I'm sure there's plenty who could argue that he was the greatest sportsman of he 20th century. I've never had a taste for boxing, but evenI acknowledge his huge stature as a kid growing up in the 70s. And, of course, his impact on the Olympics, in 1960 and 1996, is a significant part of the lore of the games. Vale Ali. Love him or loathe him. Whether you consider him the Greatest or a pretender, he was certainly a giant of the sports world.