Muhammad Ali - Athlete, Boxer, Philanthropist - Biography.com » quotes “The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” “It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe.” “I'm gonna float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” “I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given.” “I'm the champion of the world. I'm the greatest thing that ever lived. I'm so great I don't have a mark on my face. I shook up the world! I shook up the world!” “If Clay says a mosquito can pull a plow, don't ask how—Hitch him up!” “You get the impression while watching him fight that he plays cat and mouse, then turns out the light.” “The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality.” “Religions all have different names, but they all contain the same truths.

I think the people of our religion should be tolerant and understand people believe different things.” “It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.” “I set out on a journey of love, seeking truth, peace and understanding. l am still learning.” “Truly great people in history never wanted to be great for themselves.” “At night when I go to bed, I ask myself, 'If I don't wake up tomorrow, would I be proud of how I lived today.'” “This is the story about a man with iron fists and a beautiful tan.” Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali - Mini Biography (TV-14; 4:09) A short biography of Muhammad Ali, an American heavyweight boxer and social activist who converted to Islam. Dodging the Vietnam draft, he was the subject of controversy. Synopsis Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1942, Muhammad Ali became an Olympic gold medalist in 1960 and the world heavyweight boxing champion in 1964.

Following his suspension for refusing military service, Ali reclaimed the heavyweight title two more times during the 1970s, winning famed bouts against Joe Frazier and George Foreman along the way. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984, Ali devoted much of his time to philanthropy, earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. He died on June 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona. Early Life Boxer, philanthropist and social activist Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. Ali showed at an early age that he wasn't afraid of any bout—inside or outside of the ring. Growing up in the segregated South, he experienced racial prejudice and discrimination firsthand. At the age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through an odd twist of fate. His bike was stolen, and Ali told a police officer, Joe Martin, that he wanted to beat up the thief. "Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people," Martin reportedly told him at the time.

In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym. Ali started working with Martin to learn how to spar, and soon began his boxing career. In his first amateur bout in 1954, he won the fight by split decision. Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves tournament for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, as well as the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light heavyweight division. Muhammad Ali - Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (TV-14; 1:13) Watch a short video about Muhammad Ali and discover how he accidentally discovered his calling as a world class boxer. Olympic Gold In 1960, Ali won a spot on the U.S. Olympic boxing team, and traveled to Rome, Italy, to compete. At 6' 3", Ali was an imposing figure in the ring, but he also became known for his lightning speed and fancy footwork. After winning his first three bouts, Ali defeated Zbigniew Pietrzkowski from Poland to win the light heavyweight gold medal.

After his Olympic victory, Ali was heralded as an American hero. He soon turned professional with the backing of the Louisville Sponsoring Group, and continued overwhelming all opponents in the ring. Ali took out British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in 1963, and then knocked out Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavyweight champion of the world. Often referring to himself as "the greatest," Ali was not afraid to sing his own praises. He was known for boasting about his skills before a fight and for his colorful descriptions and phrases. In one of his more famously quoted descriptions, Ali told reporters that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" in the boxing ring. Conversion to Islam and Suspension This bold public persona belied what was happening in Ali's personal life, however. He was doing some spiritual searching and decided to join the black Muslim group the Nation of Islam in 1964. At first he called himself "Cassius X" before settling on the name Muhammad Ali. (The boxer eventually converted to orthodox Islam during the 1970s.) Ali later started a different kind of fight with his outspoken views against the Vietnam War.

Drafted into the military in April 1967, he refused to serve on the grounds that he was a practicing Muslim minister with religious beliefs that prevented him from fighting. He was arrested for committing a felony and almost immediately stripped of his world title and boxing license. The U.S. Department of Justice pursued a legal case against Ali, denying his claim for conscientious objector status. He was found guilty of violating Selective Service laws and sentenced to five years in prison in June 1967, but remained free while appealing his conviction. Unable to compete professionally in the meantime, Ali missed more than three prime years of his athletic career. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually overturned the conviction in June 1971. Boxing Comeback Prior to the Supreme Court's decision, Ali returned to the ring in 1970 with a win over Jerry Quarry. The following year, Ali took on Joe Frazier in what has been called the "Fight of the Century." Frazier and Ali went toe-to-toe for 14 rounds before Frazier dropped Ali with a vicious left hook in the 15th.

Ali recovered quickly, but the judges awarded the decision to Frazier, handing Ali his first professional loss after 31 wins. Ali soon suffered a second loss, to Ken Norton , but he beat Frazier in a 1974 rematch. Another legendary Ali fight, against undefeated heavyweight champion George Foreman, took place in 1974. Billed as the "Rumble in the Jungle," the bout was organized by promoter Don King and held in Kinshasa, Zaire. For once, Ali was seen as the underdog to the younger, massive Foreman, but he silenced his critics with a masterful performance. He baited Foreman into throwing wild punches with his "rope-a-dope" technique, before stunning his opponent with an eighth-round knockout to reclaim the heavyweight title. Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle (TV-14; 1:56) Muhammad Ali talks about his "Rumble in the Jungle" bout with George Foreman in 1974. Ali and Frazier locked horns for their grudge match in Quezon City, Philippines, in 1975.

Dubbed the "Thrilla in Manila," the bout nearly went the distance, with both men delivering and absorbing tremendous punishment. However, Frazier's trainer threw in the towel after the 14th round, giving the hard-fought victory to Ali. After losing his title to Leon Spinks in February 1978, Ali defeated him in a September rematch, becoming the first boxer to win the heavyweight championship three times. Following a brief retirement, he returned to the ring to face Larry Holmes in 1980, but was overmatched against the younger champion. Following one final loss in 1981, to Trevor Berbick, the boxing great retired from the sport. Philanthropy and Diagnosis of Parkinson's In his retirement, Ali devoted much of his time to philanthropy. He announced that he had Parkinson's disease in 1984, a degenerative neurological condition, and was involved in raising funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the years, Ali also supported the Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among other organizations. In 1996, he lit the Olympic cauldron at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, an emotional moment in sports history.

