Comments Thread For: Nico Ali Walsh Rejects Talk of 'Money-Grab' Fights in Crossover Boxing: This Legacy is Bigger Than Me

[richardt]

He says the legacy is bigger than him but he is NO legacy, he is nothing more than a decent club fighter and if he is not fighting for money, then how can he be fighting for a legacy that he is not capable of enhancing???

[famicommander]

He says the legacy is bigger than him but he is NO legacy, he is nothing more than a decent club fighter and if he is not fighting for money, then how can he be fighting for a legacy that he is not capable of enhancing???

For the third time in this thread, his family is full of fighters and martial artists. Two grandparents, two uncles, an aunt, his brother, himself. All pro or amateur boxers or MMA fighters or high level black belts. All of them achieved different levels of success but the point is they all respected their sport/martial art and made an honest run to the best of their ability. Nobody remembers Rahman Ali's career but it was still important to him, and the rest of the Ali family remembers and respects it.

Put yourself in Nico's shoes. Your grandpa and aunt are hall of fame boxers. Your grandpa's brother was a journeyman pro heavyweight boxer. Your brother is an amateur MMA guy, your uncle was a pro MMA guy. Your grandma is a badass 3rd degree black belt. What do you think he'd be likely to want to do with his life given that context? He's a smart kid, he knows he'll never achieve what Muhammad or Laila did. But nobody ever accused Rahman of tarnishing Muhammad's legacy with his mediocrity. Rahman has lived a fulfilling and interesting life on his own terms. What's wrong with Nico doing that and making boxing part of his story?

To him, respecting the sport and carrying himself well and trying his best is what it means to enhance his family's legacy. And his family's legacy is more than just Muhammad's career.

[nghtmr111]

For the third time in this thread, his family is full of fighters and martial artists. Two grandparents, two uncles, an aunt, his brother, himself. All pro or amateur boxers or MMA fighters or high level black belts. All of them achieved different levels of success but the point is they all respected their sport/martial art and made an honest run to the best of their ability. Nobody remembers Rahman Ali's career but it was still important to him, and the rest of the Ali family remembers and respects it.

Put yourself in Nico's shoes. Your grandpa and aunt are hall of fame boxers. Your grandpa's brother was a journeyman pro heavyweight boxer. Your brother is an amateur MMA guy, your uncle was a pro MMA guy. Your grandma is a badass 3rd degree black belt. What do you think he'd be likely to want to do with his life given that context? He's a smart kid, he knows he'll never achieve what Muhammad or Laila did. But nobody ever accused Rahman of tarnishing Muhammad's legacy with his mediocrity. Rahman has lived a fulfilling and interesting life on his own terms. What's wrong with Nico doing that and making boxing part of his story?

To him, respecting the sport and carrying himself well and trying his best is what it means to enhance his family's legacy. And his family's legacy is more than just Muhammad's career.

EXACTLY THIS. It's kinda weird the hate he gets. He may never be known for anything other than his name, but he's putting the work in. He's had good activity. I don't think anything he's doing is disrespecting the name. How can he not give this a shot being around a bloodline of fighters, and the grandson of an absolute GREAT?

It's possible he will never get to world level, but he's putting in the work and has a great attitude. I don't get the disrespect or the hate.

People have literally said he should give up or quit while he's ahead....

What would any of these people do if they had his bloodline? Grandson of a great? No one hear will ever be in a position like his.

I wish him all the best.

[Southpawology]

Im not sure if anyone is aware of this but this kid is Muhammd Ali’s grandson.

[deathofaclown]

We'll see

easy to say that now while you're getting fed bums on televised cards.

Wait until the fights get harder and your limited ability is looking like it may not be enough to make millions in real boxing, then I think cashing out your name in crossover boxing will start looking very appealing.

Good luck to him. I just think his stance on this may change over time...
.

[hhh1200]

Should be doing MMA with his brother which requires less skill to get to the top given you can have a ,500 record and still be considered elite. Just a suggestion before he gets put through the ropes like Michael Conlan, the guy I compare him too. He is more Walsh than Ali.

[Theshotyoudontsee]

Nico Ali Walsh is his name. He shouldn't have to hide from that. Muhammad is not the only fighter in their family and they had varying levels of success:
Rahman Ali (Muhammad's brother, Nico's granduncle) was a journeyman pro heavyweight boxer.
Laila Ali (Muhammad's daughter, Nico's aunt) is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Khalilah Ali (Muhammad's ex-wife, Nico's grandmother) is a third degree black belt in Karate
Biaggio Ali Walsh (Muhammad's grandson, Nico's brother) is an amateur MMA fighter who will likely turn pro soon with PFL/Bellator
Kevin Casey (Muhammad's son-in-law, Nico's uncle) is a former Bellator MMA fighter

He doesn't have to live up to your standards. He has his own idea of what it means to live up to his family's legacy.

I am glad he comes from a family of fighters. And I don't hate the kid.

