Trump says he's considering pardoning Muhammad Ali, but one may not be necessary

(Bettman/Getty Images)

(Original Caption) In 1960, Clay is bigger and so is his reputation. A top amateur boxer, he won the Golden Gloves heavyweight title in New York's Madison Square Garden that year.

Full length photo of Cassias Clay skipping rope at a gym.

Cassius Clay signs his autograph for a sailor, Sam Aboulfia, before flying to Toronto. Clay said he would fight Canada's George Chuvalo if Ernie Terrell pulls out of their scheduled March 29th title bout.  (Bettmann/Getty Images)

Muhammad Ali during a training session. Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK/ALLSPORT
 

Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay. 1968. (Photo by: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)

Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay. (Photo by: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)

Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay. 1970. (Photo by: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)

Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay. 1970. (Photo by: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)

1972: MUHAMMAD ALI IN ACTION AGAINST AL ''BLUE'' LEWIS IN DUBLIN, IRELAND. Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK/ALLSPORT

1973: MUHAMMAD ALI WITH HIS THREE CHILDREN. Mandatory Credit: TONY DUFFY/ALLSPORT

Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay Vs Joe Frazier. 1975. (Photo by: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)

Photograph of President Jimmy Carter greeting Mohammed Ali at a White House Dinner celebrating the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty, Washington D.C. Photographed by Marion S. Trikosko. Dated 1977. (Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images)

Heavyweight Boxing champion holds a tennis racket over Tennis player Bjorn Borg July 1979 in USA. Ali is one of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport. (Photo by Liaison)

SEP 1980: MUHAMMAD ALI AT HOME. Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK/ALLSPORT

Muhammad Ali of the USA relaxes at home in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, USA. \ Mandatory Credit: Allsport UK /Allsport

19 Apr 1991: Muhammad Ali looks on during a bout between Evander Holyfield and George Foreman at Caesar''s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mandatory Credit: Barry Jarvinan /Allsport

Muhammad Ali at ringside during the Terry Norris vs. Carl Daniels fight in San Diego, California. (Mandatory Credit: Holly Stein/ALLSPORT)

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali, left, spars jokingly with a young Cuban boxer, January 1996 in the Roberto Balado boxing gym in Havana, Cuba. Ali was visiting the island to bring aid to Cuban hospitals. (Photo by Jorge Rey/Liaison)

3 Aug 1996: Muhammad Ali receives a replacement gold medal for one he lost many years ago during a halftime ceremony of the Yugoslavia v USA basketball game at the Georgia Dome at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

19 Jul 1996: Muhammad Ali holds the torch before lighting the Olympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. (Mandatory Credit: Michael Cooper/Getty Images)

19 Jul 1996: Muhammad Ali holds the torch before lighting the Olympic Flame during the Opening Ceremony of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. \ Mandatory Credit: Michael Cooper /Allsport

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali stands on the floor prior to game of the NBA Finals between the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls won the game 84-82.

Muhammad Ali congratulates Clarence Vinson of USA after he defeated Rachid Bouaita of France at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.( Mike Hewitt/ALLSPORT

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali hits a heavy bag during a visit to the Sahat Homa Boxing Club to watch local boxers train November18, 2002 in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/UNICEF/Getty Images)

UNDATED: FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION MUHAMMAD ALI. Mandatory Credit: Gray Mortimore/ALLSPORT

Former boxer Muhammad Ali debuts the cover art for his new authorized magazine "Muhammad Ali, The Greatest" available March 20, 2002 at www.alimagazine.com in advance of its newsstand availability.( Rene Macura/Silver Star Media Group/Getty Images)

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali (L) stands with actor Will Smith at the Miami Art Basel Taschen book premiere of Ali's new book, 'GOAT - Greatest Of All Time' at the Miami Convention Center December 6, 2003 in Miami, Florida.(Gregorio Binuya/Getty Images)

His Holiness the Dalai Lama (L) walks with former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali as they head into a dedication ceremony for the Chamtse Temple September 7, 2003 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
 

Muhammad Ali walks on to the field before he and the children of the Boys and Girls club throw out the first pitch before the Major League Baseball 75th All-Star Game at Minute Maid Park on July 13, 2004 in Houston, Texas. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 09: Muhammad Ali and President George W. Bush at the Freedom Awards Ceremony at the White House in Washington D.C. on November 9, 2005. (Photo by Douglas A. Sonders/Getty Images)

 Honoree and Rev. Jesse Jackson and honoree and boxer Muhammad Ali arrive at the 20th Annual "Midsummer Night's Magic Awards Dinner" on July 13, 2005 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 05: Former Boxer Muhammad Ali poses as he attends the Grand Gala Hilton VIP reception held at the Muhammad Ali Center on May 5, 2006 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)

PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 18: Muhammad Ali throws a punch at the camera on the red carpet for Celebrity Fight Night XII on March 18, 2006 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Will Powers/Getty Images)

Actor Michael J. Fox greets Muhammad Ali and wife Yolanda at "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Cure Parkinson's" benefit gala at the Waldorf-Astoria on November 11, 2006 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images)

Muhammad Ali puts "rabbit ears" up behind Jim Carrey's head as he presents Carrey with the Muhammad Ali Celebrity Entertainer award at Celebrity Fight Night XII March 18, 2006. (Will Powers/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 12: Muhammad Ali and wife Yolanda Williams accept the President's Award during the 40th NAACP Image Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on February 12, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.(Vince Bucci/Getty Images for NAACP)

 Muhammad Ali attends Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XVII at JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on March 19, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night)

PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 19: Muhammad Ali (L) and Billy Crystal onstage during Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XVII at JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on March 19, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night)

Muhammad Ali looks on during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on July 27, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Olympic flag bearer Muhammad Ali looks on during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on July 27, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 25: Muhammad Ali attends the Sports For Peace Fundraising Ball at The V&A on July 25, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

Muhammad Ali, Lonnie Ali and Godaddy.com Founder Bob Parsons attend Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XIX at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on March 23, 2013 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Moore/Getty Images for Fight Night)

Laila Ali and Muhammad Ali appear as HBO Films and the Muhammad Ali Center to co-host the U.S. Premiere of "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" at Muhammad Ali Center on October 2, 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images for HBO)

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 09: Muhammad Ali attends Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XXII at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on April 8, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night)

By Joy Johnston

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said during an impromptu news conference Friday morning that he was considering pardoning boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

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Trump made the comments before heading to Canada to attend the G-7 summit.

Ali refused to serve in the Vietnam War after converting to Islam, declaring himself a conscientious objector, The Associated Press reported. Ali was stripped of his heavyweight crown in 1967, and a legal fight ensued. The Supreme Court ruled in Ali's favor in 1971 and he regained the boxing title in 1974, The AP reported.

Ali died in 2016 from complications of Parkinson's disease.

Ron Tweel, Ali's attorney, released a statement in response to Trump's comments about a possible pardon, saying that while the sentiment is appreciated, there is no conviction from which a pardon is needed.