Muhammad Ali, who riveted the world as 'The Greatest,' dies

[evadgib]

As a child in 60's Britain we only needed three TV channels; Apollo was on one, Jacques Cousteau on another and Muhammad Ali on the third

My regret upon hearing today's news is that we were denied his humour for the last 30 years. Who can forget him putting ol' Cloughie in his place or prancing about like a mummy (demo of Foreman or Frasiers ringcraft) on Parkinson?

We shall never see the likes of him again.

Edited June 4, 2016 by evadgib

[ddavidovsky]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

My Mother said that there are certain occasions when, if you have nothing good to say about somebody it is so much better to simply say nothing. I think this is one of those occasions.

RIP Ali, thanks for all the exciting memories you gave me as a kid when as schoolboys me and my mates would crowd around the TV to watch you fight.

Quite. We have all of us done things we are not proud of and it is a little indelicate to bring up the faults of someone who meant so much to so many when his body is not even cold.

Here we go again, every time someone dies.

This is a news thread, not a chapel of rest. Not everyone thinks the same way. People should stop taking offence so easily.

[dereklev]

RIP Muhammad Ali, a man of principle and one of the greatest boxers ever.

Float like a butterfly sting like a bee.

[Credo]

Cassius Clay ! NO !

Absolutely shattered, only last night they were saying his hospital visit was expected to be short.

Very sad day

It was short.

[Suradit69]

Incredibly strong man in so many ways. I feel more saddened by his loss that I would have expected.

[kingalfred]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

not patriotic? Idiotic nonsense! Because he didn't fight in Vietnam and fought racism

[redfarang88]

RIP Muhammad Ali The Greatest sportsman ever. gutted

[neverdie]

Cassius Clay ! NO !

Absolutely shattered, only last night they were saying his hospital visit was expected to be short.

Very sad day

It was short.

Yes indeed, not what I thought they meant Credo.

[khomlong1]

Henry Cooper "He threw a few punches Harry" (Carpenter ).... R.I.P.

[Suradit69]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

Now if only we had a 'hate', 'dislike' or 'lower than a dog' button on here.

I don't like racists myself and Ali certainly was one:

: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man"

In the context of the time, it was an understandable comment. He, as well as all African Americans, were victims of racism. Since any meaningful integration was never an option for him or them at the time, you could hardly expect him to say that he dreamed about getting the chance to get up close and personal with those who hated him.

His life speaks louder that some out of context, cherry-picked comment made at a time when racism was even more divisive than it is now.

[sujoop]

He lost my attention when he changed his name Cassius Clay into a muslim name.

Trump must not have noticed that

@realDonaldTrump: Obama said in his speech that Muslims are our sports heroes. What sport is he talking about, and who? Is Obama profiling?

Pleased Ali was able to comment in this BBC report earlier this year:

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has criticised US Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from entering America.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35058601

Besides being a great boxer and athlete, Ali became a principled man and a goodwill ambassador who will rightfully be missed.

Edited June 4, 2016 by sujoop

[Nasrullah]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

He lost my attention when he changed his name Cassius Clay into a muslim name.

oh......diddums.......

[NumbNut]

Brilliant!

No Vietcong called me nigger... powerful words. Ali would have been famous if he'd only ever been a street poet.

[stevenl]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

Now if only we had a 'hate', 'dislike' or 'lower than a dog' button on here.

I don't like racists myself and Ali certainly was one:

: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man"

As AndamanAl said "My Mother said that there are certain occasions when, if you have nothing good to say about somebody it is so much better to simply say nothing. I think this is one of those occasions.".

[Kabula]

Rest in peace Champ...

Your pain and struggle has finally ceased.

Thanks for all the great entertainment and very hard work over the years.

[johnmell]

This guy made us all interested in boxing in the 1960,s and 1970,s.Everyone stayed up to watch his fights on TV in the UK.. Seems that he was more appreciated here than by US citizens , from what I gather , because of the Vietnam war, and his conversion to Islam.

[Mark T]

That he rose again after the political incarceration and took on all the best (and to date some of his opponents then are still household names today) and beat them all, he indeed is the Champ. Now his weary body deserves his rest from the ravages of Parkinson's. I sincerely believe, to be the man, you have to beat this Man, period! Ric Flair must have indeed have Ali in his mind whn he chose to quote the Champion's mantra!

Rest in Peace, Champ. There will never be another one like you ever again!

