Rest in peace, Muhammad Ali

As a young sports fan in the 1970’s, Muhammad Ali was one of my earliest sports heroes. When you pause to think about that time as one of the great era’s in boxing, where the heavyweight division was stocked with many fantastic fighters such as Ken Norton, George Foreman and his biggest rival, Smokin’ Joe Frazier..Ali was the best of that class. The self-proclaimed greatest fighter of all-time backed it up with both his talent and charisma.
Two things I remember vividly. When he lost to Leon Spinks, it was unfathomable, like a Superhero being defeated out of nowhere. He was out of shape and it showed even the greatest can’t just show up and win if they don’t put the work in. Six months later, he turned back the clock and regained the title in the rematch with Spinks.

The other was his relationship with broadcasting legend Howard Cosell. Their exchanges were always so entertaining and TV magic. While Ali could have easily carried it by himself with his bravado and personality, he recognized what Cosell brought to the table and would kind of play the straight man here and there which only heightened the experience.

Two things that stick out to me today. To think he endured Parkinson’s disease for 32 years, I always still pictured him in my mind as floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee.

The other is that I wish the world could always be like the innocence of my youth and how sports could transcend race and bigotry in a time where it combustible. I was watching a great boxer and not even considering he was black and a Muslim.

May the Greatest of All Time rest in peace.