Why are we still fascinated by Muhammad Ali?

[CrazyAboutBoxing]

Few athletes in the history of modern sport can claim to have been, at the apex of their celebrity, known to the masses not just in their native land, but worldwide. Fewer still can boast of enjoying a similar standing almost 30 years after the last time they performed, and almost 40 years from that time when the world was at their feet.

Muhammad Ali is such an athlete.

It seems incomprehensible today that a mere boxer could command such worldwide fame that, a quarter-century after his final appearance in a prize ring, his image remains one of the most recognizable on the planet. Ali's does. Still.

In 2006, 25 years after an ordinary heavyweight named Trevor Berbick pummeled him into a final, dreadful retirement in the Bahamas, CKX, an entertainment licensing firm, paid Ali $50 million in cash for an 80 percent stake in his name and likeness.

[+] EnlargeIcon SMI

In his prime, Ali knew what to say and what to do at exactly the right times.
In 1999, Sports Illustrated named Ali the "Athlete of the Century." So did the BBC and GQ magazine. In 1996 he lit the torch at the Atlanta Olympics, his body quaking from the debilitating physical effects of Parkinson's syndrome, from which he has suffered since the early 1980s, and which eventually stole away perhaps the most instantly recognizable voice of the modern sporting era.

He has not managed to successfully put together a clear and easily intelligible speech in front of the major press in years, but in 2005 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award. In 2007, Ali received an honorary doctorate of humanities at Princeton University's 260th graduation ceremony. In 2001, Will Smith played the title role in the feature film, "Ali."

Clearly Ali retains a singularly strong hold, not only on the American sporting culture, but on the popular culture at large in much of the industrialized world, even after such a period of time has passed that reduces other mythic sports heroes to relics recalled only when dark milestones are reached.

The question that begs asking: Why? Why do we remain so captivated by Ali?


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http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing ... id=3535082

[elmersalsa]

Maybe because he was so entertaining and so much fun to watch.

I believe that the Vietnam Conflict controversy around him made him more popular than what we thought he was to become.

[raylawpc]

Frankly, back in the 1970s, I don't remember everybody being so ga-ga over Muhammad Ali; certainly not people in the boxing business. Yes, he was a heavyweight champion; yes, he was popular; yes, he was well-known; yes, he had a number of dedicated fans. But I don't recall an Ali "cult" of followers back then, or anyone being particularly "fascinated" by him.

I think this fascination with Ali is a product of the 1990s, perhaps due to nostalgia. As for me, I'm still not fascinated by him.

[BoxBuzz]

The nation had 3 tv channels and a love affair with TV so if someone showed up on one channel 1/3 of the country was "on the same page". A lot of unusual popularity happened during this time. Ali, The Beatles, #1 TV shows, etc. I really think it had to to with 1/3 of us all being thrown into the same mix at any given moment. Doesn't seem to happen to the same extent anymore.

[TheOneIsHere2008]

The nation had 3 tv channels and a love affair with TV so if someone showed up on one channel 1/3 of the country was "on the same page". A lot of unusual popularity happened during this time. Ali, The Beatles, #1 TV shows, etc. I really think it had to to with 1/3 of us all being thrown into the same mix at any given moment. Doesn't seem to happen to the same extent anymore.

How do you explain Muhammad Ali's popularity now, after thirty years of being out of the limelight, and in the rest of the world , that doesn't have access or only limited access to American television?

[Robinson]

I think Ali is a great fighter, did some fantastic things and
made the non fan stand up and take note of what was
happening in boxing.

It seemed that he became a pop figure and all that with so many
for so many reasons.

As for being exciting in the ring...for me personally...I do not
find Ali to be that exciting...he had some great moments but
I personally do not find him that exciting. Their is however no
denying his skills and natural attributes.

[BoxBuzz]

Well in that day and age unified "Pop" personalities could be forged. I do agree that Ali transcended most others in his mass appeal.

[Robinson]

And many without any knowledge of Boxing know him
and regard him without question as being the best ever.

I see many people buying Ali posters and wearing his face
on their T-shirts. Not boxing fans...just fans of the image
of Ali and the likes.

