Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick - Dec 11, 1981 - HISTORY.com Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick Share this: Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick Author Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick URL Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 1981, the Jamaican boxer Trevor Berbick beat former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in a unanimous 10-round decision, before a crowd of 10,000 at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre in Nassau, the Bahamas. At the age of 39, Ali (born Cassius Clay) was attempting his second comeback from retirement. Crowned as the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champ in 1964 after beating Sonny Liston, he had successfully defended the title eight times before he was convicted of draft evasion in 1967, stripped of his boxing license and title and sentenced to five years in prison. Though the conviction was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, Ali was inactive for two years and announced his retirement in 1970.

He returned to the ring after only a short time, however, and regained his heavyweight title in 1974 after a win against George Foreman in Zaire. After losing and regaining the crown again in 1978, Ali announced his retirement for the second time. He reemerged in October 1980 to fight a championship bout against Larry Holmes, who knocked him out in the 11th round in a one-sided battle. Ali refused to accept the result, however, and pushed to set up the fight with Berbick in the Bahamas in order to prove himself. Immensely popular with the fans, Ali put in his best performance in the middle of the Berbick fight, seeming to win the fifth and sixth rounds with his combinations and aggressive punches. From the seventh round on, however, control belonged to the 27-year-old Berbick, whose speed and power allowed him to inflict a series of damaging punches, batter Ali in the corner, land a punch to the head in the ninth, and get him on the ropes in the tenth. In the end, all three judges gave the match to Berbick.

Ali retired for good after the fight, finishing his career with an overall record of 56-5 and earning a lasting reputation as one of the 20th century’s most influential sportsmen. For his part, Berbick won the WBC heavyweight title in 1986 but was beaten in his first defense by the 20-year-old Mike Tyson. Berbick continued boxing for another 14 years but was plagued by issues in his personal life, including various arrests and a conviction for sexual assault. His boxing license was revoked in 2000 after a post-fight CAT scan found a blood clot in his brain. In October 2006, Berbick was found dead, with massive wounds to the head, in a church courtyard in his native town, Norwich, near Kingston, Jamaica. His 20-year-old nephew and a friend were charged in the killing. Related Videos Muhammad Ali's 61st and last fight, losing...

December 11 in History September 10, 1973 - Muhammad Ali defeats Ken Norton June 28, 1971 - Supreme Court (8-0) overturns draft evasion conviction of Muhammad Ali July 24, 1969 - Muhammad Ali is convicted for refusing induction in U.S. Army on appeal June 19, 1967 - Muhammad Ali is convicted for refusing induction in U.S. Army May 8, 1967 - Muhammad Ali is indicted for refusing induction in U.S.

Army April 28, 1967 - Muhammad Ali refuses induction into army and stripped of boxing title March 22, 1967 - Muhammad Ali KOs Zora Folley in 7 for heavyweight boxing title March 6, 1967 - Muhammad Ali is ordered by selective service to be inducted February 6, 1967 - Muhammad Ali TKOs Ernie Terrell in 15 for heavyweight boxing title January 12, 1967 - Louisville, Kentucky, draft board refuses exemption for boxer Muhammad Ali November 14, 1966 - Muhammad Ali TKOs Cleveland Williams in 3 for heavyweight title September 10, 1966 - Muhammad Ali TKOs Karl Mildenberger in 12 for heavyweight boxing title August 6, 1966 - Muhammad Ali KOs Brian London in 3 for heavyweight boxing title May 21, 1966 - Muhammad Ali TKOs Henry Cooper in 6 for heavyweight boxing title March 29, 1966 - Muhammad Ali beats George Chuvalo in 15 for heavyweight boxing title November 22, 1965 - Muhammad Ali TK

Os Floyd Patterson in 12 for heavyweight boxing title May 25, 1965 - Muhammad Ali KOs Sonny Liston in 1 for heavyweight boxing title March 6, 1964 - Elijah Muhammad renames Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali October 29, 1960 - Muhammad Ali's 1st professional fight, beats Tunney Hunsaker in 6 January 17, 1942 - Muhammad Ali, heavyweight champ boxer, 1964 - 1967 1974 - 1978 More Notable Events on December 11: 1997 Federal judge orders Microsoft not to bundle IE4 in Windows 1985 General Electric acquires RCA Corp and its subsidiary, NBC 1981 Muhammad Ali's 61st and last fight, losing to Trevor Berbick 1961 John F.

