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Sports / Boxing

Muhammad Ali (not that one) set for Rio boxing action

Published: 05 Aug 2016 - 05:34 pm | Last Updated: 03 Nov 2021 - 01:39 pm
Peninsula

Muhammad Ali, boxer of the Great Britain team, trains for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on July 29, 2016. AFP / DOUGLAS MAGNO

 

 

Rio de Janeiro: Rio Olympic spectators might be forgiven for thinking they are hearing things when the boxer Muhammad Ali steps in to the ring.

Two months after the death of the heavyweight legend, his namesake from Britain is tipped to make his own piece of history with gold in Rio.

Unlike the original Ali, Britain's version is a diminutive 20-year-old flyweight who was reportedly bestowed the most famous name in boxing by his boxing-mad father.

And he has impressed former world champion Amir Khan, whose exploits at the Athens 2004 Olympics triggered the young Ali's interest in boxing.

Ali, a silver medallist at the Youth World Championships, received a bye in the draw on Thursday.

AFP