A TREMENDOUS BOLT OF LIGHTNING



















“It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out;
 it's the pebble in your shoe.”
- Muhammad Ali

For the last three weeks or so, I have been watching videos of Muhammad Ali’s boxing contests… the famous ones and the less famous ones… His knock-outs and knock-downs… I have been reading anything and everything about Muhammad Ali… Watching his interviews, listening to his songs and speeches and, not to miss – his famous ‘trash-talk’. Call it ‘bragging’ if you like… Of course, at your own peril!

People who thought Ali was a loud-mouth bragger and too self-obsessed - which include his legendary opponents like as Joe Frazier and George Foreman – later changed their opinion about Ali’s flamboyant-and-brash-sounding lingo… They ended up being his lifetime friends harbouring in their hearts tremendous respect for him…

I was first introduced to Muhammad Ali by my dad when I was a little school boy, back in my village… Those were turbulent days of international conflict… with Vietnam and the US-USSR conflicts making headlines everyday… It was the turbulent sixties… My dad was a huge admirer of America and Muhammad Ali. Today, when I reflect on those days of no TV, computers, internet or Social media… and, most of all, when I think about the bare-minimum education my dad had and the only local dailies he got his news-feed from… yes, when I think about this period, I only feel amazed by the kind of awareness he had about the events around the world… He knew so much about the Vietnam War… and he knew so much about Muhammad Ali… But, then, except for that fantastic story of this black young-boxer becoming Muhammad Ali, the Greatest… yes, except this, I did not register in my tender mind anything about this man… It was much later, somewhere in my late twenties, that I started comprehending the kind of man – the Legend – Muhammad Ali really was…

My fascination with this amazing champion has made me study about his life ever since… He lived for about 74 years on this planet… Of these eventful years, he had to fight his longest battle with the Parkinson disease since age 42 till he died at 74, on 2nd June, 2016.

On 10 th June, 2016, a public memorial was held at downtown Louisville, Kentucky. The dais was graced by religious representatives of Muslim, Christian, Jewish and other faiths… Many prominent men and women paid rich tribute to the Legend… I am particularly moved by the tributes paid by three individuals: Ali’s close friend for over four decades, the Actor-Comedian, Billy Crystal… He made the mourners laugh even in the face of death. Natasha Mundkur, the 19-year-old Indian-American, who was a volunteer at Muhammad Ali Center… She made the gathering cry. And, above all, Lonnie Ali, the Legend’s wife… She inspired poise, dignity and grace in one and all who had assembled there…

I am truly left without words listening to these three speeches… How different they are… and, how alike, at the same time! Yes, it was a memorial event, let’s remember!

I am sharing in this Blog these three tributes… which, I hope, will make you laugh, cry and remain poised… in Life…

Just the way Muhammad Ali did…





"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up."
- Muhammad Ali






“If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread,
they can sure make something out of you.”
- Muhammad Ali





 “Hating people because of their color is wrong.
And it doesn't matter which color does the hating…
It's just plain wrong.”
- Muhammad Ali


GERALD D’CUNHA


Pic.: Internet
Videos: YouTube

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