ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- His punch in the ring was powerful and so were his words outside of the ring.
Muhammad Ali has died at 74, but his legacy will live on even here in the Bay Area.
You might recognize the name Winky Wright. The former professional boxer from St. Petersburg that held the undisputed light middleweight title and also held a lot of respect for the great Muhammad Ali.
"We lost a great ambassador for people not just boxing," Wright said.
"He was just so fast the cameras could barely catch it."
Before converting to Islam and changing his name, then Cassius Clay rose to fame when he won the heavy weight title in 1964.
He went on to be the first man to win three heavyweight titles. But, at the height of his career, his title was stripped in 1967 when he refused to join the U.S. army and fight in Vietnam.
"He chose not to go and when we look back on it, he had the right decision," Wright said.
Ali spoke out fiercely and bravely for social justice. He fought for civil rights, peace and the less fortunate. As Parkinson's disease led to the decline in his health and speech, he still had a powerful presence.
Oneita Henderson witnessed it in person. She met Ali when he visited her job in Tampa.
"He went over to greet us and just pinched my cheeks," she said.
"It was just awesome, it was just awesome."
Ali's impact touched the boxing community, our nation and the world.
"He didn't give it to you one way and did something else. If he told you that's how he felt, that's how he felt.
