Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of former heavyweight champion and boxing legend Muhammad Ali, defeated Jordan Weeks by technical knockout in his professional boxing debut on Saturday.
Middleweight fighter Ali Walsh is the son of Robert Walsh and Rasheda Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s daughter. The 21-year-old signed a deal with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Boxing in June ahead of his first professional fight in the US state of Oklahoma.
Ali Walsh, who wore trunks made for grandfather Muhammad Ali, knocked down his opponent Weeks midway through the first round before the referee stopped the fight at 1:49 of that round.
“Obviously my grandfather, I’ve been thinking of him so much. I miss him. It’s been an emotional journey,” ESPN quoted Ali Walsh as saying. “I think me and him (Weeks) made a little bit of history tonight. This lived up completely to my expectations.
Muhammad Ali, nicknamed “The Greatest”, died in June 2016. Ali Walsh, who is trying to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps into professional boxing, said Muhammad Ali was “the greatest fighter who lived”.