Muhammad Ali is the boxing idol of many fighters, and the heavyweight legend once revealed who he deems to be his.
Ali is arguably the biggest name in the history of the sport, first entering the paid ranks after he won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.
He held the undisputed world heavyweight title on three occasions during the 1960s and 1970s and was involved in some of the most iconic fights that boxing has ever seen, including the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ against George Foreman, and the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ against Joe Frazier.
Ali ended his career with a record of 56 wins and 5 defeats from his 61 fights, and his activism away from boxing has made him just as important a figure outside of the ring as inside of it.
Before sadly passing away in 2016 following a long battle with Parkinson’s, Ali once named his boxing idol, heaping praise on fellow great Sugar Ray Robinson.
“[he was] the king, the master, my idol.”
Robinson competed from 1940 to 1965, and by 1951 had compiled a professional record of 129 wins, 1 defeat and 2 draws, claiming 85 knockouts along the way.
That included an incredible 91-fight unbeaten streak over an eight year period from 1943 to 1951, which is the sixth longest in boxing history.
Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, before winning the world middleweight title on five occasions. His final record stood at 174 wins from 201 fights, 109 wins by knockout, making it clear exactly why Ali views the boxing great as his idol.