Kennedy provides U.S. miltary helicopters and crews to South Vietnam 1938 New York Giants win NFL championship This Day in Boxing December 11, 1981 Muhammad Ali’s Last Fight - YouTube This Day in Boxing December 11, 1981 Muhammad Ali’s Last Fight Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Dec 10, 2015 This Day in Boxing December 11, 1981 Muhammad Ali’s Last Fight Trevor Berbick beats “The Greatest “ Category Muhammad Ali: The Top 5 Boxers Who Came in the Way of His Boxing Career | Bleacher Report Muhammad Ali: The Top 5 Boxers Who Came in the Way of His Boxing Career Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Douglas A.

Sonders/Getty Images Muhammad Ali and former US President George Bush 42.2K 38 Comments Muhammad Ali could have attained a perfect winning record before retiring in 1981 if not for the five challengers that got in the way of his boxing career. In 1971, Muhammad Ali was on his 32nd winning streak when he fought and lost to Joe Frasier in New York City via a unanimous decision. Since then, Muhammad Ali lost to five more equally great boxers before finally retiring. After retiring from boxing, Ali was diagnosed in 1983 and found to be suffering from Parkinson's disease. Despite his disability he remains a public figure and was instrumental in setting up a foundation that helps people suffering from Parkinson's disease. Here are five of the great boxers that prevented Muhammad Ali from attaining an unblemished record in his professional career. 1st Loss to Joe Frasier Heavyweight boxer Joe Frasier Muhammad Ali's first loss happened at the hands of Joe Frasier in 1971 via a unanimous decision. It was Ali's first loss in 32 fights. Joe Frasier is an American boxer and a former Olympic champion.

Frasier, who is from Beaufort, North Carolina, is a former world heavyweight champion whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976 with a brief comeback in 1981. In their fight at Madison Square Garden in 1971 , Frazier lost a number of early rounds but took Ali's combinations without backing down. As Ali started to slow in the middle rounds, Frazier came on strong, landing hard shots to the body as well as the powerful left hooks to the head by virtue of Futch's instructions. Consequently, Frazier won a clear, 15-round, unanimous decision. Ali was taken to the hospital immediately after the fight to have his badly swollen jaw x-rayed, and Frazier spent time in the hospital during the ensuing month, the exertions of the fight having been exacerbated by his existing health problems, such as hypertension and a kidney infection. At the time of the fight, Frasier was 27 years old while Ali was 29. The Ali-Norton Trilogy Ken Norton vs Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton first faced each other in Mar. 1973 in San Diego, California.

In their first encounter, Ali lost to Norton via a 12-round split decision. Norton broke Ali's jaw in the 12-round duel. Ali won the rematch, also by split decision, on Sept. 10, 1973, which set up Ali-Frazier II , a non-title rematch with Joe Frazier , who had already lost his title to George Foreman. The bout was held on Jan. 28, 1974, with Ali winning a unanimous 12-round decision. In 1976 or three years after Norton broke Ali's jaw, they fought again in Inglewood, California. Ali won via a 12-round split decision, paving the way for a third and final fight. Their last fight was a 15-rounder which was held in Bronx, New York in Sept. 1976. Ali won the last of their three-part series and retained his WBA/WBC heavyweight titles, which he took from George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire via eighth-round KO. Ali vs.

Leon Spinks Heavyweight boxer Leon Spinks The third man that came in the way of Muhammad Ali's boxing career was Leon Spinks, a fellow American who was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Spinks made history in 1978 when he beat Muhammad Ali in a 15-round split decision in Las Vegas, Nevada and snatched Ali's WBA/WBC heavyweight titles. He won the titles only in his eighth fight, the fastest ascent in history. Ali, who had not been the same since his last fight with Joe Frazier , expected an easy fight, but he was out-hustled by Spinks, who did not seem to tire throughout the bout. The victory over Ali was the peak of Spinks' career. With this victory, Spinks became the only man to ever take a title belt from Muhammad Ali in the ring, since Ali's other losses were contests in which no official world title belt that he was in possession of was on the line. Spinks' iconic gap-toothed grin was featured on the cover of the Feb. 19, 1978 issue of Sports Illustrated . He never again fought as efficiently. In Sept.

