As the world bids adieu to Muhammad Ali, we extract highlights from Dawn's coverage of the last century's greatest sportsman.

Ali due in Pakistan in October

NEW YORK, Sept 29: Three-time former world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali will make his first visit ever to Pakistan in early October (scheduled for 5th through 11th) as a guest of Pakistan President Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq.

While in Pakistan, Ali plans to travel with President Zia and Gulf and Pacific President Larry Kolb to the camps of Afghanistan refugees near the Khyber Pass, if possible, and as a humanitarian gesture distribute free truckloads of PRIMO milk powder. PRIMO, which Ali and Gulf and Pacific have just launched in the Middle East, will soon be sold in many parts of Asia and Africa.

Muhammad Ali will also attend as Guest of Honour a ribbon-cutting ceremony on behalf of Carragreen Currency Ltd. Ali will also be visiting Pakistani schools and religious shrines, in connection with his Islamic duties.

Ali not suffering from Parkinson's disease

RAWALPINDI. Oct 9: Renowned former world heavy weight boxing champion Mr Muhammad Ali has said that he has devoted his life; for the cause of Islam which not only gives lesson of humanity and brotherhood but also a main source of guidance for the Muslims all over the world.

Speaking at a reception hosted in his honour by the citizens of Rawalpindi City here at Liaquat Gardens this evening, he said that the main aim of his life was to work for the promotion of Islam which, he observed was the only way of success in this world as well as the world hereafter.

He said "Islam gives us lesson of equality and justice which play an important role in the welfare of masses. That is why I am striving hard to eliminate poverty, injustice and racism from society".

FATIGUE: Due to fatigue Ali could not keep his commitments at Rawalpindi and Islamabad. He did not come at the Pakistan Sports Complex for a function arranged by the board to honour the greatest boxer of the world here this morning.

Mohammad Ali sent his wife, Yolanda Ali, to express his regrets to the waiting crowd at the 10,000-capacity Chinese built Liaquat gymnasium for not being able to come and meet them.

In her brief address,his wife Yolanda said that Muhammad Ali was well but was tired and had cancelled his morning programme to visit Shakarparian. Daman-i-Koh and Saddiqain Gallery.

Yolanda told APP that it was absolutely wrong that Mohammad Ali it was a blow during his boxing career which caused a permanent discripancy in a part of his brain and now doctors have prescribed the medicines which help make good that discripancy when ever it was needed.

CALLS ON ISHAQ KHAN: The former world heavy-weight boxing champion. Mr Mohammad Ali, accompanied by his wife. Mrs. Yolanda Ali called on the Acting President, Mr Ghulam Ishaq Khan here today.

The acting president briefed Mr Mohammad Ali about the political, geographical and historical facts of Pakistan. He also asked the former boxing champion to provide training to the Pakistani boxers.

ATTENDS DINNER: The Minister of Justice Mr Wasim Sajjad said here that the people of Pakistan had accorded a warm welcome to world's former boxing heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in conformity with the principles of Islam.

Speaking at a dinner he held in honour of the former champion. Mr Wasim Sajjad said "Islam was a religion of love and peace. Muhammad Ali is a great son of Islam and hence an enthusiastic welcome has been accorded to him in the same spirit of love and peace."

Muhammad Ali said he did not wish to be remembered as a great boxer but as a great Muslim only.

He said the preaching of Islam hid given him more peace and comfort than boxing. He said that one lecture on Islam to a large crowd was greater honour than over 20 years of boxing. "It has given me more happiness than my whole boxing career."

Ali overshadows all else in 1970

Promises biggest Bonanza in boxing history

NEW YORK, Dec 22: All else was overshadowed in boxing in 1970 when Muhammad Ali returned to the ring and brought with him the promise of the biggest bonanza in sports history—a showdown with heavyweight champion Joe Frazier early in 1971.

Mohammad Ali stripped of the title and barred from boxing in 1967 for refusing to go into the army, finally gained permission to fight, while his draft evasion conviction is being appealed in the courts.

With technical knockouts over Quarry and Oscar Bonavena within a six-week span, he suddenly and dramatically emerged as a threat to reclaim his throne from his successor Joe Frazier.

Ali made his first appearance in 3 1/2 years beating Quarry in Atlanta and followed that by scoring a TKO with three knockdowns in the 15th round against Bonavena.

