Boxing: Floyd Mayweather Believes Lennox Lewis Would Have Beaten Prime Muhammad Ali

Ashley is a Sports Journalism student currently attending Southampton Solent University.

His writing background includes contributions to 90min and WhatCulture before joining GiveMeSport in 2025.

He is a fan of many sports, most notably WWE and tennis, having watched the 'Ruthless Aggression' and 'Big Four' eras from a young age.

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Former professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr left no doubt about who he believes could beat the legendary Muhammad Ali if they had crossed paths in the ring.

Boasting a perfect professional record of 50-0, Mayweather is perhaps one of the few people whose opinion carries significant weight, with his ring IQ and defensive wit foiling many opponents over the years who sought to blemish that statistic.

Ali, of course, needs no introduction. Over his 21-year career, "The Greatest" was part of some of the most iconic match-ups of the '60s and '70s, from his legendary "Fight of the Century" against Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden, to "The Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman, and "The Thrilla in Manila."

The title of greatest was well-earned: 61 total fights and 56 wins, attributed to his float like a butterfly mantra of dancing around his opponents and an explosive jab. Few, as time had shown, had the answer when they faced the heavyweight.

"Money" Mayweather, however, who last fought professionally against Conor McGregor in August 2017, seems to know who could have inflicted a hypothetical sixth career loss had they been boxing at the same time, even in his prime: Lennox Lewis.

In a viral video of 'Winner Stays On' for the Daily Mail, Mayweather was asked who he would back to come out on top in numerous dream match-ups. When Lewis vs Tyson Fury was brought up in the penultimate dream match, the 49-year-old hardly hesitated in giving the three-time world champion his favour.

The same could not be said when the question of Lennox Lewis vs Muhammad Ali followed; and after a lengthy pause to consider his answer, he once more chose Lewis.

Viewed as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time in his own right, "The Lion" would be no small task for Ali to contend with had they gone toe-to-toe. An undisputed champion after unifying the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles in 1999.

Defeating some standout names over the course of his career, such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Vitali Klitschko, his pedigree as a fighter who could take on the very best and walk away victorious, no doubt played its part in Mayweather's decision.