1978, Ali and Spinks faced each other again in New Orleans. Ali won via a unanimous decision and took the WBA heavyweight title. Duel with Larry Holmes Larry Holmes (by hickocksports) In 1980, Muhammad Ali fought Larry Holmes, a fellow American boxer from Pennsylvania, who was the reigning Ring Magazine heavyweight champion from 1980-85. The fight took place in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Muhammad Ali was well past his prime and coming out of retirement when he faced Larry Holmes, who was at his absolute best for this fight. It was Ali's last attempt to become a four-time world heavyweight champion. Holmes actually held back after the middle rounds because he could also see that Ali was definitely not the same man who had taught him to box when he served as Ali's sparring partner. At the end of the 10th round, Ali's trainer, Angelo Dundee stopped the fight.

Ali blamed his poor performance on thyroid medication that he had been taking, claiming that it helped him lose weight (he weighed 217.5 lbs., his lowest weight since he fought George Foreman in 1974), but it also left him drained for the fight. Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick (Ali's Last Fight before Retirement) Trevor Berbick (by Wikipedia) Muhammad Ali's last professional fight before retiring was against Trevor Berbick, a Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight boxer who briefly held the WBC heavyweight title in 1986. Ali lost to Berbick via a unanimous decision in Nassau, Bahamas in 1981. At the height of his boxing career, Berbick had trouble with the law despite his religious background. Berbick had been arrested a number of times and was sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting his children's baby sitter in 1992. He was subsequently deported from the US. Berbick, who was once a preacher at the Moments of Miracles Pentecostal Church in Las Vegas, was murdered by his nephew over a land dispute in his native Jamaica in 2006.

Berbick has three sons who live in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. Muhammad Ali’s Last Fight This Day in Boxing December 11, 1981 - YouTube Muhammad Ali’s Last Fight This Day in Boxing December 11, 1981 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Dec 11, 2015 This Day in Boxing December 11, 1981 Muhammad Ali’s Last Fight Trevor Berbick beats “The Greatest “ Follow Boxing Hall of Fame When autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Up next Joe Frazier vs Muhammad Ali, March 8, 1971 [Full Fight] - Duration: 56:39. Greatest Boxers 4,606,102 views 56:39 Top 10 Muhammad Ali Best Knockouts HD - Duration: 6:32.

ElTerribleProduction 18,621,944 views 6:32 Muhammad Ali FUNNY !! Loses to Old Woman and Old Man - Duration: 6:39. Boxing Hall of Fame Las Vegas 503,711 views 6:39 George Foreman vs Muhammad Ali - Oct. 30, 1974 - Entire fight - Rounds 1 - 8 & Interview - Duration: 1:05:05. Levi Johansen 16,322,967 views 1:05:05 Muhammad Ali - Black History - HISTORY.com Google Muhammad Ali’s Early Years and Amateur Career Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., the elder son of Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. (1912-1990) and Odessa Grady Clay (1917-1994), was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky . It was a red-and-white Schwinn that steered the future heavyweight champion to the sport of boxing.

When his beloved bicycle was stolen, a tearful 12-year-old Clay reported the theft to Louisville police officer Joe Martin (1916-1996) and vowed to pummel the culprit. Martin, who was also a boxing trainer, suggested that the upset youngster first learn how to fight, and he took Clay under his wing. Six weeks later, Clay won his first bout in a split decision. Did You Know? Muhammad Ali has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated 38 times, second only to basketball great Michael Jordan. By age 18 Clay had captured two national Golden Gloves titles, two Amateur Athletic Union national titles and 100 victories against eight losses. After graduating high school, he traveled to Rome and won the light heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics. Clay won his professional boxing debut on October 29, 1960, in a six-round decision.

From the start of his pro career, the 6-foot-3-inch heavyweight overwhelmed his opponents with a combination of quick, powerful jabs and foot speed, and his constant braggadocio and self-promotion earned him the nickname “Louisville Lip.” Muhammad Ali: Heavyweight Champion of the World After winning his first 19 fights, including 15 knockouts, Clay received his first title shot on February 25, 1964, against reigning heavyweight champion Sonny Liston (1932-1970). Although he arrived in Miami Beach, Florida , a 7-1 underdog, the 22-year-old Clay relentlessly taunted Liston before the fight, promising to “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” and predicting a knockout. When Liston failed to answer the bell at the start of the seventh round, Clay was indeed crowned heavyweight champion of the world. In the ring after the fight, the new champ roared, “I am the greatest!” At a press conference the next morning, Clay, who had been seen around Miami with controversial Nation of Islam member Malcolm X (1925-1965), confirmed the rumors of his conversion to Islam.

