The childhood home of one of the most iconic figures in the sport's history, Muhammad Ali, is now listed for sale.
Muhammad Ali, whose birth name is Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., was born in 1942. He is famous for his boxing abilities as well as his activism beyond the ring.
The BBC Sports Personality of the Century award was given to him through a public vote.
Ali first became the world heavyweight champion in 1964 and bagged it twice again in the 1970s. But before he became "The Greatest," he was a young boy living in Louisville, Kentucky, making this a very important sale in memory of the boxing legend.
The listing on Realtor.com said, "Revered as one of the greatest athletes and prolific public figures, this property is where it all began for The Champ.”
Inside Louisville - The Distinct Features Of The Boxer's Childhood Home
A quick survey of the property up for sale encompasses three homes - Ali's family residence, a pink one-story home which features two bedrooms plus two neighbouring homes, one of which was converted into a welcome centre and the other envisaged as a short-term stay.
The living area of the three properties combined is 3,363 square feet with an exterior of the residence featuring a commemorative plaque honouring Ali.
Outside view of Muhammad Ali's childhood home | AP/YT
The museum opened shortly before Ali's death in 2016 from a respiratory problem.
However, the museum has been closed for the last five years. According to Mr. Bochetto, the museum was shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The properties in Louisville were put up for sale by Christie's International Real Estate Bluegrass with a listing price of $1.5 million.
According to the Associated Press, Co- Owner George Bochetto said, "finding a buyer willing to maintain Ali's childhood home as a museum would be "the best possible result."
Bochetto, who said he owns the house with his late partner's widow, bought it in 2016 for $60,000.
He added that he wants the new owners "to make sure the house is preserved" as an honor to him.
“It is now my goal to see this property to either an institution or an individual or a group of individuals that will be dedicated to preserving and promoting the property as a national historic site and monument, Bochetto said.”
Mr. Bochetto stated that about $1 million was spent to renovate the house to replicate it to look the way it did when Ali and his family lived there for 20 years.
This included the home furnishings, appliances, and artwork.
Muhammad Ali was a household name in the 60s, 70s, greatly admired as a boxer and cherished as a beautiful soul.
Though his life was filled with ups and downs, his courage and determination shaped him to be the greatest boxer ever.
One of the emotional moments in Sport was in 1996,12 years after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, when Ali was asked to light the Olympic flame at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.
The sale of Ali’s childhood home is a tender moment in the history of Louisville.
May it's legacy live on, just as Ali did!