My earliest memories of the one and only, world-renowned boxer known as Muhammad Ali, goes way back to the early 1960’s when I was but a wee child. My family always tuned in to watch the loud mouth, fast talking, swift moving, poetry rhyming self-proclaimed ’’greatest boxer who ever lived!’’ In my humble opinion, Muhammad Ali is just that, THE GREATEST.
While watching a documentary on this man, born on January 17, 1942, it became quite apparent to me that there will never be another Muhammad Ali. He definitely is one of a kind. His ability to call the round in which he would defeat his opponent was uncanny. He is a man who is dedicated to fighting for his rights, and standing up for whatever he believes in. This fact is proven whether fighting in a boxing arena or in a political one. Muhammad would rather go to jail, before he’d agree to fight in any man’s army. I applaud his non-violent stance on this matter.
Ali became the Heavy Weight Champion of the World when he knocked out the unbeatable Sonny Liston on Febuary 25, 1964. He changed his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali days later, proclaiming himself a Muslim.Some of Muhammad Ali’s more famous fights includes the Ali-Frazier matches, the Thriller in Manila, the Rumble in the Jungle and others. When I think of Muhammad Ali, I always match him up with the humourous antics shared with the late great commentator, Howard Cosell. Their interchanges are priceless!
One of his famous quotes is ’’floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee’’...yes, to me that is my memory of Ali.
What makes Muhammad Ali THE GREATEST? In my humble opinion, he is a man with direction, who knew what he wanted and went out to get it. Without a doubt, if you looked up the word ’champ’ in the dictionary, you would surely find a picture of Muhammad Ali!!