He is one marketable man. Though I fear none of the royalties
or revenue from his image, quotes and so on go to him...
they no doubt go to some smart manipulator of contracts
out there who is sitting on a gold mine born out of another
man's hard work.

[TheOneIsHere2008]

Muhammad Ali sold the rights to his image, or at least eighty percent of it, for $50 million...

[Robinson]

Ah good for him.

Thats more re-assuring. Would hate to think
he got a Credence Clear Water deal.

[Ezzard]

The nation had 3 tv channels and a love affair with TV so if someone showed up on one channel 1/3 of the country was "on the same page". A lot of unusual popularity happened during this time. Ali, The Beatles, #1 TV shows, etc. I really think it had to to with 1/3 of us all being thrown into the same mix at any given moment. Doesn't seem to happen to the same extent anymore.

Agreed, and pre-VCR meant that we were all watching at the same time.

The pictures were in colour and it was a golden age for the HWs; one that is still in living memory. Throw in the fact that Ali was balck and proud and the non-boxing media suddenly has an angle on the man.

[Ambling Alp]

Frankly, back in the 1970s, I don't remember everybody being so ga-ga over Muhammad Ali; certainly not people in the boxing business. Yes, he was a heavyweight champion; yes, he was popular; yes, he was well-known; yes, he had a number of dedicated fans. But I don't recall an Ali "cult" of followers back then, or anyone being particularly "fascinated" by him.

I think this fascination with Ali is a product of the 1990s, perhaps due to nostalgia. As for me, I'm still not fascinated by him.

Ali always was much more than just another heavyweight champion in regard to either ability or popularity. He was phenomonally popular in the 1970's. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated more than any other athlete until Michael Jordan came along. (keep in mind that Jordan had 82 regular season games a year while Ali had about 4 fights a year). an awful lot of people were fascinated by him when he was fighting.

He had a movie, a cartoon, an action figure, a song written about him. He was on talk shows, references were often made on comedy shows. Other athletes didn't have this.

He had more fans that Frazier, Foreman, Norton, any one else you want to name at the time combined. His televised fights were a big deal, even when against inferior opponents.

People that didn't follow boxing, or even sports knew who he was. My mother, who couldn't name 5 athletes, watched his fights and was a fan.

He was more famous than anyone in the NBA,NFL, or baseball in the 1970's. Everyone knew who he was.

It was never a surprise that many people in the boxing business didn't like them. He was unlike other fighters outside the ring and certainly wasn't a textbook fighter in the ring.

No, the entire general public didn't love him. However, a lot of us did. His showmanship, sense of humour, and greatness was something special. Boxing was struggling in the early 1960's before he won the title. Ali carried the sport in the 1960's and the 1970's. It's no accident that overall interest in the sport has been in decline ever since his retirement.

[Ezzard]

Another thing about Ali is that when he did his bragging it was funny... He pushed it too far with Frazier perhaps but many of the attempts to copy him today simply don't have the wit.

[TheOneIsHere2008]

Ali always was much more than just another heavyweight champion in regard to either ability or popularity. He was phenomonally popular in the 1970's. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated more than any other athlete until Michael Jordan came along. (keep in mind that Jordan had 82 regular season games a year while Ali had about 4 fights a year). an awful lot of people were fascinated by him when he was fighting.

He had a movie, a cartoon, an action figure, a song written about him. He was on talk shows, references were often made on comedy shows. Other athletes didn't have this.

He had more fans that Frazier, Foreman, Norton, any one else you want to name at the time combined. His televised fights were a big deal, even when against inferior opponents.

People that didn't follow boxing, or even sports knew who he was. My mother, who couldn't name 5 athletes, watched his fights and was a fan.

He was more famous than anyone in the NBA,NFL, or baseball in the 1970's. Everyone knew who he was.

It was never a surprise that many people in the boxing business didn't like them. He was unlike other fighters outside the ring and certainly wasn't a textbook fighter in the ring.