On March 6, 1964, Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975) bestowed on Clay the name of Muhammad Ali. Ali solidified his hold on the heavyweight championship by knocking out Liston in the first round of their rematch on May 25, 1965, and he defended his title eight more times. Then, with the Vietnam War raging, Ali showed up for his scheduled induction into the U.S. Armed Forces on April 28, 1967. Citing his religious beliefs, he refused to serve. Ali was arrested, and the New York State Athletic Commission immediately suspended his boxing license and revoked his heavyweight belt. Convicted of draft evasion, Ali was sentenced to the maximum of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, but he remained free while the conviction was appealed. Many saw Ali as a draft dodger, and his popularity plummeted. Banned from boxing for three years, Ali spoke out against the Vietnam War on college campuses. As public attitudes turned against the war, support for Ali grew.

In 1970 the New York State Supreme Court ordered his boxing license reinstated, and the following year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction in a unanimous decision. Muhammad Ali’s Return to the Ring After 43 months in exile, Ali returned to the ring on October 26, 1970, and knocked out Jerry Quarry (1945-1999) in the third round. On March 8, 1971, Ali got his chance to regain his heavyweight crown against reigning champ Joe Frazier (1944-2011) in what was billed as the “Fight of the Century.” The undefeated Frazier floored Ali with a hard left hook in the final round. Ali got up but lost in a unanimous decision, experiencing his first defeat as a pro. Ali won his next 10 bouts before being defeated by Ken Norton (1943-). He won the rematch six months later in a split decision and gained further revenge in a unanimous decision over Frazier in a non-title rematch. The victory gave the 32-year-old Ali a title shot against 25-year-old champion George Foreman (1949-).

The October 30, 1974, fight in Kinshasa, Zaire, was dubbed the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Ali, the decided underdog, employed his “rope-a-dope” strategy, leaning on the ring ropes and absorbing a barrage of blows from Foreman while waiting for his opponent to tire. The strategy worked, and Ali won in an eighth-round knockout to regain the title stripped from him seven years prior. Ali successfully defended his title in 10 fights, including the memorable “Thrilla in Manila” on October 1, 1975, in which his bitter rival Frazier, his eyes swollen shut, was unable to answer the bell for the final round. Ali also defeated Norton in their third meeting in a unanimous 15-round decision. On February 15, 1978, an aging Ali lost his title to Leon Spinks (1953-) in a 15-round split decision. Seven months later, Ali defeated Spinks in a unanimous 15-round decision to reclaim the heavyweight crown and become the first fighter to win the world heavyweight boxing title three times.

After announcing his retirement in 1979, Ali launched a brief, unsuccessful comeback. However, he was overwhelmed in a technical knockout loss to Larry Holmes (1949-) in 1980, and he dropped a unanimous 10-round decision to Trevor Berbick (1954-2006) on December 11, 1981. After the fight, the 39-year-old Ali retired for good with a career record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts. Muhammad Ali’s Later Years and Legacy In 1984 Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome, possibly connected to the severe head trauma suffered during his boxing career. The former champion’s motor skills slowly declined, and his movement and speech were limited. In spite of the Parkinson’s, Ali remained in the public spotlight, traveling the world to make humanitarian, goodwill and charitable appearances. He met with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (1937-2006) in 1990 to negotiate the release of American hostages, and in 2002 he traveled to Afghanistan as a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Ali had the honor of lighting the cauldron during the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. In 1999 Ali was voted the BBC’s “Sporting Personality of the Century,” and Sports Illustrated named him “Sportsman of the Century.” Ali was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a 2005 White House ceremony, and in the same year the $60 million Muhammad Ali Center, a nonprofit museum and cultural center focusing on peace and social responsibility, opened in Louisville. Ring Magazine named Ali “Fighter of the Year” five times, more than any other boxer, and he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Ali has been married four times and has seven daughters and two sons. He married his fourth wife, Yolanda, in 1986. Ali died at the age of 74 on June 3, 2016. Tags Muhammad Ali - boxing Topics - ESPN Personal Muhammad Ali is a former heavyweight champion boxer. A three-time heavyweight champion, Ali is widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time.

Before turning professional, Ali won a gold medal as a light heavyweight at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Born Cassius Clay, Ali changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964. Because of religious beliefs, Ali refused to serve for the U.S. military and was arrested and put on trial. Along with his legal woes, Ali was stripped of his heavyweight championship and had his boxing license suspended. The Supreme Court would eventually rule in Ali's favor in Clay v. United States in 1971. During his prime, Ali was involved in two of the greatest fights in boxing history, taking part in "The Thrilla in Manila" against Joe Frazier and "The Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman. After his retirement from boxing, Ali was diagnosed in 1984 with Parkinson's disease, which has severely affected his speech and mobility. Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born on Jan. 17, 1942, in Louisville, Ky. to Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay.