Muhammad Ali holds the torch before lighting the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony of the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia on July 19, 1996. (Photo: Michael Cooper/Getty Images) Ali traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In 1998, he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing nations. In 2005, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush . He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, that same year. "I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given," he said. "Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another." Despite the progression of Parkinson's and the onset of spinal stenosis, Ali remained active in public life.

He was on hand to celebrate the inauguration of the first African-American president in January 2009, when Barack Obama was sworn into office. Soon after the inauguration, Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP for his public service efforts. Muhammad Ali - His Life and Times (TV-14; 3:09) Hana Ali, George Foreman, and Thomas Hauser, author of "Muhammad Ali: His Life and Time," describe Muhammad Ali's bold personality, his evolving religious views, and his outspoken activism. Video courtesy of Open Road Media. Death and Legacy Things began taking a turn for the worse within a few years. In early 2015, Ali was hospitalized for a severe urinary tract infection after having battled pneumonia. He was hospitalized again in early June 2016 for what was reportedly a respiratory issue. The revered athlete passed away on the evening of June 3, 2016, at a Phoenix, Arizona facility. Ali was survived by his fourth wife, Yolanda ("Lonnie"), whom he had been married to since 1986.

The couple had one son, Asaad, and Ali had several children from previous relationships, including daughter Laila Ali , who followed in his footsteps by becoming a champion boxer. Years before his passing, Ali had planned his own memorial services, saying he wanted to be “inclusive of everyone, where we give as many people an opportunity that want to pay their respects to me,” according to a family spokesman. The three-day event, which took place in Ali’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, included an “I Am Ali” festival of public arts, entertainment and educational offerings sponsored by the city, an Islamic prayer program and a memorial service. Prior to the memorial service, a funeral procession traveled 20 miles through Louisville, past Ali’s childhood home, his high school, the first boxing gym where he trained and along Muhammad Ali Boulevard as tens of thousands of fans tossed flowers on his hearse and cheered his name. The champ’s memorial service was held at the KFC Yum Center arena with close to 20,000 people in attendance.

Speakers included religious leaders from various faiths, Attallah Shabazz, Malcom X’ s eldest daughter, broadcaster Bryant Gumbel, former President Bill Clinton , comedian Billy Crystal , Ali’s daughters Maryum and Rasheda and his widow Lonnie. "Muhammad indicated that when the end came for him, he wanted us to use his life and his death as a teaching moment for young people, for his country and for the world," Lonnie said. "In effect, he wanted us to remind people who are suffering that he had seen the face of injustice. That he grew up during segregation, and that during his early life he was not free to be who he wanted to be. But he never became embittered enough to quit or to engage in violence. " Former President Clinton spoke about how Ali found self-empowerment: "I think he decided, before he could possibly have worked it all out, and before fate and time could work their will on him, he decided he would not ever be disempowered. He decided that not his race nor his place, the expectations of others, positive, negative or otherwise would strip from him the power to write his own story.

" Crystal, who was a struggling comedian when he became friends with Ali, said of the boxing legend: “Ultimately, he became a silent messenger for peace, who taught us that life is best when you build bridges between people, not walls.” "You have inspired us and the world to be the best version of ourselves,' Rasheda Ali spoke to her father. 'May you live in paradise free from suffering. You shook up the world in life now you're shaking up the world in death. Now you are free to be with your creator. We love you so much Daddy. Until we meet again, fly butterfly, fly." Pallbearers included actor Will Smith , who played the champ in the biopic Ali (2001), and former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis . Ali was buried at the Cave Hill National Cemetery in Louisville. Universally regarded as one of the greatest boxers in history, Ali's stature as a legend continues to grow even after his death. He is celebrated not only for his remarkable athletic skills but for his willingness to speak his mind and his courage to challenge the status quo.

Videos Muhammad Ali - Biography - IMDb Muhammad Ali Biography Showing all 92 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (4) | Trade Mark (7) | Trivia (47) | Personal Quotes (28) Overview (5) 6' 3" (1.91 m) Mini Bio (1) Muhammad Ali beat more champions and top contenders than any heavyweight champion in history. He defeated heavyweight kings Sonny Liston (twice), Floyd Patterson (twice), Ernie Terrell , Jimmy Ellis, Ken Norton (twice), Joe Frazier (twice), George Foreman and Leon Spinks . He defeated light-heavyweight champs Archie Moore and Bob Foster. Ali defeated European heavyweight champions Henry Cooper, Karl Mildenberger , Jürgen Blin , Joe Bugner , Richard Dunn, Jean-Pierre Coopman and Alfredo Evangelista. He defeated British and Commonwealth king Brian London. All of Ali's defeats were by heavyweight champions: Frazier, Norton, Spinks, Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick .

Ali also beat undefeated fighters Sonny Banks (12-0), Billy Daniels (16-0), 'Rudi Lubbers' (21-0) and George Foreman (40-0). Trademark phrase: "Floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee" Predicting the round in which his opponents would fall, sometimes even down to the minute The Ali Shuffle Extraordinary speed and agility in addition to devastatingly powerful blows Stinging taunts of opponents which frequently rhymed. Rope-a-dope strategy (absorbing round after round of punishing blows from the opponent only to come back stronger after the opponent exhausted themselves) Trivia (47) Former heavyweight boxing champion Light heavyweight boxing gold medalist, 1960 Olympics. World heavyweight boxing champion, 1964-1967, 1974-1978, 1978-1979. Ali learned early from the outrageous bad-guy wrestler, Gorgeous George , that it could pay to be hated. Ali said "I saw fifteen thousand people coming to see this man get beat, and his talking did it.

