Before this year’s WrestleMania celebrations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 5, boxing hero Muhammad Ali, also referred to as “The Greatest,” will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024, it was announced on Monday by international news site Variety.
Ali, an Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, captivated audiences around the globe.
His reputation as a prominent personality, artist, and activist extended beyond the realm of sports.
He faced Antonio Inoki in “The War of the Worlds,” an exhibition bout, on June 26, 1976, at Tokyo, Japan’s Nippon Budokan venue.
Held under strict guidelines, the competition culminated in a 15-round draw that captivated 32,000 spectators in person and attracted a sizable audience via closed-circuit television, which included 33,000 supporters at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York.
This event further highlights Ali’s legacy as it is frequently considered to be a forerunner to contemporary mixed martial arts.
Ali maintained his affiliation with combat sports even after he announced his retirement from boxing with an outstanding 56-5 record that included 37 knockouts. He was most known for refereeing the main match between Hulk Hogan & Mr. T and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper & “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff at the first WrestleMania in 1984 as a special guest referee.
Ali’s crucial blow to Piper with his trademark right-hand punch brought the contest back to order and made a lasting impression.
On June 3, 2016, at the age of 74, Ali passed away, ending an era, but his reputation as one of the greatest sportsmen of all time lives on.