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My dad missed my birth to watch an Ali fight.
He was a coloured man, who moved to the UK in 1964 and Ali was more than just a sportsman but a hero to him. That was clear by the time I was born in 1973. At least it seemed that way.
Such were the stories I was told, that when I first saw footage of an Ali fight (and it was my first exposure to Boxing) I was suprised that he got hit at all and that all his opponents didn't fall meekly before his power.
And that was Muhammad Ali to a tee.
The legend was so immense that the man could never live up to it, no matter how great he was.
And by God was the man great.
By far, the best fighter in the most famous division, in the greatest era that boxing ever saw.
For those who compare Tyson, Ali faced down a bigger badder version in Sonny Liston, and despite dubious tactics from Liston's corner. Ali tore such shreds from the beast than he quit in his corner after 7 rounds, rather than face any more torture from the young upstart.
For those who compare the undefeated Mayweather, yes Ali lost
but Ali fought every few months and fought the very best, politics took his best years away from him and yet he came back and beat all time greats in fights he had no right to win. His resume speaks for itself.
So why is Ali really the greatest ?
Well mostly because he told us so, and it was just so dam hard to argue with him.
Where there better fighters ?
Maybe.
Where there better sportsman ?
Probably.
But there's only one "The greatest".
He changed not just boxing, but transcended the sport to become
someone that was simply unforgettable.
There's a reason Floyd Mayweather calls himself TBE, the best ever.
Because Muhammad Ali is, and always will be the greatest.
He was a coloured man, who moved to the UK in 1964 and Ali was more than just a sportsman but a hero to him. That was clear by the time I was born in 1973. At least it seemed that way.
Such were the stories I was told, that when I first saw footage of an Ali fight (and it was my first exposure to Boxing) I was suprised that he got hit at all and that all his opponents didn't fall meekly before his power.
And that was Muhammad Ali to a tee.
The legend was so immense that the man could never live up to it, no matter how great he was.
And by God was the man great.
By far, the best fighter in the most famous division, in the greatest era that boxing ever saw.
For those who compare Tyson, Ali faced down a bigger badder version in Sonny Liston, and despite dubious tactics from Liston's corner. Ali tore such shreds from the beast than he quit in his corner after 7 rounds, rather than face any more torture from the young upstart.
For those who compare the undefeated Mayweather, yes Ali lost
but Ali fought every few months and fought the very best, politics took his best years away from him and yet he came back and beat all time greats in fights he had no right to win. His resume speaks for itself.
So why is Ali really the greatest ?
Well mostly because he told us so, and it was just so dam hard to argue with him.
Where there better fighters ?
Maybe.
Where there better sportsman ?
Probably.
But there's only one "The greatest".
He changed not just boxing, but transcended the sport to become
someone that was simply unforgettable.
There's a reason Floyd Mayweather calls himself TBE, the best ever.
Because Muhammad Ali is, and always will be the greatest.
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