Former WBC World Heavyweight Champion, Pinklon Thomas, Remembers The Legend Muhammad Ali

ORLANDO, Fla. - June 4, 2016 - PRLog -- On the night of June 3rd, The Great Muhammad Ali passed away due to respiratory complications. Many people within the boxing circle and outside are shocked and devastated that the world is short another one of the greats. Pinklon Thomas, former WBC Heavyweight Champion, remembers some of his best memories with the icon himself.

Pinklon Thomas started his boxing career later than most at the age of 19. He was trained by one of the best in the industry, Angelo Dundee. Angelo has trained Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, and many others. Through Angelo, Pinklon was able to meet Muhammad.

"The first time I met Ali, I was in the gym with Angelo. Ali came in walking very slow and taking his time. As soon as I saw him start to train on the bags, I was amazed. Seeing him in action made me just want to work hard and be like him. When I went into my fortune fight, he taught me one of his techniques, though he forgot to mention that I needed a closed fist, and I ended up breaking both my hands. I told myself you can't be just like Ali, you have to be Pinklon."

Pinklon and Ali had stayed friends throughout the years and always kept in contact. Whenever they would see each other and Lonnie, its as if they picked up right where they left off. Lonnie Ali married Muhammad in 1986 and have been devoted to each other ever since. Pinklon and Ali shared love and respect for one another and emanated humility wherever they were. Pinklon looked up to him on many different levels from the way he handled himself right down to how he changed the sport. In the later days, Pinklon would often speak to Ali's nurses to make sure they would check up on him and everything was okay.

"The respect I have for him is incomparable. He was a great man that will truly be missed. I learned so much from him, and he made a huge difference in my life. He was very special to me."