Muhammad Ali - Muhammad Ali - "The Greatest" - A life in pictures - Pictures - CBS News Next Muhammad Ali U.S. boxer and Olympic gold medalist Cassius Clay, who changed his name to Muhammad Ali and became a world-renowned cultural icon as a three-time heavyweight champion, died June 3, 2016, at the age of 74. The man known as "The Greatest" was a mesmerizing athlete who promoted his own ability to "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee," was considered the greatest heavyweight fighter in history. Credit: Getty Images Muhammad Ali Boxer Cassius Clay is shown in 1954. Long before his dazzling footwork and punching prowess made him a three-time world heavyweight boxing champion known as Muhammad Ali, a young Clay honed his skills by sparring with neighborhood friends and running alongside the bus on the way to school. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Cassius Clay, right, 18-year-old from Louisville, Ky., throws a right at Tony Madigan of Australia, during the light heavyweight boxing semifinals at the Summer Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, Sept. 3, 1960. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali A trio of U.S.

boxers wear gold medals at the Olympic village in Rome, Sept. 6, 1960. Shown from left are Wilbert McClure of Toledo, Ohio, light middleweight; Cassius Clay of Louisville, Ky., light heavyweight; and Edward Crook of Fort Campbell, Ky., middleweight. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Cheering students of Central High School surround Olympic boxing champion Cassius Clay, raising hand in center, and wearing his Olympic medal, Sept. 10, 1960, in Louisville, Ky. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali A young Cassius Clay is seen with his trainer Angelo Dundee at City Parks Gym in New York, Feb. 8, 1962. Credit: AP Photo/Dan Grossi Muhammad Ali Young heavyweight fighter Cassius Clay is seen with his trainer Angelo Dundee at City Parks Gym in New York, Feb. 8, 1962. Credit: AP Photo/Dan Grossi Muhammad Ali Young heavyweight boxer Cassius Clay, who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali, points to a sign he wrote on a chalk board in his dressing room before his fight against Archie Moore in Los Angeles, Nov.

15, 1962, predicting he'd knock Moore out in the fourth round, which he went on to do. The sign also predicts Clay will be the next champ via a knockout over Sonny Liston in eight rounds. (He did it in seven.) Credit: AP Photo/Harold P. Matosian Muhammad Ali The Beatles (from left, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison) take a fake blow from Cassius Clay while visiting the heavyweight contender at his training camp in Miami Beach, Fla., Feb. 18, 1964. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Sonny Liston, right, lowers his head and works in close during the sixth round of heavyweight championship fight against Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) in Miami Beach, Fla., Feb. 25, 1964. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, right, is shown with black Muslim leader Malcolm X outside the Trans-Lux Newsreel Theater in New York, March 1, 1964 after viewing a film about Ali's title fight with Sonny Liston.

Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali World heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, wearing the Nigerian brown-and-white-striped Agbada costume, shouts to the crowd of youngsters who met him on his arrival in Lagos, Nigeria, June 1, 1964. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, stands over challenger Sonny Liston, shouting and gesturing shortly after dropping Liston with a short hard right to the jaw, May 25, 1965 in Lewiston, Maine. Ali was declared the winner. The bout lasted only one minute into the first round. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Heavyweight boxing champ Cassius Clay paused on the step and greeted a friend March 17, 1966, as he arrived at the Veterans building to appeal his 1A draft classification. Behind him in a dark coat and hat is his attorney, Edward Jocko of New York. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali blows out the candles on a cake baked for his 25th birthday, in Houston. Ali's wife says the boxing great is still a "big kid" who enjoys his birthday parties, Jan. 17, 1967.

Credit: AP Photo/Ed Kolenovsky Muhammad Ali Basketball star Wilt Chamberlain extends a long left in the direction of world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali as they meet at ABC's television studio in New York, March 10, 1967. Chamberlain stands 7 feet, 1 inch tall, and Ali is 6 feet, 2 inches tall. Chamberlain's reach is over 90 inches, Ali's is 79 inches. Their proposed fight, in all seriousness, never came off. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Joe Frazier, right, a heavyweight boxer and a contender for champion Muhammad Ali's (Cassius Clay) title, is kidded by Clay at the champion's training quarters at Madison Square Garden in New York, March 15, 1967. Credit: AP Photo/John Rooney Muhammad Ali Boxer Joe Frazier being directed to the ropes by referee Arthur Marcante after knocking down Muhammad Ali during the 15th round of the title bout at Madison Square Garden in New York, March 8, 1971.

Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali, former world heavyweight boxing champion, toys with the finely combed hair of television sports commentator Howard Cosell before the start of the Olympic boxing trials, August 7, 1972, in West Point, N.Y. Credit: AP Photo Boxer Muhammad Ali stands outside his home with his three children, March 1, 1972. Credit: Getty Images Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali during training for his fight with Al "Blue" Lewis held in Dublin, Republic of Ireland in 1972. Credit: Getty Images Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali throws a punch at Joe Frazier, right, during their bout at Madison Square Garden in New York, Jan. 28, 1974. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Boxer Muhammad Ali makes a face during a press luncheon in New York, to promote the sale of tickets to Madison Square Garden where the battle against George Foreman in Zaire was shown on closed-circuit television, Aug. 29, 1974.

