Scottish boxing veteran’s tears over Ali’s courage in the face of Parkinson’s

BILLY NELSON is a battle-hardened veteran who has seen and done it all as a trainer and corner man with world champions Scott Harrison, Alex Arthur and Ricky Burns.

He’s tasted victory and defeat and taken both in his stride but even he admits that he was reduced to bawling his eyes out when he watched his hero win his most difficult fight.

Nelson worshipped the canvas Muhammad Ali danced on, watching in awe as he dazzled challengers and fans alike with his hand speed, the Ali Shuffle and his courage.

He was never braver, however, than when he agreed to light the Olympic flame to signal the start of the Atlanta Games in 1996.

The effects of Parkinson’s were already obvious and, for the millions watching live on television, it seemed as though Ali would be unable to control his trembling hands and raise the torch.

In an act of supreme willpower, however, he somehow managed to complete the task – and Nelson couldn’t prevent himself from sobbing as he watched him come out on top for the last time.

“It was heartbreaking to see the way in which Parkinson’s had affected him,” he said last night.

“He was one of the best talkers in any field and for him to be silenced in that way was tragic.

“What brought it home more than anything, though, was when he was trying to light the flame in Atlanta. His hands were shaking badly and you could see he was struggling to get the job done.

“I was nervous watching him and, when he finally managed to do it, I just burst into tears.”

Even the fact that the 74-year-old endured Parkinson’s for 32 years proved to Nelson that he was tougher than the rest.

“My wife and I both work in care and we have plenty of experience of people suffering from that condition,” said Nelson. “It’s fair to say neither of us have ever come across anyone who has lasted for anything like as long as he did while suffering from it. It just shows you what a fighter he was.”

The global outpouring of grief which came in the wake of the announcement of Ali’s death came as no surprise to Nelson, who knows there will never be another Greatest.

“He had everything,” he claimed. “Talent, charisma, confidence – the whole package.

“Everyone involved in boxing has been influenced by Ali, whether they know it or not. He practically invented pre-match hype.

“He would play mind games with his opponents, naming the round he was going to stop them in – and he’d usually do it, too.

“Many others have tried to do that and they’ve all failed miserably in comparison with him.”

Nelson also argues that the reaction of the men who beat the former champion in his last two bouts – Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick – just underlines the universal respect everyone in boxing has for Ali. “They didn’t take any satisfaction from those wins,” he said. “Holmes used to be Ali’s sparring partner and he loved the man – he was begging the referee to stop the bout.

“It was typical of Ali’s courage, though, that he refused to quit, even when he had no chance of getting the decision. He just

didn’t want to be stopped.”