Laila Ali, the daughter of the late boxing legend, took the stage at the annual awards show and delivered a heartfelt, emotional speech in honor of her late father.
- Jun 27, 2016
AceShowbiz - Prince wasn't the only famous face who was honored at the 2016 BET Awards held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 26. Jamie Foxx took the stage at the annual awards show to pay tribute to Muhammad Ali and introduced the late boxing legend's daughter Laila Ali, who delivered a touching speech about her father.
Laila appeared onstage and began to deliver a heartfelt speech in honor of her late father. "My father Muhammad Ali lived his life with conviction and purpose. He is known as the greatest athlete of all time, a man who fearlessly faced opposition both in and out of the ring," she said. "But to me and my eight sisters and brothers, he was just dad. As his youngest daughter, I can tell that he also was a loving, gentle, and principled man."
Laila struggled to finish her words as she paused to hold back her tears. "These past few weeks, my father's generosity and love have been matched by a worldwide outpouring and reverence for him and our entire family," she continued.
At one point, she apologized for being so emotional. "We are honored and grateful for all the love, kindness, and appreciation that's been shown to him in return. My father also once said, 'If people love each other as much as they love me, it'd be a better world.' If he was here today, he would humbly ask you to pray not just for our family, but for all of mankind," she added.
The late boxing champion was 74 years old when he died of respiratory issue on Friday, June 3 in Arizona. He was also diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984.
