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‘He fought for everyone’s cause’: Rasheda Ali on the selfless legacy of Muhammad Ali
Rasheda Ali Walsh, daughter of the legendary fighter, on how her father lived his beliefs and sought to change the sport forever
Rasheda Ali has spent much of her life protecting, explaining, and celebrating the lives of one of the most famous names in sporting history.
The daughter of Muhammad Ali and Khalilah Camacho Ali, and twin sister of J Jamillah, she is a published author, a public speaker, and a long-time advocate for Parkinson’s awareness, the illness that eventually claimed her father’s life. She currently serves as a patron of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Centre.
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In Dubai, where she was visiting with her son, professional boxer Nico Ali Walsh, and her husband, Robert Walsh, Rasheda spoke candidly to Khaleej Times about her father, not as a sporting icon, but as a kind-hearted man she grew up with.
“Dad did a lot of things in his life, very, very valuable things,” she said. “He was a kind of activist as well. He refused to be drafted into the US military during the Vietnam War because of his moral convictions, and changed his name from Cassius Clay and converted to Islam.”
She remembers a father who led by example while raising nine children. “My Dad transcended boxing,” she said. “I think he wanted to change the face of boxing; never separated his beliefs from his actions.”
That sense of purpose, she explained, was present from an early age.
“I know he was 12 years old when he would train with his brother, Rudy,” Rasheda said. “He knew then that he wanted to make a difference… he was always fighting for other people, not just himself.”
Ali’s refusal to be drafted into the Vietnam War remains one of the defining moments of his life, yet it proved to be one of the most costly chapters of his career, too. He was stripped of his heavyweight title, banned from boxing for over three years, and originally convicted of draft evasion.
“Most people would say it was career suicide,” she said. “His handlers didn’t think he was doing the right thing… but because Dad had strong convictions and he was passionate about his religion, he inspired other people to do the same.”
Years after his passing, Rasheda believes that stance still resonates.
“Dad, taking his stance on his beliefs, has inspired so many people,” she said. “Not just athletes, all human beings. His actions are still resonating today.”
Part of that enduring power, she believes, came from Ali’s ability to connect with people beyond boxing.
“My Dad was kind of the first self-promoter, even before charisma-driven promoters like Don King and Bob Arum,” she said. “He brought eyes to the sport — women, children, people who wouldn’t normally watch boxing, became fans. That was his appeal. He was also socially conscious. He was an ambassador of peace. He stood for something,” she added. “And because he didn’t take the easy road, he suffered for it.”
Being in Dubai, watching her son take his own steps in the ring, carried special meaning for Rasheda.
“The UAE is a very magical place,” she said. “I know my father visited Dubai in 1970, right before we were born. He made some really great relationships out here. I’m really happy to see Nico invited to fight in Dubai, who is doing a lot for combat sports.”
Through her reflections, Rasheda offered us something rare: a portrait of Muhammad Ali , a man whose legacy continues till this day through the values he lived by and passed on.
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