Tony Harrison and the boxing community have heavy hearts.
On Monday, the former WBC junior middleweight champion took to his Instagram account and posted on the death of his father and trainer, Ali Salaam. The Premier Boxing Champions promotional outfit that Harrison fights under reported that the 59-year-old Salaam died Sunday night of "complications related to the coronavirus."
But Harrison wants the world to know that his dad didn't succumb to the global pandemic without putting up a tough fight.
"You was in a tough fight and you went the distance. The decision just didn't go our way, but we was together every step of the way — what more could I ask!!!!" Harrison wrote on his IG account. "My right hand forever. Get some rest pops. It ain’t goodbye just see you later!!"
Harrison also added, "Til we meet again."
Salaam trained and guided Harrison to a unanimous decision win over Jermell Charlo at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in December 2018, when his son became the WBC junior middleweight champion of the world in a nationally televised fight.
Harrison, 29, would go on to lose the title via an 11th-round KO in his rematch with Charlo the following December, but had gained the respect of the boxing world for his sweet science skills.
In addition to helping Harrison to a 28-3 (21 KOs) pro record, Salaam was a staple of the boxing community in their hometown of Detroit. He had followed in his own father Henry Hank's footsteps by boxing professionally.