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Muhammad Ali, ‘The Greatest of All Time’, Dies at 74

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7 years ago

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Muhammad Ali, the silver-tongued boxer and civil rights champion who famously proclaimed himself “The Greatest” and then spent a lifetime living up to the billing, is dead.

Ali died Friday at a Phoenix-area hospital, where he had spent the past few days being treated for respiratory complication “After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening,Ali had suffered for three decades from Parkinson’s, a progressive neurological condition that slowly robbed him of both his legendary verbal grace and his physical dexterity. A funeral service is planned in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.Even as his health declined, Ali did not shy from politics or controversy, releasing a statement in December criticizing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States. “We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda,” he said.The remark bookended the life of a man who burst into the national consciousness in the early 1960s, when as a young heavyweight champion he converted to Islam and refused to serve in the Vietnam War, and became an emblem of strength, eloquence, conscience and courage. Ali was an anti-establishment showman who transcended borders and barriers, race and religion. His fights against other men became spectacles, but he embodied much greater battles.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay o Jan. 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, to middle-class parents, Ali started boxing when he was 12, winning Golden Gloves titles before heading to the 1960 Olympics in Rome, where he won a gold medal as a light heavyweight.

He turned professional shortly afterward, supported at first by Louisville business owners who guaranteed him an unprecedented 50-50 split in earnings. His knack for talking up his own talents — often in verse — earned him the dismissive nickname “the Louisville Lip,” but he backed up his talk with action, relocating to Miami to train with the legendary trainer Angelo Dundee and build a case for getting a shot at the heavyweight title.

As his profile rose, Ali acted out against American racism. After he was refused services at a soda fountain counter, he said, he threw his Olympic gold medal into a river.

Recoiling from the sport’s tightly knit community of agents and promoters, Ali found guidance instead from the Nation of Islam, an American Muslim sect that advocated racial separation and rejected the pacifism of most civil rights activism. Inspired by Malcolm X, one of the group’s leaders, he converted in 1963. But he kept his new faith a secret until the crown was safely in hand.

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Catch of the century: Steve Smith takes a superb diving catch to dismiss Hardik Pandya in 2nd ODI – watch

Steve Smith took a one-handed stunner to send back Hardik Pandya in the 2nd ODI in Vizag. The Australia captain dived towards his right and held on to the ball to complete the catch. The commentators were in all awe of the captain as he completed the catch.

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7 months ago

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March 19, 2023

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Steve Smith once again showed his fielding skills and took a one-handed screamer to dismiss Hardik Pandya in the 2nd ODI in Vizag. The Australian captain was standing at the first slip while the ball flew towards the second slip. Smith put in everything he had and dived to his right to grab the one-handed stunner.

The commentators were in all awe of Smith’s effort and Sanjay Manjrekar called it the catch of the century. Smith’s diving effort saw Pandya walking back for a mere score of 1.

India are struggling for every run in the fixture and have lost half of their side inside the first 10 overs. Shubman Gill, who is enjoying a dream run in 2023, failed to open his account and departed for a two-ball duck.

Back in the playing XI after taking a rest from the first ODI, Rohit Sharma also disappointed and managed to score 13 off 15. The India captain replaced Ishan Kishan in the playing XI. Suryakumar Yadav disappointed once again and departed for a one-ball duck.

The number 4 batsman was once again dismissed by Mitchell Starc. After Suryakumar’s dismissal, much was expected from vice-captain Pandya but his innings came to an end early.
Ravindra Jadeja has joined Virat Kohli in the middle and the duo has added more than 20 runs for the sixth wicket. The onus is on Kohli to play a big knock and propel India to a defendable total. Much will also depend on in-form Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 45 in the first ODI and scalped 2 wickets to win the Player of the Match award.

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Watch: Messi’s extraordinary goal that sent Argentina into FIFA World Cup quarters, leaves behind Maradona and Ronaldo

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10 months ago

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December 4, 2022

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Lionel Messi marked his 1000th career appearance with a typically extraordinary goal that helped Argentina beat Australia 2-1 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup round of 16 tie at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium in Qatar and took the two-time champions to the quarterfinals. With the goal, Messi left behind Argentine football legend Diego Maradona and his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo to achieve a sensational feat.

Argentina’s first goal came in the 34th minute of the game when Messi worked his magic with his famous left foot to curl in a low one through the defenders and past the goalkeeper. It was Messi’s ninth goal in his World Cup career and a very first in the knockout stage.

With the goal, Messi went past Maradona and Guillermo Stábile to become the second-highest goal scorer for Argentina in FIFA World Cup. His tally of nine goals now only stands behind former Argentina captain Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 10 goals in his World Cup career.

Overall, he stands second among active footballers in the list of most World Cup goals scored, after Germany’s Thomas Mueller (10) and one ahead of Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (9).

Messi also levelled Ronaldo in terms of most goals scored in major tournaments. 13 of Messi’s 22 such goals came in Copa America. However, he is the only one between the two to have a goal in the FIFA World Cup knockouts.

Argentina eventually won 2-1 in the match against Australia. Julian Alvarez scored the second goal while Australia pulled one back off an own goal. La Albiceleste will now take on Netherlands, who beat USA 3-1 in the first round of 16 tie on Saturday, in the quarterfinal next week.

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DOJO De Succoro wins accolades at NBSII Goa Championship

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1 year ago

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June 13, 2022

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Porvorim: DOJO De Succoro Porvorim participated in NBSII Goa Kata championship held at Mapusa on May 29.

The participants were guided by Head Chief Renshi Nityanand Juvekar and Instructor Sensei Shashi Sahani.

Winners of the competition are: Sanika Satardekar, Sampurn Satardekar, Satvik Toraskar, Sneha Bhandari, Mishka Vipin, Surabhi Polai, Suraj Polai, Vaishnavi Singh, Anshuman Singh, Kunal Yadav, Shaurya Shet Dessai, Kusum Nanavare and Riyansh Gosavi. (GoaNewsHub)

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