Just Askin': Why is there no statue of Muhammad Ali in Louisville?
Many regard Muhammad Ali as Louisville's most famous native. He was, after all, nicknamed "The Greatest" for his skill in the boxing ring.
Though he died in 2016, Ali's legacy remains throughout the city, notably at the airport and museum bearing his name and the Hometown Heroes banner facing the Ohio River from the LG&E Building on Third Street. One thing you won't find in Louisville, though, is a statue of the 20th century sports icon.
Monuments of former President Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone, George Rogers Clark and Kentucky Derby-winning horse Barbaro memorialize local historical figures, so why hasn't the "Louisville Lip" been celebrated in bronze? His religious customs may provide the answer.
Does a statue go against Ali's Muslim values?
In a statement, the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville said it does not display a life-sized statue of him to respect his Islamic faith.
"The religion of Islam forbids idolatry, and out of respect of Ali and his family's religious beliefs, the Center cannot endorse depictions of Muhammad Ali that may be perceived as an idol," an Ali Center spokesperson said.
Born in Louisville as Cassius Clay, Ali was the top heavyweight boxer in the United States when he announced his conversion to Islam in 1964, instantly becoming the most visible member of a religious minority.
Ali was originally a member of the Nation of Islam, which in the 1960s was calling for racial separation in American society. He gained national attention when he refused to comply with the Vietnam War draft for religious reasons, The Courier Journal previously reported.
Ali later left the Nation of Islam for Sunni Islam, which is practiced by most of the world's Muslims, according to the Pew Research Center.
Smoketown's 'Boxing Gloves' sculpture stands to honor Louisville's athletes, including Ali
Just off Hancock Street is the Boxing Gloves sculpture, also known as the Smoketown Monument, which depicts two boxing gloves overlapping to form the shape of a heart. The statue honors local boxers, including Ali, and captures the spirit of the community, The Courier Journal previously reported.
The monument was sculpted in 1991 by Ed Hamilton, who has numerous other works around Louisville, and artist Zephra May-Miller, who was known in Smoketown as "The Bag Lady of Louisville" because of her unique artwork and clothing made from plastic bags, The Courier Journal reported in 2004.
Public officials, residents proposed an Ali statue in recent years
The idea of an Ali monument at the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort was pitched during a Black History Month celebration in 2011. Then-House Speaker Greg Stumbo proposed putting a statue of Ali next to the one of Lincoln in the Rotunda.
"I think he should be somewhere where he can look at Abe and Abe can look at him," Stumbo told The Courier Journal at the event.
Louisville residents have also called for an Ali statue over the years, even offering his name as a replacement to the statue of John B. Castleman, which had been removed from a Cherokee Triangle roundabout in 2020 following years of criticism over Castleman's service in the Confederate army.
Are there statues of Muhammad Ali in other countries?
Six months after his death, a statue of Ali was erected in Liverpool, England, according to a report from The Liverpool Echo. Ali had once been quoted as saying, "You ain't a fool if you're from Liverpool."
In Philadelphia, a statue depicting a 1971 boxing match between Ali and Joe Frazier, titled as the "Fight of the Century," went up in 2021 to commemorate the event's 50th anniversary, according to an Associated Press report. Frazier, a Philadelphia native, triumphed over Ali to win the heavyweight title.
More: Just Askin': Who is the Barret family? Why a school, roads are named after them
Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Muhammad Ali likely won't have a statue in Louisville. Here's why
