How Muhammad Ali’s Boxing Style Evokes Capoeira

Rolha Capoeira

1 minute read

Megan Livingston, writing for ESPN platform The Undefeated:

Historian Matthias Röhrig Assunção’s book, Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art, describes capoeira as “the black art of the male underdog” and “a model of counter-hegemonic practice.” It doesn’t feel premature to assert that capoeira and Ali have a lot in common.
Later:
Ali is the capoeira of boxing. He is the dununba of the ring; the dance of the strong man in the flesh.
Megan’s piece provides us with a valuable perspective from the mainstream, looking at Ali at the intersection of race, culture, and sport—a place capoeira finds itself today and historically. With the death of this legendary figure still fresh in mind, the search for lessons to be learned and his place in history remains ongoing.