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Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali is widely considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time and one of the most influential athletes in history. A three-time world heavyweight champion, he is celebrated for his victories over Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman in the "Rumble in the Jungle." Beyond sport, his refusal to be drafted into the Vietnam War and his outspoken advocacy for civil rights made him a global icon of courage and principle.
Early life
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (/ˈkæʃəs/) was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Odessa Grady Clay and Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. Clay Sr. was named after the 19th-century Republican politician and abolitionist Cassius Marcellus Clay. He was a descendant of slaves of the antebellum South, and was predominantly of African descent, with Irish and English heritage. DNA testing performed in 2018 showed that Clay was a descendant of the former slave Archer Alexander, the model of a freed man for the Emancipation Memorial. His father was a sign and billboard painter, and his mother a domestic helper. Although Cassius Sr. was a Methodist, he allowed Odessa to bring up both Cassius Jr. and his younger brother Rudy (later renamed Rahaman Ali), as Baptists. Clay Jr. attended Central High School in Louisville and was dyslexic, which led to difficulties in reading and writing. He grew up amid racial segregation. His mother recalled one occasion when he was denied a drink of water at a store because of his race, saying it "really affected him." He was also strongly affected by the 1955 murder of Emmett Till, taking out his frustration by vandalizing a local rail yard with a friend. He later told his daughter Hana, "Nothing would ever shake me up (more) than the story of Emmett Till."
Amateur career
Cassius Clay and his trainer Joe E. Martin, January 1960 Clay defeated veteran Pole Zbigniew Pietrzykowski to win gold in the 1960 Summer Olympics. Clay was first directed toward boxing by Louisville police officer and boxing coach Joe E. Martin, who encountered the 12-year-old fuming over a thief having taken his bicycle. He told the officer he was going to "whup" the thief. The officer told Clay he had better learn how to box first. Initially, Clay did not take up Martin's offer, but after seeing amateur boxers on a local television boxing program called Tomorrow's Champions, Clay was interested in the prospect of fighting. He then began to work with trainer Fred Stoner, whom he credits with giving him the "real training", eventually molding "my style, my stamina and my system". For the last four years of Clay's amateur career he was trained by boxing cutman Chuck Bodak. Clay made his amateur boxing debut in 1954 against local amateur boxer Ronnie O'Keefe. He won by split decision. He went on to win six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two Chicago Golden Gloves, two national Golden Gloves titles, two Amateur Athletic Union national titles, the U.S. Olympic Trials, and the light heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Clay's amateur record was 100–8. In his 1975 autobiography, he recalled that shortly after his return from the Rome Olympics, he threw his gold medal into the Ohio River after he and a friend were refused service at a "whites-only" restaurant and fought with a white gang. The story was later disputed, and several of his friends, including Bundini Brown and photographer Howard Bingham, denied it. Brown told Sports Illustrated writer Mark Kram, "Honkies sure bought into that one!" Thomas Hauser's biography of Ali stated that Ali was refused service at the diner but that he lost his medal a year after he won it. Ali received a replacement medal at the Georgia Dome during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, where he lit the torch to start the Games.