No, the entire general public didn't love him. However, a lot of us did. His showmanship, sense of humour, and greatness was something special. Boxing was struggling in the early 1960's before he won the title. Ali carried the sport in the 1960's and the 1970's. It's no accident that overall interest in the sport has been in decline ever since his retirement.

Ambling Alp

You're a tough act to follow...

If the Pope and Muhammad Ali walked down Sixth Avenue tomorrow, folks would ask who is that walking with Muhammad Ali...

He was unabashedly black when blacks were still living in a state of inferiority, trying to cast off the residue of slavery and Jim Crow...

He was the first American of notoriety to oppose the Viet Nam War and the United States government , putting his freedom and livelihood in peril...

So a bunch of boxing insiders didn't like him...They should have found somebody to beat him in his prime or even when he was well, well past it but not completely done instead of waiting for him to beaten by age and illness...

He fought three consensus top ten heavyweights, Sonny Liston, George Foreman, and Joe Frazier, winning five out of six against them, with three of those six wins occurring after his prime...As an aside he's the only man to stop George Foreman in eighty one fights...

Prime Ali is undefeated, Past Prime Ali has two avenged defeats, Done Ali has one avenged defeat...Only totally shot Ali has two unavenged defeats...

We can debate who the greatest boxer is but no professional athlete has transcended his sport like Muhammad Ali...

[TheOneIsHere2008]

Another thing about Ali is that when he did his bragging it was funny... He pushed it too far with Frazier perhaps but much of the attempts to copy him today simply don't have the wit.

He most definitely crossed the line with Frazier to his everlasting shame...But he has apologized and it was a long time ago...I don't see what more he can do...

[raylawpc]

Frankly, back in the 1970s, I don't remember everybody being so ga-ga over Muhammad Ali; certainly not people in the boxing business. Yes, he was a heavyweight champion; yes, he was popular; yes, he was well-known; yes, he had a number of dedicated fans. But I don't recall an Ali "cult" of followers back then, or anyone being particularly "fascinated" by him.

I think this fascination with Ali is a product of the 1990s, perhaps due to nostalgia. As for me, I'm still not fascinated by him.

Ali always was much more than just another heavyweight champion in regard to either ability or popularity. He was phenomonally popular in the 1970's. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated more than any other athlete until Michael Jordan came along. (keep in mind that Jordan had 82 regular season games a year while Ali had about 4 fights a year). an awful lot of people were fascinated by him when he was fighting.

He had a movie, a cartoon, an action figure, a song written about him. He was on talk shows, references were often made on comedy shows. Other athletes didn't have this.

He had more fans that Frazier, Foreman, Norton, any one else you want to name at the time combined. His televised fights were a big deal, even when against inferior opponents.

People that didn't follow boxing, or even sports knew who he was. My mother, who couldn't name 5 athletes, watched his fights and was a fan.

He was more famous than anyone in the NBA,NFL, or baseball in the 1970's. Everyone knew who he was.

It was never a surprise that many people in the boxing business didn't like them. He was unlike other fighters outside the ring and certainly wasn't a textbook fighter in the ring.

No, the entire general public didn't love him. However, a lot of us did. His showmanship, sense of humour, and greatness was something special. Boxing was struggling in the early 1960's before he won the title. Ali carried the sport in the 1960's and the 1970's. It's no accident that overall interest in the sport has been in decline ever since his retirement.

I'm sorry Alp, but I do not recall that kind of adoration for Ali. I do agree he was popular among his fan base and, because he took a stand regarding Vietnam, he was popular among the anti-war crowd and hated by some other groups. That he was a polarizing figure made him extremely well known by the general public, probably the best known fighter among the general public since Louis. I also agree that boxing was in the doledrums after Maricano, and Ali perked things up.

But if you look at boxing from the time of John L. Sullivan up through Marciano, and you will find just as many articles in the newspapers and magazines about Sullivan, Corbett, Jeffries, Johnson, Dempsey, Max Baer, Joe Louis and Marciano as you found in the 1960 with Ali. At the turn of the century, Sullivan, Corbett, Fitz, and Jeffries could hardly take a crap without come reporter mentioning it in the newspaper. I am working on a book about Jeffries, and I can tell you practically on any day from April 1899 to July 1905 where Jeffries was and what he was doing. Same thing from December 28, 1908 to July 15, 1910.

