Muhammad Ali Will Finally Receive This Incredible Honor

Cassius Clay, 20 year old heavyweight contender from Louisville, Kentucky poses for the camera on May 17, 1962, in Bronx, New York Muhammad Ali
Stanley Weston/Getty Images

It is about time. The late Muhammad Ali will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024 by his widow, Lonnie Ali. The professional boxer will receive the posthumous honor as he passed away in 2016 at the age of 74. Long considered to be the best boxer of all time, he will finally have a place in the Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held on April 5, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and will be livestreamed on Peacock at 10 p.m. ET.

Ali was a professional wrestler for many years and won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in boxing in 1960. He became the undisputed world heavyweight champion, beating out other greats such as Joe Frazier and George Foreman. His final match was held in 1981 and he finished his career with only 5 losses and 56 wins.

American professional boxer, activist, and philanthropist Muhammad Ali (1942 - 2016) at a press conference presenting his new autobiographical book 'The Greatest: My Own Story' held at The Savoy Hotel, London, UK, 10th March 1976

Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

After he retired from boxing, Ali appeared as a special guest referee during WrestleMania in 1985, featuring Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. He also turned to acting, art, and activism. During his career, he refused to be drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and this led to him being stripped of his heavyweight championships and exiled from boxing for many years. Eventually, he was welcomed back.

Muhammad Ali onstage during the Michael J. Fox Foundation's 2010 Benefit "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson's" at The Waldorf=Astoria on November 13, 2010 in New York City

Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Ali had a cameo in the film Requiem for a Heavyweight and starred in the Broadway musical Buck White. Ali played himself in a film based on his autobiography called The Greatest. He also starred in the film Freedom Road.

This year, Ali will join fellow inductees Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, and the tag team the U.S. Express (Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham). Ali was survived by his wife and nine children. Will you be watching this year’s induction ceremony?

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September 2017

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