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.
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.
Still competing at the amateur level, 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.”
Weird. He is still an amateur.
And white
ish.
I met Ali as a kid in middle school. At the time he had a house in southern Michigan and we ran into him at a restaurant. At the time I couldn’t appreciate what an icon he was. This was around 1990 and he was already pretty ravaged by Parkinson’s. The guy with him had to cut his food for him, and tended to speak for him mostly. And holy shit, the dude is big. He doesn’t look that big in the ring, but in real life he’s got a 10 gallon head and lunchbox fists.
I hope his grandsons are cut from the same cloth, and I’ll look up their fights today.
Very strange how he is a amateur still a d fighting another ammy in the PFL playoffs…
PFL literally stands for
PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE.
Which those 2 are clearly not
He was classy.
Called out the ref for a clear early stoppage even though he won.
I like him.