Manny Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum says comparisons between Floyd Mayweather and boxing legends such as Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson are "a joke".
In the build-up to this weekend's much-anticipated superfight against Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas, Mayweather told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith he believed he was better than Muhammad Ali.
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While acknowledging the pedigree of Mayweather, who is undefeated in 47 bouts, Arum said the 38-year-old doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same bracket as the sport's greats.
"Floyd Mayweather is an excellent, excellent fighter, a great technician, but to compare him to Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson or to Ray Leonard is a joke," Arum said, according to Sky Sports.
Although Mayweather will be the home fighter Saturday, Arum expects many Americans to throw their support behind Pacquiao (57-5-2), who hails from the Philippines.
"Floyd has megalomania, he believes that because of his accomplishments he rules everything he surveys and [can] do what he pleases," Arum added. "I think the overwhelming support of the American people is to Manny Pacquiao because of the kind of person he is. I think Americans really respect a religious man, a God-fearing man who really and truly believes in those principles."
Unsurprisingly, Arum also expects his man to come out on top.
"I am supremely confident that Manny Pacquiao will not only beat Mayweather but will beat him up and may very well knock him out," Arum said.