Edited June 4, 2016 by Mark T

[coma]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

Now if only we had a 'hate', 'dislike' or 'lower than a dog' button on here.

I don't like racists myself and Ali certainly was one:

: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man"

If he was white, everybody would be calling him a racist. But he wasn't so in most people's eyes he was not. Sad world.

[piersbeckett]

For me Jon Rooney/AP in his long piece on the death of Mohammad Ali for NBC News today makes a most pertinent observation when he writes,' Ali was an anti-establishment showman who transcended borders, barriers, race and religion. His fights against other men became spectacles but he embodied much greater battles.'

[piersbeckett]

For me Jon Rooney/AP in his long piece on the death of Mohammad Ali for NBC News today makes a most pertinent observation when he writes,' Ali was an anti-establishment showman who transcended borders, barriers, race and religion. His fights against other men became spectacles but he embodied much greater battles.'

[hgma]

Nobody can make the USA greater than he did in live , The Greatest.

RIP.

[NumbNut]

Remember him shuffling up to light the Olympic flame at Atlanta?

Really got to me to see him like that.

Vale champ

[Jip99]

A true legend and 'The Greatest' in his sport

R. I. P.

[reggaebkk]

Sad piece of news. Rest in Peace.

[Jingthing]

Loved the guy.

He was right about the Vietnam war.

He was right about the severity of racism in America.

Joining the Nation of Islam organization, nothing to love about that organization.

Since its founding in 1930, the Nation of Islam (NOI) has grown into one of the wealthiest and best-known organizations in black America. Its theology of innate black superiority over whites and the deeply racist, anti-Semitic and anti-gay rhetoric of its leaders have earned the NOI a prominent position in the ranks of organized hate

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/nation-islam

But he later left it and adopted more conventional Islam. Good move!

The guy just died. It's natural to avoid saying negative stuff at such times. He was a great boxer and a great man. But like all men, even great ones, not perfect.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Jingthing

[Maggusoil]

I've had few heroes as such in my life, but this man probably comes the closest.

Poet, philosopher, anti war campaigner who went to jail for his beliefs, sporting giant and great entertainer.

Hats off to a grand champion.

[Baerboxer]

A gifted athlete, and wonderful intellect and sense of humor, and a man of principle.

He made millions interested in boxing who had not been so before. He entertained people both by his genius ability and warm humanity which shone through.

He chose boxing but as Henry Cooper once said, could have excelled at any sport he chose.

There is much debate about who was the greatest - Marciano, Louis, Dempsey, Tunney, Ali, Liston, etc etc. A long list of talented boxers who in addition to opponents in the ring had their own life challenges thrown at them. Opinions vary, but for me Muhammad Ali was, and always will be, the Greatest. He had every skill in the ring and could keep people enchanted outside.

RIP to an inspirational legend.

[DM07]

The Greatest!

Always was- always will be!

Nothing more to say!

R.I.P. Champ!

[Mansell]

I am guessing that the negative posters were not alive during the early sixties when Ali came to the forefront of boxing and his stand against racism. In my early twenties in England I believed he would be killed for speaking out about the horrendous racism in the United States at that time. The white man did not like the uppity coloreds speaking out against them. I thought he was incredibly brave or very stupid. Now we all see he was very brave and refused to bend his knee to the racists. And standing up to being drafted was another brave move. If he wasn't a black man and one that bucked the system he would never have had his boxing license revoked.....they were taking away his livelyhood. Eventually he was the most famous man in the world, and deservedly. In my book he stands right up there alongside Nelson Mandela.....two men who refused to bend and set examples for the rest of. RIP Champ. Great memories of being young.

[NumbNut]

I am guessing that the negative posters were not alive during the early sixties when Ali came to the forefront of boxing and his stand against racism. In my early twenties in England I believed he would be killed for speaking out about the horrendous racism in the United States at that time. The white man did not like the uppity coloreds speaking out against them. I thought he was incredibly brave or very stupid. Now we all see he was very brave and refused to bend his knee to the racists. And standing up to being drafted was another brave move. If he wasn't a black man and one that bucked the system he would never have had his boxing license revoked.....they were taking away his livelyhood. Eventually he was the most famous man in the world, and deservedly. In my book he stands right up there alongside Nelson Mandela.....two men who refused to bend and set examples for the rest of. RIP Champ. Great memories of being young.

Great post mate