On Saturday, January 17, 2026 The Greatest Of All Time, Muhammad Ali, would have been 84 years old. He may have fought professionally for 21 years, won the world heavyweight title three times, and paid a heavy physical price for his labours, but Ali was so much more than that.
Muhammad Ali’s greatness extends far beyond his legendary boxing skills because he was a courageous activist, a symbol of freedom and equality, a cultural icon who spoke truth to power, and a humanitarian who stood for his principles even when it cost him his prime years, making him a global inspiration for his fight for justice and self-belief.
It still remains an unequivocal point of view that Ali was the most charismatic sportsman of all-time and retains a place in the hearts of millions. Ali was not only one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boxing gloves, but an individual who gave up the best years of his career because of a belief.
Which brings me to the point of this editorial,
What Superstar Athlete would give up the best years of their career today for what they believe?
When you look at today’s superstars, best boxers right now, consistently topping pound-for-pound lists, include Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk, and Naoya Inoue, and heavyweights like Tyson Fury, NBA stars like LeBron James, Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, NFL quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and returning MVP Patrick Mahomes, C.J. Stroud, Jared Goff, and Jalen Hurts and [insert superstar athletes here]. Who would be willing to fight for their beliefs even at the point of jail time and loss of the right to do what they do at the height of their career?
I’m sure some will name Pat Tillman, the former Arizona Cardinals safety who left football to become an Army Ranger, who was killed in southeastern Afghanistan in April 2004. While that was a very brave and patriotic move, and I in no way want to undermine the importance of that, but he wasn’t a superstar, a champion, a household name.
What superstar athlete today would give it all up? Ali was stripped of his championship title and denied the right to fight and earn a living doing what he does. But he would not go to war to fight against someone he didn’t perceive as an enemy. He also would not denounce the Nation of Islam when the government tried to get him to. He even threw his 1960 Olympic Gold Medal in the Ohio River in disgust at this country’s actions.
Here are just some of the key aspects of his impact outside the ring:
- Civil Rights Activist: Ali was a vocal advocate for civil rights and a powerful voice against racial injustice, challenging the status quo and inspiring others to embrace individuality.
- Vietnam War Protester: His refusal to be drafted, citing his religious beliefs and opposition to fighting for a country that denied Black people equal rights, led to him being stripped of his title and facing years out of the sport, a sacrifice that solidified his heroic image.
- Cultural Icon: Ali’s charisma, showmanship, and powerful words made him a beloved figure for both celebrities and the common person, bridging gaps and becoming a symbol of peace, freedom, and equality.
- Humanitarian: He used his platform to help others, engaging in charitable acts, working to free hostages, visiting the sick, and supporting underprivileged children, demonstrating a deep commitment to humanity.
- Champion of Conviction: He refused to compromise his beliefs, even when it meant significant personal loss, teaching the world the power of conviction and identity, notes YouTube.
Ali still appeared at major events, like the 1996 Olympics, and even as far back as 1991, he put his life on the line by going to Saddam Hussein and asking him to release American prisoners. Not to mention when he went to Iran years earlier, when President Carter and the United States Government couldn’t negotiate the release of the hostages, Ali went and was successful.
Muhammad Ali risked his career, freedom, and legacy by refusing the Vietnam War draft in 1967, citing his religious beliefs as a Muslim and opposition to the war, famously saying, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong”. This led to him being stripped of his World Heavyweight Boxing Championship title, losing millions in earnings, banned from boxing from 1967 to 1970, missing his prime years in the ring, convicted of draft evasion (though later overturned by the Supreme Court), he faced a potential five-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine after his conviction for draft evasion.
Don’t forget the public backlash he faced. He endured intense criticism and controversy, though he also gained immense respect for his stance.
Yet he stood ten toes down on his principles of faith and justice, becoming a powerful symbol of resistance and was unapologetically Black!
Even when the Nation of Islam, the same religious group that anointed him Muhammad Ali, disavowed him for his style of active resistance, according to Dave Zirin’s A People’s History Of Sports In The United States. Jackie Robinson, who was larger than life for breaking Major League Baseball’s (MLB) color barrier on April 15, 1947, ripped Ali for disappointing black war veterans, and by and large, black soldiers agreed with Robinson: Ali was being too radical.
“He’s hurting, I think, the morale of a lot of young Negro soldiers over in Vietnam,” Robinson said. “And the tragedy to me is, Cassius has made millions of dollars off of the American public, and now he’s not willing to show his appreciation to a country that’s giving him, in my view, a fantastic opportunity.”
But to Ali, that “fantastic opportunity” was a death sentence, and moreover, representative of the white aristocracy’s use of poor, often Black Americans to fight the war for them.
“The government had a system where the rich man’s son went to college, and the poor man’s son went to war,” Ali said.
His courageous stand cemented his legacy as not just a great athlete but a moral icon who used his platform for profound social change.
Sure, some athletes speak up today, but other than Colin Kaepernick, whose decision to kneel during the national anthem in 2016 to protest racial injustice and police brutality, which resulted in significant personal and professional risks, ultimately leading to the end of his NFL career. And Kyrie Irving, who is seen by some as a transcendent talent who consistently takes risks, both professionally and personally, often jeopardizing his own stability and team success for his beliefs or desires. The list ends there. Even in those situation they weren’t stripped of championships and didn’t risk spending years in jail.
All things considered, Ali’s enormous career sacrifice and the values it represented spread throughout the nation, and no athlete has had such a profound societal impact since. Professional athletes still speak out admirably on social issues fifty years after Ali said he had no conflicts with the Viet Cong. LeBron James, for example, wore a “I Can’t Breathe Shirt” in December 2014 to support protests for Eric Garner, but they don’t truly face the same risks as Ali.
Even LeBron James said Muhammad Ali is “the GOAT” not because of what he did in the ring but because of what he stood for outside it.
“Today I can sit and go to China and make trips to China and all over the world, and people know my name and know my face,” James said to ESPN. “I give all credit to Muhammad Ali because he was the first icon.”
In that ESPN article, James further makes my point that not every athlete is driven to take a stand on social and cultural issues the way Ali did — but that Ali’s work serves as motivation for James to continue to speak out and be active in the community.
Instead of risking their jobs for their activism, today’s brand-focused, businesslike athletes typically opt to make decorative political statements with T-shirts, playing gear, and social media posts.
What superstar athlete today would put it all on the line for what they believe? Holla back
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAMP!!!
Today’s athletes may gesture, but Ali stood ten toes down when the penalty was jail and erasure. That’s why the question still hits: who would really give it all up now?
Happy Birthday, Champ. The standard remains untouched. 🥊
Even when the Nation of Islam, the same religious group that anointed him Muhammad Ali, disavowed him for his style of active resistance, even then he never gave in or gave up, he stood on business and refused to denounce the NOI when the government told him he could get his license to box back if he did. What superstar athlete would put it all on the line like that today