- New York City officially renames one of its streets as the “Muhammad Ali Way”
- It is located beside Madison Square Garden where his epic match against Joe Frazier took place
- The renaming is only temporary unless city council passes legislation to make it permanent
The City of New York paid tribute to the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali by renaming one of its streets in his honor.
West 33rd Street will now be known as the “Muhammad Ali Way.”
The location of the street is significant since it is right beside the iconic Madison Square Garden, where Ali headlined at least eight times; including the historic “Fight of the Century” against Joe Frazier in 1971.
“Today we are paying tribute to the man in the heart of this city. He deserves this naming honor and more,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, as previously quoted by GMA News.
However, the renaming of the street will remain temporary unless the city council passes legislation that will make such name change permanent. New street signs will be set in place temporarily for a few days.
Another landmark near the Madison Square Garden has already been permanently renamed since 1984 as the “Joe Louis Plaza” after the late heavyweight champion and boxing icon.
While it is currently unclear if city council plans to make the renaming permanent, city officials have expressed their admiration for the boxing icon who not only drew crowds to New York decades ago but also spoke up against racial inequality, war, and other forms of injustice.
“Muhammad Ali inspired America with his bravery. He stood up to forces of injustice and he prevailed. In doing so, he changed the world,” Council Member Corey Johnson told the Telegraph.
Ali passed away earlier this month in Scottsdale, Arizona after suffering a septic shock following some respiratory illnesses and a decades-long fight against Parkinson’s Disease. The late boxing champion was 74 years old.
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