Abraham Lincoln was a controversial president, but popular in many circles, during his lifetime. Yet a cult-like reverence for Lincoln arose after he died. Same with Thomas Jefferson - the "Sage of Monticello" - after he retired. Few people called him a "sage" while he was president.

The same thing seems to have happened with Ali. It seems that an Ali cult now exists. Perhaps the reason is because of his disabliity, which makes him a sympathetic character, and because people who love our sport wants a return to the days when Ali helped make boxing popular.

[allworld80]

Because he is the G.O.A.T. 8)

[TheOneIsHere2008]

IMHO, the popularity of every former heavyweight champion, prior to Ali, was largely confined to North America and Europe...

I doubt Gamal Abdul Nassar, Indira Gandhi, Leonid Brezhnev, Anwar El Sadat, Kwame Nkrumah, Malcom X and Deng Xiao Ping would have entertained/befriended any other American boxer or athlete for that matter...And Muhammad Ali also met with Presidents Ford and Carter in the time period in question...The world was Muhammad Ali's stage...Boxing was his playground...

Muhammad Ali during the course of two decades met with the leaders of three superpowers, the leader of the second most populous nation, the leader of the Pan African movement, the leader of the Pan Arab movement, and the leader of black nationalism in the United States... That is the definition of a transcendent athlete if transcendent does mean someone who transcends the boundaries of his sport, profession, or occupation...

And that's confining the time period just to the sixties and seventies...

Boxing fans should revel in the fact that their favorite sport, not football, not baseball, not soccer, not golf, and not basketball , produced the most recognized man on the planet...

[raylawpc]

IMHO, Rocky Marciano's popularity as the popularity of many former heavyweight champions was largely confined to the United States and Europe...

I doubt Gamal Abdul Nassar, Indira Gandhi, Leonid Brezhnev, Anwar El Sadat, Kwame Nkrumah, Malcom X and Deng Xiao Ping would have entertained/befriended any other American boxer or athlete for that matter...And Muhammad Ali also met with Presidents Ford and Carter in the time period in question...The world was Muhammad Ali's stage...Boxing was his playground...

So we have Muhammad ali during the course of two decades meeting with the leaders of three superpowers, the leader of the second most populous nation, the leader of the Pan African movement, the leader of the Pan Arab movement, and the leader of black nationoilism in the United States... That is the definition of a transcendent athlete if transcendent does mean someone who transcends the boundaries of his sport, profession, or occupation...

And that's confining the time period just to the sixties and seventies...

Define "meeting with." I recall many of those "meetings" and I hope you will agree that they were little more than photo ops. I don't recall reading any accompanying stories about Ali engaging in serious discussions about world hunger or nuclear disarmament with any of those world leaders. I suggest to you that Ali was not invited to meet with these folks because I was a fabulous boxer. He was invited to meet with those communist and Third World Leaders because he was a famous athlete who took a stand against the United States, a nation which many of these Third World leaders viewed as Imperialistic.

Last Summer, I had the honor of meeting Chief Justice John Roberts and meeting and havng my picture taken with Justice Samuel Alito. But I wouldn't say that I "met with" two justices of the Supreme Court. (Alito did tell me he liked my tie. . .)

I would also suggest that every heavyweight champion of note since Sullivan has met the president of the United States. (Sully and Teddy Roosevelt were on a first name basis.)

[TheOneIsHere2008]

My friend, raylawpc, I would grant that most of the meetings might have more resembled photo-ops than true meetings but given the list that still indicates his global reach...And his connection to Malcom X was an intimate one and Malcom X is one of the seminal figures in African American history along with Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B DuBois, Booker T. Washington, and Martin Luther King...

Muhammad Ali was the first "in your face", unabashedly black athlete in the United States...He broke the mold...He told his people to throw away the skin lighteners and deeply ingrained inferiority complex , of which I believe there were more than one hundred on the market, and told them that "black was beautiful."

