He used to let his fist do the talking, but the world’s greatest boxer, Muhammad Ali, had today used words to quietly put Donald Trump in his place.
Ali, who converted to Islam 50 years ago, advised Trump to try to understand that terrorists are murderers, who do not represent his religion.
His statement came after Trump, who is running for the White House, told reporters that he supports a ban on all Muslims entering the United States.
News Ltd reports on Ali’s statement, in which he advises Trump “to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda”.
“I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world,” he said, “True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion.”
“I believe that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people’s views on what Islam really is.”
President Barack Obama has also called on Americans to reject discrimination, saying: “Muslim Americans are our friends and our neighbours, our co-workers, our sports heroes.”
In response, Trump asked: “What sport is he talking about, and who?”
Trump has met Ali, 73, several times.
Ali was born Cassius Clay, converted to Islam and changed his name in the 1960s.
