Muhammad Ali wants to set the record straight: He has not picked Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao, who are scheduled to meet in one of the biggest fights in boxing history on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"It was reported that Muhammad Ali picked a favorite in the upcoming Mayweather-Pacquiao fight on May 2. Muhammad Ali would like to wish both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao well in their upcoming fight," Ali family spokesman Bob Gunnell said in a statement given to ESPN.com on Thursday.
"Muhammad never offered to anyone his prediction, and information that was published earlier this week and picked up by other media is either a misquote or someone else's personal opinion. The stories saying that Muhammad Ali has chosen a favorite in the fight are false."
Earlier this week, TMZ quoted Rasheda Ali, one of the heavyweight great's daughters, as saying, "My dad is Team Pacquiao all the way!"
The quote was picked up by various media outlets and reported as being a quote from Ali, not his daughter, who claimed to have been misquoted.
"Muhammad has the utmost respect for both fighters, who will undoubtedly give boxing fans an incredible match," Gunnell said. "He believes the significance of this fight will rival other historic matches. Muhammad Ali will join the rest of the world on May 2 to watch this matchup."