Muhammad Ali, whom many regard as ‘The Greatest of All-Time’ in the history of boxing has died.
Ali was hospitalized Thursday due to a respiratory problem and was said to have been in fair condition, but Friday, reports were released stating the former Olympic gold medalist was on life and support, on the verge of death, and in grave condition.
Those accounts sadly turned out to be true.
Ali was born January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. His father was a painter, his mother, a household domestic.
He was introduced to boxing by Joe E. Martin, who not only was a boxing trainer but was also a police officer in Louisville. Ali was one of the most decorated amateur boxers of all-time, too, winning the light-heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, and finished his career with 100 victories and just five losses.
His career as a professional? Well, we all know the story there.
To this day, Ali is the only three-time undisputed heavyweight champion in history. He beat George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, and many others along the way. He finished his career 56-5 with 37 knockouts.
In boxing today, the dazzling hand speed is found in the lower weight classes. However, despite being a heavyweight, Ali had the hand speed of a Floyd Mayweather, a Manny Pacquiao, and a Pernell Whitaker – if not better. Do not forget the infamous Ali shuffle.
He was everything that every professional boxer strived to be – the greatest. He did it all, beat them all, and was loved and cherished by everyone around him. May ‘The Greatest of All-Time’ rest in peace for eternity.
-Ryan O’Hara/ @OharaSports
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