Another Ali will step into boxing ring as Top Rank announced Thursday that it had signed Nico Ali Walsh to a multi-fight promotional deal.
The 20-year-old is the grandson of Muhammad Ali, and he's set to turn pro in a four-round middleweight bout on Aug. 14. An opponent has yet to be named.
"I'm doing what I love," Ali Walsh said in a statement released by Top Rank. "Signing with Top Rank is a dream come true. I'm going to have fun on Aug. 14, and the next time I fight. Top Rank will give me the name, date, and location, and I'll have a great time. I am honoured to continue the fighting legacy that my grandfather started. It is a responsibility I don't take lightly."
A full-time student at UNLV, Ali Walsh will continue his studies while setting out on his professional career. Top Rank boss Bob Arum expects Ali Walsh to succeed in both endeavours.
“Nico’s grandfather was a pretty good fighter,” Arum said. "Hopefully, Nico will emulate his success. He’s a young man of great character, which one would expect from Muhammad Ali’s grandson.”
Ali Walsh is well aware of his grandfather's impact on the sport and society at large, and he hopes to emulate "The Greatest" to the best of his abilities.
“To me, I was hanging out in the gym with my grandfather," Ali Walsh said of some of his earliest boxing memories. "Sometimes, I have to remind myself that he’s everyone’s idol.”