He was the younger of two children, as Clay had an older brother, Rahman, who was born as Rudolph Valentino Clay. Clay started boxing at the age of 12 after his bike was stolen. Clay told Joe Martin, a police officer, that he wanted to beat up the thief. Along with being a police officer, Martin also trained boxers and persuaded Clay to work out at the local gym. His boxing career was born, and Clay had his first amateur fight in 1954, winning by split decision. In 1956, Clay won the Golden Gloves Championship in the light heavyweight division. Three years later Clay won the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions and the Amateur Athletic Union light heavyweight national title. After graduating high school, Clay competed for the United States Olympic boxing team in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Clay took home the gold medal in the light heavyweight division after defeating Zbigniew Pietryzkowski from Poland. Clay finished with an amateur record of 100-5 before turning professional after the Olympics. Cassius Clay made his professional debut on Oct.

29, 1960, in a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker at the Freedom Hall State Fairground in Louisville, Ky. Clay steamrolled through the competition during the first three years of his professional career. He was so dominant that he was able to correctly predict in what round he would knock out his opponents. In June 1963, Clay traveled to London to take on British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper. In front of a pro-Cooper crowd at Wembley Stadium, Clay won by technical knockout in the fifth round. Despite his victory over Cooper, Clay was the underdog before stepping in the ring against Sonny Liston in 1964. Of 46 writers, 43 picked Liston to defeat Clay. The two squared off on Feb. 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Fla. Clay was a 7-to-1 underdog but scored the upset victory over Liston after he didn't come out for the seventh round thanks to a shoulder injury. Clay won the heavyweight championship for the first time in his young career.

After the fight, Clay celebrated with a dance in the ring and yelled, "I'm the greatest" and "I shook up the world!" It would go down as one of the most historic moments in Clay's career. The day after the fight, Clay changed his name from Cassius Clay to Cassius X after joining the Nation of Islam. Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad eventually settled on the name of Muhammad Ali for Clay. "Muhammad" means worthy of praise, and "Ali" was the name of a cousin of the prophets. Ali and Liston would step in the ring a year later in a rematch. The fight didn't make it past the first round after a so-called "phantom punch" from Ali knocked out Liston before only 2,434 fans in Maine. Ali also had little trouble with Floyd Patterson in 1965, going 12 rounds with the former champion before the fight was stopped. On Mar. 22, 1967, Ali defeated Zora Folley at Madison Square Garden, in what turned out to be his last fight for quite some time. Vietnam War Ali's victory over Folley would be his last fight for more than three years.

Since the country was in the middle of the Vietnam War, the United States Armed Forces drafted Ali to serve for his country. In 1964, Ali failed the qualifying test because of his subpar writing and spelling skills. However, Ali was later reclassified in 1966 as 1A, making him eligible for induction into the U.S. Army. Ali was outspoken about serving in the war and publicly said he wouldn't go to Vietnam if he was drafted. He said that the war went against the teachings in the Quran and famously said, "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong ... they never called me n-----." Ali appeared at his scheduled induction into the U.S. Army on Apr. 28, 1967, in Houston. An officer called Ali's name three times, and he refused to step forward. After an officer warned him of the consequences, Ali was arrested for committing a felony that was punishable by five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. As a result of his arrest and induction refusal, Ali was stripped of the heavyweight title and had his boxing license suspended by the New York State Athletic Commission. Other boxing commissions followed suit and did the same.

Ali's case went to trail on June 20, 1967. After just 21 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Ali guilty, and the judge imposed he maximum sentence. A court of appeals upheld Ali's conviction, and the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. While Ali was waiting for the Supreme Court to hear his case, he was gaining more public support for his views on the war. Ali returned to the ring while waiting for the Supreme Court ruling, fighting in Georgia, which didn't have a boxing commission. On Oct. 26, 1970, Ali needed just three rounds to defeat Jerry Quarry. On June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court ruled in Ali's favor and reversed his conviction by unanimous decision in Clay v. United States. Return to the ring With his legal issues resolved, Muhammad Ali moved forward full-time with his boxing career. While waiting for the Supreme Court to rule, the New York State Supreme Court had denied Ali a boxing license unjustly. After he was granted a license to fight in New York, Ali defeated Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 7, 1970.

