Reopen the Case: Muhammed Ali

Muhammad Ali will forever be known as one of the most influential and successful athletes in history. Self-proclaimed as “The Greatest”, no one can question that Ali was an artist in the ring.

Some have gone so far as to call him the greatest sports figure in history, and his fans adored him both in and out of the ring. And he wasn’t just feared, he has also been loved by millions for his behavior outside of the ring, including the fight  against racial intolerance, his values, and his personality.  Both Sports Illustrated and the BBC named him the Sportsman of the Century, he’s received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, was named Boxer of the Year by Ring Magazine more than any other boxer, has been awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and received an honorary doctorate of humanities from Princeton University.

But is Ali just a sacred cow?

With many “heroes” who gain mass popularity, fans overlook some of the unflattering details, and there are those who believe that some of Ali’s bad behavior has been swept too far under the rug to protect his image.  If you look  closer, do you find out that there some problems with glorifying the great champion? Did Ali’s trash talking go so far over the line that  he doesn’t deserve his reputation, awards and honors?  

So which is it.  Is Ali the hero we make him out to be? or has history gotten it wrong.  

Let’s reopen the case.

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