★ Muhammad Ali ★
American professional boxer, activist, and philanthropist.
Boxing legend and former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, recognised as one of the world’s greatest sporting figures, made three professional appearances at the Royal Albert Hall during his career, at a time when the world-famous venue was known as one of the city’s great boxing venues.
1970s the Golden Age
His first professional appearance was on 19 October 1971, when Ali boxed eight exhibition rounds.
On 3 December 1974, he returned alongside his greatest rival Australian, British, Commonwealth and European heavyweight champion Joe Bugner.
29 May 1979 Farewell to London
On 29 May 1979, Ali made his final boxing appearance at the Hall, in Farewell to London – The Magic of Ali. Ali fought five rounds of exhibition boxing, while at the top of the bill on the professional cards was Charlie Magri’s fight with Mexican boxer Freddie Gonzales.
16 January 2001 30 years later
30 years after making his first appearance at the Hall, Muhammad Ali returned to the Hall for the World Sport Awards, on 16 January 2001. The international sports awards ceremony, attended by some of the biggest names of the past, present and future in sport, saw Ali pick up the World Sportsman of the Century Award.