Beyond the X: Muhammad Ali's grandson Biaggio Ali Walsh sows football future at Bishop Gorman

Taking from the past
Their grandpa's illness — spurred by the boxing — almost impeded Biaggio's football career.

Rasheda has spent much of her adult life studying Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative disorders, which led her 2005 children's book entitled "I'll Hold Your Hand So You Won't Fall: A Child's Guide to Parkinson's Diseases."

Since 2007, she has sat on the advisory board of BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics.

She's obviously sensitive to the brain trauma her father sustained over a 30-year boxing career, but also acknowledges that 80 percent of Parkinson's is environmental — nutrition, lifestyle, genetics.

Still, football is a contact sport, and Biaggio is susceptible and the target of a lot of hard hits. She was on board during the fun flag football playing days from ages 8-11. But when the progression to tackle came at age 12, there was a lot of soul searching and discussion with Walsh.

"Of course I wasn't overly excited about it," she said. "Naturally I was a little nervous about possible concussions and long-term injury. We have to listen to our bodies and use precaution and education.

"But he loves the sport. He's passionate about it."

Just as her father was about his.

Though the rigors and pounding of boxing certainly contributed to Ali's deteriorating health, Rasheda rejoices the abundant life the sport gave him. She also said her research on Parkinson's brought her closer to her dad and helped her sons gain a special sensitivity to not only him, but life in general.

"Dad has no regrets so how could any of us," she said. "(Boxing) introduced him to the world. Boxing changed his life. And his life helped change part of the world."

She only saw her dad box once in person and it wasn't "so pretty," like he often described his own face.

It was his last fight, in fact, a sluggish 1981 10-round unanimous decision loss to Trevor Berbick in the Bahamas. The anticlamactic defeat, at age 39, finished an illustrious career with a record of 56-5.

Rasheda was only 11 at the time and said it was a memory she'd soon forget.

"It was just dreadful," she said. "It was almost unfair. (Berbick) was light-years younger than my dad, who was older and out of shape. He shouldn't have fought."

The fight was in such sharp contrast to her dad's younger days when he was known for his hand speed, footwork and showmanship. That's the man Biaggio watches on YouTube videos and remembers most. He gave a history report in elementary school on his grandfather and offered first-hand facts and color from Ali about Sonny Liston, the "Thrilla in Manilla" and the famous left hook from Smokin' Joe Frazier.

"I always ask him about what it was really like back then," Biaggio said. "I don't know that I've told him, but I'm so proud to be his grandson and for all he did and all he stood for."

Ali wasn't nearly universally beloved back in the 60s and 70s like today. Far from it. His stance on the Vietnam War, religious views and, at times, outlandish personality caused great controversy.

At this point in his life, Biaggio hasn't been confronted with any of that, but his mother, who was, has warned him.

"I've told him that some people aren't going to be so happy that he's Muhammad Ali's grandson - for all the wrong reasons," she said. "I know, because I lived through it. People don't know the truth about him or about the time he lived in.

"I have a lot of time to tell Biag about his life. I want to share all of it because he's such a wise man. He's been around the block. … A couple times. Somehow he was always able to stay a step ahead of everyone."

Ultimately, before Biaggio took the tackle football field, that was the request she made of her son too. In the physical sense anyway.

"I told him that he just has to be faster than everyone else so no one can tackle him," she said with a laugh.