Muhammad Ali’s grandson had an incredible first-round knockout during his fight with Alejandro Ibarra this weekend.
Nico Ali Walsh appeared on the undercard for Shakur Stevenson vs Oscar Valdez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
The 21-year-old appears to have inherited some boxing prowess from his late grandfather and executing a two-jab knock out just minutes into the fight.
Ali Walsh is the son of Rasheda Ali, the second eldest of the boxing legend’s children.
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He has an unbeaten record - entering last weekend’s fight with four wins under his belt, before adding a fifth win, and fourth knockout, to his impressive record.
Speaking after the fight he said: “This is just a testament to all the work I put in. Stuff like this happens when you put the work in. I'm bringing my grandpa back to life, and that's why mum gets so emotional because she's seeing her dad again and hearing her dad's name to me.”
Talking about the fight, he added: “I was setting him up with the right hand. I noticed his left hand was going down when he threw the jab. I was trying to counter it, and that’s what I did. I wish the best for him and his team. He’s a true warrior. But I just waited for that setup, and I saw it and I took advantage."
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Boxing fans praised the fighter on social media, with one person saying: “KO of the year so far. Beautiful.”
Another commented: “His movement and defence has greatly improved; he’s getting better with every fight.”
While a third said: “Nico is definitely a chip off his grandpa - the great Muhammad Ali.”
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Speaking ahead of his bout, Ali Walsh had said he would never be able to emulate the career of his late grandfather but said he would continue his legacy.
When asked if he’d be able to have a similar career to Ali, he replied: "It's impossible.
"I want to continue my grandfather's legacy in the ring and outside the ring but while doing so I want to create my own path, a legacy of my own.
“Nobody will be able to do what my grandfather did, nobody will be able to reach the heights that he did, I don't think. So that's not what I'm trying to do, I'm not trying to do the impossible. But even better, I'm trying to build off it and create my own thing."
Topics: Boxing, Sport, Muhammad Ali