The death of “the greatest” was met with universal surprise and mourning this Friday when it was announced that Muhammad Ali had passed away at age 74. While many have paid tribute, from President Obama to Bob Dylan, one of the most moving sentiments was presented by Paul Simon while playing live. In an effort to pay respects, Simon and his band broke into the old Simon & Garfunkel classic, “The Boxer.” At the conclusion of the song Simon solemnly broke the news to the enthralled crowd, who responded with a collective sigh of sadness and disbelief. Personally, I can think of no better tribute for the former champion than a ballad as beautiful as “The Boxer.” So in memory of The Greatest here is Simon & Garfunkel’s classic, “The Boxer.”
And for those of you who would like to see the video of Simon performing live and breaking the news:
-Ryan Schmitz
