Boxing: five years after the death of Mohamed Ali, his grandson wins his first pro fight

An evening full of emotion and memories for all boxing fans.

Five years after the death of Mohamed Ali, his grandson Nico Ali Walsh continued his legend in the ring of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Aged 21, he won his first professional middleweight fight by beating Jordan Weeks (4 wins, 1 loss before this fight).

And the pro career for the grandson of The Greatest is officially up and running 😤 @ NicoAliX74 (1-0, 1 KO) earns the first round stoppage! # FrancoMoloney3 |

ESPN pic.twitter.com/kFOqPDZrSY

- Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 15, 2021

Dominator, Nico Ali Walsh knocked out his opponent in less than two minutes in the first round.

First counted for the first time, he was stopped by the referee.

To further strengthen the emotional side and the symbolic dimension of this fight, he boxed with white and black shorts that Mohamed Ali had worn and which he had given him as a gift.

“Thank goodness for the victory!

I am blessed and honored to say that there I continued the story.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who supported me!

I brought my grandfather into the ring with me wearing his shorts for the first and last time as a professional fighter.

I am more than proud to say:

”, wrote Nico Ali Walsh on social networks.

"His grandfather would have been so proud of the way he honors him in his own way"

Proof of the expectation aroused by his fight, he was at the top of the bill at this meeting, a rather rare honor for a beginner. Coming from a family of sportsmen - his brother Biaggio Ali Walsh plays at university level in American football - Nico Ali claims to have started boxing of his own decision, without having been pushed by his family. “I was never able to escape comparison to my grandfather, no matter what the sport,” he said in the “New York Times”. I only manage to imbibe it. It's very complicated to be in tune with a heritage, regardless of its size. But everyone becomes better by embracing their destiny. Each victory builds a legacy ”.

Despite everything, Nico Ali Walsh was able to benefit from his name when he decided to go pro. It was SugarHill Steward, the coach of Tyson Fury, who holds the WBC World Heavyweight Belt, who was in his corner. The American was also able to sign with the famous promoter Bob Arum, who had already managed his grandfather's career: “Who would have thought that 55 years later, I would still be a promoter? It's still surreal to me that over 50 years after he started promoting The Greatest, his grandson Nico Ali Walsh went pro with Top Rank. A real moment of pride for me, ”smiled Arum, who made his debut as a promoter in March 1966, during Mohamed Ali's title defense against George Chuvalo.

“What a magical night for this young man. His grandfather would have been so proud of the way he honors him in his own way, ”adds the promoter.