Also, the fact that these non-aligned leaders and communist leaders saw Muhammad Ali as something more than a boxer, as a symbol of a nascent black nationalism if you will, speaks to his transcendence...

The man hasn't boxed in nearly thirty years...He hasn't addressed in the public in nearly twenty five years, but yet his image still endures...

A little anecdote...Muhammad Ali and Joe DiMaggio (an American icon if there was one) were at a autograph show several years ago...Ali got up to leave but before he left he wanted to say goodbye to DiMaggio...When Ali went to say goodbye all the fans abandoned Joltin Joe and surrounded Ali...DiMaggio got so upset he walked out...

[Ambling Alp]

I really don't know where this coming from, raylaw. Were you living in a cave in the 1970's?

Not everyone liked him (though most did) some people didn't like the Vietnam stance (though some changed their mind on this) some didn't get his sense of humor and some people just didn't like his fighting style. However, virtually everyone knew who he was. You could show a picture of him (in the 1970s) to 10 random people and probably 9 would say it's Ali. I'm willing to bet that you couldn't do that with any other boxer before or after him and come close to that high of a %recognizing him.

And a great many really liked Ali. Even people that didn't follow boxing or even sports. Your right it wasn't "cult following". It was bigger than that. He was bigger than the President, the Pope, or any movie star. He was much bigger than any other athlete.

You really think Jeffries, Fitz, Baer etc. were as well known as Ali? Do you think the majority of housewifes, and people that didn't follow boxing knew who they were? They did know who Ali was. He was possibly the most recognized person on the planet when he fought.

The Sports reporters in the United States did cover boxing and boxers extensively in back in 1900 and the next few decades. Of course baseball was it's only real sports competition. This was before the NFL and NBA really emerged. However, Ali appealed to people that weren't even sports fans. I sincerely doubt if any of them would have been on the cover of Sports Illustrated more than the best players of their day had Sports Illustrated existed. That Ali was on the cover so often showed both his populairty and of course added to his familiarity with people.

He wasn't just "possibly the most well know fighter since Joe Louis". He was by far better known than other fighter since Louis and was better known than Louis ever was.

Some of that is because of TV, and some of it was because of Ali. No boxer since him has approached his popularity.

There is something in show business call a "Q" rating. It adds the % of people that are familiar with an actor to the % of those people that likes that actor. Ali would have had the highest "Q" rating of any boxer that ever lived. He is the "Babe Ruth of boxing".
When many people think of boxing, they automatically think of Ali.

This isn't revisionist history or nostalgia or anything like that. Ali was more well known than any boxer ever when he fought. I don't have the slightest idea how anyone who was alive when he fought would say otherwise.

[TheOneIsHere2008]

Never have politics and sports intersected so much as they did in the history of Muhammad Ali...The sad thing is those that didn't like his politics let it interfere with their judgement of him as a fighter...Ted Williams and Tom Seaver were stalwart Republicans..I am a Democrat...But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate their baseball skills...And many of his ideological oponents have come around including President Bush who awarded him the Medal Of Freedom and John McCain ,who languished in the Hanoi Hilton while Ali was opposing that very war, who now counts Ali as a friend and works with him on boxing reform...As former president Gerald Ford said " I give people the maximum benefit of the doubt when they take a stand predicated on conscience" and as a great sportsman he could appreciate another great sportsman...

Again, the ironic thing is many of those who opposed Muhammad Ali's politics came around because they saw he was sincere and he was willing to surrender his freedom and livelihood for what he believed...He rejected the easy way out of docile conformity and chose the much more perilous path of confrontation...

And , imho, and in the opinion of many others with infintely more knowledge than me he was the greatest or one of the greatest fighters of all time...The great Archie Moore said Muhammad Ali would beat Joe Louis four out of five times and he knew, faced, and studied both of them...Even his harshest critic, Mark Kram, who wrote the damning Ghosts Of Manilla wrote that Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson were the two greatest fighters of all time...

