- Fight legend was one of world’s most-loved sportsmen
- Boxer, born as Cassius Clay in Louisville in 1942, had Parkinson’s
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Ali was admitted to hospital on Thursday with a respiratory problem – a move that was described at the time as “a precaution”. However, reports emerged 24 hours later which said he had been placed on a life support machine and his family “feared the worst”.
He had become increasingly frail since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1984, aged 42, and in recent years had limited his public appearances. Earlier this month his brother Rahman Ali revealed that the condition was so advanced he could barely speak or leave his house.
As a sportsman he will be remembered for many classic fights – in particular beating the fearsome Sonny Liston to become champion; the Fight of the Century and the Thrilla in Manilla against Joe Frazier, and the Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 when, at the age of 32, he surprised everyone bar himself by cutting down George Foreman in Kinshasa to regain back his title.
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George Chuvalo, one of Ali’s foes, was Canada’s first boxing hero, truly one of Canada’s toughest men ever produced from Toronto. His two fights with Ali (one held in Vancouver) were legendary, in that Chuvalo demonstrated toughness beyond the call of duty. Chuvalo could not be knocked out. In today’s world, most of you on the internet have big mouths, but you are not tough enough to step inside the boxing ring. Most of you could not go even one round with George Chuvalo or the great Ali. Our prayers go out to the legendary Muhammed Ali, (1943 to 2016), the world’s greatest boxer, ever, and an inspiration to a generation of blacks and whites, alike.
I met Ali once, he was signing books in a Vegas Casino.
He was very gracious, and his hands seemed so big !
Along with his boxing exploits, Ali also had a few forays into acting, playing himself in every one: In the Saturday morning cartoon I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali, as well as in guest appearances in episodes of Vega$, Diff’rent Strokes and Touched by an Angel. He was also featured in the DC Comics special Superman vs. Muhammad Ali.
Not a pennypinching con:
“In today’s world, most of you on the internet have big mouths, but you are not tough enough to step inside the boxing ring.”
That also applies to you in both cases, so don’t get all high-and-mighty yourself.
VancouverTVGuy wrote:
“that also applies to you in both cases, so don’t get all high-and-mighty yourself.”
Obviously, VTG, you know nothing about me. Why don’t you email me and find out more about me. before you shoot your TV mouth off.
I can assure you, you will eat sh*t when you find out more about my background in the fighting arts !
Not a pennypinching con:
Seriously? Ali was an Olympic gold medalist and three-time World heavyweight boxing champion – and I seriously doubt you could even hold his ring robe, despite your claims otherwise.