Muhammad Ali: Gone with the speed

The greatest boxer in history, Muhammad Ali, died in the early hours of Saturday, June 4, this year, aged 74, in a Phoemix – area hospital, United States of America, after having breathing difficulties. Ali, had also suffered Parkinson’s Syndrome disease for over three decades. May Allah grant his great soul Aljannah Fridauous. Amen.

I chose the above title for this article to emphasise Ali’s God-given incredible speed of fists, feet, lips, wit and beauty. With these skills, Ali was a phenomenon in and outside the ring. The whole world before and now after his death, has acclaimed Ali not only as the greatest boxer in history, but also a wonderful wit, dapper, diplomat, humanist, philanthropist and actor.

Ali entered our conscience with his never-imagined Technical Knock Out (TKO) victory over the heavily – favoured, monstrous Sonny Liston on 25 February, 1964 to become the youngest, at 22 years, world heavy-weight boxing champion. Following is my 74 birthday tribute (excerpts) to the king of the ring on 17 January, this year:

“I am a long-standing fan of Ali, from the time he burst on the world’s consciousness in 1964. I stole out (an offence that could lead to expulsion, if caught) of the boarding house at African Church Grammar School, Apata – Ganga, Ibadan that midnight of the fight in February 1964, while a form one student in company of some daring mates and seniors to watch the live transmission on Africa’s first television station (the now-defunct Western Nigeria Television) WNTV at a house near our school. That yet – to – be – equalled feat of Ali made good his boasts of “I am the Greatest. I will defeat the ugly bear (Liston)”.

“Muhammad Ali was born and named Cassius Marcellus Clay on January 17, 1942 in Loiusville, Kentucky, United States of America. He converted to Islam shortly after winning the world heavyweight boxing title in 1964. The world’s best recognized face was steered to his destiny by a theft incident. One day in 1954, aged 12, he had been riding around on his new bike bought for him by his father as a Christmas present. Also riding around with the young Muhammad, on his own bike, was Johnny Willis, his closest friend. A heavy rain terminated the two young boys’ fun on their bikes, and in want of something else to do, Cassius and his friend headed for an auditorium where the annual bazaar, the “Louisville Home Show”, for African- Americans in business was being held. They were attracted particularly to the show because the poster read that free popcorn and hot dogs would be served.

“By the time the two young friends thought they had had their fill and wanted to go home, Ali’s bicycle had been stolen! In their search for the bike, someone told the boys to go downstairs to the gym in the auditorium, where a policeman, Mr. Joe Elsby Martin, was training some boxers. They followed the advice. In the gym, Ali was told by the policeman/trainer to lodge a formal complaint, which he (Mr. Martin) wrote down.

“The future world heavyweight boxing champion boasted that he would “whup” the person who stole his bicycle even “if the guy is an adult”. The 12 – year old (Cassius) confidence made Mr. Martin to ask if he was a boxer or learning the art. But Ali replied in the negative. And according to Ali in his autobiography, “The Greatest,” as he was about to go, Mr. Martin tapped him on the shoulder and gave him an application form in case he was interested in joining the gym where they boxed every night, Mondays to Fridays.

“The sight, sounds and smell of the boxing gym excited the young man so much that he started to dream. Hear him. “I can see myself telling my next door neighbor, ‘I am getting ready to fight for the heavyweight title of the world, and coming back the next night to say, ‘I am now the heavyweight champion of the world!” It did come to pass! One thing did not just lead to another – determination, rigorous training, strategic planning and faith in God culminated into turning a young, poor boy to the man who would break all known records in boxing, if not sports history. Ali brought science, beauty, money and a yet – to – be – equalled dignity to the game of brain, blood and brutality called boxing.

“The generations who watched Ali “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” in the 1960s and 1970s would not dismiss his claim of being the greatest boxer that has ever lived. What about his beautiful poems and wisecracks which led to a professorship offer by a British University, and the uncanny predictions of the round his many opponents would fall. As a good sportsman and world champion, Ali, never in his career, hit his opponents below the belt or after the bell had gone. He was a decent boxer.

“Ali was the first and only boxer in history to have won the world heavyweight title thrice. He became a champion of human rights. His refusal, based on religious/personal beliefs, to be conscripted into the US Army to fight in Vietnam in 1967, with the famous quip, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong” endeared him to millions all over the USA and the world. His refusal and the eventual victory at the USA Supreme Court, which ordered the restoration of his title and the release of his boxing licence, to some extent, pricked the conscience of the USA and her eventual withdrawal from the VietNam war.

“In Ali’s former camp, posterity will record in gold, names such as Mr. Martin, the policeman/trainer, Angelo Dundee, Ali’s coach, Drew ‘Bundini’ Brown, the cornerman with the ready yells of “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”, Mr. Elijah Muhammad, Ali’s spiritual mentor and Herbert Muhammad, the photographer who managed Ali’s purse.”

Now, the peoples champ is gone to rest in heaven. But, his remarkable feats in and outside the ring will live with us forever.
Muhammad Ali, rest in peace.
• Oloye ’Lekan Alabi, D. Litt (h.c) is Agba – Akin Olubadan of Ibadanland