Professional career
Main article: Boxing career of Muhammad Ali Early career On-site poster for Cassius Clay's fifth professional bout Clay made his professional debut on October 29, 1960, winning a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker. From then until the end of 1963, Clay amassed a record of 19–0 with 15 wins by knockout. He defeated boxers including Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, LaMar Clark, Doug Jones, and Henry Cooper. Clay also beat his former trainer and veteran boxer Archie Moore in a 1962 match. These early fights were not without trials. Clay was knocked down by both Sonny Banks and Cooper. In the Cooper fight, Clay was floored by a left hook at the end of round four and was saved by the bell, going on to win in the predicted fifth round due to Cooper's severely cut eye. The fight with Doug Jones on March 13, 1963, was Clay's toughest fight during this stretch. The number two and three heavyweight contenders respectively, Clay and Jones fought on Jones' home turf at New York's Madison Square Garden. Jones staggered Clay in the first round, and the unanimous decision for Clay was greeted by boos and a rain of debris thrown into the ring. Watching on closed-circuit TV, heavyweight champ Sonny Liston quipped that if he fought Clay he (Liston) might get locked up for murder. The fight was later named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring magazine. In each of these fights, Clay vocally belittled his opponents and vaunted his abilities. He called Jones "an ugly little man" and Cooper a "bum". He said he was embarrassed to get in the ring with Alex Miteff and claimed that Madison Square Garden was "too small for me". Ali's trash talk was inspired by professional wrestler "Gorgeous George" Wagner's, after he saw George's talking ability attract huge crowds to events. In a 1969 interview he stated that he met with George in Las Vegas in 1961, that George told him that talking a big game would earn paying fans who either wanted to see him win or wanted to see him lose, thus Clay transformed himself into a self-described "big-mouth and a bragger". In 1960, Clay left Moore's camp, partially due to Clay's refusal to do chores such as washing dishes and sweeping. To replace Moore, Clay hired Angelo Dundee to be his trainer. Clay had met Dundee in February 1957 during Clay's amateur career. Around this time, Clay sought longtime idol Sugar Ray Robinson to be his manager, but was rebuffed. World heavyweight champion First Fight against Liston Main article: Sonny Liston vs. Cassius Clay Clay dodges a punch from Liston By late 1963, Clay had become the top contender for Sonny Liston's title. The fight was set for February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach. Liston was an intimidating personality, a dominating fighter with a criminal past and ties to the mob. Based on Clay's uninspired performance against Jones and Cooper in his previous two fights, and Liston's destruction of former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson in two
Draft resistance
See also: Clay v. United States "},"align":{"wt":"right"},"width":{"wt":"35em"}},"i":0}}]}' id="mwAfE">.mw-parser-output .quotebox{background-color:#F9F9F9;border:1px solid #aaa;box-sizing:border-box;padding:10px;font-size:88%;max-width:100%}.mw-parser-output .quotebox.floatleft{margin:.5em 1.4em .8em 0}.mw-parser-output .quotebox.floatright{margin:.5em 0 .8em 1.4em}.mw-parser-output .quotebox.centered{overflow:hidden;position:relative;margin:.5em auto .8em auto}.mw-parser-output .quotebox.floatleft span,.mw-parser-output .quotebox.floatright span{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .quotebox>blockquote{margin:0;padding:0;border-left:0;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit}.mw-parser-output .quotebox-title{text-align:center;font-size:110%;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .quotebox-quote>:first-child{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .quotebox-quote:last-child>:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.mw-parser-output .quotebox-quote.quoted:before{font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-weight:bold;font-size:large;color:gray;content:" “ ";vertical-align:-45%;line-height:0}.mw-parser-output .quotebox-quote.quoted:after{font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-weight:bold;font-size:large;color:gray;content:" ” ";line-height:0}.mw-parser-output .quotebox .left-aligned{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .quotebox .right-aligned{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .quotebox .center-aligned{text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .quotebox .quote-title,.mw-parser-output .quotebox .quotebox-quote{display:block}.mw-parser-output .quotebox cite{display:block;font-style:normal}@media screen and (max-width:640px){.mw-parser-output .quotebox{width:100%!important;margin:0 0 .8em!important;float:none!important}} My enemy is the white people, not Viet Cong or Chinese or Japanese. You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. You won't even stand up for me in America for my religious beliefs—and you want me to go somewhere and fight, but you won't even stand up for me here at home? —Muhammad Ali to a crowd of college students during his exile from boxing Ali registered for conscription in the United States military on his 18th birthday and was listed as 1-A in 1962. In 1964, he was reclassified as Class 1-Y (fit for service only in times of national emergency) after he failed the U.S. Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were sub-standard, due to his dyslexia. (He was quoted as saying, "I said I was the greatest, not the smartest!") By early 1966, the army lowered its standards to permit soldiers above the 15th percentile and Ali was again classified as 1-A. This classification meant he was now eligible for the draft and induction into the U.S. Army at a time when the U.S. was involved in the Vietnam War, a war which put him further at odds with the white establishment. Ali leaving court in June 1967 When notified of this status, Ali declared that he would refuse to serve in the army and
