.”
“He’s a hero in his country and he could quit fighting any time now and become President,” he added.
Lewis said the Filipino reminded him of himself in the way he prepares for each fight.
Lewis and Holyfield faced off twice in the ring. The first Lewis-Holyfield fight in March 13, 1999 ended in a draw. Eight months later, Lewis beat Holyfield by unanimous decision to retain his WBC heavyweight title and win the WBA, IBF and vacant IBO heavyweight belts.
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