– ‘A giant’ –
Celebrities, politicians, reporters who covered him, athletes and of course boxers praised Ali for his superb work in and out of the ring.
Floyd Mayweather, who retired from boxing last year with a perfect 49-0 record, recalled the awe he felt in meeting Ali in 1996, when he was a US Olympian.
“I didn’t really know what to say. I couldn’t believe it,” Mayweather said. “I didn’t even want to show my true feelings and emotions of how I felt.”
Twenty years on, Mayweather was clear on his view of Ali’s legacy – forged inside and outside the ring.
“Never be afraid,” Mayweather said. “Never stop believing. And never settle for less.”
Mayweather’s great rival Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines said the world had lost “a giant.”
“Boxing benefited from Muhammad Ali’s talents, but not as much as mankind benefited from his humanity,” Pacquiao said.