I said, this is a goo-o-o-d idea!" Then Ali refined that talking concept to what has been referred to as the Louisville Lip. Younger brother of Rahman Ali . Suffers from Parkinson's Syndrome, caused by the numerous blows to the head during his boxing career. Lit the torch at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Took in interest in boxing when his bike was stolen by local hoods. His bout with massive underdog Chuck Wepner inspired Sylvester Stallone to create Rocky Balboa, while the character Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers ) was based on Ali himself. Has a record of 56-5 with 37 KOs. Children: Daughters Rasheeda and Jamilla (twins) and Maryum (by Belinda Boyd); Miya, Khalilah, Hana Ali and Laila Ali (by Verónica Porche Ali ). Sons Muhammed, Jr. (by Boyd); Asaad (adopted with Yolonda Williams ). In order to pay his legal fees (since he was barred from boxing), Ali hit the college lecture circuit and even starred in the Broadway musical "Buck White".

In June 1967, Ali was convicted of violating the Selective Service Act (knowingly and willfully refusing to report for and submit to induction into the armed forces), and was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $100,000. On appeal, Ali claimed he was denied due process because the ratio of blacks on draft boards did not reflect their ratio in the population. But the three member Presidential Draft Board, formed by President Lyndon Johnson to prevent such scenarios (and included a black member) ruled his objection was invalid, and that he was not entitled to conscientious objector status as a minister of the Islamic religion (what he stated as his profession). Morever, in an April 1966 letter to his local draft board, Ali protested that two years of military service would cause him serious financial loss in being unable to pursue his livelihood as a boxer, NOT as a minister. In 1962, Ali signed for Selective Service, but he failed the mental aptitude test, and was classified 1-Y (unfit for service).

But when the United States armed forces required more soldiers for the Vietnam War, the pass-percentage marks for the tests were dropped to 15, meaning that Ali (and thousands of other men) was re-classified 1-A, now fit for service. Contrary to popular belief, he was stripped of his boxing license by the State of New York and his title by the World Boxing Association when he converted to Islam. However, the World Boxing Council recognized him as champ throughout his battle with the Government over his refusal to be inducted into the United States Army. Married second wife Khalilah 'Belinda' Ali when she was age 17. Inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 (charter member) and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1986. Legend has it that Ali threw his 1960 Olympic gold medal into the river, when in reality he just simply lost it at some point in time. Recorded an album for Epic Records in 1964 titled "I Am the Greatest". Sam Cooke produced one of the songs from the LP, "The Gang's All Here".

A single, his version of "Stand By Me" was released just after his first Liston fight, in 1964, and received some airplay. He is referenced in the song "Powder Blue" by Ween and "Noise Epic" by The Verve . He also inspired the title of a rare song by The Verve recorded from the sessions for their album "Forth". Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Sport in Society Hall of Fame in 1994. Has portrayed himself in four different motion pictures. His maternal great-grandfather was Abe Grady, a native of Ireland Had an amateur boxing record of 127 wins and only five defeats. From 1963 to 1966, he successfully defended the heavyweight title nine times. Inactive for three and a half years while fighting his draft evasion case in court. Voted sports personality of the Century in England Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush on November 9, 2005.

Other recipients were Frank Robinson , General Richard Myers , Paul Rusesabagina , Carol Burnett , Andy Griffith , Aretha Franklin , Vint Cerf and his Internet co-developer Robert Kahn, Jack Nicklaus , Alan Greenspan and former congressman Sonny Montgomery . As an amateur, Ali was only knocked-out once in over 110 fights, by Kent Green on a third round technical knockout. Green went on to a 14-2 pro boxing record. In 62 pro boxing matches, Ali was only stopped once; by Larry Holmes on a technical knockout. Ali was never counted out, but was unable to come out for round 11 in their title fight. When Ali stopped Sonny Liston for the World Heavyweight Title, Liston had not lost a fight in over 10 years. First man to knock down Sonny Liston and George Foreman . Received the Otto Yamaoka peace medal for his "life-long engagement in the American civil rights movement and the global cultural emancipation of blacks, as well as his work as a UN Goodwill ambassador".

[December 2005] Trained by Joe Martin (1953-1959) as an amateur, Archie Moore (1960-1961) and Angelo Dundee (1961-1980). His maternal grandmother's paternal grandfather was of Anglo-Saxon descent, and he is related to--among other notables--US Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Benjamin Harrison VI, Confedrate General Robert E. Lee, General George C. Marshall' and General George S. Patton . He is also related to actors Lee Marvin , Glenn Close , Laura Dern and Hilary Duff , journalist Katie Couric and cyclist Lance Armstrong . Met The Beatles while training to fight Sonny Liston , and posed for photos with them in a boxing ring. Declared afterward that they were the greatest, but he was "still the prettiest". Was featured in a "Pizza Hut" boxing commercial alongside David Bortolucci and Ali's real-life trainer Angelo Dundee , which was meant to air during the 1998 Super Bowl but was pulled at the very last moment for being too violent.

It was estimated that the entire campaign cost Pizza Hut tens of millions of dollars. Wanted the role of Bilal in The Message (1976) but the film's director nixed the idea. Father-in-law of Curtis Conway . Was photographed with American actor David J. Silver during his visit to Arizona. He attended a lavish dinner at the Palms Hotel in Paradise Valley for his famed 2004 Fight Night Celebrity charity at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix. The only fighter to score a KO of George Foreman and Oscar Bonnavena. The only fighter to win a decision over Joe Frazier (their second fight). Ali was arguably actually a four-time World Heavyweight Champion. In 1965, after signing to fight dethroned champion 'Sonny Liston' for a rematch, a fight that was not sanctioned in many areas, Ali was stripped by The World Boxing Association of their recognition of him as Heavyweight Champion. The WBA sanctioned an elimination match between contenders Ernie Terrell and Eddie Machen to determine who the Heavyweight Champion would be. Terrell won by a 15-round decision and was the WBA champion for two years.