Credit: AP Photo/Ron Frehm Muhammad Ali Challenger Muhammad Ali is directed to a neutral corner by referee Zack Clayton moments after Ali caught an off-balance George Foreman flush on the button, knocking him to the mat and ending their title fight in the eighth round in Kinshasa, Africa, Oct. 30, 1974. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali shouts "Joe Bugner must go!" to Malaysian fans during a training session for his fight against Bugner in Kuala Lumpur, June 15, 1975. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fight for the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on Oct. 1, 1975. The bout is often ranked as one of the greatest fights of 20th century boxing, and is the climax to the bitter rivalry between Ali and Frazier over who was the legitimate heavyweight champion. Credit: Getty Images Muhammad Ali Sweat spray flies from the head of challenger Joe Frazier as heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali connects with a right in the ninth round of their heavyweight title fight in Manila, Philippines, Oct.

1, 1975. Ali won the fight, known as the "Thrilla in Manila" on a decision to retain the title. Credit: AP Photo/Mitsunori Chigita Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali shouts while someone holds a poster predicting his third coming following his last workout in New Orleans, before attempting to claim the heavyweight title for a third time, against Leon Spinks, at the Superdome, Sept. 14, 1978. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Challenger Muhammad Ali is pictured grimacing after champion Leon Spinks landed a left during their heavyweight title bout at the Superdome in New Orleans, La., Sept. 16, 1978. Ali regained the title with a 15-round unanimous decision. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali gestures at a press conference prior to his fight with Larry Holmes at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, Oct. 2, 1980. Ali decided to end his retirement and face Holmes, his old sparring partner. Ali's trainer, Angelo Dundee, threw in the towel at the end of round 11.

Credit: Getty Images/Steve Powell Muhammad Ali Trevor Berbick, left, and Muhammad Ali seem to have an equal reach as they slug it out during a heavyweight boxing match on Dec. 12, 1981 in Nassau, Bahamas, Dec. 12, 1981. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali is shown on camera before reporters prior to checking out of a New York hospital, Sept. 21, 1984, following four days of tests. Ali said, "I'm always tired," after being diagnosed with Parkinson's syndrome. Credit: AP Photo Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali looks on with Maryum Ali, March 1, 1990. Credit: Getty Images/Ken Levine Muhammad Ali Swimmer Janet Evans looks on as Muhammad Ali lights the Olympic flame during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony in Atlanta, Ga., July 19, 1996. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali touches a younger version of himself which is on the special edition Muhammad Ali Wheaties' box that marks the cereal's 75th anniversary Feb. 4, 1999.

Wheaties, "The Breakfast of Champions," honored the man widely accepted as one of the greatest athletes of all time. Credit: Getty Images/Henry Ray Abrams Muhammad Ali President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary Clinton welcome former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali at the White House Millennium Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 31, 1999. Credit: Getty Images Muhammad Ali Boxing legend Muhammad Ali, left, accepts his Award of Courage from host Rodney Peete, right and former boxer, Sugar Ray Leonard, during the HollyRod Foundation's 4th Annual Mercedes-Benz DesignCure Benefit fundraiser honoring Ali on June 22, 2002 in Encino, Calif. Credit: Getty Images/Alexander Sibaja Muhammad Ali Former heavyweight champions Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali in London England, June 16, 2004. Credit: Getty Images/Gray Mortimore Muhammad Ali Laila Ali receives a kiss from her father, boxing great Muhammad Ali, after stopping Erin Toughill in the second round during their fight for the WBC and WIBA Super Middleweight Championship at the MCI Center June 11, 2005 in Washington, D.C.

Laila Ali won the WBC and WIBA titles by TKO in the second round. Credit: Getty Images/Mitchell Layton Muhammad Ali Boxer and honoree Muhammad Ali arrives at the 20th Annual "Midsummer Night's Magic Awards Dinner" on July 13, 2005 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Getty Images/Amanda Edwards Muhammad Ali President George W. Bush awards boxing great Muhammad Ali the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the East Room of the White House, Nov. 9, 2005, in Washington, D.C. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award and recognizes exceptional meritorious service. Credit: AP Photo Muhammad Ali Boxing legend Muhammad Ali is seen during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, Tuesday, May 24, 2011, with other prominent American Muslim and clergy, as they joined the families of the two U.S. hikers detained in Iran to appeal for their release. Credit: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais Muhammad Ali Former boxing champion Muhammad Ali leaves after a memorial service for boxing legend Joe Frazier at the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church on Monday, Nov.

14, 2011, in Philadelphia. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Slocum Muhammad Ali Boxing great Muhammad Ali, with his wife, Lonnie, waves to friends attending a celebration for his 70th birthday at the Muhammad Ali Center on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, in Louisville, Ky. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey Muhammad Ali Mollie Johnson, Muhammad Ali, and Isabella Lassere attend the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards at Louisville Marriott Downtown on September 19, 2015 in Louisville, Kentucky. Credit: Stephen Cohen/Getty Images Muhammad Ali An exhibition assistant poses for a photograph with a pair of split boxing gloves worn by Muhammad Ali during his 1963 fight against Henry Cooper, during a preview of the Muhammad Ali exhibition entitled "I Am The Greatest," at the O2 Arena in London on March 3, 2016. The exhibition traces the story of the boxer from his childhood, through his glittering and brutal career to his elevation as a cultural and political icon.