Ali's victory over Bonavena paved the way for a showdown between the undefeated Joe Frazier. The bout was dubbed "The Fight of the Century," and Ali and Frazier were undefeated headed into their March 8, 1971, fight at Madison Square Garden. Ali started off strong, holding the advantage over Frazier during the first three rounds. Frazier was able to keep things close before taking the advantage in the 11th round. Ali managed to escape from serious trouble until Round 15, when Frazier knocked him down for just the third time in his career. A shaken Ali got up and finished the final round, but the damage had been done. Ali had suffered his first professional loss as Frazier won by unanimous decision, retaining his heavyweight championship. Ali rebounded with six victories in 1972, notching wins over Floyd Patterson and Jerry Quarry. He then defended the NABF heavyweight title against Ken Norton on March 31, 1973. Norton managed to break Ali's jaw in the fight and won by split decision. Ali was able to seek redemption against Norton by winning back his NABF championship in a split-decision rematch that didn't live up to the hype.

Ali got his rematch with Frazier in 1974 at Madison Square Garden. The winner of the fight would be in line to challenge George Foreman for the heavyweight title. Before the fight, Ali and Frazier got into a fight on the set of ABC's "Wide World of Sports" in New York. The fighters were reviewing their first fight when Ali called Frazier ignorant. In the actual fight, Ali won a unanimous 12-round decision over Frazier. "The Rumble in the Jungle" With the win over Frazier, Ali finally had the opportunity to regain the heavyweight title he was stripped of in 1967. Rising star Foreman held the heavyweight championship after knocking down Frazier six times in a span of two rounds. New boxing promoter Don King talked Ali and Foreman into signing separate contracts with the impression that he would be able to get $5 million for both fighters. Since King didn't have the money, he accepted an offer from Zaire president Mobutu Sese Seko to host the fight at Mai 20 Stadium in Kinshasa. The fight was dubbed "The Rumble in the Jungle," and Ali and Foreman spent the summer of 1974 training in Zaire.

Originally scheduled for September, the fight was pushed back until Oct. 30 after Foreman was injured during training. The young Foreman was a 7-to-1 favorite over Ali heading into the bout, which was fought in the early morning in Zaire. Ali had a secret plan for Foreman, and the boxing world got its first glance at the "rope-a-dope" in the second round. Ali leaned on the ropes while covering up his body as Foreman threw punches that were deflected and didn't land squarely. After several rounds of this strategy, Foreman started to tire in the ring while Ali's trademark taunting was in full effect. In the eighth round, Ali knocked Foreman down after a series of combinations. Foreman just made it up before the standing 10 count, but referee Zack Clayton stopped the fight. Ali handed Foreman his first loss and became the second heavyweight to regain his championship. Ali successfully defended his heavyweight championship against Chuck Wepner on March 24, 1975, despite getting knocked down in the ninth round. A documentary titled "When We Were Kings" was released in 1996 that focused on the buildup to the fight.

The documentary won the Academy Award for best documentary feature. The Thrilla in Manila Ali and Frazier met for the third and final time on Oct. 1, 1975 in the Philippines. Less than a year after King scheduled a fight in Zaire, Ali and Frazier traveled to Quezon City in Metro Manila. The rivalry between the two fighters reached a boiling point after Frazier felt Ali betrayed him after being such a vocal supporter for him during his three-plus years away from the ring. Ali stuck to what he knew best, trash-talking. He taunted Frazier by referring to him as a gorilla. The two men slugged it out in what would go down as one of the greatest fights in the 20th century. With Frazier's eye swelling shut, Ali took advantage in Round 14. Frazier practically couldn't see out of one eye, and that forced trainer Eddie Futch to step in and throw in the towel before the start of the 15th and final round. After the win, Ali said that this was the closest to dying he had ever come, as both fighters battled 100-degree temperatures.

Back in the states, Ali easily defeated Jean-Pierre Coopman, Jimmy Young and Richard Dunn. Ali scheduled an exhibition match with Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki in Tokyo. Inoki also studied mixed martial arts, and there were several stipulations and rules added in the match. Because of Inoki's strategy, Ali was able to land only six punches while suffering repeated kicks to his legs. The fight ended in a draw as Ali suffered an infection and two blood clots in his legs. After Ali recovered from his injury, he successfully defended his heavyweight championship against Ken Norton at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 28, 1976, in a unanimous decision. Ali lost his heavyweight title to 1976 Olympic gold medalist Leon Spinks on Feb. 15, 1978 in a split decision. After underestimating Spinks, Ali got revenge in a rematch seven months later. Following the victory, Ali retired on June 27, 1979. He returned to the ring on Oct. 2, 1980, against Larry Holmes in an attempt to win the heavyweight championship for the fourth time.

