Piers Morgan calls Chrissy Teigen 'a very accomplished swimsuit model' amid Muhammad Ali racism row

Morgan prompted criticism for claiming Ali was more racist than Donald Trump

Monday 06 June 2016 13:02 BST

Morgan’s remarks prompted outrage on social media and were lambasted by Legend and his wife Teigen ( Ramin Talaie/Getty Images)

Piers Morgan has responded to the ongoing dispute between him and Chrissy Teigen and John Legend.

The controversial columnist, who is the US editor-at-large for MailOnline and a presenter on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, prompted criticism for saying Muhammad Ali said “far more inflammatory/racist things” than Donald Trump.

Morgan claimed the presumptive Republican nominee's comments about Muslims in the aftermath of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks were less racist than Ali’s own views about white people.

“Muhammad Ali said far more inflammatory/racist things about white people than Donald Trump ever has about Muslims #fact,” Morgan wrote on Twitter on Sunday morning.

Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

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1/15Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Won Gold at the 1960 Olympic Games

Still called Cassius Marcellus Clay, he won six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden Gloves titles, an Amateur Athletic Union National Title. He rose to international fame, however, after winning the Light Heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Threw Gold medal away

Clay claimed in his 1975 autobiography that he threw his Gold medal into the Ohio River after being outraged that he and his friend were refused service in a 'whites only' restaurant.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

19-0 record

Following the Olympics, Clay amassed a stunning record of 19–0 with an even more astonishing 15 wins by knockout. Beating his former trainer and veteran boxer Archie Moore along the way, he was fast becoming the most feared boxer in the world.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Heavyweight champion

In 1963, Clay became the youngest boxer (22 years old) to take the title from a reigning heavyweight champion after defeating Sonny Liston in perhaps the biggest upset in the sport's history.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Heavyweight champion

If winning Gold didn't do it, then Clay had finally become the most famous boxer on the planet. Famed for his controversial 'labelling' of his opponents during the fights, he was also one of the most iconic.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Changing his name

Shortly after becoming world champion, Clay (often nicknamed The Greatest) changed his name to Muhammad Ali. After joining the Nation of Islam, he switch to Ali from his 'slave name' and later converted to Islam in 1975.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Defending his title against Floyd Patterson

After branding Floyd Patterson a "white man's champion", it was perhaps no surprise that the former heavyweight champion attempted to take his title - to no avail.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Refusal to join the armed forces

Ali continued to attract controversy and refused to join the armed forces because of disagreements with the Vietnam War. As a result he was systematically denied a boxing license in every state and stripped of his passport. As a result, he did not fight from March 1967 to October 1970—from ages 25 to almost 29.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Fight of the Century

Ali eventually returned from exile and took part in the 'Fight of the Century' with Ali-Frazier II. Eventually knocked out, losing by a unanimous decision, Ali was handed his first professional defeat.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Defeating George Foreman

Ali recovered in stunning fashion, however, in The Rumble in the Jungle. Knocking out George Foreman, he regained his title by knockout. Foreman later said: "I'll admit it. Muhammad outthought me and outfought me."

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Thrilla in Manila

In temperatures above 38°C, Ali defeated Joe Fraizer but later said the fight "was the closest thing to dying that I know".

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Losing - and regaining his title

After losing to Leon Spinks at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas, Ali admitted that he had underestimated his opponent. A rematch was quickly arranged, which broke attendance records, and Ali become the first boxer to win the title three times.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Final blow

Ali lost to Larry Holmes in 1980 in a fight which actor Sylvester Stallone at ringside said was like watching an autopsy on a man who is still alive. Angelo Dundee finally stopped the fight in the eleventh round, the only fight Ali lost by knockout.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

Parkinson's Disease

Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's syndrome in 1984, a disease linked to head trauma. Around 1987, Ali was selected to personify the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

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Muhammad Ali – career in pictures

A sporting legend

Ali continued to make public events and, in 1999, was awarded a Sports Personality of the Year award by the BBC.

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Morgan’s remarks prompted outrage on social media and were lambasted by Legend and his wife Teigen. While Legend said, “You could test us by announcing your retirement,” Teigen chipped in and asked, “From what? trolling isn't a job (I've tried)”.

Piers then hit back at Teigen by mocking her modelling career, writing, “Maybe I should take up a proper job, like modelling?” In response, Teigen said modelling kept her “not-racist” so perhaps Morgan should give it a try. Morgan responded by saying he wasn’t racist.

When asked to comment on the row, Morgan’s publicist sent the following statement to The Independent: “Ms Tiegen is a very accomplished swimsuit model”.

Representatives for Teigen and Legend did not immediately respond to request for comment.

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