Credit: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images Muhammad Ali A statue of Muhammad Ali on display at the "I Am The Greatest" exhibition on March 3, 2016 in London, England. Credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images Muhammad Ali Left to right: Larry Holmes, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman attend the Sports Illustrated Tribute to Muhammad Ali at the Muhammad Ali Center on October 1, 2015 in Louisville, Kentucky. Cassius CLAY - Olympic Boxing | United States of America Olympic Games 1960 More than any other sportsman in history, Muhammad Ali transcended his sport to reach out to people as a role model and hero. Rome 1960 As Cassius Clay, Ali travelled to the 1960 Rome Games to compete in the light heavyweight division. Despite being only 18, he won all four of his fights easily. In the final he defeated three-time European champion Zbigniew Pietrzykowski to win the gold medal. Vietnam War Clay turned professional and won the heavyweight World Championship for the first time in 1964, beating Sonny Liston in a legendary fight.

Over the next four years he defended his title nine times, converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. However, he was stripped of his title in 1967, when he refused to be drafted into the US army, citing religious and personal beliefs. He did not fight again for three and a half years. Thriller in Manila Ali regained his title in 1974 by knocking out George Foreman in a fight staged in the present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, (formerly Zaire) known as “the Rumble in the Jungle”. In 1975 he beat Joe Frazier in “the Thriller in Manila”. He eventually retired from boxing in 1981 with a professional record of 56 wins and 5 losses. Great honour In 1996, Ali was chosen to light the flame during the Opening Ceremony of the Atlanta Olympic Games. He has devoted much of his life to humanitarian affairs. In 1998 Ali was honoured with the United Nations Messenger of Peace award. Muhammad Ali passed away on June 3, 2016.

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 - 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. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74 | PBS NewsHour Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74 EMAIL BY Sam Lane June 4, 2016 at 12:48 AM EST World champion boxer Muhammad Ali, who was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in Louisville, Kentucky, attends a press conference in Mexico City on July 9, 1987. Photo by Jorge Nunez/Reuters Muhammad Ali, the three-time world heavyweight champion who became a global and cultural icon, died on Friday in Phoenix. He was 74. In boxing, Ali was known for his speed and punishing punches — skills that gave way to his signature catchphrase, “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” — as well as his audacious self-promotion. Outside the ring, Ali’s affiliation with the Nation of Islam was highly polarizing (he later converted to Sunni Islam and Sufism). His resistance to the American war effort in Vietnam made him perhaps the most well-known conscientious objector in U.S. history.

Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., in Louisville, Kentucky, on Jan. 17, 1942. His start in boxing came at an early age, after his bike was stolen. Young Clay vowed to “whoop” the offender, but a local police officer named Joe Martin urged caution, telling him to learn to fight first. He trained with Martin for six months and won his first match in a three-round decision. Clay went on to pile up the awards as a young boxer and was picked to fight for Team USA in the 1960 Rome Olympics. He knocked off a Polish fighter named Zbigniew Pietrzykowski to win the light-heavyweight gold. When he returned to America, Clay received a hero’s welcome in parts of the country. But when he went back to his still-segregated hometown of Louisville, he was denied service at a whites-only restaurant. In a fit of rage, Clay threw his Olympic medal into the Ohio River. Clay signed his professional sponsorship deal that same year and won 19 straight professional bouts. The perfect record earned Clay a chance to fight for the heavyweight title in 1964, at just 22 years old.

His opponent was “The Big Bear,” Sonny Liston. At the time, Liston had a record of 35-1 and was the odds-on favorite against Clay. Unfazed by his underdog status, Clay pounded Liston into submission in just six rounds. “I whooped him so bad he had to go to the hospital,” Clay said afterwards. “And I’m still pretty. Whatcha gonna say about that? Huh?” The fight had colossal ramifications in the boxing world. Rock Newman — a former boxing promoter who went to host a public television show in Washington — was in sixth grade when Clay beat Liston. He said the upset taught him to not care about what others think. Newman said Clay could get away with technical shortcomings due to his “blinding speed and superior reflexes.” He “fought with his hands low and sometimes, whilst he was fighting, he was talking, so his chin wasn’t down … but because of his superior athletic skills and how physically gifted he was, he could do these things. … He knew how to be in range to hit you without getting hit. And at its purest form that is what boxing is about, hitting and not getting hit.

Ali was a master at it.” Amid all of Clay’s success in the early 1960s, he was undergoing momentous personal changes outside the ring. While training for the Liston fight, he had met Malcolm X — the black nationalist leader who at the time served as spokesman for the Nation of Islam. After beating Liston, Clay joined the Nation and changed his name to Cassius X. Later, Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam, named him Muhammad Ali, meaning “praiseworthy one.” Ali said the change allowed him to shed his “slave name.” In 1965, Ali fought Liston again, in Lewiston, Maine. This time, the fight lasted less than two minutes before a knockout. Ali stood over Liston, taunting the defeated fighter as he lay on the mat. The moment gave way to one of the most iconic sports images of all time . But just as Ali had entered his prime, a different fight had begun in the jungles of Vietnam. He was drafted by the Army in 1967, but claimed conscientious objector status, citing his faith.

“Why should me and other so-called Negroes go 10,000 miles away from here in America to drop bombs and bullets on other innocent brown people who’ve never bothered us?” he said. ”I will say directly, no, I will not go.” The Justice Department said Ali’s objection was political, not religious, and rejected his claim. Facing a prison term, Ali was stripped of his title and didn’t fight again for three and a half years. (The controversy was famously immortalized on the cover of Esquire magazine, with Ali posing as martyr St. Sebastian .) “I don’t worry about jail,” he said during a 1968 interview broadcast on public TV station WNET. “I believe in Allah. I believe in Elijah Muhammad as the Messenger of God and many great men have to go to jail and so I don’t pay no attention to it. If the time comes, I’ll just have to go.” Watch the full 1968 interview. By 1970, with anti-war protests raging nationwide, boxing authorities allowed Ali to return to the ring. That set up a match with the man who had claimed the heavyweight title during Ali’s absence: Joe Frazier.

