Cassius Marcellus Clay started boxing at the age of 12. Even at a young age, he displayed pure dominance as a young fighter winning two national Golden Gloves middleweight championships and an AAU national light-heavyweight title. Not too long after graduation, he blessed with a gift of winning the light-heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
Clay was a brilliant independent self-promoter, showing off for the camera and his proclaiming that not only was he the greatest fighter, but he was also the prettiest. He predicted in rhyme, with great accuracy, the round he would knock out his opponent ("They all fall/in the round I call"). In a period when boxing was of disinterest, he bought excitement back to the sport.
Even though he bought life back to the sport, he still didn't impress the boxing press who had doubt that he wasn't ready for the heavyweight title against champ Sonny Liston. Before the Feb. 25, 1964 fight in Miami Beach, 43 out 46 writers predicted a Liston victory. They had Clay as a 7-1 underdog; however, he displayed a miraculous upset when Liston didn't come back for the seventh round claiming he had a shoulder injury.
The morning after, Clay confirmed that he had joined the Nation of Islam. On March 6, Elijah Muhammad, told the world that he changed the name Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali which meant one worthy of praise. Ali fought for the first time under his new name against Liston in a rematch for the title. Ali defended his title for seven more years, but had it stripped when he ran into a battle with the government. When the military attempted to draft he said he is a conscientious objector. "I ain't got no quarrel with the Viet Cong," he said in 1966. At court hearing, he refused three times to step forward. Later he was guilty and was gave the maximum sentence and a $10, 000 fine. After a series of appeals he cleared of all charges.
Ali went on to achieve an outstanding record of 13wins and 4losses with his biggest fight ever "The Rumble in the Jungle" against heavyweight champ George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire.
Muhammad Ali "Introducing the returning once heavy weight champion of the world, weighing in at 210 lbs. and standing at six feet and two inches tall: Muhammad Ali." ... This was Ali's first loss of his career. ... In 1982 Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. ... Muhammad Ali!" All information on fight between Ali and Foreman taken from the movie Ali Have you thought about being a world champion today? ...
Was it shear accident that Muhammad Ali found himself in a boxing ring - or was it fate? ... Muhammad Ali born Cassius Marcellus Clay, bike was stolen in 1954. ... Ali defeated Sonny Liston February 25, 1964 to capture his first title. ... Ali and his managers claimed that government had tried to arrange a deal whereby Ali would enter the Army but not be sent to fight, according to Time magazine. ... Ali's quotes and antics both in and out of the ring stand the test of time (My Ali Story). ...
Muhammad Ali "I aint no quarrel with the Vietcong . no Vietcong ever called me a nigger". ... Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. ... As Ali saw the purity of this magnificent religion, Ali deg deeper into Islam's beliefs and fully converted himself and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. ... Now to Ali, fighting in a war was against his beliefs as a Muslim. ... The most successful child he has is Laila Ali. ...
Muhammad Ali, made it big. ... Ali finally got the fame he wanted. What happened next would change everything for Ali. ... The first loss of Ali's career, March 8th 1971, Ali fought Joe Frazier in the "Fight of the Century" after 15 rounds. ... Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. ...
Mohammed Ali is undoubtedly a hero. ... Since his retirement in 1981, Ali has supported black rights undeveloped country's and tried to help everybody who has problems. ... In 1994, Sports Illustrated ranked Ali first on its "40 for the Ages List." ... Ali was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and into the U.S. ... The Muhammad Ali Museum opened in Louisville, Kentucky in 1995. ...
Muhammad Ali, originally Cassius Marcellus Clay, in his lifetime became one of the best and most controversial sports figures of all time. ... Perhaps the most surprising thing he did was changing is name to Muhammad Ali after becoming a Muslim. ... Ali, however, proved to be a "fighting champion," accepting the challenges of every heavyweight he had a chance to fight. ... Ali regained the championship in a 1974 bout with George Foreman. ... Other than Joe Frazier and Spinks, the only boxers to defeat Ali, who had a 55-5 record, were Ken Norton, who later lost to Ali; Larry Hol...
Muhammad Ali is one of the best, if not the best, boxers of all time. ... Ali was drafted into the army in 1967. ... Ali became the second youngest champion in history. After the fight Ali told the world that his name was now Muhammad Ali and that he had joined the Nation of Islam. ... In October 30, 1974, it was Ali vs. ...
From then on out he was called Muhammad Ali. ... Ali eventually got to box again October of 1970. ... Ali had finally met professional defeat. ... At the age of thirty - eight Ali would retire. ... Ali is coping with the disease well. ...
In No Music Before Mosque, the son, Ali enjoyed playing his flute while he prayed to God. ... He believed that by playing the music, Ali was "defying God" and was about to let Ali know that. ... If the father found Ali, he would have beaten him. However, Ali, perhaps knowing that he would have received a beaten, committed suicide. ... Ali's niece swallowed her fear and reached for her grandfather's hand. ...
