So how was Ali any more deserved than Joe Louis?

I have looked at these posts and maybe I have not understood them all,but I find it a bit degrading to throw different points of view about a great ambassidor of the game about like this.
Some fans may know this,but a lot of you will not.

On the 1962 tour of Australia an extra match was arranged to take place on the way home from Australia,this match was to take place in South Africa,at that time South Africa was the hotbed of racial discrimination.

The South African authorities said that any black members of the tour party would have to stay in a different hotel to the white players.

The British Rugby League agreed to this before they told Billy,he then showed what a proud man he was and he humbly declined.
Billy flew home from Australia on his own.

Billy later received an apology from Bill Fallofield the the secetary of the Rugby Football League.
This he accepted without any fuss.

A great player and above all a great man.

Probably because he went beyond boxing and was vocal in the struggle against racial discrimination.

I doubt youll find anyone arguing about the great player bit but theres a few around Hawkley that will disagree with the great man statement.

Is this the same Ali that stated many times that ALL white men were devils?

Are you surprised he felt like that everything considered? It's not as if he was ill informed council estate school drop out type who spouts it for no reason, if you treat people like dirt then expect contempt back.

Not without his flaws was yon Mohammed

who isn't?

The treatment that minority races had to put up with back then was a disgrace, BUT he made the same statement time and time again. Just check out his interviews with Parkinson and Frost on a well known video sharing site. Bloody opened my eyes pal.

Let's slag all 10 off, next?

I wasn't

Nobodys being slagged off, just pointing out the merits of each sportsman. Didnt realise it was a love in.

The author clearly mentions the role of both Thompson and Sullivan in terms of representation and then why they chose Boston. I really don't know what your beef is.

Not a beef, it's a discussion

In which case......

The author clearly mentions the role of both Thompson and Sullivan in terms of representation and then why they chose Boston. I really don't know what your discussion is.

Finally someone who is not living in the past, who all seem to idolise Mr B and his time playing for Wigan. I have no doubt he was a great player. I have been told by far to many of the older generation who where fortunate enough to see him play how good he was. And full respect to him for his achievements on the field.
However as Owdpopularsider says the "great man" part i have issues with.
I was barred out his pub in a mistaken identity.
I was with the wife and he was shouting that "i was barred" in that big Welsh voice.
i tried to explain he was mistaken but he just got more annoyed and louder.
some of his beloved hangers on then started to get involved causing the Mrs to become concerned for our safety.
I ended up telling him to shove his pub up his arrogant @rse.
Told a few of his older generation fans at work exactly what i thought of him, and still they could see no wrong in him or his actions.
I live in Hawkley now not far from him. He can come across as a sad old man who thinks he owns the street. He is not always the humble ex rugby great that comes across when on TV or the papers.

Point taken,but some of us owduns have only the past to remember.
I have lived most of my life about 7 miles from Wigan,so I was not always involved in the local news.
Another fond memory tarnished,but such is life.

That is some achievement by Billy when you look at the others on that list and remember some of the people omitted.

Ridiculous post, You couldn't meet a nicer, more humble man if you tried. You need to get over your bitterness, everyone has bad days and who's to say he wasn't having one himself then(or even that you were an innocent party?)

Back on topic.....Fantastic honour for the great man and well deserved. Couldn't be happier for him.

this

Well done on his achievements on the field and all the awards and recognition that go with them.
But everyone should be treated with respect which on that particular night my wife and i definately where not.
I assure you that it was a case of mistaken identity, and i do not like you nor anybody else questioning my honesty.
There was no need for raised voices.
He could have spoke to me about his concerns in the back room.
He never swore which i appreciate as i was with my other half.. It was the hangers on at the bar that where trying to impress him that inflamed the situation.
Perhaps you where one of the disciples in the bar that night? Armed with your burning torches intent on chasing us out of town in the name of the great man himself. He was out of order and so where the other patrons that night. I am not bitter but my perception of such an iconic person changed that night.

There is a feature on him tonight. However its on BBC2 Wales at 9pm on a programme called Sport Wales, but I don't know whther this can be picked up nationally or not.

Sky Channel 971 coming on now.

Well worth watching.