“What I suffered physically was worth what I’ve accomplished in life. A man who is not courageous enough to take risks will never accomplish anything in life.” ～ Ali at a news conference on October 28, 1984

Exactly what does a person have to accomplish to be dubbed—by the entire world—the “Greatest of All Time?” Yes, he’s the only man in boxing history to win the Heavyweight title 3 times. And everyone knows how he “shocked the world” not once but twice by assuming the role of David and slaying two different (heavily favored) Goliaths. In these matches, virtually every so-called boxing expert predicted the bigger and stronger opponents to dismantle the “Louisville Lip” but it never happened. However this only covers his career as an athlete; what about his life as a man? On his way to becoming the world’s most famous person this gold-medalist was criticized harshly for being a “draft dodger,” not to mention being a minister for the Nation of Islam (N.O.I.) under the tutelage of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. All in all, Muhammad Ali’s accomplishments are too many to number. Aside from his boxing accolades, he sacrificed his life and livelihood by defying the U.S. government; all this while refusing to take any part in the bombing of “brown people” in Asia. His quote, which was heard on every continent, established his AfroAsiatic connection forever: “I ain’t got no quarrel with the Viet Cong…no Viet Cong ever called me Nigger.”

For me, there has been no bigger personality…no bigger hero than Muhammad Ali. And for this reason, when I think of all the larger-than-life personalities who have walked the earth in my lifetime there is no one who comes to mind more deserving of a eulogy. In spite of this, I had a hella-difficult time writing this article. Why you ask? It’s very simple. Because what more can be said about the man, about his numerous accomplishments—including his controversial moments—that hasn’t already been published? Not much. Therefore, I’d like to talk about Ali’s influence from this point going forward. I imagine this may sound strange, considering we just buried his remains; so allow me to explain. But before I do that, I need to emphasize some things about his amazing life which stood out to me. Everyone knows this once unstoppable, fighting machine “floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee.” And by doing so he made black and brown people stand a little bit taller…feel a little bit prouder.

During his extravagant love affair with us—at a time when non-whites were still running from the boogey-man known as ‘Jim Crow’—Ali constantly reiterated how handsome and talented he was…and how it was because he was black. As you can imagine, with so much Black Power in his words, all of his outbursts were not met with cheers and applause—even to this day. For example, how do you feel about Ali’s views on integration? He didn’t mince words when this topic was brought up: he was totally against it. In his words: “Any intelligent black or white wants their children and grandchildren to look like them.” These remarks were not received well, especially in the college community, but he stated them nonetheless, not caring whose toes he stepped on…and he never retracted them. Yet, once he refused to step forward for induction into the military, young people again revered him. During Ali’s 3-plus years away from boxing, he may have been stripped of his title and prohibited from earning a living but his notoriety grew by leaps and bounds.

Who can ever forget the candid interviews with Howard Cosell—the only guy who had a bigger ego than Ali himself? Ali also got air-time by speaking at universities and making other public appearances and wherever he went a sell-out crowd gathered because the media and just about everyone else couldn’t get enough of the “People’s Champion.” All this paved the road to Ali becoming the most famous person on the planet.

When Ali was asked if he planned to run for office after retiring from boxing, he was 100% against it. In fact he said anyone wanting to be a politician had to be insane. This notwithstanding many pondered what type of influence he might have internationally once he hung up the gloves for good. This had to be a scary thought for the ruling class. Muhammad Ali came into prominence during the 1960s—the decade of assassinations—and since he was both highly controversial as well as charismatic, many predicted he might follow the same fate as Fred Hampton, Robert & John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Ali’s own teacher and friend, el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, a.k.a. Malcolm X.

In an article by Baxter Dmitry entitled, “Muhammad was Silenced and Murdered,” the journalist suggests in the late 1970s, at the Mayo Clinic, Muhammad Ali was injected with the drug, methyl phenyl tetrahydropyrinide (MPTP); which is known to cause Parkinson’s disease. According to Dmitry, the U.S. government did this to silence its most influential, charismatic, and dangerous critic.

“No athlete, politician, or preacher ever had a voice like his (Ali’s), or used it as effectively.”～Baxter Dmitry

Dmitry emphasizes Ali had the “uncanny ability to make you like and admire him even if you didn’t agree with what he stood for. Even the KKK was susceptible to his charms.” If this is true, perhaps Muhammad Ali was considered too big a name to be outright slain—but he still needed to be neutralized. “He may have died in 2016, but the world lost him when his voice and strength were taken away in the late ‘70s.”

Can Baxter Dmitry’s words be debated?

For this reason, I am convinced Ali’s greatest contribution in 35 years had to be…just to simply die. Ali escaping his nightmarish existence released not only himself, his family, and black people, but everyone else who loved, respected, and adored him. This alone is enough, but hold on for a second because there’s more. According to an occultist who goes by the name, ‘Brother Panic,’ Ali’s transition marks something much more significant for melanin-rich people: his energy is now available for us to utilize.

Note: For those not familiar with Panic, many of his lectures are readily available on youtube. However a word of caution: he explicitly states his words are only meant for true occultists, like himself.

Panic explains that similar to Prince, MJ, and James Brown, Ali was wearing a sort of outfit or costume; kinda like a character-role in a play. The play, if you will, has been entitled “Humanity.” In a lifetime, a person borrows a body and a particular energy in order to live. But when that person dies, the body withers away and the energy is released back into the cosmos.

Looking into the past, we’ve had some bad muthafu—watch your mouth!—who came to display a specialized genius through their human manifestation…a specialized energy. According to Panic these personalities are only displaying who and what we (all) are as melanin-rich people. And the best part, he goes on to say, is once these spirits exit the body, anyone with the proper apparatus can access the energy. So, on a certain level, we are actually waiting for our heroes and heroines to transition. In Brother Panic’s own words: “Ali’s energy has been ‘weaponized’ for us to use.”

So, as great as Ali was back in the ‘60s & ‘70s, perhaps his greatest contribution has yet to be revealed. In any case, rest in peace champ…you’ve earned it!

Takuan Amaru is the author of the trilogy, Gaikokujin – The Story.