The Lester Brombergs and Red Smiths hated Ali because he proved them wrong again and again...Lester Bromberg said Sonny Liston would knock him out in the first round and Red Smith said after the so called FOTC that if Ali fought Frazier " one hundred times Frazier would beat him ninety nine times"...How wrong they were...They couldn't see his heart ... To beat Ali or any version of Ali that was near sentient you had to kill him and there isn't , imho, a fighter live or dead who could do that...If Ali listened to his critics he would have slugged it out with Sonny Liston and danced against George Foreman and lost all three bouts...

Ali was not going to be what others wanted him to be...

Too bad they can't clone him...Boxing sure can use him...How many people saw Mayweather -DeLaHoya? A million? Seventy million Americans watched Ali fight Leon Spinks in their re-match and there were a lot less Americans then...

He wasn't just "possibly the most well know fighter since Joe Louis". He was by far better known than other fighter since Louis and was better known than Louis ever was.


-Ambling Alp

Respectfully, some folks think America is the entire world even though it represents six percent of the world's population...We're confining ourselves to the 60's and 70's... Peoples in Uganda, South Africa, Kenya, The Congo, China, India, the Soviet Union, Indsonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, even Israel, etcetera knew who Muhammad Ali was...Not athlete, live or dead has ever been that well known...

[raylawpc]

I really don't know where this coming from, raylaw. Were you living in a cave in the 1970's?

Not everyone liked him (though most did) some people didn't like the Vietnam stance (though some changed their mind on this) some didn't get his sense of humor and some people just didn't like his fighting style. However, virtually everyone knew who he was. You could show a picture of him (in the 1970s) to 10 random people and probably 9 would say it's Ali. I'm willing to bet that you couldn't do that with any other boxer before or after him and come close to that high of a %recognizing him.

And a great many really liked Ali. Even people that didn't follow boxing or even sports. Your right it wasn't "cult following". It was bigger than that. He was bigger than the President, the Pope, or any movie star. He was much bigger than any other athlete.

You really think Jeffries, Fitz, Baer etc. were as well known as Ali? Do you think the majority of housewifes, and people that didn't follow boxing knew who they were? They did know who Ali was. He was possibly the most recognized person on the planet when he fought.

The Sports reporters in the United States did cover boxing and boxers extensively in back in 1900 and the next few decades. Of course baseball was it's only real sports competition. This was before the NFL and NBA really emerged. However, Ali appealed to people that weren't even sports fans. I sincerely doubt if any of them would have been on the cover of Sports Illustrated more than the best players of their day had Sports Illustrated existed. That Ali was on the cover so often showed both his populairty and of course added to his familiarity with people.

He wasn't just "possibly the most well know fighter since Joe Louis". He was by far better known than other fighter since Louis and was better known than Louis ever was.

Some of that is because of TV, and some of it was because of Ali. No boxer since him has approached his popularity.

There is something in show business call a "Q" rating. It adds the % of people that are familiar with an actor to the % of those people that likes that actor. Ali would have had the highest "Q" rating of any boxer that ever lived. He is the "Babe Ruth of boxing".
When many people think of boxing, they automatically think of Ali.

This isn't revisionist history or nostalgia or anything like that. Ali was more well known than any boxer ever when he fought. I don't have the slightest idea how anyone who was alive when he fought would say otherwise.

Actually, no, in the 1970s I was going to college, working as a newspaper reporter/sportswriter for a small daily newspaper, going to law school, working in boxing from 1972 to 1978 (and a fan well before that), Ring magazine correspondent from 1974 to about 1976. What were you doing in the 1970s?

If you will note above, I said, "I do agree he was popular among his fan base and, because he took a stand regarding Vietnam, he was popular among the anti-war crowd and hated by some other groups. That he was a polarizing figure made him extremely well known by the general public, probably the best known fighter among the general public since Louis." (emphasis added.)

I will agree that he is the best known fighter from the past today. But I will tell you that other fighters from the past - including all the heavyweight champions at the turn of the 19th century, Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis were equally well known in their day as Ali was in his. John L. Sullivan and Jack Dempsey were households names in those days.