Most sanctioning bodies and the general public still recognized Ali as the true champion. He regained the WBA Heavyweight Championship and unified the Heavyweight Championship by winning a 15-round decision over Terrell in 1967, only to be stripped of the title again several months later because of his refusal to register the military draft. He later won the title on two more occasions from George Foreman and Leon Spinks , reversing a previous loss to Spinks. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on January 11, 2002. At Ali insistence, the star was installed at the facade of the Kodak Theatre, home of the Academy Awards. Ali is the first heavyweight champion in the history of boxing to lose his title to a novice (who had only seven professional fights). This occurred when Ali lost to Leon Spinks on February 15, 1978. He first decided to take boxing lessons when neighborhood bullies stole his bike and he wanted to get back at them. Having the distinction of being one of the World's most famous celebrity's of all time.

Many fans would request getting punched by Ali rather than a picture or autograph. Boasting that they got hit by the Greatest!. Personal Quotes (28) Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth. I am an astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Jack Dempsey were just jet pilots. I'm in a world of my own. At home I am a nice guy - but I don't want the world to know. Humble people, I've found, don't get very far. When you're as great as I am, it's hard to be humble. It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up. Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill. You can't hit what you can't see; I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee! [after being rejected by the United States Army during the Vietnam War because he failed the "intelligence" test] I never said I was the smartest, I said I was the greatest.

I won a gold medal representing the USA at the Olympic Games in 1960, but when I came home, I still got treated like a nigger. There were restaurants I couldn't get served in. Some people kept calling me "boy". Sonny Liston is too ugly to be world heavyweight champion!. [on challenger Henry Cooper] If he talks some jive, I'll knock him out in round five. I'm soooooooooooooooooo pretty!!! I'm gonna float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, George [ George Foreman ] can't hit what his eyes can't see, now you see me, now you don't, he thinks he will but I know he won't. My toughest fight was my first wife. [on Elvis Presley ] Elvis was my close personal friend. He came to my Deer Lake training camp about two years before he died. He told us he didn't want nobody to bother us. He wanted peace and quiet and I gave him a cabin in my camp and nobody even knew it. When the cameras started watching me train, he was up on the hill sleeping in the cabin. Elvis had a robe made for me. I don't admire nobody but Elvis Presley .

He was the sweetest, most humble and nicest man you'd ever meet. He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life. I ain't got nothing against them Vietcong. The man who views the world at fifty the same way as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life. [after the Supreme Court overturned his conviction for draft evasion] I've done my celebrating already. I said a prayer to Allah. [observation, 1984] What I suffered physically was worth what I've accomplished in life. A man who is not courageous enough to take risks will never accomplish anything in life. [after defeating Sonny Liston] I'm king of the world! I'm pretty! I'm a bad man! I shook up the world! I shook up the world! I shook up the world! My conscience won't let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, some poor hungry people in the mud, for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger. They never lynched me. They didn't put no dogs on me.

[2004, asked what he thought when he looked back on the boxer he was] Sometimes, I feel a little sad because I can see how some things I said could upset some people. But I did not deliberately try to hurt anyone. The hype was part of my job, like skipping rope [1999, on being crowned Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC] Ever since I first came here in 1963 to fight Henry Cooper, I have loved the people of England. They have always been extremely warm and welcoming to me, which is why I am especially honored to accept the BBC's Sports Personality of the Century. I give thanks to God and to all the people in the UK who have supported me over the years. Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn't choose it, and I didn't want it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free name, and I insist people using it when speaking to me and of me. [1999, on being crowned Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC] I'd like to thank the British people for giving me this great welcome and thank you for this award. I had a good time boxing. I enjoyed it - and I may come back.

I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and got into bed before the room was dark. I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale; Handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick; I'm so mean I make medicine sick. See also 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 biography, birth date, birth place and pictures Email Print Born Cassius Marcellus Clay on January 17, 1942, at Louisville, Kentucky, Muhammad Ali began boxing at the age of 12.

A white policeman named Joe Martin featured Ali on his early television show, "Tomorrow's Champions," and started him working out at Louisville's Columbia Gym. An African American trainer named Fred Stoner taught Ali the science of boxing, instructing him to move with the grace and subtlety of a dancer. "Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee" Ali built an impressive amateur record which led him to both the national Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and Golden Gloves championships. At the age of 18 he competed in the 1960 Olympic games held at Rome, Italy, and won the gold medal in the light-heavyweight division. This led to a contract with a twelve member group of millionaires called the Louisville Sponsors Group, the most lucrative contract negotiated by a professional in the history of boxing. He worked his way through a string of professional victories, employing a style that combined speed with devastating punching power, described by one of his handlers as the ability to "float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee." Ali's flamboyant style of boasting and rhyming and out-spoken self-promotion garnered considerable media attention as he moved toward a chance to contend for the world heavyweight boxing championship.

When he began to write poems predicting the outcome of his many bouts he became known by the another name: "The Louisville Lip." Both the attention and his skill as a fighter paid off, and on February 25, 1964, at Miami, Florida, when he was only 22 years old, he fought and defeated Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world. "Beloved of Allah" Meanwhile Ali, inspired by human rights activist Malcolm X, embraced the Black Muslim faith and announced that he had changed his name to Cassius X. This was at a time when the struggle for civil rights was at a peak and the Muslims had emerged as a controversial but major force in the African American community. Later he was given the name Muhammad Ali, meaning "beloved of Allah," by the Muslim patriarch Elijah Muhammad. In his first title defense, held at Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965, he defeated the now challenger Sonny Liston with a first round knockout that many called a phantom punch because it was so fast and powerful that few in attendance saw it. Ali successfully defended his title eight more times.

