He's certainly one of mine. Not for being a boxing immortal but for showing how civil disobedience is properly done. I disagreed with his action refusing to step forward and enter the service and being associated with slugs like the Black Muslims doesn't speak well of him. But he didn't run to Canada and he didn't sit there and say "woe is me." Instead he accepted his punishment as the cost of sticking to his principles. Ali acted like a man does.

Heros needn't be perfect.