In what might be the most high-profile open house Kentucky has seen since Colonel Sanders offered free drumsticks, Muhammad Ali's childhood home in Louisville is now on the market. With an asking price of $1.5 million for three properties, including the house itself, a welcome center-gift shop, and a short-term rental, it’s shaping up to be the heavyweight champion of real estate listings.

Shortly before the boxing legend floated like a butterfly to the great ring in the sky in 2016, his childhood home was transformed into a museum. It was an initiative meant to honor Ali’s early years spent in the house with his parents and younger brother. George Bochetto, one of the current owners, emphasizes that the museum holds great significance for Louisville and Kentucky history.

However, despite such noble intentions, the museum bobbed and weaved but ultimately couldn’t sustain its footing. Just two years after opening, it found itself KO’d by financial troubles. Apparently, even the allure of being the home where a young Cassius Clay lived wasn't enough to draw the needed crowds or funds to keep it running.

Renovated to its 1950s splendor, the house offers a vivid glimpse into Ali’s upbringing before he became a global icon. Videos that focus on Ali's formative years rather than his illustrious boxing career provided a different angle, showing the human side of the legend.

Bochetto and his late business partner, Jared Weiss, were the visionaries behind this nostalgic endeavor, pouring hundreds of thousands into its renovation. Their investment turned Ali's former home into a time capsule, reminiscent of simpler days when the greatest fights might have been about who got the last slice of mom’s apple pie.

Despite repeated efforts to revive the museum and even offers to relocate the modest 1,200-square-foot house, nothing materialized. However, Bochetto believes that with the right buyer—ideally one with not just a wallet but some marketing and operational savvy—the museological dream can still be realized.

Indeed, the market is awaiting someone ready to buy this piece of history, someone who understands that the true value lies beyond bricks and mortar. It's about preserving and sharing a legacy that resonates with the very heartbeat of Louisville. As Bochetto stressed, this isn’t just about another real estate transaction; it’s about safeguarding a vital part of American history.

Muhammad Ali, known for his nimble footwork and astonishing speed in the ring, never forgot his roots. And now, it remains to be seen whether his childhood home will find a contender with equal quickness and finesse—only this time, in the form of a keen buyer ready to keep the stories of young Cassius Clay alive for future generations.

Currently, as Louisville gears up for potential buyers to throw their hats in the ring, one thing remains certain—the legends never die. They simply put up "For Sale" signs with million-dollar price tags.

The Ali estate awaits, and prospective buyers better move fast. Because while Muhammad Ali always promised to "float like a butterfly," it's now time for this historical gem to "sell like an estate."