Muhammad Ali’s grandson to compete in MMA fight at Madison Square Garden
Biaggio Ali Walsh is following in his grandfather’s footsteps as he gets set to fight in an MMA match on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden — the same place Muhammad Ali once competed in some of his own most legendary bouts.
Growing up in Las Vegas, Ali Walsh first excelled at football and modeling. But when people discovered who his grandfather was, they’d often ask him and his brother if they’d inherited the fighting genes.
“People would find out who me and Nico were related to and they’d say, ‘Oh, can you fight?” Ali Walsh said. “And I’m like, ‘I don’t know.’”
In the past year, the 24-year-old has been on a mission to find out. His debut fight in June 2022 landed him in the hospital after a quick loss, but ever since he’s won all three fights in the Professional Fighters League by first-round knockouts.
His brother, Nico, 23, has also been fighting, although not for much longer. Nico Ali Walsh began his professional boxing career in August 2021, and currently touts an 8-0-1 record, with five knockout victories.
“It’s really difficult to watch both my kids get into the ring or into the cage. I’m always nervous,” their mother, Rasheda Ali, told the Daily News.
“It doesn’t matter who they’re fighting.” Because of the legacy they carry, Rasheda knows that her sons are “going to see the best version of their opponent that night,” she added.
For the older Ali Walsh, Wednesday’s bout — part of the 2023 PFL MMA Playoffs — will mark his second time competing in an arena where his grandfather once made history.
In the 1971 “Fight of the Century,” Muhammad Ali was defeated by Joe Frazier in a sold out event that was watched by over 300 million people worldwide. Three years later, Ali would get his retribution, defeating Frazier in the same venue.
Ali Walsh’s first appearance on a PFL card also incidentally took place at MSG, and he remembers the pressure at the time.
“I was super nervous but I went in there and just stayed calm, just got the job done and that’s how I want to be in every fight,” he recollected.
His mother says that what gives her a level of comfort, is knowing “Biaggio works very, very hard. He’s always in the gym, always trying to better himself, and he’s with a team of incredibly experienced fighters and coaches who push him to the next level.”
Still competing as an amateur, Ali Walsh’s career beginnings look a bit different than his grandfather’s, who started boxing at 12 years old and secured a boxing gold medal at the 1960 Olympics at just 18.
“Stylistically, my grandfather had such a stinging jab,” Ali Walsh said. “He really used his jab to set up a bunch of stuff and I think that one of the biggest things that I pick up from him is how he sets up his right hand using his jabs, or he sets up other combos using the jab.”
With News Wire Services
