Ali to arrive here today for third Indonesian visit
JAKARTA (JP): World boxing's living legend, Muhammad Ali, is expected to arrive here this morning for a one-week visit, which will mostly be filled with children's charity programs.
The 54-year-old former three-times world heavyweight champion is scheduled to touch down at the Sukarno-Hatta airport at 9:45 a.m., on a Garuda Indonesia Airways flight.
Anggie Koetin of Harvest International Inc., consultant for the Montreal-based dehydrated-food manufacturer Vitapro Foods Inc. which is sponsoring Ali's third visit here, told The Jakarta Post yesterday that Ali's Indonesian trip is an impromptu one.
"The proposal came to us suddenly, a couple of days ago. I don't even know the details of his activities here," Anggie said. She added that Ali's arrival had been brought forward 24 hours, without being informed of the reason why.
During his stay here, the boxing great will also attend an International Islamic Business Conference and Exhibition which is currently underway at the Jakarta Convention Center. The exhibition, which will run until Wednesday, includes a food festival.
It will be Ali's third visit to Indonesia in 23 years. He first set his feet on Indonesian soil 23 years ago, as an active boxer for an exhibition bout against Dutch boxer Rudi Lubbers. Ali's second visit here was in 1990, for a charity program for poor people and orphans.
Anggie said that Ali will visit children in a number of hospitals in town, including the Harapan Kita Hospital in West Jakarta, where he will hand over food donations worth US$100,000.
Ali is to pay courtesy calls to either government officials or businesspeople as well during this visit. "We are also seeking approval of a meeting between Ali and President Soeharto," said Anggie.
In his second trip here six years ago, Ali, who turned his attention to promoting worldwide Islamic religious activities since his full retirement in 1981, met with the President.
Ali stole the limelight at the Atlanta Olympic Games opening ceremony in July when, with his hand shaking due to Parkinson disease, he lit the Olympic cauldron. President Bill Clinton shed tears during this emotional Games opening.
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay on Jan. 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, Ali wore boxing gloves for the first time at the age of 14, under the tutelage of police officer Joe Martin.
After winning the middle heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Olympics, Ali turned professional. Four years later, he won the world heavyweight championship belt for the first time by outboxing Sonny Liston. (amd)