MUHAMMAD ALI
Hana Ali reminisces about her legendary father to James Slater
Hana Ali reminisces about her legendary father – ‘The Greatest’
MUHAMMAD ALI would have been 76 last week. Hana Ali, the 41-year-old daughter of “The Greatest”, has two new publications due for release this year; a quotes book, and a memoir entitled At home with Muhammad Ali. Having “shared her father with rest of the world,” Hana has some story to tell. Here, she talks to Boxing News directly from her car phone as she drives through the hills of Los Angeles, California.
Tell us about the new books on your father.
The memoir book is [written] all by myself, the quotes book is by myself and another writer. In this book, which will be out in September, we look at the quotes my father said - when he first said them, and what was the meaning behind them.
The memoir book, At Home with Muhammad Ali, was a tough book to write. It has been tough looking at my father’s fights and his interviews and his words of wisdom since he passed away. The memoir book has some things in there where my father is contemplating fighting again; asking and thinking, should he fight again - which he did of course against Larry Holmes, when he lost. He really knew what he was up against; the chances of him winning being small. At the time, it was thought he’d fought his last fight, against [Leon] Spinks, and although it wasn’t diagnosed then, we know now he had Parkinsons then. I will never watch the Larry Holmes fight in my entire life. Before, he was taking those thyroid pills, taking two when he should have taken one, because that was his thinking, his logic: ‘why take just one when two is twice as good!’ But it’s all in the book, his need to fight again, his asking people what they felt about it, and his feelings when it came to his chances of actually winning.
What are your earliest memories of your father the fighter?
I don’t actually have too many memories of him actually fighting. But I can remember him getting ready, training for his last two fights, both of which he lost. I remember being with him at his gym in Deer Lake, “Fighter’s Heaven.” I can remember watching him jogging. We’d be in the follow-up car, which was there in case he got tired. I can remember the big black boots he would wear to go jogging in. He always said the heavy boots he wore would make his legs lighter in the ring – you know he liked to dance in his fights. I remember how it was in Fighter’s Heaven, with him having his own private cabin and the other 11 members of his crew staying there in their cabins. I remember him packing his luggage when it came time for him to leave for the fight. I also remember him and his team watching tapes of fights. I was a small child but it’s all still quite vivid in my memory. Was it tough having a dad who was so famous?
Yes! It’s funny, but my father would often tell us not to ride our bikes too far from the house, as we might get kidnapped. But we thought, as famous as he was and how everyone wanted him, how he might get kidnapped [laughs]. It was always a big thing in airports, how people would stop whatever they were doing and just clap and applaud him and say thank you. But as big as he was, as famous and as celebrated as he was, he always told us – he always told us – that nobody is more important or bigger than their heart. The heart and kindness of a person is what he really instilled in us. He taught us how really important it is not to look down on anyone; not to think you are better than anyone.
I remember him bringing people back to the house, poor people, people who smelled bad and looked bad. And my father would bring them to the house, he’d take them for rides in his Rolls Royce. He was so generous. He was always very aware of how he should use his fame for good, and he did as much for good as he could all the time.
Of all my father’s great qualities, he had just one weakness: his infidelity. He was weak towards women. But all men are, and can you imagine being the most famous man on the planet, with women everywhere throwing themselves at you! But my father never chased women, it wasn’t like he was on the streets going after women. His entourage would bring women to him. But even here he showed qualities. He made mistakes in that area, but he handled his mistakes. He and Belinda separated and he met my mother (Veronica). They had the proper Muslim ceremony and then later they were officially married. The whole story with Belinda, that story needs to be told but I’m not the person to tell it [laughs]. I’m sure it will come out one day. There were some turbulent times in my father’s life. All the time people were coming up saying they were his child, and he was so loving, of children mostly, that he was willing to take on any child as his own almost! He was told, ‘don’t be crazy, get a blood test.’ But that’s just the way he was. He was just a loving person. He was a great father, he really was.
‘HE KNEW THE CHANCES OF BEATING HOLMES WAS SMALL’