Living The Green Platform

LIVING THE GREEN PLATFORM
to the curtain as I was bellowing out, boxing ring-like, the
introduction.
I looked at Ali and nodded to be sure he was okay. He nodded
back. When he stood up, he smiled. Chin up. Head back. He was
ready. As he started to walk, I began my introduction. I could have
been in Madison Square Garden introducing a world
championship fight. But I saw clearly within a millisecond that
my speaking was much quicker than Ali’s ability to put one foot
past the other.
I just got as far as saying: “And now ladies and gentlemen a big
warm Irish céad míle fáilte for …” but Ali had only moved two steps.
His jaw was square. He had that same steely determination he
needed in those nights he fought Joe Frazier, George Foreman and
Sonny Liston. He had refused to use a wheelchair and was fighting
harder than he did against those opponents inside the ring to walk
out and greet his Dublin audience.
He had moved only two steps, and I was stuck. I had totally
overestimated his walking speed. He takes the third step and I say:
“A living legend.” I pause. He takes a fourth step. I go on: “The most
recognised face on the planet …” and then he takes his fifth step
and just before he splits the curtain I say: “The greatest,
Muhammad Ali.”
He got a standing ovation. The longest one I’ve ever seen or
heard. By the time it was over he had been helped to a chair where
he was happy to sit down.
Those five steps had taken an awful lot out of him but he has
been fighting for a bigger cause than just a boxing payday for these
past three decades since he retired.
His wife, Lonnie, said that boxing was only ever a vehicle for
him to do what he’s doing now; raising millions for his charity as
he continues to encourage every man, woman and child in the world
to be the greatest they can be.
I was humbled to be beside him as he completed those five steps
with immense courage and conviction. In those five steps, I saw
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