In the opinion of WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs), many of the top fighters of the past are always criticizing and downplaying the boxers of today - because they don't want any of their past achievements to be surpassed.

Wilder was under fire last month, when he stated in an interview that was confident in his ability to beat the 1986 version of Mike Tyson, who in that period was in his prime and at the top of his game.

After making those comments, the first boxer to criticize him was former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

Lewis took to social media and basically told Wilder to stay in his own lane.

"I just heard Wilder said he would destroy a young Mike Tyson. My thoughts are that it’s easy to talk until you actually get in the ring. I like Wilder but he’s never been in there with someone that ferocious who truly wants to break his ribs with every punch. I don’t see it," Lewis stated on social media.

And then Tyson himself was approached regarding Wilder's comments in several interviews and shot them down as well.

Wilder says the two Hall of Famers should be praising and motivating the up and coming fighters - not downplaying the fighters that came after them.

"These past champions, what they should be doing is motivating the up-and-coming guys," Wilder said to Brian Campbell of CBS Sports.

"They don't need to motivate me because I'm self-motivated. They don't need to give me convincing. But these other guys coming up, they should start a trend. Instead of hating on these guys coming for the top or worry about their legacy getting run over for what they did in their era, that era is gone! This is the new era over here!

"They should be praising the new guys like the other countries, where every other former champion is behind their people. But in America, it's different. Nobody wants to see nobody become bigger than the one before them. Nobody's legacy is going to be passed.

"Those guys are subject to their own opinion. I don't get upset when guys come and clap back and say certain things. I don't get upset when Lennox Lewis want to defend one of his era brothers. Although Lennox fought Tyson way past his prime, I don't find offense for that and it doesn't bother me."