Before the world knew him as Muhammad Ali, Lagos welcomed a young heavyweight champion with open arms.
In 1964, shortly after defeating Sonny Liston to become the world’s heavyweight champion, Ali embarked on his first journey to Africa.
His tour took him to Ghana, Nigeria and Egypt, where he encountered huge crowds and a powerful connection to the African continent.
When Ali arrived in Lagos, Nigerians gathered to catch a glimpse of the charismatic young champion. During his visit, he embraced local culture, including appearing in traditional Yoruba clothing and participating in cultural activities.
The visit was more than a celebrity appearance. For Ali, Africa represented a connection to his ancestral roots and challenged many of the distorted images of Africa he had been taught growing up in the United States.
A decade later, Ali would return to Africa for one of the most famous fights in boxing history: the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Source: @africa
