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During
my days as a TV sportscaster in Florida, I had
an opportunity to interview Ali when he visited Tampa
in the mid 80s. Muhammad was around 45 years old
at the time and was already battling Parkinson's
disease, an illness he has been going toe to
toe with for 40 years now. I was impressed by
how well he was handling that fight. His
attitude was very upbeat and though his speech
had been affected, he still had every bit of the
wit and wonderful sense of humor that, coupled
with his incredible boxing skills, made him one
of the most recognizable and popular celebrities
in the world - a status he continues to enjoy to
this day. During
my 20-year broadcasting career I had the
opportunity to meet and chat with almost every
major athlete of the era. The two that I was
most excited to meet were my boyhood idol, New
York Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle,
and "The Greatest of All Time," Muhammad
Ali. Below are a few photos from that
interview session with Ali. 
Ron
Jackson interviewing Muhammad Ali for WTVT-TV,
Channel 13, in Tampa (mid 1980s).
After the interview Ali invited me to stand toe
to toe with him. I gave him my most menacing
glare while keeping one foot pointed toward
the exit in case his playful mood changed! Thanks
for the memories and Happy Birthday, Champ!
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