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Former champion and excellent outside left (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ali

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'former champion' is the definition.
'ali' can be an answer for 'champion' (I have seen 'Champion of ring' mean 'ali' so perhaps 'champion' could also mean 'ali'). I am not certain of the 'former' bit.

'excellent outside left' is the wordplay.
'excellent' becomes 'ai' (resembles 'A1', old-fashioned term for excellent).
'outside' indicates putting letters inside.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'ai' placed around 'l' is 'ALI'.

'and' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ali that I've seen before include "Muhammad - - , legendary boxer" , "Muhammad ..., former boxer" , "Dickens novel" , "Old fighter" , "Muslim name" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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