On April 28, 1967, Ali was drafted into military service during the Vietnam War. As a Muslim and a conscientious objector he refused to serve, claiming an exemption as a minister of the Black Muslim religion. The press turned against him, calling him "unpatriotic, loudmouthed, bombastic." Although he had not been charged or convicted for violating the Selective Service Act, the New York State Athletic Commission and World Boxing Association suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his heavyweight title in May of 1967. Ali's comment to Sports Illustrated at the time was, "I'm giving up my title, my wealth, may be my future. Many great men have been tested for their religious beliefs. If I pass this test, I'll come out stronger than ever." Eventually Ali was sentenced to five years in prison, released on appeal, and his conviction overturned three years later by the U.S. Supreme Court. Vindication and Victory The vindicated Ali returned to the ring in a victorious bout with Jerry Quary in Atlanta in 1971. Four months later he was defeated by Joe Frazier in Manila, who had replaced him as heavyweight champion when the title had been vacated.

He regained the championship for the first time when he defeated George Forman (who had beaten Frazier for the title) in a bout held in Zaire in 1974. Ali fought Frazier again in the same year, and in 1975 won both matches and secured his title as the world heavyweight champion. In that year, to welcome Ali back, Sports Illustrated magazine named him their "Sportsman of the Year." Ali began to employ a new style of boxing, one that he called his "rope-a-dope." He would let his opponents wear themselves down while he rested, often against the ropes; then he would lash out in the later rounds. During his ensuing reign Ali successfully defended his title ten more times. Ali held the championship until he was defeated by Leon Spinks on February 16, 1978, in a bout held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Seven months later, on September 15, 1978, Ali regained the heavyweight title by defeating Spinks in a bout held at New Orleans. Ali thus became the first boxer in history to win the heavyweight championship three times. At the end of his boxing career he was slowed by a neurological condition related to Parkinson's disease.

His last fight, the 61st, took place in 1981. Role as Statesman As his career wound to a close, Ali became increasingly involved in social causes, diplomacy and politics. He has campaigned for Jimmy Carter and other Democratic political candidates and taken part in the promotion of a variety of political causes addressing poverty and children. He even played the role of diplomat, attempting to secure the release of four kidnapped Americans in Lebanon in 1985. As a result, his image changed from gadfly to highly respected statesman. At the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, the world and his country honored Ali by choosing him to light the Olympic torch during the opening ceremonies. In 1999, the BBC produced a special version of its annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony, and Ali was voted their Sports Personality of the Century, receiving more votes than the other four contenders combined. His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999, despite her father's earlier comments against female boxing in 1978: "Women are not made to be hit in the breast, and face like that...

the body's not made to be punched right here [patting his chest]. Get hit in the breast... hard... and all that." On September 13, 1999, Ali was named "Kentucky Athlete of the Century" by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in ceremonies at the Galt House East. In 2001, a biographical film, entitled Ali, was made, directed by Michael Mann, with Will Smith starring as Ali. The film received mixed reviews, with the positives generally attributed to the acting, as Smith and supporting actor Jon Voight earned Academy Award nominations. Prior to making the Ali movie, Will Smith had continually rejected the role of Ali until Muhammad Ali personally requested that he accept the role. According to Smith, the first thing Ali said about the subject to Smith was: "You ain't pretty enough to play me." On November 17, 2002, Muhammad Ali went to Afghanistan as "U.N. Messenger of Peace". He was in Kabul for a three-day goodwill mission as a special guest of the United Nations. On January 8, 2005, Muhammad Ali was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President George W. Bush.

He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on November 9, 2005 and the "Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold" of the United Nations Association of Germany (DGVN) in Berlin for his work with the US civil rights movement and the United Nations (December 17, 2005). On November 19, 2005 (Ali's 19th wedding anniversary), the $60 million non-profit Muhammad Ali Center opened in downtown Louisville. In addition to displaying his boxing memorabilia, the center focuses on core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth. According to the Ali Center website, "Since he retired from boxing, Ali has devoted himself to humanitarian endeavors around the globe. He is a devout Muslim, and travels the world over, lending his name and presence to hunger and poverty relief, supporting education efforts of all kinds, promoting adoption and encouraging people to respect and better understand one another. It is estimated that he has helped to provide more than 22 million meals to feed the hungry.

Ali travels, on average, more than 200 days per year." At the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 2, 2007, Ali was an honorary captain for the Louisville Cardinals wearing their white jersey, number 19. Ali was accompanied by golf legend Arnold Palmer, who was the honorary captain for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade. A youth club in Ali's hometown and a species of rose (Rosa ali) have also been named after him. On June 5, 2007, he received an honorary doctorate of humanities at Princeton University's 260th graduation ceremony. Ali lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his fourth wife, Yolanda "Lonnie" Ali. They own a house in Berrien Springs, Michigan, which is for sale. On January 9, 2007, they purchased a house in eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky for $1,875,000. Lonnie converted to Islam from Catholicism in her late 20s.

