The world has lost one of its truly colossal figures, with Muhammad Ali passing away overnight at the age of 74.
Tributes to The Greatest are continuing to pour in from all corners of the globe, and our own Gavin Cooney has compiled a list of the best Ali reading from those who either knew him personally or followed his compelling life and career intently.
Elsewhere, people around the world have united in sharing their own experiences with the former three-time World heavyweight champion, and you'll do well to find a finer story than that of Twitter user ThatBoysGood, who recalled his own meeting with Ali in the early '00s.
It's strangely comforting to know that, even in his later years, he retained that roguish charm.
Apologies for flooding your tl in advance, mute if you want but I've got an Ali story that will make you all smile, I think. Makes me smile.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
During undergrad I got a cake job driving exchange students around. First was the Panamanians, which was a party. Next was a Muslim group.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
Muslim group was less *entertaining than the Panamanians but I learned a lot about people I was led to believe were evil. They weren't.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
boss calls & says "take them to the Ali Center, there will be speakers discussing modern Islam in America post 9/11. And Ali will be there.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
Said he would pose for a pic and sign one autograph. I unpinned the Ali Norton poster from my wall rolled it up and put a suit on.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
So we get seated and then he walks in with his handlers carrying a satchel of some sort. Sits down removing items from the satchel.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
I'll be honest, I'm sure the speaker was very informative and I could've learned a lot but cmon I'm not taking my eyes off Ali.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
he takes out a pad of paper, a pack of colored pencils, and an electric pencil sharpener. I had no idea how hard I was about to laugh.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPEECH HE SHOVES PENCILS IN THE ELECTRIC SHARPENER
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
"The state of the Americ-"RRRRRRRRRRRRRR he's just sharpening pencils loud af not giving a damn during the dudes speech.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
He has this mischievous grin every time he does it like "voice be damned I will still troll the world if I please"
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
He does this like 5 times before the speaker threw in the towel and said "well I guess the Greatest is ready for pictures, line up there"
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
Not gonna lie, my buddy and I are in line trying to scheme up how I could distract him while my buddy swiped one of his drawings.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
I get up to him and he looks me up and down and grabs my arm, holds it up like I was hitting him, and faked a pained look, for the pic.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
I unroll my poster, he grins, he makes hand gestures I couldn't read. His friend: "Muhammad wants you to lean down so he can speak to you"
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
I lean over visibly trembling, almost passed out. He said "That boy Norton had a head of concrete, but boy was it fun to punch".
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
Sadly I lost the photo during college moves but I do still have the poster hanging in my basement.
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
Oh and before anyone tries calling me a jive turkey pic.twitter.com/2NRIYkOZYP
— TBG (@ThatBoysGood) June 4, 2016
