Nico Ali Walsh wore a pair of boxing shorts he received from his famous grandfather for his professional boxing debut, which he won with a 1st round TKO
Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, is making a name for himself.
On Saturday evening, Walsh, 21, made his professional boxing debut at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Catoosa, Oklahoma.
Wearing a pair of black and white boxing shorts he received from his grandfather, the middleweight fight saw Walsh go up against Jordan Weeks, where he bested the athlete, 29, with a first-round TKO.
“This lived up completely to my expectations,” Walsh said after his win, per CBS Sports. “This is something I only dreamed of. It’s been an emotional journey this whole ride, these last couple months.”
“Obviously, my grandfather, I’ve been thinking about him so much. I miss him and it’s just an emotional journey,” he added.
Ali, who was dubbed “The Greatest,” died in June 2016 after a years-long battle against Parkinson’s disease.
The athlete had nine children, including Walsh’s mother — Rasheda Ali. His daughter Laila Ali would go on to become a world champion boxer herself, just like her father.
