Muhammad Ali Backing Manny Pacquiao

Floyd Mayweather talks trash and uses slick defense like Muhammad Ali did. But The Greatest won’t be rooting for The Best Ever.

Ali’s daughter Rasheda revealed to TMZ that her father will be rooting for Manny Pacquiao come May 2. Sister Laila recently refused to reveal her father’s rooting interest when TMZ’s camera’s came calling.

“My dad is Team Pacquiao all the way!” Rasheda Ali reports. “My dad really likes Manny. He’s a huge fan of his. He knows Manny’s a great fighter…but it’s more about what he does outside the ring. He’s such a charitable person.”

Pacquiao spent time with the three-time heavyweight champion on the occasion of his 70th birthday three years ago. But more so than the personal connection, Ali apparently likes Pacquiao’s conduct outside of the ring.

Whereas Mayweather’s team recently showed off on YouTube his fleet of cars, including a Bugati, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Rolls Royce, and the undefeated welterweight regularly displays his winning gambling stubs on Twitter, Pacquiao, on the other hand, has gained a reputation as very loose-fisted, particularly when it comes to the impoverished in the Philippines. Ms. Ali says of the underdog: “He’s such a charitable person.”

And Muhammad Ali appears in a charitable mood for forking over a reported $100 for the pay-per view. His daughter says he definitely will order the fight in which he roots for Pacquiao.

“My dad stood for things,” Rasheda Ali reasoned to TMZ. “Mayweather…I don’t think there’s a comparison.”