Pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. believes the media built the legend of Manny Pacquiao, saying the Filipino champion is not really that good as publicized.
Mayweather, who's going toe-to-toe with WBC light middleweight champ Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez on September 14, said Pacquiao is only a product of media hype and he's never been near his level as the true king of the boxing world.
"You guys [the media] built Pacquiao up to this level, and said he was better than Floyd Mayweather....you guys did," Mayweather told Boxingscene on Tuesday. "I'm not pointing a finger at no particular figure. I'm going to stay in my lane and I'm pretty sure that Pacquiao will stay in his lane."
Pacquiao is coming off a disappointing campaign in 2012, bowing out to Tim Bradley in a controversial unanimous decision loss in June and then to rival Juan Manuel Marquez via sixth-round knockout last December.
On the other hand, Mayweather is fresh from a 12-round dismantling of former WBC welterweight champ Robert Guerrero last May. It's his first bout under Pay-per-View giant Showtime, which signed the undefeated American boxer to a lucrative six-fight deal contract.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is infamously held as the no.1 absentee in the Philippine Congress after skipping 60 out of the 168 days session.
Pacquiao, who was recently re-elected congressman of the lone district of Saranggani, had to make absences for his preparation in his fights while others were made without notice.
Pacquiao will return to the ring in November 23 to face former lightweight champ Brandon 'Bam Bam' Rios at Venetian Macau in China.
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