The bout at Madison Square Garden in March 1971 was dubbed “The Fight of the Century.” But the long layoff had robbed Ali of his speed. He lost to Frazier after 15 grueling rounds. Within months of the loss, though, Ali scored a major legal victory. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld his conscientious objector claim and wiped away his prison sentence. In 1974, Ali faced off against younger, hard-hitting contender George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire. The fight was named the “Rumble in the Jungle” and it happened before dawn in the African heat. The prize was $5 million and Ali was a heavy underdog — but still had the support of the crowd. Ali stayed on the ropes early in the fight, allowing Foreman to land a flurry of punches. It was a strategy he’d later call “rope-a-dope,” which he used to wear out his opponent. Late in the eighth round, Ali landed a combination, ending with a right hand that knocked out Foreman. “I told you, all of my critics, I told you all that I was the greatest of all time when I beat Sonny Liston.

I told you today I’m still the greatest of all time,” he said. Less than a year later, Ali was back in the ring against Frazier, for a rematch in the Philippines called the “Thrilla in Manila.” Ali won on a technical knockout in 14 rounds, but took a beating. He lost the heavyweight championship to Leon Spinks in February 1978, regained it once more, then dropped his final bout in 1981. When Ali finally retired from boxing at the age of 39, he finished as a three-time heavyweight champion, with a record of 56-5. Three-time heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali poses with a Wheaties cereal box at a press conference in New York on Feb. 4, 1999. Photo by Peter Morgan/Reuters Three years into retirement, Ali revealed he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. His voice softened and his hands began to shake. He survived numerous hospital stays before his death Friday. Despite the disease, he remained active in old age, acting as an advocate for Parkinson’s awareness and research. In 1990, Ali helped win the release of 14 U.S. hostages from Saddam Hussein.

Six years later, Ali stepped into the sports world spotlight once more, lighting the Olympic flame at the Summer Games in Atlanta. In 2005, President George W. Bush awarded him the Medal of Freedom. President George W. Bush (right) awards boxing legend Muhammad Ali with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as Ali’s wife Lonnie watches, on Nov. 9, 2005. Ali, a controversial figure and later a social activist, was named “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Ali was married four times and is survived by his wife Yolanda “Lonnie” Ali and his nine children. His youngest daughter, Laila Ali, also became a professional boxer. (She retired in 2007, undefeated.) Even as he grew older, Ali remained a larger-than-life figure, the subject of movies, documentaries, Gatorade commercials and posters. He was named Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Century” and graced the magazine’s cover 37 times — second only to Michael Jordan. Each time he appeared in public — at the University of Louisville for sporting events, for example — it was a spectacle.

Boxing champion Muhammad Ali (left) rides in a golf cart next to Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria during pregame ceremonies at a Marlins-St. Louis Cardinals game in Miami on April 4, 2012. Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome in 1984. Photo by Andrew Innerarity/Reuters “Ali was not a politician, he had no ambition in that way,” said poet and author Nikki Giovanni, who knew Ali well. “He was an athlete who said, ‘No, it doesn’t matter what you all think about me or what you say. It doesn’t matter, your praise. I need to stand for something.’ And he’s done that.” Also known as: "The Greatest" Cassius Marcellus Clay, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., Cassius Clay "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong-No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder kill and burn other people to simply help continue the domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over.

This is the day and age when such evil injustice must come to an end." —Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali: The Greatest of all Time Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 17, 1942) AKA "The Greatest". In 1999, Ali was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated. He won the World Heavyweight Boxing championship three times, and won the North American Boxing Federation championship as well as an Olympic gold medal. On August 23, 1966, Muhammad applied with the Selective Service for conscientious objector status on religious grounds (as a minister with the Nation of Islam). In what became an extensive legal, political, professional, and personal battle, Ali was convicted of draft evasion, stripped of his boxing title, and became a lightning rod — and a voice — for opinions on the Vietnam War. Muhammad Ali's willingness to speak out against racism in the United States, and the affect it had on domestic and foreign policy, earned him many supporters and detractors. During the time Muhammad Ali was unable to box he gave speeches on college campuses against the Vietnam War and racism .

In 1971, nearly five years after it began, Ali's legal battle finally culminated with a unanimous decision (8-0 with Thurgood Marshall abstaining) by the United States Supreme Court overturning his draft conviction. Muhammad Ali transcended the sports world and became a man known globally as an activist and a positive citizen of the world. He did not care about money he cared about his beliefs and values. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, there will be no other like Ali." Personal Information Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.; name changed to Muhammad Ali, 1963; born January, 17, 1942, in Louisville, KY; son of Cassius (a piano player) and Odessa Clay (both deceased); first wife, Belinda; second wife, Aaisha; third wife, Veronica Porche; fourth (and current) wife, Yolanda Williams, married in 1986; children: nine (one with Yolanda). Religion: Muslim. Addresses: Home--P.O. Box 187, Berrien Springs, MI 59103. Career Former world heavyweight boxing champion.

