Obviously, the most famous Muslim boxer of all times is the GOAT, Muhammad Ali.
Which reminds me that it is January 17 again, the natal date when Cassius Marcellus Clay was born in Louisville, Ky., son of Cassius and Odessa Grady Clay, more fondly referred to as “Bird” in the family circle.
I know my idol turns 68 years old today but that’s too depressing to dwell on. He’s forever young when watch the old interviews and the ring magic. If you’ve never watched his magnificent recital against Cleveland Williams, please do so. And then tell me if you’ve ever seen any boxer this side of Ray Robinson who was more breathtaking.
But the focus in this short essay is budding star Amir Khan. This devout Muslim wants to fight in America, not only in his native England, even though he’s already a real star there.
Pacman tutor Freddie Roach has been training him at the Wild Card Gym and Alan Hubbard, writing in Sunday’s Independent, puts into writing the persistent rumor that Khan is abandoning Frank Warren, who guided him brilliantly and did nothing wrong, in favor of Golden Boy.
I think Khan is making a mistake. Not in inking with Oscar de la Hoya’s company by any means. As a subsidiary of HBO (or is it the other way around?), they will put Khan on the leading boxing prime cable network.
Fearless Frank Warren (right) did terrific job in building and rebuilding Amir Khan (Amir Khan Twitter Page)
But, in rebranding himself on these shores, I see Khan losing much of his UK luster and fan base.
And, at the risk of not being politically correct, I also wonder if the United States will fully embrace a Muslim ring hero, even an apolitical one like Amir certainly is.
Can a Muslim become a sports superstar in America post 9/11?
Courtesy of WBC, Happy Birthday (Sunday) to The Greatest Of All Times!
I’d like to think so, to think Khan’s charisma and talent will be what matters. But I am not sure if a guy who was an Olympic hero for the UK will ever truly matter here. His parochial fans in Britain may lose some, if not all interest him, if they think he’s “gone American,” I believe.
And I wonder if unspoken but real fear and prejudice about Muslims will hinder Khan’s progress.
Amir seems to be overcoming his not so sturdy chin.
Can he overcome his religion in a nervous America, a country where a young Muslim tried to blow up an airplane which landed in Detroit?
I wish Khan, only 23 years old, all the luck but this career move is a huge gamble.
Religion should not matter in sports but let’s get real, in his case it might.
Khan he do it? Or will Amir some year look back and concede that he should have kept burnishing his bright star in his homeland?
We shall see what we shall see.
