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Muhammad Ali in the UK on fundraising tour
25 Aug 2009Sporting hero Muhammad Ali is visiting the UK today to raise money for his favourite charities.
The 69-year-old former boxer and his wife Lonnie will be in Windsor, Berkshire, to watch the Alltech FEI European Jumping and Dressage Championships.
He will also appear at three dinners held in his honour in Dublin, Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent in the next fortnight.
It could be the last trip to the UK by the former world heavyweight champion, who has suffered from Parkinson's Disease since 1984.
He is well enough to make this month's trip but the situation could change in future years, a spokesman said.
Ali will be raising money for the charities he supports including his cultural centre in his home town of Louisville, Kentucky.
His last UK visit was several years ago. He said: "The UK is very close to my heart.
"I want to visit again not only to raise awareness and funds for the Muhammad Ali Centre, but also to revisit such a wonderful country and to all my friends and fans here."
Mrs Ali said: "Muhammad's popularity in the UK is legendary and he has many friends here in the UK.
"We're looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and to garner support for Muhammad's charities."
It was in London in 1963 that Ali faced his first professional fight overseas, beating Henry Cooper. He would go on to become boxing's first three-time heavyweight champion.
Ali will appear at Old Trafford in Manchester on August 26, the Britannia Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent the following day and London's Wembley Stadium on August 30.
Tickets to the events are available through www.mammothevents.co.uk or 0845 612 2008.
Reader views (3)
It is great to see Muhammad Ali on these shores again. In many he is the finest and best sportsman there has ever been. He was a magician in and out of the ring and the greatest of heavyweights at a time when there was a group of top class heavyweights including; Frasier, Foreman and Norton. Who can forget those epic encounters. He has the looks, the style, a narrator that has made him a great ambassador for sport. I've viewed his itinerary and he is at Wembley stadium on Sunday, 30th August. What a great pity he is not at Wembley stadium on Saturday when there will be around 90,000 spectatore watching the Carnegie Challenge Cup final. A spectacle that a man of his stature fully deserves and I'm positive that he would receive a restounding ovation and an occasion that would benefit his favourite charities.
- Robert Haddow, Poole, Dorset, 27/08/2009 08:24
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a lot of kids boxing today dont know about ali.i played them the cooper fight in the gym.all of them wanted to know more about this great man.he has and will always remain the greatest.gelligaer boxing club.
- Kelvin Childs, aberbargoed wales, 26/08/2009 13:46
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If you want a true ambassador for sport then look no further than Ali, 23 years of fighting Alzheimers and the whole time he's used his status to educate people and raise money for charity, he's the defintion of a true hero.
- Bob, Cheam, 25/08/2009 10:46
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