Began professional career, 1960; initially became heavyweight champ, 1964; stripped of title and boxing license over refusal to participate in the Vietnam War, 1966; retired from boxing, 1981. Appeared in film The Greatest, 1976, and television film Freedom Road. Awards Olympic Gold Medal in boxing, 1960; six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles; National Golden Gloves titles, 1959-60; World Heavyweight Championship, 1964-67, 1974-78, 1978-79; U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, inductee, 1983; named the greatest heavyweight champion of all time, Ring Magazine, 1987; International Boxing Hall of Fame, inductee, 1990; Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Award, Lifetime Achievement, 1992; Muhammad Ali Museum, Louisville Galleria, opened 1995; Essence Award, 1997. Writings (With Richard Durham) The Greatest: My Own Story, Random House, 1975.

Biographical Information Three-time world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, known for his lyrical charm and boasts as much as for his powerful fists, has moved far beyond the boxing ring in both influence and purpose. Ali won an Olympic gold medal and later tossed it into a river because he was disgusted by racism in America. As a young man he was recruited by Malcolm X to join the Nation of Islam. He refused to serve in Vietnam--a professional fighter willing to serve time in jail for his pacifist ideals. He has contributed to countless, diverse charities and causes. And his later years have found him interested in world politics as he has battled to keep Parkinson's disease at bay. Ali: The Man He's still the most recognizable man on earth. And over forty years after he burst onto the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Muhammad Ali remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world. Dubbed "Athlete of the Century" by GQ magazine, Muhammad continues to receive accolades for his contribution to sports.

He has been named Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Century," the BBC's "Sports Personality of the Century," the World Sports Award's "World Sportsman of the Century," and the State of Kentucky's "Kentuckian of the Century." In 2005, he received the United States of America's highest civil award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As a boxer, Muhammad brought unprecedented speed and grace to his sport, while his charm and wit changed forever what the public expected a champion to be. His accomplishments in the ring are the stuff of legend – two fights with Sonny Liston, where he proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and proved he was; three epic wars with Joe Frazier; the stunning victory over George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle; and dethroning Leon Spinks to become heavyweight champion for an unprecedented third time. But there was always far more to Muhammad than what took place in a boxing ring. The Beatles and The Greatest Muhammad's life and career have been played out as much on the front pages of newspapers as on the inside sports pages.

His early embrace of the Nation of Islam and his insistence on being called Muhammad Ali instead of his "slave name," Cassius Clay, heralded a new era in black pride. His refusal to be inducted into the United States Army anticipated the growing antiwar movement of the 1960's. His willingness to stage his much-promoted and publicized fights in such far-flung locales as Kinshasa, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur signaled a shift from superpower dominance toward a growing awareness of the developing world. Daring to go against political policy to help people in need, Muhammad has made goodwill missions to Afghanistan and North Korea; delivered sorely-needed medical supplies to an embargoed Cuba; traveled to Iraq and secured the release of 15 United States hostages during the first Gulf War; and journeyed to South Africa to meet Nelson Mandela upon his release from prison. Today, championing the causes of the developing world has become a major focus of Muhammad's life. He has been instrumental in providing over 232 million meals to the world's hungry. Traveling across continents, he has hand-delivered food and medical supplies to children in Cote D'Ivoire, Indonesia, Mexico, and Morocco among other countries.

In addition to his international efforts, Muhammad is equally devoted to helping charities at home. He has visited countless numbers of soup kitchens and hospitals, and helped such organizations as the Make-A-Wish-Foundation and the Special Olympics. He annually participates in "Fight Night," which generates funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Research Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, in Phoenix, Arizona. At the State Capitol in Michigan, he advocated new laws for protecting children. He is also the namesake of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (sponsored by Senator John McCain), a law that regulates professional boxing to protect boxers from unscrupulous promoters and poor health and bout conditions. In recent year, Muhammad has testified before the United States Senate several times regarding boxing reform. Elvis And Muhammad Ali For his humanitarian efforts, Muhammad has been the recipient of countless awards. In addition to being honored by Amnesty International with their Lifetime Achievement Award, the Secretary-General of the United Nations bestowed upon him the citation of United Nations Messenger of Peace. In Germany, he was honored with the 2005 Otto Hahn Peace Medal for his involvement in the U.S. civil rights movement and the United Nations.

He was also named the International Ambassador of Jubilee 2000, a global organization dedicated to relieving debt in developing nations. Other honors include an Essence Award, an XNBA Human Spirit Award and recognition from the National Urban League; 100 Black Men; Givat Haviva; the Oleander Foundation; The National Conference of Christians and Jews; Time magazine; and former President Jimmy Carter, who cited Muhammad as "Mr. International Friendship." Ever the entertainer, Muhammad has appeared in several motion pictures, including the big-screen adaptation of his first autobiography, The Greatest, playing himself. His life has been the subject of numerous films, including the Academy Award-winning documentary When We Were Kings and the Michael Mann's biopic, ALI, starring Will Smith. Muhammad also starred in Freedom Road, and made guest appearances on numerous popular television series ranging from Diff'rent Strokes to Touched by an Angel. He also starred on Broadway in the musical, Big Time Buck White, and recorded a popular album, I Am The Greatest!

Howard Cosell and Muhammad Ali Muhammad recently published a memoir entitled, The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey, in which he discusses the meaning of religion, forgiveness, and some of the defining moments in his life and career. He is also the co-author of Healing: A Journal of Tolerance and Understanding and The Greatest: My Own Story. In 2005, Muhammad opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to displaying a selection of his memorabilia, the Center's exhibits focus on themes of peace, social responsibility, respect and personal growth. In 2006, he partnered with CKX, Inc. to form Muhammad Ali Enterprises, for the licensing of his name, image and likeness and to continue promoting his cultural and philosophical legacy throughout the world. Muhammad has nine children: Maryum, Rasheeda, Jamillah, Hana, Laila, Khaliah, Miya, Muhammad Junior, and Asaad. He is married to the former Lonnie Williams of Louisville, whom he has known since her family moved across the street from the Clay family when she was 6 years old.

