Known as “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali was a man who inspired millions around the globe, and Lewis Hamilton is one of them. On one occasion, the Mercedes star got to meet the Greatest boxer in history and hasn’t forgotten about it since. It remained a forever fond memory of Ali to Hamilton.

During an interview in 2013 with Sport Magazine, Hamilton was asked about the most memorable person he met. Talking about this, the Briton stated, “For me, Muhammad Ali. I got to meet him whilst, of course.”

“He’s obviously got his problems, but just being in his presence was just for me,” further asserted the former McLaren star. To conclude, the Silver Arrow ace conveyed that the meeting “was awesome” as he was blessed to have met him while he was alive.

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Unfortunately, Muhammad Ali breathed his last on June 3, 2016. He was suffering from a respiratory illness and was hospitalized, which ultimately didn’t help as his condition got worsened. He bid farewell to his life at the age of 74 in Arizona.

Lewis Hamilton once hailed Muhammad Ali as Superman

As we all know, Superman only exists in movies and books, but for Lewis Hamilton, he saw Superman in Muhammad Ali, unlike many of us. Regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th Century, the American boxer indeed was a superhuman or Superman in that context.

Talking about this, Hamilton once shared in a report published by The Sun, “I looked at Superman—who is not real and didn’t look like me—but I just loved what he (Muhammad Ali) stood for, along with F1 legend Ayrton Senna, who was from Brazil.”

He further added to Ali, “I remember growing up and watching TV and it is always a shock to find yourself in the presence of certain individuals, powerful people who are doing great things.”

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On an end note, Muhammad Ali’s legacy was so great that he won Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Century, BBC’s Sports Personality of the Century, BBC’s Athlete of the century in 1999, and many more for his contribution to sports. If he’s not the Superman to Lewis Hamilton, who else could it be?