Ali hands over to Lewis

2002-10-21 10:06

Amran Abocar Toronto - Boxing legend Muhammad Ali anointed world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis "the greatest" on Sunday - handing over the title he brashly claimed as his own during a glittering career.

"I'm here because I was the greatest," he told an ecstatic crowd at a Canadian Football League game in Toronto.

"I'm now no longer the greatest.

"He's the greatest, he's the champ," he said, pointing to Briton Lennox Lewis who successfully defended his title against Mike Tyson last June.

"I might make a come back," Ali said, adding: "Come back to my senses."

The former world heavyweight champion was in Toronto to raise funds for Parkinson's disease research.

Greeted with chants of "Ali! Ali!" from the 25 000-strong crowd, Ali, 60, showed he had lost little of his sharp wit nor his showman's instincts though his body has been slowed by Parkinson's disease.

Shaking noticeably and slurring his words, the boxing great mock sparred with Lewis before intoning: "Don't worry, I wasn't going to hurt him."

Lewis shared the stage with Larry Holmes and Evander Holyfield - in possibly the greatest collection of heavyweight champions at one time - to pay a star-studded tribute to Ali.

Three Canadian networks devoted much of the run-up to Ali's whirlwind stop in the city to airing his fights, interviews and documentaries in addition to a telethon to raise money.

Ali's appearance, broadcast live across Canada, was also aimed at boosting dismal attendance records for Toronto Argonaut football games which have averaged 20 000 per game.

Most controversial

"All of his titles were before my time but it's great to see him, it's incredible," said Jeremy Haynes, 23, who braved a chilly October night to catch a glimpse of the former boxer.

Ali was not only one of the greatest heavyweight boxers in history he was also one of the most controversial, enduring and beloved heroes in sports.

His dazzling hand and foot speed gave him the conceit to anoint himself "The Greatest." But he backed up his brash talk by winning the heavyweight title an unprecedented three times in a career idled for nearly four years after he refused to serve in Vietnam.

Ironically, Ali's capacity to absorb punches, which made many of his fights so entertaining and allowed him to come back from near defeat several times, may have led to Parkinson's Syndrome.

On Sunday, a visibly-tired Ali told reporters his illness was God's way of challenging him.

"God has ways of testing people and he can pull you down. And when you're down, you keep praying. It's a big test," he said.

"(You have to) take your medicine all the time and don't give up. I give up sometimes, thinking I don't need this stuff (medicine) and have a hard time walking, a hard time talking."

Putting seriousness aside, Ali poked fun at a reporter who asked him a question he clearly felt was not too bright.

"Any intelligent questions?" he asked, before commending the reporter on his follow-up query: "That's better. You're not as dumb as you look."

And he was careful to note his illness - which for the past 20 years or so has left him with slurred speech, a halting walk and a frozen expression - has not been his biggest fight.

"The toughest battle I ever fought was my first wife," Ali said with a slight smile.

- Reuters