Whether promoting tolerance and understanding, feeding the hungry, studying his religion, or reaching out to children in need, Muhammad Ali is devoted to making the world a better place for all people. No athlete has ever contributed more to the life of his country, or the world, than Muhammad Ali. Ali: The Boxer Who would've thought that a stolen bike was the key to the beginning of the Muhammad Ali story? But it was. In 1954 in Louisville, Kentucky, 12-year-old Cassius Marcellus Clay's bike was stolen while he and a friend were at the Columbia Auditorium. Young Cassius found a cop in a gym, Joe Martin, and boiling with youthful rage, told Martin he was going to "whup" whoever stole his bike. Martin admonished, "You better learn to box first." Within weeks, 89-pound Cassius had his first bout—his first win. For the next 27 years, Cassius would be in that ring. Even in his youth, he had dreams of being heavyweight champion of the world. But his life would take turns that no seer could've predicted. Young Cassius dedicated himself to boxing with fervor unmatched by other young boxers.

Indeed, it was his only activity. As a teenager, he never worked. He boxed and trained. He had 108 amateur bouts. According to Joe Martin, Clay set himself apart from the other boys by two things: He was "sassy," and he outworked all the other boys. The work paid off: 6 Kentucky Golden Gloves championships; two National Golden Gloves championships; two National AAU titles before he was 18 years old. And the son of Odessa, whom he lovingly referred to as "Bird," and Cassius senior, "Cash," to everyone, won the Olympic Gold Medal in 1960 in Rome months after his 18th birthday. When he returned from Italy, having just won an Olympic gold medal, he was so proud of his trophy that he wore it day and night and showed it to everyone, whether they wanted to see it or not. In the Philadelphia Inquirer Ali's first wife remembered him saying "I was young, black Cassius Marcellus Clay, who had won a gold medal for his country. I went to downtown Louisville to a five-and-dime store that had a soda fountain. I sat down at the counter to order a burger and soda pop.

The waitress looked at me.... 'Sorry, we don't serve coloreds,' she said. I was furious. I went all the way to Italy to represent my country, won a gold medal, and now I come back to America and can't even get served at a five-and-dime store. I went to a bridge, tore the medal off my neck and threw it into the river. That gold medal didn't mean a thing to me if my black brothers and sisters were treated wrong in a country I was supposed to represent." At the time, Cassius was managed by the Louisville Sponsoring Group, a consortium of wealthy local white businessmen. The LSG, as it became known, put young Cassius with veteran trainer, Angelo Dundee, after failed attempts with the Mongoose, Archie Moore, and a turn down by Ali's boxing idol, Sugar Ray Robinson. With Dundee in his corner, from his Miami base, Cassius blazed a trail through the heavyweight division with his unorthodox style that defied boxing logic. He was a "headhunter." He never threw body shots (he adopted this style in his youth because he had reach and because he didn't want to get close enough to get hit).

And he "danced." Because of Clay's powerful legs—maybe the strongest in the history of boxing—he literally floated in the ring. He invented the "Ali Shuffle;" a foot maneuver where he would elevate himself, shuffle his feet in a dazzling blur, and sometimes deliver a blow while dancing. The third element that Clay brought to boxing was his mouth. He never shut up. He became known as, "The Louisville Lip." It was more than banter; it was a constant harangue. In a time when boxers never talked to the media—their managers always spoke for them—Clay did all his own talking. He even went so far as to predict the round. "To prove I'm great he will fall in eight!" While training for his title bout against the fearsome heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston, Clay met Cap'n Sam, a Nation of Islam minister of the local Miami mosque. Cap'n Sam introduced Cassius to NOI spokesman, Malcolm X. Malcolm and young Cassius bonded on a deep level. Malcolm brought Cassius into the Nation of Islam. Despite the 7-1 odds, Clay upset Sonny Liston in Miami and became heavyweight champion of the world in 1964.

The next day, Clay announced to the world that he was a member of the Nation of Islam and that his name was Cassius X. The X reflecting the unknown name that was taken from him by the slave owners centuries before. The national response was immediate, negative and intense. Cassius X, soon to be given the name Muhammad Ali, by NOI founder, "The Messenger," the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, chose to disassociate himself from his friend and mentor Malcolm X after the Messenger suspended Malcolm. Herbert Muhammad, eldest son of Elijah, was installed as Ali's new manager as Ali continued to defend his crown against all comers. In 1967, as the Vietnam War was escalating, Ali was called up for induction into the Armed Services. Ali refused induction on the grounds of religious beliefs. He was, in fact, a practicing Muslim minister. This refusal led to the now-famous Ali quote, "I ain't got no quarrel with them Vietcong ... " The national furor over that comment combined with Ali's refusal to be inducted into the Armed Services, caused virtually every state and local entity in America to cancel Ali's boxing licenses.

Ali's final fight of 1967 was against Ernie Terrell, who incensed Ali at the weigh-in by calling him "Clay." Ali pounded him in the ring with taunts of, "What's my name?!!" Ali did not fight again for 2 ½ years. He was stripped of his championship title, his passport taken; all his boxing licenses were cancelled. He lost an initial court battle and was facing a 5-year prison term. Ali made money during his exile by speaking at colleges. He was the first national figure to speak out against the war in Vietnam. In 1970, after a 2 ½ year layoff, and with the mood of the country changing, Ali staged his comeback, first against Jerry Quarry in Atlanta then for what was billed as, "The Fight of the Century," his first match against undefeated champ, Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971. Ali fought valiantly, but lost. The 2 ½ year exile had cost Ali his legs. He could no longer dance.