On the 17th of August 2009, it was voted unanimously by the town council of Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland to make Ali the first Freeman of Ennis. Ennis was the birthplace of Ali's great grandfather before he emigrated to the U.S. in the 1860s, before eventually settling in Kentucky. On 1 September 2009, Ali visited the town of Ennis and at a civic reception he received the honour of the freedom of the town. As a world champion boxer and social activist, Ali has been the subject of numerous books, films and other creative works. In 1963, he released an album of spoken word on Columbia Records titled I am the Greatest! He has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on 37 different occasions, second only to Michael Jordan. His autobiography The Greatest: My Own Story, written with Richard Durham, was published in 1975. When We Were Kings, a 1996 documentary about the Rumble in the Jungle, won an Academy Award and the 2001 biopic Ali garnered an Oscar nomination for Will Smith's portrayal of the lead role.

For contributions to the theater industry, Muhammed Ali was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard. Muhammad Ali - BoxRec Muhammad Ali Birth Name: Cassius Marcellus Clay Born: 1942-01-17 Outpointing Gennadi Shatov in the 178-pound quarterfinals of the 1960 Olympics Outpointing Zbigniew Pietrzykowski in the 178-pound final of the 1960 Olympics The 178-pound medalists of the 1960 Olympics With fellow U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Six-time Kentucky State Golden Gloves Champion 1955 Terry Hodge RSCI by 1 Donnie Hall W 3 Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions Light Heavyweight Quarterfinalist. Results: Alex Watt W 3 Kent Green KO by 2 1959 Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions Light Heavyweight Champion. Results: Junie Hall KO 2 Intercity Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight Champion, outpointing Tony Madigan . National AAU Light Heavyweight Champion. Results: Reginald Brown KO 3 U.S.

Pan American Games Trials Finalist. Results: Leroy Boger KO 2 Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions Heavyweight Champion. Results: John Wilson KO 1 Intercity Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion, stopping Gary Jawish in three rounds. National AAU Light Heavyweight Champion. Results: Johnny Monahue W 3 U.S. Olympic Trials Light Heavyweight Champion. Results: Henry Hooper KO 3 Zbigniew Pietrzykowski (Poland) W 3 (5-0) Preceded by: The first and only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion . The first World Heavyweight Champion to come back from retirement and regain the title. Won twenty-two World Heavyweight Championship fights. Ali made a total of nineteen successful title defenses, nine during his first reign and ten during his second reign. Acting Career Ali has appeared in a number of movies and television shows. Acting credits: IMDb Awards and Recognition Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Named "Athlete of the Century" by GQ magazine in 1998. Named "Sports Personality of the Century" by the BBC in 1999.

Named "Sportsman of the 20th Century" by Sports Illustrated in 1999. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President George W. Bush in 2005. Inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame in 2010. Notes Ali is the older brother of former heavyweight boxer Rahman Ali , the father of former WBC Female Super Middleweight Champion Laila Ali and the uncle of former USBC Cruiserweight Champion Ibn Ali . When Ali was 12-years-old, he and a friend went to the Columbia Auditorium to partake in the free hot dogs and popcorn available for visitors of the Louisville Home Show. When the boys were done eating, they went back to get their bicycles only to discover that Ali's had been stolen. Furious, Ali went to the basement of the Columbia Auditorium to report the crime to police officer Joe Elsby Martin , who was also a boxing coach at the Columbia Gym. When Ali said he wanted to beat up the person who stole his bike, Martin told him he should probably learn to fight first. A few days later, Ali began training at Martin's gym.

Ali also trained with Fred Stoner , an African-American trainer working at the Grace Community Center in Louisville. After he became World Heavyweight Champion, Ali said Stoner "taught me all I know." Ali graduated from Central High School in Louisville with a D- average, ranking 376 in a class of 391. After Ali had a rough flight going to San Francisco for the 1960 Olympic trials, he became afraid to fly. He visited an army surplus store and purchased a parachute before he flew to Rome for the Olympics, and wore the parachute throughout the flight to Rome. In his 1975 autobiography, The Greatest, My Own Story , Ali claimed that he threw his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio River after he was refused service at a "whites only" restaurant shortly after he returned to Louisville from the Olympics in Rome. Some people, including biographers Thomas Hauser and David Remnick, have concluded that the story is untrue — that Ali misplaced the medal or it was otherwise lost. Ali was given a replacement medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. On October 26, 1960, Ali signed a managerial contract with eleven Louisville business men.

They became known as the Louisville Sponsoring Group. Ali received a $10,000 signing bonus and, for the first two years, a guaranteed draw of $333 a month against earnings. The sponsoring group had options to extend the contract for up to four additional twelve-month periods. Earnings would be split fifty-fifty for the first four years and sixty-forty in Ali's favor thereafter. All management, training, travel, and promotional expenses, including a trainer's salary, would come out of the sponsoring group's end. And fifteen percent of Ali's income would be set aside in a pension fund, which he could not touch until he was twenty-five or retired from boxing. Ali was one of four World Heavyweight Champions from Louisville, Kentucky. The other three are Marvin Hart , Jimmy Ellis , and Greg Page . Shortly after winning the World Heavyweight Championship from Sonny Liston on February 25, 1964 , Ali announced that he was a member of the Nation of Islam and changed his name from Cassius Marcellus Clay to Muhammad Ali. He was given the name by Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad.

In Arabic, Muhammad means "worthy of all praises" and Ali means "most high." On September 14, 1964, Ali was stripped of the World Boxing Association title for signing to fight Sonny Liston in a rematch. The contract for their first fight included a return clause, which the WBA did not allow. Ali's rematch with Sonny Liston was originally scheduled for November 16, 1964, in Boston, Massachusetts, but the fight was postponed after Ali suffered a hernia and had to have surgery. Ali's knockout of Brian London on August 6, 1966 , was his last fight under his contract with the Louisville Sponsoring Group. He chose not to renew the contract, and Herbert Muhammad became his manager. Ali's draft status was 1-Y, physically fit but exempt from the draft because he scored lower than the minimum on Army intelligence tests. In 1966, the Army lowered its intelligence requirements, and Ali was reclassified as 1-A, which made him eligible for the draft. Ali appealed for an exemption, claiming that he was a conscientious objector based on his religious beliefs.

