Superman
Posted by Mitch on 5th March 2014
Muhammed Ali is probably the greatest athlete that’s ever lived. He was so great that he transcended sport and might even have become the most famous person on the planet.
His greatest professional triumph was that epic encounter with George Foreman in 1974. A ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ against a boxer who at the time most people considered unbeatable and who many thought might do Ali some permanent damage. Just as they did back in 1964 when a 22 year old Ali fought another ferocious and unbeatable reigning world-champion called Sonny Liston.
It was the event that sealed his status as The Greatest.
On the flight back from Zaire after that fight, Ali was in an ebullient mood, as befitting a newly-crowned world champion, when the following exchange took place as the plane was preparing to take off:
Flight Attendant: “Mr Ali, could you please fasten your safety belt?”
Muhammed Ali: “Superman don’t need no safety belt.”
Flight Attendant (grinning): “Superman don’t need no plane either.”
There’s probably a moral lurking in that story somewhere.