Nico Ali Walsh didn’t default to boxing, even though his grandfather, Muhammad Ali, was a three-time heavyweight champion and one of the best fighters in history.
And Ali Walsh, 21, says none of his relatives pushed him to box professionally, even though people on both sides of his family have deep connections to the sport. An aunt, Laila Ali, went 24-0 as a pro from 1998 to 2007. An uncle, Mike Joyce, manages fighters and runs the Celtic Boxing Club in Chicago.
Instead, Ali Walsh, who grew up in Las Vegas, said he came to love the sport for himself and to handle the family baggage that comes with it.