Holmes was too much for the 38-year-old Ali, and trainer Angelo Dundee refused to let him finish the fight. Ali was trailing on all three scorecards when the fight was stopped before the 11th round. Ali's last fight was a unanimous decision loss to Trevor Berbick in 1981. Retiring for good, Ali finished his career with a 56-5 professional record. The day after his loss to Trevor Berbick, Muhammad Ali announced his retirement from boxing in 1981. In 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which was a result of the severe head trauma suffered during his time in the ring. The neurological syndrome affects his movement and speech to this day. In 1996, Ali was given the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron in Atlanta for the 1996 Summer Olympics. A noticeably shaky Ali was the first boxer to light the cauldron. Later during the Olympics, Ali received a replacement medal for his 1960 gold medal, which he said he had thrown into the Ohio River after being refused service at a whites-only restaurant.

In 1997, Ali was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award as part of the ESPY Awards. The BBC voted Ali as its sports personality of the century in 1999. In 2001, a biographical film on Ali's career was made. Entitled "Ali," the film starred Will Smith as Muhammad Ali and was directed by Michael Mann. Smith and Jon Voight earned Academy Award nominations. President George W. Bush awarded Ali the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. The Muhammad Ali Center opened on Nov. 19, 2005 in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. The $80 million, six-story museum and cultural center was built as a tribute to Ali. There have been a series of books released on Ali, but his autobiography, "The Greatest: My Own Story," was published in 1975 and written with Richard Durham. His autobiography was eventually adapted into a film, "The Greatest," released in 1977 and starring Ali as himself. Nicknamed "The Greatest," Muhammad Ali is regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. During his 21-year professional career, Ali defeated every top heavyweight during the era.

Ali was named Fighter of the Year by Ring Magazine five times and was involved in its Fight of the Year five times as well. In 1998, Ali was named the greatest heavyweight in all eras by Ring Magazine. According to an ESPN.com poll, Ali was voted as the second greatest fighter of all time behind Sugar Ray Robinson. Ali has appeared on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" 37 times, second among all athletes behind Michael Jordan. Along with his skills in the ring, Ali was also known for his showmanship. Never shy, Ali often boasted as being the prettiest fighter along with being the best. Ali had so many memorable quotes that a book written by George Lois, "Ali Rap: Muhammad Ali, the first Heavyweight Champion of Rap," featured a collection of Ali's best lines during his career. Muhammad Ali is currently married to Yolanda Ali. The two married in 1986 and have one adopted son, Asaad. Before his marriage to Yolanda, Ali was married three times. In 1964, Ali married Sonji Roi, and they were married for two years.

In 1967, a 25-year-old Ali married 17-year-old Belinda Boyd. The couple had four children together (Maryum, Jamillah, Liban, Muhammad Ali Jr.). Ali and Boyd ended their marriage after he began an affair with Veronica Porsche. Ali and Porsche married in 1977 and had two daughters, Hana and Laila. The two divorced in 1986. Laila followed in her father's footsteps and pursued a career as a professional boxer. She went 24-0 before retiring. Ali resides in Scottsdale, Ariz. VIDEO RESULTS FOR MUHAMMAD ALI Trevor Berbick, Last Boxer to Defeat Ali, Murdered | The Annoyatorium Trevor Berbick, Last Boxer to Defeat Ali, Murdered Author Trevor Berbick, Last Boxer to Defeat Ali, Murdered Former world heavyweight boxing champion Trevor Berbick has been killed in Jamaica. Berbick, 52, suffered a gaping head wound in the attack in a church courtyard in his native Norwich village, 145 miles east of Kingston, and was pronounced dead at the Port Antonio Hospital, police said.

