Biaggio Ali Walsh is unbothered by the undying noise in the background as he attempts to make his MMA dreams a reality.
The grandson of the late-great Muhammad Ali, continued his strong showing with stoppage win over Joel Galarza Lopez at the PFL Championships on November 25. He now has six consecutive stoppage wins since his debut loss via submission for the promotion, with the rising star tipped to turn professional in the near future.
With the PFL to feature the likes of Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul in 2024, Ali Walsh will most likely be a strong part of the promotion’s plans as it embarks on a big year following its recent acquisition of rival company Bellator.
He just needs to keep on winning. Although, even if he does experience success in the cage, he realises there will be a a different level of attention on how he goes about his business.
Since his debut with the PFL, social media trolls have done their utmost to discredit the 25-year-old’s skills, but Ali Walsh denied his path has been hindered by the close scrutiny that comes with the Ali name.
“Honestly I don’t think the road is that difficult. Regardless of how much of a big name I make of myself there’s always going to be comparisons with my grandfather,” Ali Walsh told Wide World of Sports.
“That’s something I’m born into and will always have. My grandfather will always be relevant because of the stuff he’s done in this world.
“For me, kind of like my grandfather used his platform of boxing to help people and really inspire people. I want to be successful in fighting so I can do the same thing.
“Be a good mentor. Be a good coach, help those in need, give charity. There’s a lot of kids in single parent or violent households that need some kind of output and I think martial arts is the best. It changed my life.”
Walsh has many fond memories of his legendary grandfather, even though Ali was suffering from Parkinson’s disease when Walsh was a child. Yet that did not quell the many cherished experiences Ali Walsh had with ‘The Greatest’.
There were Thanksgivings with Ali doing magic tricks, watching old westerns, reading books, drawing together.
“I grew up with him my whole life. We visited him multiple times a year,” Ali Walsh added. “Unfortunately I wasn’t able to meet my dad’s parents, they passed away before I was born.
“So I only have one grandfather and grandmother on my mother’s side. My mum made sure we were very close to our grandfather.
“There’s a tonne of memories going to the movies, hanging out at the house. He’s like a super hero to me.”
Ali Walsh contends that comparisons to his famous grandad are unfair but expected since his foray into the fight world. He said people can compare him to the former world champion but anyone would be hard pressed to find another fighter like Ali, not only due to his skills inside the ring but his unwavering personality outside of it and the impact that had on the masses.
“He had quite the sized balls. He stood up to the US government, he risked everything and sacrificed it all for his beliefs,” Ali Walsh explained. “He said ‘take me to jail I don’t care about these belts, I’m standing for my people’.
“The kind of conviction and vision and bravery it takes to be able to do that, you don’t see it today. You’ll never see another Muhammad Ali.
“I don’t fight for money. Obviously everybody needs money, you gotta eat and live. But he understood the big picture, that’s where I learned it from, it was from him.
“I’m just blessed to have him as a grandfather and a role model because people are so tied to money.
“Everything is about money nowadays. You’ll never hear me say I fight for money. I just want to help people less fortunate.”