Former world champion sports stars Colin Jackson and Chris Eubank today joined the calls for Muhammad Ali to receive an honorary knighthood.
Hurdler Jackson said there were “countless reasons” the American boxer should be recognised.
Boxer and fellow Briton Eubank said Ali, now 74, had made boxing “a game of chess with gloves on”.
Their pleas come as a major new exhibition about Ali’s life is due to open in London.
Britain’s ex-world heavyweight champion David Haye set up the petition urging David Cameron to back the honorary knighthood.
Since then almost 20,000 people have given their support, among them London’s Mayor Boris Johnson, rock star Sir Bob Geldof, champion boxer Anthony Joshua and comedian John Bishop.
Double world champion Jackson told the Standard: “Not many sportsmen last the test of time for generations but the icon who is Muhammad Ali has done so. The reasons are countless and for that I’d love to see him recognised with an honorary knighthood.”
Previous recipients of an honorary knighthood given to non-UK nationals include Bono, the late Terry Wogan, Steven Spielberg and Kevin Spacey.
Dulwich-born Eubank said an honour for Ali was “absolutely on point and appropriate”. He added: “Muhammad Ali is responsible for boxing being not the sport of kings, which is horse racing, but the king of sports as it resonates with the working man — and the world turns on the everyday man.”
To sign the petition go to Change.org and search for Muhammad Ali.
The O2’s I Am The Greatest exhibition opens on Friday.