You are missing the point. Let's say there is a guy working his way up the ranks. There is a shot he might get on a televised card and get some exposure. A decent payday, maybe a KO win. A big deal. But instead, that fighters gets bumped because of the Ali-Walsh reality tv series.....where people act like it is a big deal that the kid is related to Muhammed Ali. Even though he is awful, has zero shot of ever beating a decent fighter. It is a reality tv show. They show his frickin family through the whole fight.

Ok. How is that in any way respecting or building on the legacy of arguably the greatest fighter of all time? It is a sideshow and does the opposite. Then Nico is saying that he wont fight a crossover fight because it is disrepectful? There is nothing to respect. For it to be disrespectful, Nico would have to be a good fighter working his way up the ranks. He has already fought former MMA guys in boxing in order to make it look like he has talent.

I mean when did we start patting guys on the back and cheering for them because they have a famous relative? The situation in itself makes the sport a joke.

Maybe you know the guy, I'm sure he is a decent person. But it's cringe. And yeah, that is just my opinion. But in my defense, I'm more embarrassed for him than anything.

Like if my grandpa was Elvis, and I put out a really bad album. Than all the awards shows and late shows have me on with my bad music, saying, but he is Elvis's grandson!!!

It's like he is a joke and oblivious to it.

Hopefully I'm wrong and he unifies a few divisions and surpasses Muhammed.

[famicommander]

I am glad he comes from a family of fighters. And I don't hate the kid.

You are missing the point. Let's say there is a guy working his way up the ranks. There is a shot he might get on a televised card and get some exposure. A decent payday, maybe a KO win. A big deal. But instead, that fighters gets bumped because of the Ali-Walsh reality tv series.....where people act like it is a big deal that the kid is related to Muhammed Ali. Even though he is awful, has zero shot of ever beating a decent fighter. It is a reality tv show. They show his frickin family through the whole fight.

Ok. How is that in any way respecting or building on the legacy of arguably the greatest fighter of all time? It is a sideshow and does the opposite. Then Nico is saying that he wont fight a crossover fight because it is disrepectful? There is nothing to respect. For it to be disrespectful, Nico would have to be a good fighter working his way up the ranks. He has already fought former MMA guys in boxing in order to make it look like he has talent.

I mean when did we start patting guys on the back and cheering for them because they have a famous relative? The situation in itself makes the sport a joke.

Maybe you know the guy, I'm sure he is a decent person. But it's cringe. And yeah, that is just my opinion. But in my defense, I'm more embarrassed for him than anything.

Like if my grandpa was Elvis, and I put out a really bad album. Than all the awards shows and late shows have me on with my bad music, saying, but he is Elvis's grandson!!!

It's like he is a joke and oblivious to it.

Hopefully I'm wrong and he unifies a few divisions and surpasses Muhammed.

Every fighter has inbuilt advantages and disadvantages that are beyond their control. You can't blame them for that. An attractive fighter will get more opportunities than an ugly one. A heavyweight will get more opportunities than a bantamweight. A Mexican or Puerto Rican fighter will get more opportunities than a Cuban or Dominican one. A fighter from a relatively rich country has access to better trainers and sparring partners and competition than a fighter from a poorer country. A male fighter will get more opportunities than a female fighter. A fighter related to a famous one will get more opportunities than an anonymous fighter.

Everybody is dealt a different hand. The world is a big, random, unfair place.

ESPN went out of their way to play up the family connection and it was annoying but Nico himself is just trying to have an honest career. He's fighting other boxers at his level and he's making a go of it. What he's not doing is trying to pad his record with debuting fighters or Youtubers or celebrities. That's what he would consider disrespectful to the sport and he's not wrong about that.

[richardt]

For the third time in this thread, his family is full of fighters and martial artists. Two grandparents, two uncles, an aunt, his brother, himself. All pro or amateur boxers or MMA fighters or high level black belts. All of them achieved different levels of success but the point is they all respected their sport/martial art and made an honest run to the best of their ability. Nobody remembers Rahman Ali's career but it was still important to him, and the rest of the Ali family remembers and respects it.

Put yourself in Nico's shoes. Your grandpa and aunt are hall of fame boxers. Your grandpa's brother was a journeyman pro heavyweight boxer. Your brother is an amateur MMA guy, your uncle was a pro MMA guy. Your grandma is a badass 3rd degree black belt. What do you think he'd be likely to want to do with his life given that context? He's a smart kid, he knows he'll never achieve what Muhammad or Laila did. But nobody ever accused Rahman of tarnishing Muhammad's legacy with his mediocrity. Rahman has lived a fulfilling and interesting life on his own terms. What's wrong with Nico doing that and making boxing part of his story?

To him, respecting the sport and carrying himself well and trying his best is what it means to enhance his family's legacy. And his family's legacy is more than just Muhammad's career.

You're missing the point. He talks about a legitimate run which is not going to happen because he is nothing more than a club fighter. He lost to a club fighter and struggles with club fighters and only gets TV exposure because of his name. It is what it is, there is no Nico Ali Walsh story for the non-descript boxer. He makes comments like becoming an undisputed champ which is outright absurd and delusional as hell so you should not even wonder why he gets ridiculed.

[GBP4LIFE]

Split decision W against a random club fighter in Africa LOLLLL Give it up damn!!

Top Rank already has!!