Ready to make ‘Poppy’ proud: Nico Ali Walsh aims to build on Muhammad Ali’s legacy
-
Mark KriegelESPN
On Dec. 11, 1981, when Rasheda was 11, she went with her brothers and sisters to watch their daddy fight a man named Trevor Berbick. As no state athletic commission would sanction the bout, the fight was held in the Bahamas and promoted by a convicted felon. None of that was Rasheda’s concern, though. As her parents had divorced when she was 5, Rasheda lived with her mom and siblings in Chicago. Any chance to see her daddy was to be treasured.
Rasheda understood the rules. Daddy, then 39, was the kind of man you had to share, not just with the family, or the block or the neighborhood, but with the entire planet. But if every moment with him was a gift, the exception was that night in the Bahamas.
“It was horrifying,” she recalls. “Daddy was older. Daddy was out of shape. I knew he shouldn’t have been boxing. This young guy was beating him up. And I’m like, Why are you fighting? Stop the fight. Then there’s a photograph of us after. He’s in bed and I kiss him, but I’m telling him, Just stop. Please, just stop.“
That was Muhammad Ali’s last fight. The intervening years saw Rasheda and her restaurateur husband, Bob Walsh, raise two sons in Las Vegas, where she made good on her promise to give them what she herself never had. At least once a month, usually twice, they piled the boys into the Dodge Durango to visit their grandfather in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Maybe the rest of the world called him “The Greatest.” But to the boys he was “Poppy.”
By junior high, the elder brother, Biaggio, had already found his passion. He’d go on to star at running back for Bishop Gorman, a football powerhouse. Nico was a little different. “An old soul,” his mother calls him. He was never happier than when he was curling up on the brown leather couch with Poppy.
They did magic tricks. They watched a lot of movies, mostly Westerns and horror pictures. Poppy was a Dracula buff and partial to the 1958 version featuring Christopher Lee.
“That’s the best Dracula,” says Nico, who’d returned the favor by introducing Poppy to the cinematic glories of “Drag Me to Hell.” They both loved Peter Jackson’s “King Kong.”
But the conversations — on the leather couch, or later via FaceTime — would inevitably turn to boxing. Nico wasn’t into team sports. But he was fascinated by the game that made his grandfather the most famous man in the world.
“What’s the most important thing a fighter needs, Poppy?”
“Dancing and moving,” Ali said.
“Poppy, what about training?”
“Roadwork, roadwork, roadwork.”
Eventually, Nico found a gym and started working out in Vegas. He lost his first fight, came home with a black eye.
“You know this is the hardest sport ever created, right?” asked his mother.
Not only did he understand, he also knew the comparison with Poppy would be inevitable and thankless. Nico wasn’t going to be another Poppy. That was never the point.
“Is this something you really want to do?” she asked, thinking: Can’t you just play soccer or basketball like a normal kid?
“I want to box.”
“You understand you have to put 100 percent into it?”
Nico was undeterred. He fought a few smokers for his uncle, Mike Joyce, back in Chicago. He fought a few tournaments in Arizona. He won some. And he lost. Once, he showed up at Poppy’s with a swollen red nose. Just the two of them on the couch.
“Your amateur record doesn’t matter,” Poppy told him. “It’s the experience you get.”
Just the same, losing a fight isn’t like losing a soccer or basketball game. “It takes a lot out of a fighter to lose,” Nico says.
And even more to fight through those losses. Looking back, that’s what Nico takes from their conversation of Dec. 6, 2014, in Reno. The whole family was there. His brother was playing for the state championship with Bishop Gorman. But it got real cold so Nico had to stay back with Poppy in the car, just the two of them. Nico was 14, early on in the amateurs and, if the truth be told, looking for a way to quit. They watched one of his sparring sessions on Nico’s phone.
“Poppy, do you want me to continue?”
His grandfather looked into Nico’s eyes, but no words came. Poppy had good days and bad days with Parkinson’s disease. This was not a good one. He was having a hard time talking. Nico clasped his hand.
“Poppy, squeeze my hand if you want me to quit boxing.”
No response. Nico figured maybe it was worse than he thought. Maybe Poppy couldn’t hear him.
“Poppy, squeeze my hand if you want me to continue boxing.”
Poppy squeezed. Hard.
