Muhammad Ali RIP

RobertKK

Just announced that boxing legend Muhammad Ali has died.
Aged 74 and had been in hospital on life support.



Source

LightsStillOn

Ah no Had seen some stuff on Twitter earlier about him not being well so had a feeling this was coming.

Cathy.C

They don't, and won't, make them like that anymore.

Rest In Peace. An amazing boxer and even more amazing man.

Cypher_sounds

Leaves some great memories.

BBC sport's personality of the century.

RIP Great man.

viztopia

While he may have been a good boxer i found some of his quotes overly racist and a white person would not have been able to say these things about a black person.

BBDBB

A unique character, he will be sorely missed

RIP

KevIRL

The Greatest. Sad news to wake up to. RIP

Felix Jones is God

viztopia wrote: »

While he may have been a good boxer i found some of his quotes overly racist and a white person would not have been able to say these things about a black person.

But, they were, and that was the problem

Michah

viztopia wrote: »

While he may have been a good boxer i found some of his quotes overly racist and a white person would not have been able to say these things about a black person.

He said some questionable things, in today's context, as a young man whilst being treated as a second class citizen(at best!) in his own country and at a time of great civil unrest. Context is important. I think he can be excused.

RIP to one of the greats.

Panthro

"I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want"

Rip to the greatest

Gael23

Heard last night it was only a matter of time.
One more all time great taken in 2016

Curly head

Rest in peace Champ. The greatest ever seen!

Odyssey 2005

He was a true legend of our time. Usually we only read about people like him. I think it is a happy release for "The Greatest".
Allah has him now...

mansize

Truly a giant of the 20th century.

One of the things that struck with me was his response post 9/11

This man took on the American Establishment over the folly that was the Vietnam war and was stripped of his titles because of it

As a boxer he was a supreme athlete. And was the most famous sportsman on the planet.

When We Were Kings will get a replay tonight

mansize

http://www.thenation.com/article/i-just-wanted-to-be-free-the-radical-reverberations-of-muhammad-ali/

In an era when self obsessed sports "stars" tweet about cars and money, his legacy as the Greatest looks ever more assured.

Pawwed Rig

One of the true icons of the 20th century. Sad I never witnessed him in his prime.

shrewdness

He wasn't just the greatest, a phenomenal boxer, he was so much more. He transcended sport in a way that no-one could ever do again.

Rest in peace champ.

SeaFields

What sh!te news to wake up too.

A fantastic character, entertainer and sportsman.

RIP champ.

OldRio

Some of my fondest memories are of listening to Cassius Clay fights. I would be allowed to stay up late with my Father (RIP). We would drink endless cups of tea and eat mountains of toast.
The wireless would be turned on and we would have to wait for the set to warm up. Then my father would tune it in. (BBC Long Wave I think) At the end of each round he would give his verdict on the proceedings.

Ali (Clay) was our favourite. Just an incredible boxer............and then some more. RIP and may your God go with you.

Wanderer78

Rip what an incredible human being

chopperbyrne

Very sad news.

One of the greatest sportsmen of all time, and a political activist,with a wit, charm and fast mind that nobody could match.

The flying mouse

RIP
A boxer and entertainer of the highest order and yes you were the greatest.

I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale; handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick; I'm so mean I make medicine sick. Muhammad Ali

realdanbreen

viztopia wrote: »

While he may have been a good boxer i found some of his quotes overly racist and a white person would not have been able to say these things about a black person.

He wasn't a 'good' boxer he was a brilliant boxer. His quotes were froma different era, not the sanatised PC era we now live in where people feel unable to speak their mind. His stance against the Vietnam war (at huge personal cost) was probably one of the most courageous acts by a celebrity in a generation.

dirtyden

realdanbreen wrote: »

He wasn't a 'good' boxer he was a brilliant boxer. His quotes were froma different era, not the sanatised PC era we now live in where people feel unable to speak their mind. His stance against the Vietnam war (at huge personal cost) was probably one of the most courageous acts by a celebrity in a generation.

Perfectly put. He was as brave outside the ring as inside.

