Photo Cincinnati Enquirer
Face to Face with Muhammad Ali, Sportsman of the Century
By Perwaiz Ahmad
Fullerton. CA
It was early morning in February 1964 when I learned through Dawn that a boxer named Cassius Clay had challenged the reigning champion, Sonny Liston. Looking at the full-length picture of the two fighters I honestly got terrified because I felt sorry for the challenger, then Cassius Clay with boyish looks, standing next to Liston who had a ferocious demeanor. The challenger looked like a sheep waiting to be clobbered by a lion. Although in my early teens, I seriously thought that Cassius Clay would get seriously hurt because of his skinny frame but lo and behold, when the two met in the ring on the appointed day the news quickly flashed all over the world that the young 22-year-old Cassius Clay had defeated the burly 31-year-old Sonny Liston (rock of Gibraltar) in an eventful seventh round! It was the biggest upset in boxing history eclipsing the titanic encounters of pugilists like Joe Luis and Rocky Marciano.
It was the most hair-raising fight because the young Cassius Clay was extremely brash with his uncanny predictions before the bout took place. He clearly outclassed most senior boxers like Ernie Terrell, Henry Cooper (England), George Chuvalo (Canada) Oscar Bonavena (Argentina), Karl Mildenberger (Germany) who could not match his boxing prowess.
America had not seen or heard an outspoken boxer like Ali, his poetic quality and his loudmouth infuriated many middle-aged Americans while the younger generations simply adored him for his courage, skills, breath of fresh air, and sportsmanship. He was ready to defend his title more frequently than his predecessors, he once quipped, "I want to fight two boxers in one night".
The fight of the century in 1971 with Joe Frazier created lots of enthusiasm because Ali was stripped of his Heavy Weight title by WBA following his refusal to go to war in Vietnam. Ali lost but in the rematch called "The Thrilla in Manilla" with smoking Joe Frazier, he regained the title
The "Rumble in the Jungle" in Zaire with George Foreman described as the mother of all fights was the last hope for all Ali detractors who wanted him humiliated in the ring. Foreman was considered the most devastating boxer of his time because his opponents would not last more than three rounds.
Who knew that exactly 10 years later, just before his "Rumble in the Jungle" fight with George Foreman in 1974, I would have the privilege to meet Muhammad Ali on his mountain top training camp - Deer Lake - a suburb of Philadelphia. It was the biggest thrill of my life because in ten years Ali had become larger than life, a leader of the Muslim world who would challenge the highest authority of the free world. We were greeted by his second wife Khalilah and daughter Laila, then a few years old, riding on a pony.
Muhammad Ali, a towering personality, joined us a few minutes later. After the customary greetings in Urdu with me and my two brothers he asked us where we were from. I told him that we were from Pakistan, to which he responded, "You speak Urdu!" Later, I asked him, "What do you think about the upcoming fight with George Foreman?" He said, "I am going to whoop him". He then told us to come the next day at 2:00 PM to see him train for the upcoming fight. We saw him at arms-length for 12 rounds of training with his sparring partner which was a real delight, never to be forgotten.
A friend, late Faz Husain in Michigan who was close to Muhammad Ali, named his newborn son after him. Ali was a magnet for any fundraising events because people used to come in droves to have a glimpse of him and donated generously because of their profound love for him. Back in the early 1990s, I thought it was an opportune time to arrange a fundraising event through Faz for our Masjid Al Rehman in Garden Grove but the plan did not materialize.
In my opinion Muhammad Ali stands tall because of his immense contribution to humanity and I rank him with greats like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, John F. Kennedy, Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa and perhaps, Abraham Lincoln, who changed the course of history because they were firm in their conviction to bring justice in this world of "the Haves and the Have-Nots". His resolve not to honor the Vietnam War Draft sparked a nationwide protest, forcing the Establishment to review their stand on the war that had cost 60,000 American lives, a colossal loss.
During his appeal period his passport was confiscated to restrict his travel abroad. In his hay days, he was the most sought-after speaker but was barred from earning money through lecture engagements in and out of the United States. He stood his ground, undeterred by jail time and loss of revenue to prove that the war was a mistake, that he would resist the draft no matter what its ramifications were. After three years he finally won the case when the Supreme Court's unanimous 3-0 decision was announced.
He once joked with then President Jimmy Carter that he could reach Soviet Union President Brezhnev on the phone anytime, but he could not reach him. He was revered by young and old, rich and poor, Heads of countries all across the globe, a distinction hardly anyone else could claim.
Muhammad Ali, a great Muslim ambassador, passed away at the age of 74 after a prolonged illness from Parkinson's disease on June 3, 2016. He remained mentally alert and joked around with leaders of the world whenever he got a chance. May his soul rest in peace. Ameen.
