Four decades after Muhammad Ali headlined the inaugural Greatest Sports Legends Dinner, his daughter Laila Ali accepts the same honor, bridging two generations of athletic excellence and advocacy.
The ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria was a different world on October 1, 1986. That night, the inaugural Greatest Sports Legends Dinner launched a mission that would span generations, bringing together icons like Richard Nixon, Joe Namath, and Bob Cousy to support the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
At the center of that first gathering stood Muhammad Ali. It was a choice born of necessity and heart. as the organization had been built from the wreckage of a life-changing tragedy. Less than a year earlier. on October 26. 1985. Marc Buoniconti—a football player for The Citadel—had been paralyzed while tackling an opponent from East Tennessee State. The impact caused a dislocation of his C3 and C4 vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down.
Marc survived the initial injury, eventually undergoing vertebrae fusion surgery. He spent the rest of his life learning to breathe without a ventilator and mastering a breath-controlled wheelchair. His father. Nick Buoniconti. the legendary Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins linebacker. responded to his son’s injury by partnering with University of Miami neurosurgeon Dr. Barth A. Green. By the end of 1985, they co-founded the Miami Project. Recognizing the need for awareness. Nick reached out to his friend Angelo Dundee. Muhammad Ali’s trainer. to secure the sport’s most famous face for their first major fundraising dinner.
Forty years later, on Monday night at the Hilton in Midtown, the organization will recognize another Ali. Laila Ali. the undefeated boxing champion. is being honored alongside Shane Battier. Chris Webber. Rob Gronkowski. Andruw Jones. and Shaun White. She becomes the first child of a previous honoree to receive the distinction. standing as part of the event’s first father-daughter combination.
The connection remains deeply personal for Laila. While the Miami Project is rooted in spinal cord injury research, its work now extends to neurological disorders including Parkinson’s—the disease that famously impacted her father—as well as Alzheimer’s, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and CTE.
During her career from 1999 to 2007, Laila amassed a 24-0 record with 21 knockouts and five world championships. Yet, despite never losing a fight, she acknowledges the hidden cost of the ring. An examination by neurologist Dr. Daniel Amen, who previously treated her father, revealed concussions she hadn’t realized she suffered. She spent years sparring with men, absorbing the impact that eventually hits even the most disciplined fighter.
Now 48. Laila lives in the Atlanta area with her husband. former NFL receiver Curtis Conway. and their two children: 18-year-old Curtis Jr. and 15-year-old Sydney. Curtis Jr. who shares a striking physical resemblance to his grandfather. plays baseball. while Sydney has chosen a path in the arts rather than competitive sports—a reality Laila admits presented a challenge for a family defined by a high-stakes competitive drive.
Reflecting on the risks she and her husband encountered in boxing and football, Laila is clear-eyed about the trade-offs. While she and Conway never pressured their children to play. she remains protective of the lessons that sports provide. emphasizing discipline and character. She recently distilled those values into a new children’s book for ages 4-8. titled “A Spark of Greatness: The Autobiography of a Fighter. ” which focuses on the dedication required to forge one’s own path.
For Laila. being the only father-daughter combination to receive this specific honor four decades apart is a weight she doesn’t carry lightly. Though she and her father occupied different times and different journeys. she sees the Miami Project as the place where their legacies align. It is a shared commitment to excellence, used now as a platform to push for medical breakthroughs.
Those interested in attending the event can find tickets by visiting the organization’s website or by calling 305-243-4656.
Laila Ali Muhammad Ali Miami Project Marc Buoniconti Greatest Sports Legends Dinner spinal cord injury research