Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton is no Muhammad Ali - but then again, who is?

It is often said that sportsmen at the peak of their game who consistently win over a sustained period are turning their chosen sports into a complete bore. Michael Schumacher, Pete Sampras, Stephen Hendry, Tiger Woods - the list goes on.

The probability of this unfortunate tag being put on Lewis Hamilton is thankfully highly unlikely.

The only sportsman who truly dominated his field of expertise with the combination of a personality akin to an actor crossed with a failed comedian with a head as big as the Grand Canyon was Muhammad Ali. He had charisma, wit, intelligence and was as quick with his hands in the ring as he was with his mouth out of it. Ali was the ultimate sporting superstar.

Boxing, however, is very different to any other sport and Ali was a once-in-a-lifetime character who will never be bettered, copied, beaten or borrowed. No comparison can be made between Ali and any other sporting hero. To expect personalities as large and original as his to raise themselves head and shoulders above anyone else in today's modern, politically correct world is impossible.