Sad news: boxing great Muhammad Ali, also known as “The Greatest,” has died at the age of 74.
From The New York Times:
“Ali was the most thrilling if not the best heavyweight ever, carrying into the ring a physically lyrical, unorthodox boxing style that fused speed, agility and power more seamlessly than that of any fighter before him.
But he was more than the sum of his athletic gifts. An agile mind, a buoyant personality, a brash self-confidence and an evolving set of personal convictions fostered a magnetism that the ring alone could not contain. He entertained as much with his mouth as with his fists, narrating his life with a patter of inventive doggerel.”
Ali was also beloved and admired for refusing to be drafted to fight in the Vietnam war, saying:
“I ain’t got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me nigger.”
As a result, he was stripped of his boxing title, convicted of draft evasion and missed three and a half years of boxing in what should have been his prime.
For the last 30 years, Ali suffered from Parkinson’s disease, probably as a result of taking so many boxing punches. He died Friday night in an Arizona hospital where he had been treated for respiratory complications.
Let’s also not forget that Ali was a Muslim. He converted to Islam in the 1960s. As such, Donald Trump would have banned this hero from entering the country if he had the chance.
Tonight, Trump tried to forget that as he tweeted:
Muhammad Ali is dead at 74! A truly great champion and a wonderful guy. He will be missed by all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2016
Fortunately, BuzzFeed’s Andrew Kaczynski was on hand to remind Trump and the rest of us about this:
https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedAndrew/status/738952100009390080
Rest in Peace, Muhammad Ali. You brought such joy and pride to so many.
Watch the touching tribute from The Young Turks, below.
Featured image via travelroads.com.
