Thousands of fans have been left broken-hearted after boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, pulled out of a trip to Britain because his family believes the cold weather and long haul flight will place too big a strain on his body.
The 74-year-old, who has been battling Parkinson’s disease for many years, was hoping to make an appearance at an exhibition which opened at the O2 Arena in London on March 4.
But that is now unlikely given his medical requirements, which The Sun reported involves 24-hour care at his home in Phoenix, Arizona.
His daughter Maryum Ali, 47, told the paper: “There was no way my dad could have made it to the exhibition, it was just too far.
“We prefer him not to travel as being in the airplane, changing time zones, is not good for him – so for him to go somewhere now it has to be really vital and important.”
The exhibition called ‘I Am The Greatest’ runs until August 31, telling the legend’s story inside and outside the ring.
More than 100 artefacts including robes, gloves and boots worn by the man himself are on display at the exhibition.
The three-time heavyweight world champion was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and was a hugely controversial figure at his pomp.
But his sense of humour, one-liners and quick wit captivated British audiences – Ali once even called out Brian Clough when he heard the manager had adopted his approach – in a way that Americans did not always understand.
Davis Miller, who is co-curator of the exhibition, has been a close friend of Ali for 30 years and written several books on him.
One of his favourite items included in the exhibition was Ali’s Cassius Marcellus Clay draft card, which no-one could locate for decades.
It is a symbol of Ali’s refusal to join the US army in Vietnam which made him reviled in the United States but admired worldwide for his courage to say no to the US Government.
He was stripped of his heavyweight title and perhaps his biggest bout was struggling for acceptance back into the boxing world.