Exile and comeback
In March 1966, Ali refused to be inducted into the armed forces. He was systematically denied a boxing license in every state and stripped of his passport. As a result, he did not fight from March 1967 to October 1970 until his conviction was overturned in 1971. Protesting while exiled During this time of inactivity, as opposition to the Vietnam War began to grow and Ali's stance gained sympathy, he spoke at colleges across the nation, criticizing the Vietnam War and advocating African American pride and racial justice. Ali based himself in Chicago. According to most close to him, his Chicago years were formative. At the time, Ali was widely condemned by the American media, with fears that his actions could potentially lead to mass civil disobedience. Despite this, Ebony magazine noted in the late 1960s that Ali's popularity had increased during this time, especially among black people. The Super Fight Main article: The Super Fight While banned from sanctioned bouts, Ali settled a $1 million lawsuit against radio producer Murray Woroner by accepting $10,000 to appear in a privately staged fantasy fight against retired champion Rocky Marciano. In 1969 the boxers were filmed sparring for about 75 one-minute rounds; they produced several potential outcomes. A computer program purportedly determined the winner, based on data about the fighters, along with the opinions of approximately 250 boxing experts. Edited versions of the bout were shown in movie theaters in 1970. In the U.S. version Ali lost in a simulated 13th-round knockout, but in the European version Marciano lost due to cuts, also simulated. Ali suggested that prejudice determined his defeat in the U.S. version; he was reported to have jokingly said, "That computer was made in Alabama."
Timeline
Born in Louisville
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. born in Louisville, Kentucky.
personal(/ˈkæʃəs/) was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Odessa...
(/ˈkæʃəs/) was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Odessa Grady Clay and Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr
personalClay made his amateur boxing debut in 1954 against local amateur boxer Ronnie...
Clay made his amateur boxing debut in 1954 against local amateur boxer Ronnie O'Keefe
careerHis mother recalled one occasion when he was denied a drink of water at a store...
His mother recalled one occasion when he was denied a drink of water at a store because of his race, saying it "really affected him." He was also strongly affected by the 1955 murder of Emmett Till, taking out his frustration by vandalizing a local rail yard with a friend
personalClay had met Dundee in February 1957 during Clay's amateur career
Clay had met Dundee in February 1957 during Clay's amateur career
careerOlympic Gold Medal
Wins Olympic light heavyweight gold at the Rome Olympics.
awardMain article: Boxing career of Muhammad Ali Early career On-site poster for...
Main article: Boxing career of Muhammad Ali Early career On-site poster for Cassius Clay's fifth professional bout Clay made his professional debut on October 29, 1960, winning a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker
careerIn a 1969 interview he stated that he met with George in Las Vegas in 1961,...
In a 1969 interview he stated that he met with George in Las Vegas in 1961, that George told him that talking a big game would earn paying fans who either wanted to see him win or wanted to see him lose, thus Clay transformed himself into a self-described "big-mouth and a bragger"
careerYou won't even stand up for me in America for my religious beliefs—and you want...
You won't even stand up for me in America for my religious beliefs—and you want me to go somewhere and fight, but you won't even stand up for me here at home? —Muhammad Ali to a crowd of college students during his exile from boxing Ali registered for conscription in the United States military on hi
personalCassius Clay Clay dodges a punch from Liston By late 1963, Clay had become the...
Cassius Clay Clay dodges a punch from Liston By late 1963, Clay had become the top contender for Sonny Liston's title
careerDefeats Sonny Liston
Shocks the world by defeating Liston to become heavyweight champion at 22.
awardBecomes Muhammad Ali
Announces conversion to Islam and changes his name.
personalRefuses Vietnam Draft
Refuses military induction, stripped of title and banned from boxing.
controversyRumble in the Jungle
KOs George Foreman in Kinshasa with the 'rope-a-dope' to regain the title.
awardThrilla in Manila
Defeats Joe Frazier in one of the most brutal fights in boxing history.
awardThree-Time Champion
Defeats Leon Spinks to become the first three-time heavyweight champion.
awardDeath
Ali dies at 74 in Scottsdale, Arizona after a long battle with Parkinson's.
personal


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