I watched the first Ali vs Frazier match with my dad, just he and I. I didn't even know who was who, and referred to Muhammed Ali as Joe Frazier until the end of the fight. That's when my dad noticed I was confused, and corrected me. He was part of a special day with my dad, where we bonded over a sport. I rooted for Ali then, and ever since.
With father's day coming up, father's must realize how important it is to include our children in their interests if practical. That experience was priceless for me. But like me, surely about a billion people have wonderful memories of "The Greatest" and his influence, not only in boxing, but politically.
For those who don't know, through his visibility in boxing, Muhammad Ali ironically sacrificed his personal safety more outside the ring than inside of it. He took a platform with Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers (who were murdered) to fight for Black men to freely roam America and pursue prosperity, opportunity, and to love who they choose, and to be loved in return as other men do.
Federal laws are not always right, and often passed by very subjective people with agendas. This is the human factor. But Muhammad Ali proved that an unjust government must be challenged at all cost. All peoples of America have benefitted from his fight outside the ring, not just Back men. Reportedly, his heart pumped for 30 minutes after all his other organs failed. Probably because he knew his work here wasn't done. Muhammad Ali was more than a sports star. For those who don't know.
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