The Greatest.

nehe milner skudder

2016 continues its murderous rampage

Foreign Sports

Terribly sad. His greatest battle of all was against parkinsons.

Ali at his peak debuting the 'ali shuffle';

mrsdewinter

Of all the celebrity deaths of 2016 so far, this must be the most affecting. I know nothing about boxing but he was about so much more than sport. He had to negotiate race (at a time & place when a misstep could be fatal), politics, religion... and then he had to live with serious illness for more than 3 decades.
I mean, what a life, what a man...

LuckyGent88

R.i.p will never forget the time he came to his "ancestral home" of ennis and I got to shake hands with the man. Even as a 21 year old I didn't want to wash my hand for the rest of the day. I felt I had literally touched a god!!

ebbsy

That lucky son of a bitch God now has Ali vs Fraizer 4 to look forward to...........

The_Kew_Tour

RIP

The Greatest

FrKurtFahrt

To me he was undoubtedly The Greatest - and in more than one sense. I could not help comparing him to that other black icon, Tiger Woods. Woods went and played in Augusta at a time when a person of his colour could not become a member of that golf club. I have no doubt that, not only would Ali have refused to play, but would have rounded up all the other golfers and demanded that they also down clubs. Principled, fearless, beautiful and hypnotic. I adored the man, RIP.

2011

RIP
The greatest, ever.

This still makes me smile

Welsh Megaman

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see.

RIP The Greatest.

FTA69

FrKurtFahrt wrote: »

To me he was undoubtedly The Greatest - and in more than one sense. I could not help comparing him to that other black icon, Tiger Woods. Woods went and played in Augusta at a time when a person of his colour could not become a member of that golf club. I have no doubt that, not only would Ali have refused to play, but would have rounded up all the other golfers and demanded that they also down clubs. Principled, fearless, beautiful and hypnotic. I adored the man, RIP.

In fairness, Augusta had black members before Woods played it, he wasn't breaking new ground there at all.

fatknacker

Anyone remember Clay Fighter? That was a rad game.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClayFighter

Winterlong

He truly was a great human. To see a once great athlete trapped in his body like that was very sad. Free now.

Ardent

Foreign Sports wrote: »

Terribly sad. His greatest battle of all was against parkinsons.

Ali at his peak debuting the 'ali shuffle';

I had never seen that fight. Perfection! Thanks for sharing.

c_meth

Michael Parkinson said he wasn't a nice man and was very racist.

Tilikum

c_meth wrote: »

Michael Parkinson said he wasn't a nice man and was very racist.

Joe Fraizer would agree.

Michah

c_meth wrote: »

Michael Parkinson said he wasn't a nice man and was very racist.

"He was a rock star". "A wonderful human being". - Michael Parkinson remembers Muhammad Ali.

BBC Sport.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Tilikum

Patww79 wrote: »

I never seen Facebook as mad with stuff, even when recent musicians died. Now I know absolutely nothing about Ali and don't like boxing, so can someone explain what it is? I defibitely don't think all the people posting social tributes are boxing fans either.

Ali was the world heavyweight champion. He refused the draft for the Vietnam war resulting in the yanks taking his belts & boxing licence off him.

Said he wouldnt fight a white man's war as he was treated like **** in his own country.

Something like that

Grid.

Very sad news....what a legend!!! R.I.P

ads20101

Not many people in sport can say that they were so influential in their sport that they influenced all sport.

A legend has gone

PropJoe10

The Greatest Of All Time. RIP Ali!

Superhorse

Great sportsman but it's always perplexed me how he got away with some of the racist comments he made about white people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVpfcq4pV5U#t=29

Disgraceful.

arybvtcw0eolkf

That's two gorilla's & a GOAT this week

Debil

Parkinson summed his attitudes up as "a philosophy of despair". It's quite fitting when you watch back the interviews. A man who manages to be incredibly insulting to both black and white people.

If you think some of the stuff he says is just the product of less "PC times" rather than the tripe it is, then you should go watch the interviews again. Lots available on youtube.

Tigerbaby

"no Viet Cong ever called me Nigg**."

God rest you, Ali. Being called the "Greatest" doesnt even come close.

fryup

he died a long time ago, if the truth be known

RIP