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The Greatest: Remembering Muhammad Ali on 6th anniversary of his death

The Greatest. That describes Muhammad Ali in his simplest and purest form. Ali died six years ago on June 3, 2016, at the age of 74. But his legacy lives on to this day. "Muhammad Ali made boxing a worldwide sport," said Hall of Fame boxing trainer Freddie Roach. "He drew the fans in and brought more visibility to the sport and to humanitarian causes."

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That holds true in 2022. The world is still captivated by Ali. "He believed in his greatness," said former professional boxer and current world champion trainer Joel Diaz. "What made Ali the greatest fighter of all time was his character, his boxing ability," Diaz told Anadolu Agency. "He was a different fighter, a different breed. He had a lot of confidence in himself. He basically got in the ring with all the confidence in the world. His footwork and his mentality made him the greatest fighter of all time." Diaz knows firsthand how that confidence translates into success. He currently trains undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Dmitry Bivol, who in May defeated the best-known boxer in the world, Canelo Alvarez, to earn the light-heavyweight title. "Muhammad Ali was always an inspiration … his character and the way he presented himself … he was always positive." said Diaz. "A fighter that believes in himself in everything he does, and is positive … obviously, he's a motivation,"