“No I’m back to prove who is the real champion”, he said. The proof probably will come early in 1971 against Frazier in a 10-million US Dollar bout, and each fighter fighting to take home 2.5 million us dollars or more.

Frazier gained undisputed possession of the heavyweight title last February by knocking down Ellis, the World Boxing Association champ, twice in the fourth round. He was unable to answer the bell for the fifth.

Frazier then defended his title for the first time by knocking out the light-heavy weight champion Bob Foster in two rounds in Detroit on Nov 18.

After successfully defending his light-heavy crown with success over Roger Rose and Mark Tessman. Foster’s fortunes suddenly crumbled. First he was knocked out by Farzier and then stripped of the light-heavyweight title for failure to defend against the No. 1 contender, Jimmy Dupree.

Monzon of Argentina won the middle weight title by knocking out Nino Benvenuti in 12 round on Nov 7 IN Rome. Billy Backus of the US took the welter crown from Mexican Jose Napoles on Dec 3 with a forth-round knock out.

Scotland’s Ken Buchanan gained the lightweight throne with a decision against Ismail of Panama on Sept 26, and Jesus Castillo stopped fellow Mexican Huben Olivers in the 14th round to gain the title.

Dual champions reigned in both the featherweight and flyweight divisions. Japan’s Kuni Shibats and Sho Salio shared the feather title while Masao Ohha of Japan and Flipino Erbito Salvarria shared the flyweight title. -- UPI

Ali rated No 2 contender for Frazier’s title

MEXICO CITY, Aug. 1: The world Boxing Council has names Muhammad Ali number two contender for world heavyweight champion Joe Fraizer’s crown with another fighter, George Oreman, taking top place for challenger.

Yesterday’s listings were issued after Ali’s victory last week ver. Jimmy Ellis, by a technical knockout in the 12th and last round of a fight in Houston.

Ellis is ranked as number three contender for Fraizer’s title.

The listings proclaimed Italian world junior welterweight champion Bruno Acari as boxer of the month.

The world boxing council, rival to the World Boxing Associaton (W.B.A.) also named Pedo Carrasco of Spain and Mando Ramos if the United States as its version of the lightweight crown left vacant by the withdrawal of recognition from Scotland’s Ken Buchanan.

– Reuter.

ALI-FRAZIER FIGHT ON FEBUARY 4

NEW YORK: Oct 15: Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier signed here last night for their long-awaited rematch of Feb 4, and the uproarious ceremony recalled the vintage days Muhammad Ali a decade ago.

Reporters were shoved aside, microphones knocked off tables and several cocktail glass broke in Madison Square Gardens plush hall of fame as Ali went wild apparently because Frazier still called him by his previous name of “Cassius Clay”.

After taking his jacket off and trying to throw a punch at the seated Frazier, Ali screamed: “you are still calling me Clay, you are still calling me Clay. I’m going to beat your bones unless you call me Muhammad Ali.

“I’m going to whip you like you have never been whipped. I’m going to stop you with a right hand.”Amid the turmoil Ali did not hear Edwin Dooley, Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, say, “I am fining Muhammad Ali 5,000 dollars (2,000 sterling) for conduct detrimental to the best interests of boxing.”

However, Dooley was later overruled by two other commissioners Manuel Gonzalez and Ken Sherwood. The fine was rescinded. – Reuter.

Ali plans to become Islamic missionary

PARIS, Dec. 28: Former world boxing champion Muhammad Ali has told an Arabic-language weekly he studies the Quran seven hours a day and hopes to become an Islamic missionary and an imam.

Ali made the statements in this week’s edition of the Paris-based “Al Watan al-Arabi”. He was quoted in the newspaper as saying he plans to rent the largest amphitheatre in London to teach Islam to Europeans and to visit European churches to spread the Islamic world.

The former heavyweight champion said he planned to use cinema as an Islamic teaching method.

Ali said after becoming an Islam missionary he will engage in political action in cooperation with other Muslim leaders.

Before leaving for Malaysia where he intends to address the faithful, the former champion told the weekly that “happiness cam only be found in loving God, and what I’m doing today is greater than boxing.”

Married for a third time, Ali told the newspaper his previous marriages failed because his former wives would not conform to Islamic ways. – APA/AFP

See: Muhammad Ali: 'The Greatest' boxer, showman, ambassador