Boxer's kin alters moniker for independent path, until Mike Tyson's emergence interrupted it
Mike Tyson Unveils a Family Secret: Nico Ali Walsh, Boxing Royalty Hidden in Plain Sight
Scoop! The Hidden Connection Between Nico Ali Walsh and the Legendary Muhammad Ali
The name Ali may ring a bell when you hear it, but you might be surprised to learn that it's not just any average Ali. Nico Ali Walsh, a 24-year-old contender in the boxing world, happens to be the grandson of Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest sports legends of all time. But here's the twist - Nico kept his famous roots hidden from the public eye for quite a while, until none other than Mike Tyson stepped in.
Nico's parents, including Ali's daughter Rasheda whose sister Laila was a renowned boxer, never approved of him stepping into the family business. However, by the age of 14, Nico, with the help of his beloved grandfather, convinced his family to let him start boxing. The condition? He had to shy away from his illustrious surname.
Nico explained, "I left out the name. Even at 15, my full name is Nico Ali Walsh, but I cut out the Ali. I said my name was Nico Walsh, but they found out somehow. My parents weren't on board with saying Ali either."
It seems that Nico's secret might have been let out of the bag by a close friend of Mohammad Ali's - none other than Mike Tyson. Tyson could have inadvertently exposed Nico's identity when he showed up at one of Nico's amateur fights. In an interview, Nico shared, "So Mike ended up coming to my amateur fight and it was just him, whoever he was with, and then my family. So there was like 7/8 people in the crowd, and it was just us, so I guess people may have started realising it."
With the cat out of the bag, Nico went on to have nearly 30 amateur bouts before transitioning to a professional career in 2021. He entered the professional ring alongside legendary promoter Bob Arum, who orchestrated some of Muhammad Ali's most iconic fights.
Ali Walsh has faced his fair share of adversaries, especially behind the scenes. He revealed, "Sparring and training, it's never 100 per cent of the time. Sparring is where you work on things and you do certain things, but whenever I go outside of someone that I directly know, they're trying to knock me out in sparring. Everyone who spars me is trying to knock me out. So it's very annoying, but I've gotten that my entire professional career."
Despite the challenges, Nico Walsh is now 15 fights into his pro career, boasting 12 wins, two losses, and one no-contest. He bounced back with a victory against Ebenezer Sowah in Guinea following a shock defeat to Juan Carlos Guerra Jr last February.
Interestingly, Ali Walsh has steadfastly refused to engage in cash-grab fights against celebrities like Jake Paul. In fact, he turned down a staggering $3million offer to face the 11-1 YouTuber-turned-boxer last year.
"I can't be mad at these pro guys who are calling him out, they want the money. Obviously, the money they would be getting, they would be getting paid millions to knock out a guy that's way below the skill level of the guy that they get paid far less to fight. So it makes sense for these guys, but for me, that's not something I want to be remembered by. It would really be just tainting my legacy to be getting involved with something like that," Ali Walsh stated.
As Nico Ali Walsh carries on his journey in the professional boxing world, he remains true to his family's boxing legacy, carefully choosing fights that honor rather than undermine the Ali name.
Sources:
- Muhammad Ali's Memorable Victory in the Rumble in the Jungle
- Equatorial Guinea Stands Ready to Host Ali vs Sowah Boxing Match
- Jake Paul Avoids Boxing Match with Nico Ali Walsh
- Musings on the Legacy of The Greatest: Remembering Muhammad Ali
Nico Ali Walsh's illustrious boxing career shares a connection with the world of sports, as he is the grandson of Muhammad Ali, a renowned sports legend. Despite keeping his famous roots hidden for a while, Nico's identity was inadvertently revealed by Mike Tyson at one of his amateur fights.
