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Muhammad Ali: A Life in the Public Eye – Major MEDICAL UPDATE

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Ali TysonBy Lou Eisen

Widely considered the greatest boxer of his time as well as the greatest boxer of all time, the former three-time undisputed world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali was released from an undisclosed hospital in Arizona today (Jan. 8), a mere nine days before his 73 birthday. As it turned out, Ali in fact did not have pneumonia as previously reported. He was suffering from a severe urinary tract infection, which took a while to heal. Ali was treated with various antibiotics.

Of course at his age (72), any kind of infection or sickness is very dangerous to his health, given Ali’s already underlying condition of Parkinson’s Disease. It seems somewhat improbable that Muhammad Ali, who beat Joe Frazier twice, Ken Norton twice, Sonny Liston twice and George Foreman (to win his title back), could be felled by something as seemingly treatable as a urinary tract infection. However, as he has always done throughout his extraordinary life and boxing career, Ali responded well to this most recent challenge in front of him.

It should be remembered that Ali, as we have seen over the years is not a simple man by any means. He is a much more complicated and complex person than he is often given credit for being and so are his various physical ailments. Ali is a living legend and the most famous person on earth. He is also one of the most beloved people on earth. His inner resolve to succeed and to live his life to the fullest has never been dimmed by Parkinson’s Disease or any physical problems. Ali has never recognized any limitations on his life, whether they were political, physical or religious.

Ali’s recent urinary tract infection once again highlighted the incredible global concern for his well-being and legacy. Ali is able to unite the entire world in a way never seen before. Every person on this planet was genuinely concerned about his recent hospital stay. The global population is not able to conceive a world without Ali in it. In fact, I do not know of anyone who can.

Ali was scheduled to be in the Canadian city of Toronto, on January ninth, as the featured guest along with former opponent George Chuvalo at a special fundraiser for Parkinson’s Disease. The event has been rescheduled for February 20 at the Trump Plaza Hotel

There is a special aura that emanates from Ali, which has the power to make the world think as one person. Anyone and everyone who has been privileged to meet the “Greatest” in person can feel Ali’s incredible heartwarming, magical charisma up close. He is uncommonly kind to every one he meets. He truly loves people and they truly love him. Ali’s appeal crosses all borders of culture, religion, race, creed and ethnicity. Ali is and always has been a true “people” person. He considers it a privilege to meet and greet and hug people. He also feeds off of the love he gets from so many people around the globe. It is his true sustenance.

These days Ali spends much of his time and uses his fame to spread a message of love, respect and peace for all mankind. Whenever and wherever he is needed, he is there. Ali has walked with Kings and Queens and broken bread with Presidents and Prime Ministers yet still retains the common touch by his empathy for and love of, the common man, woman and child, wherever they live, and with complete unconditional respect for all religious beliefs and credos. Ali does not discriminate against anyone. Ali’s own reasoning has a sense of mother wit about it and still it always hits home on a powerful personal level.

Ali reasoned years ago that discrimination in any form is wrong, whether it’s based on sexual orientation, religion, race, color, creed or gender. According to Ali, “God made everyone in his image. “So to hate someone simply because they are Black, Jewish, Catholic or Muslim, gay or straight is wrong because it is saying that God made a mistake. And, as we all know, God does not make mistakes.” Sometimes, when Ali makes such profound and incisive comments, the only suitable response is to smile and say, “Only Ali.”

One of many remarkable qualities about Ali is the fact that he has never felt sorry for himself despite being in poor health since his permanent retirement from pro boxing in 1981. He accepts his physical limitations with grace and humor and dignity. He struggles with his condition every day but he is not angry nor is he bitter about it and he never complains.

More than any other world famous figure, Ali knows how much he means to other people and he has never taken that for granted. He has an almost religious aura that emanates from his soul that managed to deeply touch every one he meets. Ali is a very humble man. Ali’s greatest gift to us mere mortals, even more so than his astonishing boxing skills during his three title reigns, is his unflagging ability to make every person living today, smile. That is the true magic of Ali. He is able to put a smile on the face of every one he meets. He has always possessed this singular ability to bring the entire world together as one single entity. Only Ali.

Ali is completely devoid of bitterness, hatred and discrimination. It simply does not reside in him. The most incredible thing about Ali, in this writer’s mind is that he has never showed even a mild trace of any bitterness towards the U.S. government for persecuting and prosecuting him for his refusal to enter the American Armed Forces during the Viet Nam war. He felt it would be hypocritical in the extreme, if after being completely exonerated by the Supreme Court of the United States, he were to criticize or sue the government or military for the way in which they acted towards him. In Ali’s honest opinion, they were only doing what they thought was right at that moment in time, the same as him. Ali remained friends with some of the people that had tried to put him in jail. In that sense, there is almost a Lincolnesque quality of forgiveness to Ali.

Ali lives in Arizona because the year round warm weather is amenable for fighting off the effects of Parkinson’s Disease. It is hard to believe that over 33 plus years ago, his pro boxing career ended, the former three-time undisputed world heavyweight champion is still in huge demand all over the world. In fact, Ali’s popularity has only continued to grow with each passing year. Angelo Dundee once told me, “Ali is the only person alive who can show up at someone’s door anywhere on earth and they would invite him in for dinner.”

There is a special magic to Ali. His former handler Gene Kilroy once told me a great and extremely moving story about Ali. In 1974, just before he went over to Zaire to fight George Foreman for the world heavyweight title, Ali received a phone call from Kilroy informing him that a mother had asked if Ali could come visit her dying son in the hospital. Her son had leukemia and Ali was his hero. Ali of course went to visit the kid. The kid was incredibly thrilled to see his hero. Ali told the young boy that he was going to beat the leukemia. Ali then added, “I am going to Zaire to beat Foreman and win my title back and you WILL beat this leukemia. I will bring the title home to show you.” Ali hugged the boy warmly.

About three days before he was scheduled to fly to Zaire, Ali received an urgent call from the boy’s mother. She asked if he could come to the hospital quickly because her son was fading fast and had little time left. So Ali went to see the boy. Once again, in an effort to buck up his spirits, Ali told the young boy that he was going to beat leukemia and that he would come see him when he got back from Zaire. Then the young boy looked at Ali and said, “No champ. I’m going to die. But when I get to heaven I’m going to tell God that I know you.” Only Ali.

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