He was buried in the Cave Hill Cemetery in his beloved hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Ali will now share eternity with Harlan Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
As a child, I can remember being in awe of Ali. He was the greatest. If you didn’t believe him, you could just ask him and he would tell you. I will always remember him as the first athlete to use “trash talk” as a psychological weapon. Ali’s legacy can be measured by the opponents he fought. For instance, he defeated Ken Norton, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and Sonny Liston. Except for Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield, I don’t think there’s many boxers who could travel back into the past and beat any of these older heavyweights.
I will give you an example of Ali’s toughness. Ken Norton broke Ali’s jaw in one of their three fights. Even with a broken jaw, Ali battled through the pain. I would bet that most guys wouldn’t continue fighting with a broken jaw. In June 1973, Ebony magazine referred to Norton as “The Man Who Whupped Ali.”
Unfortunately, Ali didn’t quit while he was ahead. I can remember when Larry Holmes demolished him in 1980. My brothers and I watched that fight. Ali resembled Peyton Manning in last year’s Super Bowl—tired and old. In 1981, Trevor Berbick defeated Ali; after the loss, Ali hung up his gloves forever.
In 1964, he converted to a Muslim group called the Nation of Islam. He then changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
In 1967, he received his draft notice. Ali deemed himself as a conscientious objector which meant he didn’t believe in fighting in a war. He refused to join the military. He said the Viet Cong never did anything to him.
The government sentenced him to five years in prison for his refusal to enter the military. A court eventually overturned the decision. Nevertheless, he was stripped of his title and suspended him from boxing. It would take him more than three years before he would fight again. Although some people consider him a draft dodging coward, I vehemently disagree.
I admire his courage because he gave up the prime years of his life and serious cash for his beliefs. Had he gone to Vietnam, he likely would have served his country without ever seeing a shot fired. Only a small percentage of soldiers will fight in a combat zone. Others worked in supply, administration and other support positions. Ali knew nothing of Vietnam or its people and didn’t support Americans involving themselves in Vietnam’s inner turmoil.
During the Vietnam War, Ali took much criticism for sticking to his beliefs. After he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1984, he spent the rest of his life doing philanthropy work and raising funds to battle Parkinson’s. He also taught people about love, honor, friendship, and family. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” No better words describe the legacy of Muhammad Ali.
Marc is a grandfather and longtime Clermont County resident. Visit his author page at http://www.lifewithgrandpa.com and blog at http://www.wisegrandpa.com.