Muhammad Ali

 

Muhammad Ali born January 17, 1942 died June 3, 2016 Ali was an American professional boxer and activist. 

Nicknamed "the Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century and is often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. 

He held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1970. 

He was the undisputed champion from 1974 to 1978 and the WBA and Ring heavyweight champion from 1978 to 1979. 

In 1999, he was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC.

Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, he began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. 

At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. 

He converted to Islam after 1961. He won the world heavyweight championship, defeating Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. 

During that year, he denounced his birth name as a "slave name" and formally changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

Career

On February 25, 1964, Clay challenged Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world. 

Liston was widely regarded as the most intimidating, powerful fighter of his era.

In a May 25, 1965, rematch against Liston, he emerged with a first-round knockout victory. 

Triumphs over Floyd Patterson, George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Brian London, and Karl Mildenberger followed. 

On November 14, 1966, Ali fought Cleveland Williams. Over the course of three rounds, Ali landed more than 100 punches, scored four knockdowns, and was hit a total of three times. 

Then, on April 28, 1967, citing his religious beliefs, Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army at the height of the war in Vietnam. 

Ali was stripped of his championship and precluded from fighting by every state athletic commission in the United States for three and a half years. 

In addition, he was criminally indicted and, on June 20, 1967, convicted of refusing induction into the U.S. armed forces and sentenced to five years in prison.

In October 1970, Ali was allowed to return to boxing, but his skills had eroded. 

Ali prevailed in his first two comeback fights, against Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena. 

Then, on March 8, 1971, he challenged Joe Frazier, who had become heavyweight champion during Ali’s absence from the ring. 

It was a fight of historic proportions, billed as the “Fight of the Century.” Frazier won a unanimous 15-round decision.

Following his loss to Frazier, Ali won 10 fights in a row, 8 of them against world-class opponents. 

On October 30, 1974, Ali challenged George Foreman, who had dethroned Frazier in 1973 to become heavyweight champion of the world. 

Over the next 30 months, at the peak of his popularity as champion, Ali fought nine times in bouts that showed him to be a courageous fighter but a fighter on the decline. 

The final performances of Ali’s ring career were sad to behold. In 1978 he lost his title to Leon Spinks, a novice boxer with an Olympic gold medal but only seven professional fights to his credit. 

Seven months later Ali regained the championship with a 15-round victory over Spinks. 

Then he retired from boxing,  

The final ring contest of Ali’s career was a loss by decision to Trevor Berbick in 1981.

Ali’s place in boxing history as one of the greatest fighters ever is secure. 

His final record of 56 wins and 5 losses with 37 knockouts has been matched by others,