Fast-forward seven years, Nico will make his pro debut as a “Special Attraction” on the undercard of Franco-Moloney III Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). He’s managed by his uncle, Mike Joyce. Heavyweight champ Tyson Fury’s trainer, Sugar Hill Steward, will be in the middleweight’s corner.
“Realistically, he’s like a beginner, not even a polished amateur,” Steward says. “That’s how I was taught and that’s how I like to teach — from scratch. It’s been fun, I see improvement. He’s been in with all my guys and done OK. He’s smart. He can fight.”
He can fight? Steward is asked to explain.
“He’s not scared,” he says. “He’s not shy to get hit or thrown down. It’s just a matter of him learning to fight better.”
Unlike most fighters, however, Nico Ali Walsh will have to glean such knowledge — or not — under the brightest of lights. Steward will endow him with some high-end lessons, no doubt. But it’s his grandfather — or, rather, the idea of Ali — who’ll get him on TV.
“I’m not doing this to be famous,” he says. “It’s not a money grab. I’m doing this for me.”
Something in the bloodline itself speaks to his old soul. No one knows for sure what kind of fighter Nico Ali Walsh will be. But at the end of the day, that’s why he’s doing it. So he knows.
“People can think what they like,” he says. “It’s not about going undefeated or winning a belt, necessarily. I’ll know I’ve had a successful boxing career when I’m content, and my family feels happy with what I’ve done.”
Actually, his mother is plenty happy with what he’s already done and still thinks that soccer or basketball would’ve been just fine.
Rasheda Ali Walsh hasn’t been to a pro fight since that terrible night in the Bahamas. He’s 21, she reminds herself, it’s his decision.
It’s better for him to know than not to have tried. But as the fight draws near, she has been waking in the middle of the night with heart palpitations.
Will you be there? she is asked.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she says.
Of course. For her son, for his old soul, and the gift of whom it might summon.
“Daddy will be there, too,” she says “In spirit.”
For the first time since the turn of the century, MLB’s All-Star Game will be held in Atlanta — the first ever at Truist Park since its opening in 2017.
All-Star festivities begin July 11 and culminate in the Midsummer Classic on July 15, as the National League looks to gain just its second win since 2013 while the American League aims to extend its dominance.
Following the first phase of All-Star voting, we know the top overall vote-getters in each league — Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — automatically earned the starting spot at their positions, outfield and designated hitter, respectively. Now, the starting lineups have been revealed, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers leading the way each with three starters, followed by the Chicago Cubs with two. Four players named as starters — Cal Raleigh, Jacob Wilson, Ryan O’Hearn and Pete Crow-Armstrong — are first-time All-Stars.
Stay tuned, as we’ll have everything you need to navigate All-Star Week — from event schedules and full rosters to All-Star Game analysis.
Vote for the All-Star starters: All-Star Ballot 2025
Latest news and analysis
How does MLB All-Star voting work?
2025 MLB All-Star roster predictions, biggest debates
Which slugger will win the HR Derby? Breaking down the field
All-Star schedule
(All times ET)
July 2: MLB All-Star starters reveal at 7 p.m. on ESPN
July 6: MLB All-Star full rosters announced at 5 p.m. on ESPN
July 11: HBCU Swingman Classic at 8 p.m. on MLB Network
July 13: MLB Draft at 6 p.m. on ESPN and MLB Network
July 14: MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at 1 p.m. on MLB Network
July 14: MLB Home Run Derby at 8 p.m. on ESPN
July 15: All-Star Red Carpet Show at 2 p.m. on MLB Network
July 15: MLB All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on FOX
Braves ace Spencer Schwellenbach has a fractured pitching elbow, becoming the latest Atlanta starter sidelined with a long-term injury.
The Braves said on Wednesday that the right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list as part of a series of roster moves.
Schwellenbach said he felt tightness while pitching against Philadelphia on Saturday, when he threw 90 pitches and had a career-high 12 strikeouts. He allowed one run and three hits over seven innings.
He felt sore the following day and imaging Monday revealed a small fracture at the top of the elbow. Schwellenbach said he was told this was a freak accident and said he hopes to be back this season.
MLB.com reported that the second-year player won’t throw for at least four weeks.
Schwellenbach is 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA in 17 starts this season for the Braves, who already are without reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (rib cage), 2024 All-Star right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) and hard-throwing rookie AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow).