He lost that night in the Garden, but months later he won his biggest fight, the Supreme Court reversed his conviction and upheld his conscientious objector claim. Ali was free of the specter of jail, and free to travel to box anywhere in the world. Several matches followed, including an unexpected loss to ex-Marine, Ken Norton; a win in their next bout; an uninspired win against Joe Frazier. But these matches were but window dressing for the biggest match of Ali's career: The Rumble In the Jungle. George Foreman was a fearsome champ. He had thunder and destruction in both hands. He had easily knocked out Ken Norton and had lifted Frazier off the mat with one blow. Promoter Don King got the government of the African nation of Zaire to guarantee the unheard of sum of 10 million dollars for the fighters. In Kinshasa, Ali derived strength from the African people. They adored him. They yelled, Ali Bomaye! (Ali kill him). Going into the fight, Ali was 3-1 underdog. His fight doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, had a jet ready to spirit Ali away to a neurological hospital in Spain after the fight. But Ali had other ideas.

Because of the heat, Ali realized he couldn't dance from Foreman for the whole fight. He invented "The Rope-A-Dope," a strategy that allowed Foreman to pound on him until Foreman tired. His corner men yelled at him to get off the ropes, but Ali persisted with his strategy for seven rounds and then in the eighth round, when Foreman was spent, Ali came off the ropes and scored a shocking knockout! Ali was the king again. After the legendary "Thrilla In Manila," the rubber match against Frazier, who some have deemed, the greatest boxing match ever, Ali fought and lost to young Olympic Champion Leon Spinks. A rematch followed shortly thereafter in New Orleans, which broke attendance records. Ali won by unanimous decision making him the first heavyweight champion to win the belt three times.

Amateur Boxing Record 26 Feb Kent Green Chicago LK2 (Chicago Golden Glove Quarterfinals) Mar 5 Chicago Golden Gloves Finals 1959 Mar 11 Chicago Golden Gloves Finals Mar 25 Tony Madigan Chicago w3 (Wins Inter-City Golden Gloves) Apr National AAU Light Heavyweight champion Sep Amos Johnson Chicago L3 (Pan Am Games Quarterfinals) Feb 29 Wins Chigago Golden Gloves Mar 21 Gary Jawish New York KO 3 (1:46) (Wins Inter-City Golden Gloves, Heavyweight) 8 Apr Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. registers for military draft 9 Apr Jeff Davis Toledo, OH KO 2 (wins National AAU Light-heavyweight Championship) May 20 Alan Hudson San Francisco KO Ali has inspired millions worldwide. He gave people hope and proved that anyone could overcome insurmountable odds. He gave people courage. He made fighters of us all. This is Ali and never comes another.

Professional Boxing Record Athletes Athletes He was a three-time heavyweight boxing champion of the world (1964-67, 1974-78, 1978-79) Did you Know? Muhammad Ali was born Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. He announced himself a Muslim and changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964. Ali won the Olympic light-heavyweight gold medal at 18 in 1960. His favorite slogan was "I am the greatest", which was first used in 1962 In the 1980s, Ali revealed he was suffering from Parkinson's disease. He lit the Olympic torch in 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He was among the TIME magazine's list of 100 most important people of the century in 2000. He has nine children, seven girls and two boys. As Mrs. Lonnie Ali looks on, President George W. Bush embraces three-time heavyweight boxing champion of the world Muhammad Ali after presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005, during ceremonies at the White House.

White House photo by Paul Morse Lance Armstrong What made him famous? He has won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005 Did you Know? At the age of 25, he learned that he had cancer. The disease had spread to his abdomen and lungs and threathened his brain. Armstrong has said that in battling cancer, "knowledge is power and attitude is everything". He created the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) to inspire and empower people living with cancer to live strong. He has won every Tour de France, the world's premier bicycling race, since 1999. skater, student What made her famous? She has won the U.S. National Championships nine times, the World Championships five times (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003), and two Olympic silver medals (1998: silver, 2002: bronze) Did you Know? Michelle's Chinese name is Kwan Wing Shan. Michelle Kwan is the youngest of three children in a Chinese-American family migrated from Hong Kong. She speaks Cantonese and Mandarin.

Michelle was only 5 years old when she and her sister Karen started taking ice skating lessons. They were inspired by their brother Ronald, who played hockey. Michelle won the Junior World Championships in 1994, when she was 13 years old. She was named the first American public diplomacy on November 9, 2006 by the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. For more information go to: U.S. Figure Skating Figure skater Michelle Kwan, center, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, and Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes, during a news conference at the State Department in Washington, Thursday, November 9. Kwan, the American figure skater who holds nine national championships and five world titles, will become a nonsalaried U.S. diplomat. Michael Jordan He was born in Brooklyn in 1963. The Jordan family moved to North Carolina when Michael Jordan was very small and he grew up in Wilmington. Jordan played for Laney High School and went on to play for Dean Smith at UNC where Jordan was twice College Player of the Year.

