The Greatest

The Greatest in his own words''I’ll tell you how I would like to be remembered: As a black man who won the heavyweight title - Who was humorous and never looked down on those who looked up to him – A man who stood for freedom, justice and equality – And I wouldn’t even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was.''Muhammad AliNo one has straddled the world of sport, politics and popular culture as Muhammad Ali did.He was born in Louisville in 1942 in an America where blacks were subjected to a brutal apartheid and were treated as second class citizens. He rose, through his boxing skill and character, to become the most famous person in the world at the time.He was most famous for styling himself as ‘The Greatest’. There is a consensus that he was the greatest of boxers during an era of great boxers. However, he was far more than that. He was a very great man a moral leader, anti-war and fierce opponent of racial prejudice.A career beyond boxing as a black political leader, fighting for the rights of an oppressed minority, seemed inevitable. Fate had another twist however and Ali suffered from Parkinson’s Disease for 30 years, possibly exacerbated by an extended boxing career. This rendered his full potential as an advocate for black rights impossible.This book tells the story of a much loved and complex man through his own words.