The world says a final farewell to boxing great, Muhammad Ali

[rooster59]

The world says a final farewell to boxing great, Muhammad Ali



The world has said a final farewell to Muhammad Ali.

Religious and political leaders, celebrities, sports stars and tens of thousands of other people gathered in a sports arena in the boxing great’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, for an interfaith service in his memory.

Ali’s widow, Lonnie, told mourners the family had been overwhelmed by the reaction and affection shown in the wake of her husband’s death, adding that he still had more to give.

“He wanted us to use his life and his death as a teaching moment for young people, for his country, and for the world. In effect, he wanted us to remind people who were suffering that he had seen the face of injustice, that he grew up in a segregation and that during his early life, he was not free to be who he wanted to be,” she told attendees at the service.

Among the pallbearers was actor Will Smith, who played the title role in the 2001 film ‘Ali,’ as well as heavyweight champs, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.

Stirring tributes were given by comedian Billy Crystal, journalist Bryant Gumbel and former US President Bill Clinton.

“I think he decided, something I hope every young person here will decide, I think he decided very young to write his own life story. God bless you my friend, go in peace,” said Clinton.

Fans lined the streets to pay tribute as the funeral procession passed on the way to Ali’s private burial.

The man born Cassius Clay died of septic shock on Friday, June 3. He was 74.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-06-11

[Rayk]

As the rest of the world was saying their final farewell to the boxing legend, Thailand was saying their final farewell to Will Smith.

[hhinhh]

The bigger the mouth the bigger the funeral. Anyhow finally he started something good: Erdogan was disparged as the other big mouth was not allowed to have his show there.

Edited June 11, 2016 by hhinhh

[Kabula]

And a draft dodger that made big money for the mafia.

While we served in Vietnam he was not well spoken of.

Tyson would have knocked him out in the 3rd round early in Tyson's career.

[Jingthing]

Some great eulogies!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3PoRO3Nkm8

R.I.P. to the greatest and the prettiest ...

[nausea]

A guy who made a career out of being a buffoon. Only way to go mate - at your time, in your place, with your talents. We never saw the real Ali. RIP.

[JetsetBkk]

An email from a friend:

I assumed I would have to wait until Jimmy Carter, 91, died before the outpouring of love and respect over the passing of a public figure would make me quite this nauseous, but, then, I hadn't counted on Muhammad Ali passing at the age of 74.

Ali was a very good boxer. Some have insisted he was the best, while others have claimed Joe Louis or Sugar Ray Robinson were better. For the record, let me confess that in my opinion, being a boxing champion ranks near the bottom of the list when it comes to human achievements. Even serving in Congress is one step up.

It amazes me that a man who refused to serve in the military could be regarded by so many as courageous. This is a guy who explained he wouldn't serve because "No Viet Cong ever called me a n*gger". Well, no Viet Cong ever paid his way to the Olympics so he could win a gold medal, either.

Furthermore, as excuses for not serving his country go, not having been called a name by the enemy is pretty pathetic. At least so far as I'm aware, not a single Polish American, Italian American or Jewish American, ever bugged out of WWII simply because no German had ever called him a wop, a Polack or a kike.

In his own personal life, he wasn't much better. He was married four times and had seven children. He had another two with women he didn't bother marrying.

Even after Ali was tested and found to possess an IQ of 78, (below 70 is deemed feeble-minded), he boasted "I said I was the Greatest, not the Smartest".

Although he was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., in honor of his father, whose own grandfather had been a slave, at the age of 23, Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali and converted to Islam. One might regard that as peculiar, seeing as how it was Arabs who had been the major slave traders in Africa, the very folks who had put his ancestors in chains. But, then, I suppose irony is lost on people with an IQ of 78.

Not too surprisingly, Barack Obama, upon learning of the ex-boxer's death, said, "Muhammad Ali fought for all of us," going on to compare him to Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. Whether it comes to thieves or vile narcissists, it often does take one to know one.