New York has brought out its biggest hitter so far in the campaign for the 2012 Olympics. Boxing great Muhammad Ali will be part of the U.S. delegation in Singapore when the International Olympic Committee picks the 2012 host city on July 6, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Monday. The former world heavyweight champion won a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Ali, 63, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, also provided one of the Olympics’ most memorable moments when he lit the torch at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
“When I look back and remember my greatest, most exciting moments as a boxer, competing in New York and competing in the Olympics are at the top of that list,” Ali said in a statement issued by the New York 2012 committee. “To bring them together and hold the Games in New York City would be unforgettable for everyone involved, including myself,” he said.
New York is competing against Paris, Madrid, London and Moscow. London has already announced that England soccer captain David Beckham will be in Singapore. Madrid will have Real Madrid soccer star Raul, five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain and NBA player Pau Gasol.