After three appeals were denied, Ali was called for induction on April 28, 1967. He refused to be inducted and was convicted of draft evasion on June 20, 1967. Ali was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000. He was also stripped of his title by the WBA and New York State Athletic Commission . He appealed his conviction all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled unanimously in his favor on June 28, 1971. On March 3, 1969, the World Boxing Council stripped Ali of their title. WBC President Justiniano Montano said the action was taken because of Ali's "inability to defend his title." While he was appealing his conviction, Ali was free on a $5,000 bond. He tried to get a fight but was unable get a boxing license in any state. On February 3, 1970, Ali held a press conference and announced his retirement from boxing. He also called Nat Loubet , managing editor of The Ring magazine , to inform him of his decision.

Ali later changed his mind and said he wanted to fight again. With the help of Georgia State Senator Leroy Johnson, Ali was able to get a license to fight in Georgia. On September 10, 1970, Ali and Jerry Quarry signed to fight in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 26, 1970 . Johnson was also involved in the promotion of the fight. On September 14, 1970, a federal judge ruled that the New York State Athletic Commission's ban on Ali "constituted an arbitrary and unreasonable departure from the commission's established practice of granting licenses to applicants convicted of crimes or military offenses." Ali was then granted a license to fight Oscar Bonavena in New York on December 7, 1970 . Ali's first fight with Joe Frazier on March 8, 1971 , indirectly led to four deaths: Two spectators at Madison Square Garden died of heart attacks during the fight. Erio Borghisiani was found dead in front of his television just hours after viewing the fight on paid television in Milan, Italy.

In Malaysia, Abdul Ghani Bachik was reported to have leaped up from his chair while watching the fight on paid television and shouted, "My God, Cassius Clay has fallen!" He then suffered a fatal heart attack. The Ring ranked Ali as the 9th greatest heavyweight of all-time in the March 1975 issue. John Durant, author of The Heavyweight Champions, ranked Ali as the 4th greatest heavyweight of all-time in 1976. Bill Brennan , former WBA president, ranked Ali as the greatest heavyweight of all-time in 1978. A Big Book of Boxing readers poll ranked Ali as the 2nd greatest heavyweight of all-time in 1978. Historian Gilbert Odd ranked Ali as the greatest heavyweight of all-time in 1985. Historian Bert Sugar ranked Ali as the 3rd greatest heavyweight of all-time in 1991. Nigel Collins , former editor-in-chief of The Ring, ranked Ali as the greatest heavyweight of all-time in 1997. Herbert Goldman , former editor-in-chief of Boxing Illustrated , ranked Ali as the greatest heavyweight of all-time in 1997.

Steve Farhood , Showtime commentator and former editor-in-chief of The Ring, ranked Ali as the greatest heavyweight of all-time in 1997. Muhammad Ali, horoscope for birth date 17 January 1942, born in Louisville, with Astrodatabank biography - Astro-Databank Muhammad Ali Biography American light-heavyweight gold medalist, the only man to win the heavyweight championship of the world three times. He began boxing professionally on 10/29/1960 and became world champ in 1964 by knocking out Sonny Liston. His title was declared vacant after he refused military obligation as a Muslim and a conscientious objector. He later changed his name and reentered the ring in 1970, fighting with singular grace and beauty for 25 years. Muhammad Ali earned a reputation as a man dedicated to his goals and beliefs. A consummate showman, he used to call himself "the Greatest," and many of his fans believe that the nickname fits. Clay’s great grandfather was an Irishman who had married a black girl. Ali was raised in a middle-class neighborhood, the eldest of two sons born to Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr.

and Odessa (Grady) Clay. Ali's father supported his family as a sign and mural painter, while his mother worked as a domestic. Ali worshiped with his family on Sundays at Mount Zion Baptists Church and attended school with brother Rudolph. He was a rather poor student, which he blames on his preoccupation with boxing as a boy. Ali has confessed that he wished he had put forth more effort academically, because he has struggled as a slow reader his entire life. It was due to a stolen bicycle that Ali began to box, at age 12. When he reported the theft, Policeman Joe Martin invited the boy to train with Fred Stoner, who taught him to move with the speed and grace of a dancer. While still in high school, he won 100 out of 108 matches and earned six Kentucky and two national Golden Glove championships, as well as two Amateur Athletic Union Championships. Ali mastered his renowned skill at ring chatter; talking a poetic jive while in the fight, geared to distract and frustrate his opponent, and at age 18, he won the boxing Olympic gold medal in the light heavyweight category at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.

Upon returning to Louisville, he signed a lucrative fifty-fifty split contract turning him into a professional boxer. With arrogance and wit he spouted off catchy jive talk such as his famous chant, "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Still known as Cassius Clay, Ali fought Sonny Liston for the world heavyweight championship title, beating him to become the world’s heavyweight champion at age 22 on 2/25/1964, beating him again on 5/25/1965. While in Miami, he met Malcolm X who gave voice to Ali’s disgust with racism. At one time he was refused service at a soda fountain counter because he was black and in outrage, he threw his Olympic gold medal into a river. Joining the Nation of Islam, he was given the name Muhammad Ali by Elijah Muhammad, his new title meaning "beloved of Allah." It was the beginning of his social and political activism. In June 1965, Ali defended his title by once more defeating Liston by a knockout punch that was so powerful that it lifted Liston’s left foot clear off the mat.

