WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack showed a video clip of boxer Gervonta Davis turning to Islam just days after he purchased houses in his old Baltimore neighbourhood before they caught fire. Davis, according to Sportskeeda, picked his Muslim name at a ceremony that was broadcast on social media.
The Maryland-bred boxer has adopted the moniker Abdul Wahid, which translates as “The Slave of The One.”
Wahid is following in the footsteps of previous Muslim athletes. Cassius Clay, the most famous boxer convert to Islam, was given the name Muhammad Ali after converting. Mike Tyson, Brooklyn’s most powerful heavyweight, reportedly converted to Islam and changed his name to Malik Abdul Aziz. However, despite the conversion, he never publicly changed his name. Bernard Hopkins, the former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, is said to have abandoned Christianity to follow Islamic teachings. Lew Alcindor Jr., the legendary basketball centre, may be the most famous NBA player to convert to Islam after winning an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Davis was sentenced to prison earlier this year.
