Muhammad Ali was one of, if not the best, boxer of all time. His personality, grace and demeanour gained him fans across the globe and that was ignoring his talents inside the ring. Inside the ring he was simply majestic, his movement and punching power made him an instant icon and in his most famous fight against George Foreman, he proved this.
The ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ as it was named, saw Ali knockout the undefeated brute, George Foreman in Zaire, when before the fight, nobody had really given him a chance. His eighth-round knockout sent waves across the world and really did cement his status as the greatest.
As well as some incredible boxing displays, Ali also came out with some of the greatest quotes of all time. His most famous was:” Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” But he also came out with the following gems:
I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'
I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.
The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.
You may not have heard of some of his best stories however and here at the Sportsman we have put together a small video, of the seven things you may not know about the great man.
Enjoy!
