Muhammad Ali is Set For a Final Farewell in The UK
By Terence Dooley
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali is set to visit the UK one last time in order to say goodbye to the land that recognized him as champion when the rest of the world had turned its back on him. Ali was stripped in 1967 for failing to sign up for the Vietnam War effort; the UK continued to recognize him as champion until 1970. Ali is going to repay this recognition by appearing at fund-raising dinners in Stoke, Manchester, and London.
Ali, now 67, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984; his physician has told him that he will soon be unfit for travel; consequently, his wife Lonnie decided to bring him over to the UK for a farewell tour.
Ali spoke to the Daily Mirror about his love for the UK. “The UK is very close to my heart. I want to visit one last time not only to raise awareness and funds for the Muhammad Ali Centre, but also to say goodbye in person to such a wonderful country and to all my friends and fans here, in case my health makes such a journey impossible in the future.”
Ali first fought over here under his original name of Cassius Clay, his opponent was Henry Cooper. Cooper floored Clay with a left hook in round four, but Henry does not like to talk about the incident. Clay recovered, cutting Cooper to shreds for a fifth-round TKO win.
Ali returned here as champion of the world, cutting Cooper to pieces for a second time in 1966, he also handed defeats to Brits Brian London and Joe Bugner, who Ali, in a show of compassion, publicly defended after Michael Parkinson mocked Bugner on national TV.
Lonnie Ali, 52, paid tribute to Ali’s popularity here in the UK. “Muhammad’s popularity in the UK is legendary and he has many friends here,” she said. “Whilst this visit may well be his last, it will be a cause for celebration, not sadness. We’re looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and to garner support for Muhammad’s charities. We will also be assisting with children’s charities, which are very important for both of us.”
Ali won the world title three times, two of his title wins were for the one-hundred carat, genuine world title, and his third was for the hugely discredited, even then, WBA belt. However, Ali, in taking that third title, avenged his shocking loss to Leon Spinks, it should have been his last defining moment in a career characterized by courage, arrogance, and pure skill.
Unfortunately, Ali fought on, losing to Larry Holmes in 1980, Ali's only stoppage defeat, and Trevor Berbick in 1981, on a Bahamas promotion that was so badly organized a cow bell had to be used to denote the end of the rounds.
Ironically, Sonny Liston, a two-time Ali victim once said that, “Some day, they're gonna write a blues for fighters. It'll just be for slow guitar, soft trumpet, and a bell.” A cow bell in the case of Ali, whose later life was hit by the tragedy of ill-health and financial worries; still, his career had so many highs, so much to celebrate, and the UK tour is a chance for his fans on these shores to pay tribute to a bona fide great.
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