The Braves also announced Wednesday that outfielder Jurickson Profar, who was suspended 80 games without pay on March 31 for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, has been activated after his reinstatement. Veteran outfielder Alex Verdugo, batting .239 with 12 RBIs in 56 games, was designated for assignment to create a roster spot.
Atlanta also optioned right-hander Kevin Herget to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday, reinstated right-hander Daysbel Hernandez from the IL and recalled left-hander Austin Cox from Gwinnett.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
-
Jesse Rogers
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, MLB’s home run leader, and American League Rookie of the Year candidate Jacob Wilson of the Athletics will be in the starting lineup for the All-Star Game on July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta, it was announced Wednesday.
Raleigh, nicknamed “The Big Dumper,” earned his first All-Star selection and starting spot on the back of his 33 first-half home runs and MLB-leading 71 RBIs (through Tuesday). Wilson, the Athletics’ shortstop, was voted in after a dynamic first half in which he has hit .339, second in all of MLB, through Tuesday’s games.
“Just trying to stay as consistent as I can — my work, preparation going into games and my approach at the plate,” Raleigh told ESPN on Wednesday. “It’s been working out so far, and I just got to keep it rolling and keep my head down.
“… This is all I’ve ever known — this city, Seattle. They’ve taken me in with open arms and I’m very blessed and very lucky to have them in my corner. They’ve been awesome and they’ve always been there for me in this organization. It’s great that I’m going to get to represent them, like I said, in the [Home Run] Derby and the All-Star Game. Hopefully I can make them proud.”
The 23-year-old Wilson, whose father, Jack, was an All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2004, is the lone rookie in either league to be voted into the starting lineup after edging the Royals‘ Bobby Witt Jr. 52% to 48%. He is the first rookie shortstop to win an All-Star fan election and just the second to start an All-Star Game after Baltimore’s Ron Hansen, who started both games in 1960.
Three players from the Detroit Tigers — second baseman Gleyber Torres and outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Baez — will join them in the AL’s starting lineup, while the National League starters are led by three representatives from the Los Angeles Dodgers: first baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Will Smith and DH Shohei Ohtani, who received the most votes among NL players during Phase 1 of the voting.
Rounding out the starting lineup for the AL: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez and Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn. They’ll all join New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who was the AL’s top vote-getter in Phase 1.
Joining the Dodgers trio in the NL starting lineup will be Chicago Cubs outfielders Pete Crow-Armstrong (first selection) and Kyle Tucker (fourth), Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was named an All-Star starter for the first time.
Despite missing the first seven weeks of the season, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. also earned a starting nod after getting the most votes at the position during Phase 2 voting.
There are nine first-time starters for the second time in three years.
“I am overly grateful right now,” Crow-Armstrong, who has 21 home runs and 62 RBIs so far this season, told ESPN. “It’s pretty cool. … That’s definitely the highlight of the year so far.
“… I think what I kind of surprised myself with is obviously the power production, but in this specific time span. You know, pulling the ball in the air is something I’ve worked on for my whole pro career, and we’re really starting to make some good improvements here. But I think inherently I’ve always had enough confidence to produce a year like this.”
The Tigers had three fan-elected starters for the fourth time in history, matching a franchise best also accomplished in 1984, 1985 and 2007. Meanwhile, the three fan elections for the Dodgers marks their most in a single season since the team had four fan-elected starters for the 1980 Midsummer Classic: Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Reggie Smith.
Freeman, 35, was picked for the ninth time — fifth as a starter — and is the oldest player on either team. He will return to Atlanta, where he starred from 2010 to 2021.
For Torres and Baez, it marks the first time since 2019 that they are All-Stars. Baez, meanwhile, will be making his third All-Star start at his third different position, having started for the NL at second base (2018) and shortstop (2019) while with the Cubs.
Baez edged the Los Angeles Angels‘ Mike Trout 26% to 24% in the closest vote.
Overall, 13 MLB teams are represented among the 18 positional starters, including seven clubs in the AL and six in the NL.
Judge, Ramirez and Machado each earned their seventh All-Star selection.
Under rules that began in 2022, voting was split into two stages, and the second phase ran from Monday to Thursday.
Pitchers and reserves for both teams — totaling 23 for each side — will be determined through a combination of player ballot choices and selections made by the MLB commissioner’s office. They’ll be announced Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike