The MMA world knows Biaggio Ali Walsh as the grandson of the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. However, Ali Walsh is not someone who prefers to gain fame through the name of his grandfather. Instead, Ali Walsh’s current aim is to make a name for himself in the world of mixed martial arts. Ali Walsh has on numerous occasions talked about the privilege of being the grandson of the American icon. However, he also feels that there are two sides to the coin. The MMA star feels that he is considered “every PR guy’s dream.” Due to his connection to the boxing legend, the media always focuses to capture the moments of Ali Walsh. Being an athlete, he receives a lot of attention for the same reason.

Interestingly, Ali Walsh began his athletic career as a footballer, and ever since then, the media has been behind him. Now he plays amateur bouts at PFL. His last fight at the PFL was against Isaiah Figueroa. He won the bout in the very first round via TKO. Recently, Biaggio talked about the downside of being in the spotlight that comes with bearing the family name ‘Ali’.

Biaggio Ali Walsh talks about being the favorite of the media

In an interview with Cageside Pres, the interviewer asked, “With your name, you want to be your own guy, you know you want to be a be past the Ali name but do you feel like you’re every PR guy’s dream?…. When they post you the Ali name that’s just gonna help them get clicks or do you think like in the future it would just be because you’re talented and not because you’re related to Muhammad Ali?” In response, Ali Walsh said, “I feel like all those things take a part you know. I’ve been exposed to Media, to interviews since I was 14 years old.“

He further detailed his experience with the media. Ali Walsh said, “When I was playing football and they found out who I was related to and even in football it was a bunch of attention because I was talented you know. I was a good running back. Was scoring a lot. I had a lot of yards, good stats.

He further stated, “I’m Muhammad Ali’s grandson so you know they would use that you know for media content and stuff.” The lightweight fighter is quite familiar with the media giving him attention as the grandson of Muhammed Ali.

The blessing and curse of bearing the name ‘Ali’

 Ali Walsh considers his connection to Muhammad Ali as both a blessing and a curse. According to him, the biggest blessing is that he has received more exposure to the world of combat sports. He said that his exposure made things much easier for him. On the other hand, there is hidden trouble. People expect so much from Ali Walsh as an athlete. Even though Ali Walsh chose MMA over boxing, many expect him to perform as well as his grandfather. The expectations often lead to him feeling pressured. However, at the moment, his entire focus is on establishing himself as a great MMA fighter.

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What are your thoughts on Biaggio’s comments on the media spotlight? In addition, do you think it is hard for Muhammad Ali’s children to make a name for themselves, given Ali’s GOAT status? It is also important to remember that despite handling the pressure of always being in the spotlight, Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali had a successful boxing career and is indeed one of the greatest women fighters of her generation. Tell us what you feel in the comments below.

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