‘The Greatest’: Remembering Muhammad Ali

It has been seven years since the death of Muhammad Ali, a titan of boxing and one of the most famous people to ever walk the planet. Ali is remembered not just for his sporting feats, but also for his unwavering character, moral values, and the challenges he surmounted as a Black man during a time rife with racial tensions in an overwhelmingly white and Christian country. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942, Ali's life would be shaped by what is now known as the 'Red Bike Moment.' That was when 12-year-old Ali's new red bike was stolen and he found a policeman to report the crime-an event that would shape Ali's entire life. As fate would have it, the policeman Ali went to was Sgt. Joe Martin, a boxing trainer. Ali spent six years training under Martin, who encouraged him to learn to fight before seeking retaliation. In September 1960, after winning three bouts in the qualifying rounds of the Rome Olympics, Ali defeated Poland's Zbigniew Pietrzykowski to win the light heavyweight gold medal at the young age of 18. Four years later, he dethroned Sonny Liston in Miami to win his first world heavyweight boxing title, marking his arrival on the world stage. In the same year, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, asserting that his previous name was a 'white man's name, a slave name.' - 'GREATEST OF ALL TIME' Like many around the world, Turkish boxer Caner Sayak, a former world silver medalist in the light heavyweight category, regards Ali as the 'greatest of all time.' 'I'm often asked if Ali would be as successful if he were to fight nowadays,' Sayak told Anadolu. 'He was the greatest of all time, not just his era. Mike Tyson also confirmed this. Sayak was referring to comments made by Tyson, who himself is considered one of the greatest boxers, in a television show alongside Ali. 'I know I'm great, but can I tell you something? In this situation, every head must bow, every tongue must confess, this is the greatest of all time,' Tyson said, pointing to Ali and drawing rapturous applause from the studio audience. Sayak explained that most of what are regarded as modern boxing techniques were first employed by Ali. 'He was the foundation of what boxing is today. Ali was the forefather of all those techniques,' he said. 'Back then, boxing was all about stamina and power. But Ali would strategize and shape his moves according to his opponent.' Elaborating on Ali's unique abilities, Sayak said he would 'set up his traps and beat his opponents when the bout was drawing to a close.' 'Ali only lost five matches in his career, and two of those losses took place when he was showing signs of Parkinson's,' he added. Sayak said Ali's attitude was another factor that set him apart from his peers. 'What made him Ali was not just his fighting style, but also his rhetoric. He would trash-talk, say that he's the best, and make his opponent accept his superiority before the bout,' he said. - ALWAYS A 'GOOD MAN' Sayak was also full of praise for Ali's strong character. 'He was already a good man before he converted to Islam,' he said, pointing to his stand against racism and war. 'Of course, after he converted to Islam, he was often criticized and blasted,' he added. Sayak also shared insights about the inner mechanisms of the boxing world. 'In boxing, if you come to the forefront with just your skills, you are the best. But if you start talking about religion and politics, you are the worst,' he said. 'Ali started losing fans left and right. When we look at it, converting to Islam did not gain him anything. But nobody could stop him because he was the greatest.'