After being picked by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA Draft, Jordan was named NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season. He broke many of the league records in scoring and steals, and in the meantime, added two Olympic Gold Medals from the 1984 and 1992 Games. He retired briefly in 1993 to try his hand at semi-professional baseball, but returned towards the end of the 1994/95 season and eventually led the Bulls to three more of their six league championships. In 2001, he became an active player again. He retired a final time after the 2002-03 season. Muhammad Ali, three-time heavyweight boxing champion, dies at 74 | Duluth News Tribune Muhammad Ali, three-time heavyweight boxing champion, dies at 74 By Ricardo Arduengo, Reuters on Jun 4, 2016 at 11:39 a.m. Muhammad Ali with his trainer Angelo Dundee ahead of his fight with Ernie Terrell at the Astrodome, Houston, February 1967.

(Action Images / MSI)1 / 3 Muhammad Ali poses at the 2006 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The former world heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist died late Friday night at a Phoenix-area hospital at the age of 74. (Andreas Meier / Reuters)2 / 3 Muhammad Ali poses with his boxing gloves. (Action Images/Sporting Pictures)3 / 3 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Muhammad Ali, the former world heavyweight champion whose boxing feats, showmanship and political activism made him one of the best-known figures of the 20th century, died on Friday aged 74. Ali, who had long suffered from Parkinson's syndrome which impaired his speech and made the once-graceful athlete almost a prisoner in his own body, died a day after he was admitted to a Phoenix-area hospital with a respiratory ailment. His youthful proclamation of himself as "the greatest" rang true until the end for the millions of people worldwide, who admired him for his courage both inside and outside the ring.

Along with a fearsome reputation as a fighter, he spoke out against racism, war and religious intolerance, while projecting an unshakeable confidence and humor that became a model for African-Americans at the height of the civil rights era. Stripped of his world boxing crown for refusing to join the U.S. army and go to fight in Vietnam, Ali returned in triumph by recapturing the title and starring in some of the sport's most unforgettable duels. "Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest human beings I have ever met," said George Foreman, who lost to Ali in Zaire in a classic 1974 bout known as the "Rumble in the Jungle." "No doubt he was one of the best people to have lived in this day and age. To put him as a boxer is an injustice." Ali enjoyed a popularity that transcended the world of sports, even though he rarely appeared in public in his later years. As the first black president of the United States, Barack Obama said Ali was "a man who fought for us" and placed him in the pantheon of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. "His fight outside the ring would cost him his title and his public standing.

It would earn him enemies on the left and the right, make him reviled, and nearly send him to jail. But Ali stood his ground. And his victory helped us get used to the America we recognize today," Obama said in a statement. Ali's death was confirmed in a statement issued by his family spokesman late Friday evening. "I am happy my father no longer struggles. He is in a better place. God is the greatest," his daughter Maryum said on Saturday. Few could argue with his athletic prowess at his peak in the 1960s. With his dancing feet and quick fists, he could - as he put it - float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. He was the first person to win the heavyweight championship three times. But Ali became much more than a sportsman. He spoke boldly against racism in the '60s as well as against the Vietnam War. During and after his championship reign, Ali met scores of world leaders and for a time he was considered the most recognizable person on Earth, known even in remote villages in countries far from the United States. TRIBUTES POUR IN Ali's diagnosis of Parkinson's came about three years after he retired from boxing in 1981.

He struggled with the disease for three decades, but carried on making public appearances including at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, stilling the tremors in his hands enough to light the Olympic flame. He also took part in the opening of the London games in 2012, looking frail in a wheelchair. His influence extended far beyond the sport. He became the unofficial spokesman for millions of black people and oppressed groups around the world because of his refusal to compromise his opinions and his willingness to stand up to white authorities. Tributes poured in from across the world of sport, entertainment and politics. "We lost a giant today. Boxing benefited from Muhammad Ali's talents but not nearly as much as mankind benefited from his humanity," said Manny Pacquiao, a boxer and politician in the Philippines, where Ali fought arch rival Joe Frazier for a third time in a brutal 1975 match dubbed the "Thrilla in Manila." Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson said on Twitter: "Let us pray for @MuhammadAli; good for America, world boxing champion, social transformer & anti-war hero.

#TheGreatest." Flags were flown at half staff in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, where he will be buried and where his modest childhood home at 3302 Grand Avenue has been turned into a museum. "His journey from Grand Avenue to global icon serves as a reminder there are young people with the potential for greatness in the houses and neighborhoods all over our city, our nation and our world," Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said at a memorial service. "There is no limit to what our kids can do if we help them realize their full human potential." In a realm where athletes often battle inarticulateness as well as their opponents, Ali was known as the Louisville Lip and loved to talk - especially about himself. "Humble people, I've found, don't get very far," he once told a reporter. His taunts could be brutal. "Joe Frazier is so ugly that when he cries, the tears turn around and go down the back of his head," he once said. He also dubbed Frazier a 'gorilla' but later apologized and said it was all to promote the fight.

Once asked about his preferred legacy, Ali said: "I would like to be remembered as a man who won the heavyweight title three times, who was humorous and who treated everyone right. As a man who never looked down on those who looked up to him ... who stood up for his beliefs ... who tried to unite all humankind through faith and love. "And if all that's too much, then I guess I'd settle for being remembered only as a great boxer who became a leader and a champion of his people. And I wouldn't even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was." Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on Jan. 17, 1942, as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., a name shared with a 19th century slavery abolitionist. He changed his name after his conversion to Islam. Ali is survived by his wife, the former Lonnie Williams, who knew him when she was a child in Louisville, along with his nine children. Explore related topics: News

Question: Where did retired three-time World Heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali light the Olympic flame?
Answer: Atlanta