Marquez: ‘Mayweather Isn’t Going To Be The Best Of All Time Even If He Accepts Pacquiao Fight’

Four-division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez believes that Floyd Mayweather Jr. wouldn't be able to cement his legacy in boxing even if he fights Manny Pacquiao. According to Marquez, Mayweather has to excite the boxing public by taking risks in the ring rather than come out of a fight undefeated.

"Mayweather is not going to be the best of all time even if he accepts the fight against Manny Pacquiao, because there are other big fighters like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, who have demonstrated the ability to attack and take risks," Marquez said in an article by Boxing Scene. "They were making use of the moment, they were not overly defensive, those fighters, yes they can be considered to be the best in the history."

A quick look at Mayweather's resume and people will have a glimpse of the names that he fought, like Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, and even Marquez. However, the Mexican-American, who won seven titles in four different divisions, believes that those bouts are nothing but dull and boring ones because Mayweather didn't really deliver an explosive performance.

Marquez said that the boxing fans aren't really witnessing an exhilirating fight when Mayweather fights. In 2012, Mayweather came out with a bloody nose after his unanimous victory over Miguel Cotto and in his rematch against Marcos Maidana in September, Mayweather suffered a cut over his right eye from a head-butt in the fourth round.

Even so, Marquez thinks that Mayweather isn't really going toe-to-toe with his opponents. Marquez further lamented that Mayweather is not living up to the hype of a boxing event that he headlines because there are "no sudden exchanges, or no drama."

In an interview with Fight Hype back in December, Mayweather has defended his skills in the ring. His statements came as an answer to Pacquiao's Twitter rant, claiming that he doesn't have the ability to take on a slugfest with the Filipino.

"What's so crazy is they're always talking about Floyd Mayweather fights are boring," Mayweather said. "I mean, it's an art and last time I checked, I'm an artist and I paint a beautiful picture, a bloody mouth, a bloody nose, cut lip, broken ribs; that's not beautiful on me."

To contact the author of this article, email r.corpuz@IBTimes.com.au.