The loss of Muhammad Ali is being mourned across the globe today, showing just how much “the greatest” meant to people from all walks of life. Ali was certainly a force inside the ring and arguably the greatest boxer of all time — and certainly the best in his era — but his life outside the ring eclipsed what he managed to do with his fists. When somebody dies, we’re usually quick to talk about how great their loss is and how they touched lives. With Ali, it is no exaggeration.
As LeBron James put it in a chat with Chris Broussard on ESPN before Ali passed, Ali was so much more than just a boxing champion:
“When I was a kid I was amazed by what Ali did in the ring,” LeBron told Broussard. “As I got older and started to read about him and watch things about him I started to realize what he did in the ring was secondary to what he meant outside of the ring—just his influence, what he stood for.”
“The reason why he’s the [greatest] is not because of what he did in the ring, which was unbelievable… It’s what he did outside of the ring, what he believed in, what he stood for, along with Jim Brown and Oscar Robertson, Lew Alcindor—obviously who became Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]—Bill Russell, Jackie Robinson. Those guys stood for something. He’s part of the reason why African-Americans today can do what we do in the sports world. We’re free. They allow us to have access to anything we want. It’s because of what they stood for, and Muhammad Ali was definitely the pioneer for that.”
Tributes are pouring out on social media, with many in the sports and entertainment world paying their respects. Sports Illustrated shared their tribute cover to the fallen champion, with many others deciding to share some of the most iconic images from Ali’s career:
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/739038259184082944
https://twitter.com/brandyn_coulas/status/739043306462687236?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
Former opponent George Foreman leads the voices from the sports world, followed closely by Mike Tyson and a bevy of similar fighters that owe Ali for their careers in some form or another.
Ralph Ali, Frazier & Foreman we were 1 guy. A part of me slipped away, "The greatest piece" https://t.co/xVKOc9qtub
— George Foreman (@GeorgeForeman) June 4, 2016
@TechTina02 @RalphKCOH pic.twitter.com/Aq45PUUVlK
— Billy BadAss (@BillJohn71) June 4, 2016
God came for his champion. So long great one. @MuhammadAli #TheGreatest #RIP pic.twitter.com/jhXyqOuabi
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) June 4, 2016
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGOTCgFx3Sm/
Nobody will ever come close to this mans greatness.
And if they do, they better wake up and apologise. #RIPAli pic.twitter.com/ED2wgignB2— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 4, 2016
— danawhite (@danawhite) June 4, 2016
My heart hurts to hear the news just now about one of my heroes and one of the greatest boxers… https://t.co/30u1DmoFhX
— Chuck Liddell 🥶 (@ChuckLiddell) June 4, 2016
Rest in peace to my biggest inspiration pic.twitter.com/gqIuuxSpC1
— BONY (@JonnyBones) June 4, 2016
RIP to one of the greatest to ever step in the ring! https://t.co/E4LcmT2ME7
— Roy Jones Jr. (@RealRoyJonesJr) June 4, 2016
Heroes get remembered but Legends never die.. R.I.P……. King pic.twitter.com/4Gn6dslRb4
— Andre Berto (@AndreBerto) June 4, 2016
Thinking of #MuhammadAli and remembering a man who was not afraid to take a stand and who was committed to being his authentic self.
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) June 4, 2016
The sporting universe has just suffered a big loss. Muhammad Ali was my friend, my idol, my… https://t.co/3ZTLxGDU5i
— Pelé (@Pele) June 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/AllFootballLive/status/739043105681346560
RIP to my idol Muhammad Ali. I will love & miss you Champ.
— Jalen Rose (@JalenRose) June 4, 2016
SOCIAL: Tributes continue to pour in for Muhammad Ali on social media. More here: https://t.co/akfNzlWFlm #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/6zcW8M3PTa
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 4, 2016
R.I.P. Muhammad Ali, "The Greatest" #bomaye #kinshasa
— Shinsuke Nakamura (@ShinsukeN) June 4, 2016
Elsewhere, the entertainment and political world is paying tribute to Ali. J.K. Rowling uses the fighter’s own words to help get the weight of his loss out in the open.
Unsurprisingly, he said it best himself. #MuhammedAli pic.twitter.com/G1BykvvzfF
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 4, 2016
Statement from President Clinton and Secretary Clinton on the Passing of Muhammad Ali pic.twitter.com/O1JiA3zIiF
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) June 4, 2016
President Obama: “Muhammad Ali shook up the world. And the world is better for it.” pic.twitter.com/CusNEiCYza
— Matt Viser (@mviser) June 4, 2016
"If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize."
– Muhammad Ali— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) June 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/JamieOGrady/status/739044224302206976
Ali- we will NEVER forget your courage, standing up to those in power. You gave up your title & your career rather than kill Vietnamese. RIP
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) June 4, 2016
"Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare." – 1/2 Muhammad Ali #RIP
— Ben Sherwood (@bensherwood) June 4, 2016
"Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” – Muhammad Ali #RIP 2/2
— Ben Sherwood (@bensherwood) June 4, 2016
"I’ve wrestled with alligators,
I’ve tussled with a whale.
I done handcuffed lightning,
And thrown thunder in jail." – R.I.P. Ali.— edgarwright (@edgarwright) June 4, 2016
You will always be my hero … #MuhammadAli pic.twitter.com/Rbp7Be3JAK
— Lionel Richie (@LionelRichie) June 4, 2016
Prince and Ali. 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔 pic.twitter.com/TwZIwQ0qgI
— Holly Robinson Peete 💃🏾♍️ (@hollyrpeete) June 4, 2016
Rest in Peace #MuhammedAli Had the dream come true of meeting him. The G.O.A.T. He said it himself. And then could back up what he said.
— Phil Rosenthal (@PhilRosenthal) June 4, 2016
There are sure to be many more, so keep an eye here as they arrive. There’s no shortage of great stories from Ali’s life and his influence will be truly hard to measure.
(Via Sports Illustrated)
