Had he been alive, Muhammad Ali would have turned eighty-one this year. Unfortunately, he left the world six years ago at seventy-four. But the most outstanding athlete of the twentieth century left behind a rich legacy. He remains an inspiration to millions, not only in the U.S. but worldwide as well. What is it about him that pulled humanity in droves? Many adored him for what he did inside the ring. An equal number of people were touched by the causes he took up. Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born on January 17, 1942, to Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., a painter, and Odessa O’Grady Clay, a domestic helper in Louisville, Kentucky.

Growing up in a racially segregated era, a happenstance meeting with a police officer Joe E. Martin turned his life. The officer, a boxing enthusiast, and a trainer sparked the first fire of boxing. Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay Jr., was barely twelve.

Muhammad Ali was a great fighting champion

As an amateur, in 1954, Clay Jr. made his ring debut against another amateur boxer Ronnie O’Keefe, winning the bout by a split decision. The array of titles he bagged includes six Kentucky Golden Gloves, two national Golden Gloves, and a national Amateur Athletic Union. He reached the zenith of his amateur career during the 1960 Rome Olympics. Still, as Cassius Clay Jr., Ali, competed in the light heavyweight division. All four of his fights were easy victories for the eighteen-year-old. In the final, he triumphed over Zbigniew Pietrzykowski, a three-time European champion.

Upon returning home, he decided to turn professional and fought his first career bout against Tunney Hunsaker. During the next three years, he fought nineteen bouts, winning all. Fourteen of the victories were knockouts! This cleared the way for his first shot at the title. However, the reigning WBC, WBA, and The Ring Heavyweight champion Sonny Liston stood at the opposing end. The two met for the first time at Florida’s Miami Beach on February 25. The fight ended with a sixth-round technical knockout victory for the challenger when Liston refused to answer the call-up bell for the seventh round.

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The two bête noire met again a year later at the Civic Center in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965. History repeated itself, albeit through a switchover in rounds. By this time, Clay Jr. had converted to Islam and adopted a new name, Muhammad Ali. Though scheduled for November of 1964, it faced postponement due to an emergency surgery Ali underwent. The fight sparked much debate. Liston was defeated in the first round by a seemingly undetectable punch, later referred to as the “phantom punch” by the media.

Ali retained the titles for the next three years successfully. In between, he added the WBA belt to the list after winning a fifteen-rounder against Ernie Terrell on February 6, 1967. Then, on March 22, he engaged in another bout against the Arizonian Zora “Bell” Folley.

But fate had something else written. Ali’s decision to reject the draft resulted in losing all his titles. The state of New York revoked Ali’s boxing license. He was subsequently convicted of evading the draft and was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. During the appeal process, he was able to stay out of jail after posting a bond. Sadly, it resulted in Muhammad Ali’s absence from boxing for the next three and a half years.

Ali’s comeback – Joe Frazier and George Foreman fights

With his case under appeal, on August 11, 1970, the City of Atlanta Athletic Commission issued him a boxing license. On October 26, Ali fought Jerry Quarry at Atlantan’s Municipal Auditorium and won when the latter retired after the third round. After winning a federal court case, the New York State Boxing Commission reinstated Ali’s license. On December 7, he took on Oscar Bonavena in a match held at Madison Square Garden. The bout ended with Ali delivering a technical knockout in the fifteenth round.

With this victory, Ali became a significant challenge to Joe Frazier, the reigning heavyweight champion. Billed “The Fight of the Century,” the fight at New York’s Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971, ended with Frazier winning unanimously. The battle marked Ali’s first defeat in his professional career. However, he regained his championship status in July by winning the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Heavyweight title after defeating Jimmy Ellis. However, a world title remained elusive. In the meantime, Ali lost and regained the NABF belt to Ken Norton in 1973. He avenged his last defeat against Joe Frazier during their rematch on January 28, 1974.

Ali became a world champion again on October 30, with an eighth-round knockout win over the formidable George Foreman in what was famously called “Rumble in the Jungle.” He retained the titles successfully for the next three years. Finally, age and declining health offset the third career defeat from Leon Spinks on February 15, 1978. After losing his final professional fight against Trevor Berbick on December 11, 1981, Ali bid goodbye to the sport.

Muhammad Ali emerged as people’s champion

Growing up in Kentucky, a racially divided America, severely impacted the young and impressionable Muhammad Ali. His first victory over Sonny Liston cemented his status as the world’s undisputed heavyweight champion. Later, when asked about his religion the morning after the fight, he confirmed his adherence to Islam, putting an end to speculations. Nevertheless, he spent the next few days and weeks defending his support for the Nation of Islam and its philosophy of racial segregation. The name Muhammad Ali was reportedly given to him by the religious leader Elijah Muhammad. After the fiery orator Malcolm X, the boxer became the most well-known member of the Nation. As per Yale News, about his birth name, he mentioned that it was “a slave name, “I didn’t choose it, and I don’t want it.” His new name, he noted, is “a free name,” meaning “beloved of God.”

As a result of his conviction for draught evasion,  the authorities immediately took away his World Heavyweight title and, on June 20, 1967, sentenced him to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He received a three-year boxing suspension as well.

Muhammad Ali’s legacy

He would lose years of his prime as a boxer due to the sentence, but he made up for what he gave up professionally in moral rectitude and eminence.

When he could not compete, Ali traveled to universities across the country to voice his opposition to the Vietnam War and promote African-American pride and the cause of racial justice. His speeches gained him widespread support as public opinion shifted against the war. However, many in the American media criticized Ali for inspiring fears of widespread civil disobedience. Despite this, in the late 1960s, Ali’s stature and popularity rose, particularly among the African-American community.

Who Beat Muhammad Ali in His Prime?

Fans and followers unanimously regard Muhammad Ali as the best heavyweight boxer. This earned him the nickname ‘The Greatest.’ In addition, he is considered one of the most influential sports personalities of the 20th century. In 1999, Sports Illustrated honored him as “Sportsman of the Century.” The BBC followed and named him “Sports Personality of the Century.”

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