Floyd Mayweather has named five active fighters he believes belong among boxing’s top names - Shakur Stevenson, Devin Haney, David Benavidez, Keyshawn Davis and Naoya Inoue.
Mayweather, who retired unbeaten in 2017, was once the clear pound-for-pound leader himself. Since his exit, several fighters have pushed for that position, with Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk and Inoue all part of the wider debate.
Speaking on Come And Talk 2 Me, Mayweather praised Benavidez while also naming Davis, Stevenson, Haney and Inoue as fighters he rates highly. “Benavidez is a hell of a fighter,” Mayweather said. “We’ve also got Keyshawn Davis, and we’ve got Shakur … Devin. There’s also the little guy from Japan.”
Stevenson strengthened his case in January by beating Teofimo Lopez by unanimous decision to become a four-division world champion. Haney and Benavidez, both three-weight world champions, are also building their own legacies.
Davis is the most surprising name on Mayweather’s list, as he is yet to secure a defining win at the highest level. However, as the mandatory challenger to Haney’s WBO welterweight title, he may soon get the chance to prove he belongs in that conversation.
Image Credit: Getty Images