New Zealand Boxers Pay tribute to Muhammad Ali

New Zealand Boxers Pay tribute to Muhammad Ali


Muhammad Ali was and forever will be the greatest of all time. If you have been living under a rock this is who Ali is.

He is a Three time world Champion, Six-time Kentucky State Golden Gloves Champion, two-time National Golden Gloves Champion, Olympic Goldmedalist, fought over 100 fights in Amateurs, The Ring "Fighter of the Year" for 1963, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1978. Ali Won twenty-two World Heavyweight Championship fights. Ali made a total of nineteen successful title defenses, nine during his first reign and ten during his second reign.

Ali has fought in legendary fights including: Sonny Liston twice, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier three times, Rumble in the Jungle George Foreman and many many more. He also fought the US government to get his freeman.

New Zealanders came together to pay tribute to Ali.

“The best ever. Not just in boxing but in life . It's all about leaving a legacy. Look at his legacy . Simply the greatest”
• Corporate World Champion, Dave “Brown Buttabean” Letele

“Life is like a boxing match defeat is declared not when you fall, but when you refuse to stand again”
• Former New Zealand National and WBO Oriental Champion Gunnar Jackson

“Father time has now taken the Jewel from the crown Muhammad Ali the greatest fighter I ever saw live is now gone without doubt the most universally recognised face of the sport of boxing I am sure smokin Joe Frazier will be happy to go one more fight now they are together R.I.P to the GREATEST.OF.ALL.TIME GOAT”
• IBO Vise President Steve Scott

“The Greatest of all time.
Rumble young man rumble!
R.I.P legend, you changed the world”.
• New Zealand Boxer, Nort Beauchamp

“A legend of the sport of boxing a poet unbelievable hand speed no longer suffering R.I.P”
• New Zealand Boxer, Lance Bryant

“Rest In Peace Muhammad Ali. Always was and always will be in my eyes the greatest fighter of all time.”
• Former Asia Pacific Champion, David Aloua

“True legend in and out of the ring, gone today but your legacy and memories will stay with us forever! RIP champ”
• New Zealand National Champion, Asher Derbyshire

“The first day I ever walked into a boxing gym (THE MARITIME in 1996) - I only knew of two boxers, DAVID TUA and THE GREATEST, Muhammad Ali.
Throughout two decades of boxing, I've been inspired, wowed and driven by this man.
Muhammad Ali born Cassius Clay, such a leader in and out of the ring.
Thank you for being YOU, thank you for allowing us to live out our dreams, through your staunchness and vision! And enabling us to believe that, we could someday possibly be like you! Champion of our hearts
THE GREATEST forever OG for real”
• First Female IBF World Champion, Daniella Smith

“We lost one of the great American boxers today. He fought some of the best. Life gave him some ups and down, but he always took it on the chin and moved on some people will never know the life of a boxers. It's hard not just for you but your family. Mohammed Ali will be always loved for giving us great fights and making people. Even when he was down you could believe in him. It's truly a sad day. God was taken Ali home RIP. Got to say he made the most out of life, coming up with racism and still making something great out of his self opportunity are what you make them one day at a time.”
• Tallest boxer in the world and WBF World Title Contender, Julius Long

“Like millions of people before me, Muhammad Ali was a huge reason why I ever even thought about boxing. He epitomised everything that is great about this sport. But there was so, so much more to him than that. A once in a lifetime man. There will never be another”
• IBO Asia Pacific Champion, Sam Rapira

“RIP to a man who changed not only his sport but impacted politics, race relations, religious tolerance and much more besides as A true hero who transcends generations.”
• Commentator, Lightning Mike Angove

“The greatest of all time has moved on to another life .. A great inspiration to many young people and man who had always fought for justice... RIP the greatest of all time”
• Fiji Boxer, Sebastian Singh

“The only book I ever read and finished at high school was a book about Muhammad Ali. RIP GOAT”
• New Zealand Boxer, Nikolas “The Greek” Charalampous

“Rest in peace. Legend”
• New Zealand National Champion, Reece Papuni

“Ali sparked interest in thousands of people round the world, who would otherwise know nothing about boxing to be part of a wonderful sport. In and out of the ring he'll always be a legend.”
• First Female Referee in New Zealand, Shelley Ashton

"Muhammad Ali.. A leader, a teacher and inspiration.
He showed me, you can be great, and graceful. You can be an enjoyable character and a daunting presence. And not compromise any of your values in the process. A legacy we can reference for generations to come"
• New Zealand Boxer, Tom “The Buff Brawler” Heads

“Rest in peace to the greatest. Muhammad Ali you changed the game and you'll be forever missed”
• WBO & IBF #1, Joseph Parker

“Rest in Peace to a Legend & Boxing icon. Muhammad Ali 1942-2016”
• Australian/New Zealand boxer, Willis Meehan
“A man many looked up to growing up as young developing boxers myself included, a legend inside and outside the ring. AKA the greatest”
• IBO Asia Pacific Champion, Cairo “The Waikato Warrior” George

“No word can describe the great things the legend Muhammad Ali did for boxing. May the great one rest in peace”
• New Zealand Boxing Trainer, Lollo Heimuli

“Ali is a legend and will always be remembered as the greatest.”
• New Zealand/UK Boxer, Will Quarrie

“It's a sad loss, he is, was and will always be a legend and an inspiration”
• Former IBF World Champion Contender, Michelle Preston

“I was raised in an all Muhammad Ali household & I was a Frazier fan.
My stubbornness wanted me to boo Ali but their was no denying, that man was the greatest. In & out of the ring his story was amazing. He beat Foreman, Liston, Frazier, Norton, & more historically "the man", the U.S. government.
Many never understood his greatness, including myself but the wars he fought & chose not to fight were what made him the greatest, proving the fact that he was "The. Greatest".”
• Former Asia Pacific champion, Chauncy Welliver

“Boxing was just a spoke in the wheel of the accomplishments of Muhammad Ali. His mark on Humanity will be felt for generations to come.”
• New Zealand Boxing Promoter, LT Dan Hennessy

In 1979, Ali Came to New Zealand as part of his Ali Roadshow. While in New Zealand Ali did some training, from early morning jogging to light sparring with American Tony Tubbs. Ali also visited Local high schools to give inspirational speeches to the youth. “Go to college and get some knowledge, Stay there till you’re through. If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can make something out of you.” Ali said.

During his Roadshow at Western Springs Stadium on February 25, 1979, he gave local boxers a chance to have a 3 min exibition round, which ended in Ali untouched, apart from one boxer. Commonwealth games bronze medalist Lance Revill was picked by Ali from the crowd "Ali pointed at me and said, 'Shall I take the Great White Hope?'." Said Lance Revill

Wearing a paisley shirt, brown boots and bellbottoms, Revill was not dressed for the fight of his life. Nonetheless, he slipped off his boots and stepped into the ring in his stocking feet.

"Getting gloved, I was thinking, 'What the hell am I doing?' Then a stroke of madness came over me. I thought, 'I'm going to have a go at this bugger. I'm going to open up on him to see what he's really like and give the crowd a bit of a thrill'." Revill Said

Revill Unleashed a fury of punches which were hitting Ali. Ali taunted Revill throughout the round, getting him to hit hard which Revill, hitting a strong uppercut on the bell. Ali had a point to proved and hit Revill on the back saying one more round. Ali gave Revill the fight for his life, however Ali did not manage to knock Revill down. The crowd finally got their show, and Revill walked away with a growing lump above a black eye to verify his story at the pub.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11650750

Ali Inspired the world and is the greatest of all time.
RIP Muhammad Ali
January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016

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