Jakarta fans welcome Muhammad Ali

JAKARTA (JP): Expressionless, the tall man shuffled to the door of the Soekarno-Hatta international airport amid astonished shouts of "Ali! Ali" and waving hands.

The former world heavyweight champion then halted in the midst of the crowd, his hands trembling as he passed out leaflets titled Introducing Islam and The Concept of God in Islam.

When asked whether he was still thinking of boxing despite the "punch drunk" syndrome first diagnosed in 1984, he gestured "No," and then said quietly, slurring the words, "I am 54 years old now."

The fans might have been heartbroken to see the greatest heavyweight champion in history -- gifted with unusually fast reflexes, excellent hand-leg coordination and finely honed defensive skills -- have to depart from his magic youth in such a painful way.

And yet, the spirit forged by his personal slogan "I am the greatest" still burns powerfully inside him.

The 1960 light-heavyweight Olympic champion then stood still for a moment. His eyes, swept over his fans, picking a security officer out of the crowd. Suddenly he raised his fists as if ready for a fight, and jokingly took several jabs at the officer. The jabs were not as fast as they would have been in the past, but were enough to offer a glance of the glory of his heyday when he floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee.

Despite the notable fixity of his face, it was evident that he tried to smile while "trading punches" with the officer. He appeared to very much enjoy his popularity, which, many believe, lies between that of Elvis Presley and John F. Kennedy.

Ali entered a waiting Mercedes Benz only to come out again to be among the crowd and to perform a magic trick with a red handkerchief. Later he showed where the red cloth had disappeared: a false thumb which covered his right thumb.

Ali arrived here yesterday as a goodwill ambassador for the ongoing Islamic Conference Organization's Chamber of Commerce meeting in Bandung, West Java, and for American food producer Vitapro.

Ali, who is to stay here until Friday, will donate 100,000 meals to poor children through the Harapan Kita Foundation.

In today's boxing world, which is characterized by Mike Tyson's pows and whams that drop his opponents in seconds and which have earned him over US$50 million, Ali's visit here, his third since 1972 and 1990, at least offers a glimpse of the good old days where boxing was still as beautiful as a fine art. (arf)