Muhammad Ali’s Grandson Says Family Name Is Also a “Curse” After Conor McGregor Influence Got Him to Choose MMA Over Football

Biaggio Ali Walsh, the grandson of the American icon Muhammad Ali, is already in the world of combat sports. Ali Walsh, however, does not consider himself fully privileged to be the grandson of Muhammed Ali. Instead, he believes that the same fact is both a curse and a blessing. Muhammad Ali is considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. He was one of the most important sports figures of the 20th century. Hence, being the grandson of Ali is not an easy task for Biaggio Ali Walsh, as people expect a lot from him.

The expectations of the people make him feel pressurized. At the moment, Ali Walsh is trying to establish himself as an MMA fighter in the Professional Fighters League. He believes that, as a budding MMA fighter, PFL is the right platform for him to flourish. The 24-year-old feels that he is privileged when it comes to the exposure he received as the grandson of ‘The Greatest.’ Furthermore, Ali Walsh was a footballer in his early teens and was later inspired by the UFC superstar Conor McGregor and chose to be an MMA fighter.

The curse and blessing of Muhammad Ali’s grandson Biaggio Ali Walsh

As reported by the Korea Times, Biaggio Ali Walsh detailed both his blessing and curse as the grandson of Muhammed Ali. He said, “Obviously, the blessing is we get the exposure that we’re getting a little bit easier than most people,” He added, “But that is also kind of a curse. There’s more pressure, there’s more eyes on us. People expect so much of you, which kind of falls back into the category of pressure. I’d say it’s definitely a blessing and a curse.” From the words of Ali Walsh, it is clear that he has to carry the weight of his family name and legacy.

Ali Walsh further talked about his love for MMA. He mentioned how he became a fan of combat sports in high school. From then on, he wanted to pursue the same. Moreover, he loved the idea of how an MMA fight is composed of a number of techniques, and when a fighter fights, all these mixed martial arts techniques come to their rescue. Ali Walsh is also a huge fan of Conor McGregor and loved the changes Mcgregor bought to the sport. He once appreciated the Irishman for making MMA an entertaining sport.

Muhammad Ali is an inspiration

Ali Walsh has a younger brother named Nico. When Ali Walsh chose to be an MMA fighter, Nico became a boxer. Walsh described how the two boys were challenged in the streets to fight by people who knew they were the grandsons of Muhammad Ali. He further emphasized how people expected them to be strong and ferocious like Muhammad Ali from a very young age.

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He further talked about how his current aim is to fight in Korea as an MMA fighter, as he is a huge fan of Korean zombie movies. Ali Walsh mentioned how his grandfather is a great inspiration for both him and his brother. He aspires to be as strong and tough as his grandfather, Muhammad Ali.