I'm Muhammad Ali's grandson but kept it a secret when I walked into the gym… I took beatings like everyone else

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BIAGGIO ALI WALSH is related to the most famous fighter of all time but he hid it - because he wanted to take beatings just like everyone else.
The 26-year-old is the grandson to boxing icon Muhammad Ali and now finds himself making his own way in MMA.
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Biaggio Ali Walsh with his grandad Muhammad Ali
Credit: Instagram @biaggioaliwalsh
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Biaggio Ali Walsh is 2-0 as a pro MMA fighter
Credit: Getty
Biaggio once had aspirations of going to the NFL but swapped American football for MMA - where he is now 2-0.
The lightweight trains at Extreme Couture - the Las Vegas gym headed up by Eric Nicksick - trainer to Francis Ngannou.
When Biaggio first walked into the gym he kept his identity a secret - and it took ex-UFC champion Sean Strickland FOUR YEARS to catch on.
Biaggio told SunSport: "I never walked into Extreme Couture and I would tell people, 'Oh, I'm Muhammad Ali's grandson.'
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"That's actually the last thing I want is for people to know as soon as they get to a gym.
"So yeah, I think just word of mouth, people started to find out who I was. Apparently Sean Strickland didn't know till like a couple of weeks ago.
"He came up to me and he's like, 'Bro, you're Muhammad Ali's grandson?' I was like, 'Yes Sean, you didn't know this? I thought like Eric or someone would have told you or something.
"He's like, 'No. I didn't know, that's so cool. Like, how was he? Was he cool?' I was like, 'Yeah, he was cool, he was funny. Does the boxing make sense now?'"
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Biaggio - who shares his Islamic faith with his grandad - had seven amateur fights - winning six - before turning professional in 2024.
But that came after years of learning the ropes in the gym and taking his licks in the gym - just like everyone else.
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Biaggio said: "In a combat sport, who you're related to means nothing, Where you come from means nothing.
"You could come from a silver spoon in your mouth, your dad could be a billionaire, but when you get in that cage and it's locked, even for sparring, that's not gonna help you.
"It's you that's gonna be fighting for you. When I first got to Extreme, you know, a lot of ass whoopings, a lot of ass whoopings. You pay your dues, dude. That's how it is in the sport."
Biaggio - signed to the Professional Fighters League - returns to the cage on June 27 in Chicago against 2-0 Ronnie Gibbs after nearly one year out.
And he said: "I think in this sport, a break like that is good because you can sharpen so many tools and get your mind right and it gives you plenty of time to just get better in everything, physically and mentally.
"And that's where I feel like I am. I feel like I've gotten so much better as a fighter and I've gotten so much better in my mental too, so super excited for this fight. I'd like to get a couple more fights at the end of this year."
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Bob Walsh, with sons Nico and Biaggio and wife Rasheda, Muhammad Ali's daughter
Credit: rashedaali1/instagram

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