Despite his popularity in the sports world, he was loathed by many Americans when it became known that he had become a Muslim. When he took a stance as a conscientious objector to America's involvement in the war in Vietnam, he was called everything from traitor to coward. When he refused to accept the draft, in May 1967 Ali was stripped of his title and boxing license by the World Boxing Association and charged for violating the Selective Service Act by the government. Even boxing fans and sports journalists joined the outcry, to which Ali commented, "I'm giving up my title, my wealth, maybe my future. Many great men have been tested for their religious beliefs. If I pass this test, I'll come out stronger than ever." Sentenced to five years in prison and released on appeal, Ali's conviction was overturned three years later and he returned to the ring. After defeating Jerry Quarry in November 1970, he met Joe Frazier in New York 3/08/1971 – who gave him his first professional defeat. By the end of his career, Ali had fought Joe Frazier twice more.

These three bouts have been one of the most widely discussed series in the sport because of their intensity and duration. In 1974 Ali avenged his loss to Frazier with a unanimous decision victory. This retaliation did not earn Ali the title, however, since newcomer George Foreman had dethroned Frazier as the champion. Ali arranged to fight for the title against Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire on 10/30/1974, a bout billed as the Rumble in the Jungle. Foreman was favored as he was young, strong and known as the hardest hitter in boxing. Ali rested on the ropes and danced around Foreman for eight rounds, biding his time and conserving his force. When he finally made his move, he sent Foreman to the canvas – and regained the title. He met Joe Frazier for the third time and defeated him after 14 rounds in Manila, October 1, 1975. Although Ali lost a title defense early in 1978 to Leon Spinks, he later defeated Spinks in a rematch to win his title for the third time.

On 6/26/1979, at the age of 37, Ali retired as champion with a professional record of 59 victories and three defeats. In July 1964, Ali met a beautiful half-black woman. She was Sonji Roi, a model and a cocktail waitress. On 8/14/1964, they were married in Gray, Indiana. For their honeymoon, they went on a tour of Africa. The fairy tale marriage didn’t last more than a year as a result of their conflicts with each other on Ali being extremely loyal to the Nation of Islam. His second wife Khaliah [Belinda] filed for divorce in 1976. A year later, he married Veronica, one of the four poster girls who promoted the Rumble in the Jungle. Ali lived a lavish lifestyle, needing to support high maintenance. He had four wives, two mistresses and nine kids (one adopted) that ranged from college age to infancy. Kids are one of his great pleasures, his own or any. Ali stops and goes out of his way to pick up a child or ask about people's children.

Khaliah, one of his daughters, has successfully built up her boxing career following in the footsteps of her champion father. Now, Laila too has followed suit, taking up boxing as a career. He lives with his fourth wife, Yolanda, who also acts as his manager, in Berrien Springs, Michigan. At home, he spends many hours signing Muslim handouts and photos of himself, replying to fan mail, reading the Koran and praying. Islam means to him submitting to the will of God and being at peace. He feels that there is truth in all religions imbued with love. In 1981, Ali appeared to be sluggish and weak in motor skills, moving slowly and trembling. Originally misdiagnosed as having a thyroid condition, it was another year before he was found to have Parkinson’s disease at UCLA, and started treatment. The disease was caused, said his doctor in 1987, by injuries sustained in his 61-event boxing career. He became more involved in political activism and philanthropy and his illness matured him and made him a serious man, to whom people listened as he slowly formulated the words.

In the '90s, he lived comfortably on a farm in Michigan with his fourth wife, Lonnie. He travels frequently, usually in the company of his longtime friend and personal photographer, Howard Bingham, for book signing of Bingham's book of photographs, "Muhammad Ali: A Thirty Year Journey." People flock to him, one of the most popular and beloved figures of the sports world of the 20th century. Financially, he's comfortable for his later years. In addition to his 200-acre farm in Berrien Springs, MI, Ali owns his Deer Lake training camp and much of the mountain on which it was built - the camp is now being used as a home for abused children - as well as sizable tracts of land in Virginia. He has several vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce and a Winnebago motor home. At the Summer Olympics in Atlanta in August 1996, he lit the torch, an emotional moment for a nation of fans who saw him not only as a champion but as a very real and vulnerable man, his arm shaking visibly as he raised the torch.

In December 2001, a movie commemorating the life of Muhammad Ali was released, starring Will Smith in the title role. Smith was born 9/25/1968, Philadelphia, PA. With the help of his daughter, Ali has written a new book, an autobiography reflecting on his life with a spiritual and philosophical perspective. “Soul of a Butterfly” was published in November 2004. At the end of 2014, he suffered of pneumonia and was hospitalized. Muhammad Ali: ‘What’s My Name?’ - Video - NYTimes.com Muhammad Ali: ‘What’s My Name?’ By GABE JOHNSON | Jun. 4, 2016 | 19:02 The three-time world champion boxer Muhammad Ali has died. Current and former New York Times reporters and columnists talk about their memories of him and how he became an international icon. Related: Muhammad Ali’s Birth Name | Passnownow Since the death of boxing great Muhammad Ali on June 3rd, much has been said about him, his personality, and boxing career. Below are additional information according to biography.com about the self-titled World’s Greatest. 1.

He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. 2. […] Muhammad Ali's win over Sonny Liston gave birth to "The Greatest" - Videos - CBS News Muhammad Ali's win over Sonny Liston gave birth to "The Greatest" Muhammad Ali's win over Sonny Liston gave birth to "The Greatest" June 4, 2016, 6:51 PM | The world knew the man who climbed into the ring with heavyweight champion Sonny Liston as the cocky and loose-lipped boxer Cassius Clay. At the end of the fight, he left the ring as champion of the world and soon after renamed himself Muhammad Ali. Jim Axelrod has a report on Ali's first chance at greatness and how he came out on top of the sports world.

Question: What was Mohammad Ali's birth name?
Answer: Cassius Clay