They said the assailant was carrying a weapon such as a machete or hatchet that cut a deep 'chop wound'. Friends said they had seen Berbick at a party Friday night but police said they had few other details on his death. He was the last boxer to beat the legendary Muhammad Ali in 1981 in Nassau in the Bahamas and held the world heavyweight title briefly in 1986 before losing it to Mike Tyson, blown away in two rounds thereby making Tyson the youngest heavyweight champion of all time. Berbick represented Jamaica at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and settled in Canada for years. He turned professional the following year and won the World Boxing Council heavyweight title in 1986, when he defeated American Pinklon Thomas. He had a decent technique and solid punch, as well as a sound chin - all the ingredients a champion needs - but when he beat Ali it was one of boxing's saddest nights. Ali was ill advised to take the bout, having already lost to Larry Holmes the previous year, while descending into the early stages of Parkinson's Syndrome. When Berbick came up against Tyson, the terrifying young man from Brownsville was near unbeatable.

The punch Tyson knocked out Berbick with lives in the memory for the staggering effect it had on his opponent. It crashed into his temple, sent him zombie-like to the canvas, and when he tried to rise, his eyes rolled and his legs gave way beneath him. Berbick's last bout was in 2000 against Canadian journeyman Shane Sutcliffe which he won the fight via 12-Round Unanimous decision. After the bout, a CAT scan revealed a blood clot in his brain and as a result he had his license to box revoked. Like many fighters, even former world champions, Berbick would not retire when he was long past his best. He retired to Florida to be with his wife and 3 children (he also has 3 children with his first wife in Montreal) and train boxers as a profession. Berbick returned to Jamaica in 2003 after being deported from the United States for the second time. He had several run-ins with the law, including serving 15 months of a five-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting the family babysitter in 1992.

Jamaica has been fighting a surge in murders and crime that threatens the Caribbean island's crucial tourist trade and is believed to be drug-related. Police Arrest Man in Slaying of Berbick 2006/10/29 17:22:11 ( permalink ) Police Arrest Man in Slaying of Berbick KINGSTON, Jamaica - A 20-year-old man was arrested in connection with the killing of former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick, who was bludgeoned and left to die in a church courtyard next to his family's home in a rural hamlet. Several residents of the remote farming community in Norwich district said the suspect was involved in a land dispute with the troubled boxer. Les Green, a Scottish detective who this year was appointed assistant police commissioner of the violence-wracked nation, refused to identify the man before his arraignment, which has not been scheduled. "We have some very good information from witnesses, and we have recovered a weapon we believe was used in the assault," he said Sunday. Green would not say what kind of weapon was recovered or where it was found.

Police have not disclosed a possible motive or if others were suspected in the slaying of Berbick, who is best remembered as Muhammad Ali's final opponent in 1981. Investigators arrested the suspect several hours after Berbick's body was discovered about 6:30 a.m. Saturday in his hometown parish of Portland, about 80 miles east of Kingston. Berbick, who was believed to be 52, was pronounced dead by a local doctor in the church courtyard next to the three-bedroom house where he was raised. Detective Sgt. Kenneth Bailey of the Port Antonio police station in Portland told The Jamaica Gleaner that Berbick was last seen alive early Saturday at a nearby bar. "The body had four wounds to the back of the head, as he was probably attacked from behind," Bailey told the newspaper. "The impression and damage done to the skull have indicated that a machete may have been used by his attacker or attackers to murder him." After beating Ali in 1981 in an unanimous decision in the Bahamas, Berbick went on to win the WBC heavyweight title fours years later in a decision over Pinklon Thomas.

His reign was short, however, as a 20-year-old Mike Tyson knocked out Berbick in the second round Nov. 22, 1986, to become the youngest heavyweight champ. He fought from 1976 to 2000, finishing with a record of 50-11 with one draw and 33 knockouts. He also fought for his Caribbean homeland at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Following his retirement from the ring, Berbick was convicted in the U.S. for sexual assault, grand theft and burglary. "We have our challenges in life, but Trevor seemed to handle his challenges very badly," said C. Lloyd Allen, former president of the Jamaica Boxing Board and a close friend. "Once he lost to Tyson, he just went down a slippery slope." In 1991, Berbick was convicted for attacking his former business manager, who testified the boxer put a gun to her head and accused her of stealing money from him. The following year, he was convicted of raping a family baby sitter in Florida and was sentenced to four years in prison.

He also was convicted in 1992 for forging his ex-wife's signature to get a mortgage on a home. After 15 months in prison, Berbick was deported from the U.S. He went to Canada, where he lived for a time following the 1976 Olympics. He eventually moved back to the U.S., but was deported a second time. Funeral arrangements have not been announced by Berbick's family.

Question: Who was the last boxer to fight and defeat Muhammad Ali, in December 1981?
Answer: Trevor Berbick