"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.
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.
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!
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. He subsequently regained his title against Spinks, thus becoming, at
that time, the only man in heavyweight history to win the crown three times. Ali
ended his career 56 wins (37 by knockout) and 5 defeats.
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.
For More Information about
"The Greatest" visit his official website
Data
compiled from The British Antarctic Study, NASA, Environment Canada,
UNEP, EPA and
other sources as stated and credited Researched by Charles
Welch-Updated dailyThis
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