Sports Illustrated has announced that John Cena will receive the 2018 Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award in honor of his leadership as a philanthropist.
Cena, 41, is a 16-time WWE champion, but his impact is felt most outside of the ring. He works closely with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and has granted nearly 600 wishes for children with life threatening illnesses, more than anyone else involved with the organization. Cena also advocates for breast cancer awareness and early detection.
"I am truly thrilled to receive Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award," Cena said. "Ali's commitment to helping others, his dedication to the sport and his generous spirit are incomparable and he was a role model to us all. To be linked with him in any way is an honor that means so much to me."
The award was created in 2008 and renamed after Ali in 2015. Bill Russell, Colin Kaepernick, Jack Nicklaus, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown and Earvin "Magic" Johnson have received the award in the past.
The award presentation will take place at SI's Sportsperson of the Year event on December 11 at the Beverly Hills Hilton in Los Angeles.
