At a celebration of Muhammad Ali Day in Northbrook Jan. 17, the boxing legend’s daughter Maryum Ali said that Illinois’ designation of the holiday and the campaign to commemorate it in other states means that her father’s rich legacy will continue.
“It will create discussion around his accomplishments in and outside of the ring,” Ali said.
“What I love about his life is that he spoke for himself. He always said what was on his mind. He always spoke his conscience. This day could be good for young people who don’t know him and weren’t part of that history.”
Ali was a featured speaker at the Chicago-based Muslim Civic Coalition’s fourth annual Muhammad Ali Day, celebrated on his birthday, at Body by Khoshal fitness center.
“It was a blast growing up with my father,” she said. “He was comedic and fun, but he was also serious and spiritual. He was a worldly man and he wanted to bring the wisdom of the world to our house. He was a very engaging father and person.”
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The five-hour open house attracted about 75 people to the fitness club, which offers boxing as part of the training available. A few young visitors jumped in the ring to test their boxing mettle, and Ali even jumped rope to participate in the training exercises.
Laughing, Ali said, “I used to be able to do this easily,” and added she has never boxed.
Khoshal Azami, owner of the club bearing his name, said he chose to host the event because he understands how Muhammad Ali felt as a Muslim outcast trying to find his way in America.
“Muhammad Ali is a legend to me. He did a lot to help people, so I decided to do this,” Azami said. “I also faced rough circumstances. After the Soviet invasion in 1988, I came here from Afghanistan with my mom and five siblings.”
The boxing ring at Body by Khoshal is just one part of the training available at the facility. “It’s mostly for strength and cardio,” said Azami, of Wilmette.
Zain Hussain, cofounder of the Chicago Muslim Boxing Club, said Body by Kholshal is one of the locations the club uses in the Chicago area. Its main site is North Side Boxing and Fitness in Evanston, he said.
Hussain and co-founder Saheed Lawal launched the organization in August 2024 to provide social options for Muslims.
“I grew up in Muslim culture,” he said. “We love food, and food is good. But when food becomes the center of your social life, it becomes unhealthy. We want to bring people together and train and have fun and not just eat together.”
The club offers training on a weekly basis, usually at the Evanston club, to more than 100 area residents who have turned out, Hussain said.
“It’s a pretty mixed group,” he said. “We have people from Nigeria, the Middle East, Pakistan. There’s so much representation. At the end of the day, we come together through our Muslim faith.”
About 10 percent of the participants are women, Hussain said. The club does not yet offer classes for women, but has explored the idea, he said.
“We’re in the process of trying to find a woman coach,” Hussain said.
Most of the training does not involve actual boxing matches, but those who do fight must wear a mouthguard, headgear and a groin protector, he said. No women have fought yet, Hussain said.
“I’m more into the fitness part,” he said. “We don’t want people going home with headaches or anything.”
Muhammad Ali Day, which was declared by the Illinois Legislature in 2021, is among the events celebrated locally during Muslim Heritage Month.