Go to any digital newspaper archive on-line from the year 1899 to 1905, and then again from 1909 to 1910 and type in "Jeffries" name and you will be absolutely amazed at the number of hits you will get. The Library of Congress has the San Francisco Call available digitially (I don't have the website - sorry, its on my old laptop), go to that newspaper alone and you will pull up hundreds of hits. These guys were extremely well known.

My point to TheOneIsHere2008 is not that Ali wasn't well known or popular inThird World counties. He was. But not because of his boxing ability - but because he "stood up" to a government that many of the nations felt was Imperialistic or, in the case of the communists, were Cold War enemies of the US. I would suggest to you that if Wilt Chamberlain had taken the same approach as Ali, and Ali had remained Cassius Clay, it would have been Wilt Chamberlain who was invited to meetings with Gamal Abdul Nassar, Indira Gandhi, Leonid Brezhnev, Anwar El Sadat, Kwame Nkrumah, Malcom X and Deng Xiao Ping, not Ali.

I do disagree with you that he was hugely popular during his day. Maybe were you lived in the 70s, but in the Southwest, where I grew up, lots of people disliked him and he was despised by many people.

I do believe that many, many people - including people who formerly disliked him - are now fascinated by him. But I firmly believe he is more generally popular today than he was then. In the 60s and 70s, he was a polarizing figure.

I do agree that he was one of the top-three heavyweights of all time.

[raylawpc]

You wrote, "...And many of his ideological oponents have come around including President Bush who awarded him the Medal Of Freedom and John McCain ,who languished in the Hanoi Hilton while Ali was opposing that very war, who now counts Ali as a friend and works with him on boxing reform...As former president Gerald Ford said " I give people the maximum benefit of the doubt when they take a stand predicated on conscience" and as a great sportsman he could appreciate another great sportsman...

"Again, the ironic thing is many of those who opposed Muhammad Ali's politics came around because they saw he was sincere and he was willing to surrender his freedom and livelihood for what he believed...He rejected the easy way out of docile conformity and chose the much more perilous path of confrontation..."

And you know what, I largely agree with you. But that's NOW. How do you think John McCain felt about him THEN. How do you think Gerald Ford felt about him THEN. I didn't like him when he was fighting, but I have come to admire the dignified way he has handled Parkinson's. I freely admit my view has changed.

He is extremely popular now, and pretty much a beloved figure to many people. In the 60s and 70s, he was popular only if you equate popularity with being polarizing.

[TheOneIsHere2008]

You wrote, "...And many of his ideological oponents have come around including President Bush who awarded him the Medal Of Freedom and John McCain ,who languished in the Hanoi Hilton while Ali was opposing that very war, who now counts Ali as a friend and works with him on boxing reform...As former president Gerald Ford said " I give people the maximum benefit of the doubt when they take a stand predicated on conscience" and as a great sportsman he could appreciate another great sportsman...

"Again, the ironic thing is many of those who opposed Muhammad Ali's politics came around because they saw he was sincere and he was willing to surrender his freedom and livelihood for what he believed...He rejected the easy way out of docile conformity and chose the much more perilous path of confrontation..."

And you know what, I largely agree with you. But that's NOW. How do you think John McCain felt about him THEN. How do you think Gerald Ford felt about him THEN. I didn't like him when he was fighting, but I have come to admire the dignified way he has handled Parkinson's. I freely admit my view has changed.

He is extremely popular now, and pretty much a beloved figure to many people. In the 60s and 70s, he was popular only if you equate popularity with being polarizing.

Ali is a enigma...Professor Gerald Early in his introduction to the Muhammad Ali Reader tries to tackle the reasons for his immense popularity...He meets Ali and then writes about the absurdity of discussing religion with a prize fighter after Ali shows him all the contradictions he has found in the Bible as if the same contradictions couldn't be found in any other holy text...Then he goes on to discuss how when he was a young boy he had a bat that he inscribed on it Muhammad Ali's name and when he used that bat he became a great hitter...Then another boy used his bat and split it...He no longer had his Muhammad Ali bat and became a mediocre hitter...

Why do people thirty years after Elvis' death still make "pilgrimages" to Graceland?