British boxer Amir Khan has shared a video tribute to Muhammad Ali, saying that the boxing icon was a huge hero to him and is the greatest fighter of all time. In a video shared on the 29-year-olds Facebook page, Khan paid tribute to Ali after news broke out of his death on 4 June from his familys native Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
He [Muhammad Ali] was a huge hero to me throughout my whole boxing career and still is a massive hero to me. He is the greatest of all time and I remember watching him at the age of eight-nine-year-old for the first time when I was sat with my father. He was telling me all about his boxing career, how great of a fighter he was, his amazing footwork moving around the ring, he said.
But what I used to love more about Muhammad Ali was what he did outside of the boxing ring. For example all the charity work, helping the less fortunate and standing up for what he believed, added Khan.
Former world heavyweight champion Ali died at the age of 74, following a respiratory condition that was complicated by Parkinsons disease. He was diagnosed with the disease in 1984.
Nicknamed The Greatest, Ali was famous for his quick fists, dazzling footwork and outspoken attitude. He is generally regarded as the greatest heavyweight in the history of boxing and Sports Illustrated named him the top sportsman of the 20th century.