Muhammad Ali

For other people with similar names, see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation). For the 19th century politician, see Cassius Marcellus Clay

Muhammad Ali
File:SP0053~Muhammad-Ali.jpg
Career Snapshot
Born	January 17, 1942
Total Fights	61
Won	56
Lost	5
Drew	0
Knockouts	37
Titles Won	Heavyweight (3 times)

Muhammad Ali-Haj (Arabic: محمد على) (born January 17, 1942 as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.), is a retired American boxer. He is considered to be the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, as well as one of the world's most famous individuals, renowned the world over for his boxing and political activism. In 1999, he was crowned Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.

Ali had a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer. He carried his hands at his sides, rather than the orthodox boxing style of carrying the hands high to defend the face. Instead, he relied on his extraordinary reflexes and footwork to keep him away from his opponents' blows.

Biography

Professional career

In Louisville, on October 29, 1960, Cassius Clay won his first professional fight. He won a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker , who was the police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia. From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19-0, with 15 knockouts. He defeated such boxers as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Duke Sabedong, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, and Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockout), Doug Jones, and Henry Cooper. Among Clay's more impressive victories were against Sonny Banks (who knocked him down earlier in the bout), Alejandro Lavorante, and Archie Moore (a boxing legend who had won over 200 previous fights). Cassius became the number one contender for Sonny Liston's title. Liston was greatly feared, and some have said that he was the Mike Tyson of his era. Almost no one gave the young boxer a chance of beating Liston. The date was fixed for February 25, 1964; during the weigh-in, the boisterous Ali declared that he would "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." [1]

First title fight

Main article: Ali versus Liston

Clay, however, had a plan. Misreading Clay's exuberance as nervousness, Liston was over-confident, and unprepared for any result but a quick stoppage. In the opening rounds, Clay's speed kept him away from Liston's powerful head and body shots, as he used his height and reach advantage to effectively beat Liston to the punch with his jab. By the third, Clay was clearly on top, and had opened a large cut under Liston's eye. Liston regained some ground in the fourth, as Clay was blinded by a foreign substance. It is unknown whether this was something used to close Liston's cuts, or applied to Liston's gloves for a nefarious purpose. Partially-sighted, Clay was able to keep out of range, and by the sixth, he was looking for a finish. That came before the seventh, when Liston retired on his stool, later claiming his shoulder had become dislocated. Clay leapt out of his corner, proclaiming himself "King of the World", and demanding the writers eat their words.

Clay was duly crowned the heavyweight champion of the world. He would reconfirm his abilities when he knocked out Liston in the first round of their rematch in Lewiston, Maine on May 25, 1965, albeit controversially; as few observers saw the "phantom punch" that floored Liston. That November, Clay met and defeated former champion Floyd Patterson. The referee stopped the fight in Round 12, after Patterson had taken a horrible beating.

Clay changes his name to Muhammad Ali

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Ali with Malcolm X and Malcolm’s family

In between the two matches, he also became famous for other reasons: he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, although only a few journalists (most notably Howard Cosell) accepted it. 1966 and early 1967 were a busy time for the champion. In a period of a year, he defended his title seven times. No other champion has had that many defenses in only a year. In March, 1966, Ali won a unanimous decision over tough Canadian champion George Chuvalo (who was never knocked down in his career). Ali then traveled to England to face "British Bulldog" Brian London, and Henry Cooper (who had knocked Clay down in their initial 1963, non-title match). Ali won both fights by knockout. He traveled to Germany next, to face southpaw Karl Mildenberger (who was the first German to fight for the title since Max Schmeling). In one of his tougher fights, Ali finally won by knockout in Round 12. In November, 1966, Ali returned to the United States to face Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams in the Houston Astrodome. Williams had one of the highest knockout percentages in history, and has often been ranked as one of the finest fighters who never won a title. Many felt he would give the champion a tough battle. However, Ali easily knocked him out in the third round. Many consider Ali's fight with Williams to be his finest performance. In February of 1967, Ali faced Ernie Terrell at Madison Square Garden. Terrell had refused to acknowledge Ali's name, and the champ vowed to punish him for this perceived insolence. Even though the fight went to a decision, Ali delivered a horrible beating and won every round. He kept taunting the challenger throughout the fight: after every hit, Ali hollered "What's my name?" Many called his treatment cruel and brutal. In March of the same year, and in the same location, he faced Zora Folley. He showed what a breath-taking fighter he was, by throwing every punch sharply and on target. He knocked out the challenger in Round 7.

It was also in this same year that he refused to serve in the American army during the Vietnam War as a conscientious objector, because "War is against the teachings of the Holy Koran. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger. We don't take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers." Ali also famously said that he "got nothing against no Viet Cong" (this is often misquoted as "No Vietnamese ever called me a nigger)". Ali was stripped of his championship belt and his license to box, and was sentenced to five years in prison. The sentence was overturned on appeal four years later, by a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court.

In 2000, Ali's best friend, photographer Howard Bingham, collaborated with journalist Max Wallace on a behind-the-scenes chronicle of this period, Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight: Cassius Clay vs. the United States of America, published by M. Evans & Company. Ali himself wrote the foreword for the book, which contains many never before heard anecdotes about this period, including the fact that Ali was so broke after giving up his title that he resorted to pumping gas at a Chicago gas station.

Ali's actions in refusing military service and aligning himself with the Nation of Islam, made him a lightning rod of controversy, turning the outspoken but popular former champion into one of that era's most recognizable and controversial figures. Appearing at rallies with Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad and declaring his allegiance to him at a time when mainstream America viewed them with suspicion—if not actual hostility—made Ali a target of outrage, and suspicion as well. Ali seemed at times to even provoke such reactions, with viewpoints that wavered from support for civil rights to outright support of separatism.

In 1970, Ali was finally able to get a boxing license. With the help of a State Senator, he was granted a license to box in Georgia. In October of 1970, he returned to stop Jerry Quarry on a cut after three rounds. Shortly after the Quarry fight, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali was unjustly denied a boxing license. Once again able to fight in New York, he fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in December of 1970. Ali stopped Bonavena in the 15th round, paving the way for a title fight against Joe Frazier.

Ali and Frazier fought each other on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden. This fight, known as The Fight of the Century, is one of the most famous and eagerly anticipated bouts of all time, since it featured two skilled, undefeated fighters, both of whom had reasonable claims to the heavyweight crown. The fight lived up to the hype, and Frazier punctuated his victory by flooring Ali with a hard left hook in the final round. Many believe Ali would have beaten Joe Frazier, had he not lost his once unparalled speed and agility in his legs due to his 3 1/2 year exile.

In 1973, Ali split two bouts with Ken Norton (in the bout that Ali lost to Norton, Ali suffered a broken jaw, but refused to quit), before beating Frazier on points in their 1974 rematch, to earn another title shot.

Ali's religious views also changed with time. He began to study the Qur'an, and converted to Sunni Islam, rejecting the teachings of the Nation of Islam.

The Rumble in the Jungle and Thrilla in Manila

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Ali on the cover of Sports Illustrated (December 23, 1974)

The incumbent, George Foreman, was a large, hard-hitting, undefeated young fighter who had previously demolished Frazier, KO'ing him in the second round of their championship fight. Foreman was the heavy favorite as he was both younger and stronger than the 32-year-old Ali. By 1974 Ali was viewed by many to be past his prime follwing his losses to Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. The fight was held in Zaire, and promoted by Don King as "The Rumble in the Jungle." In the October 30, 1974 bout, that would cement his reputation as "The Greatest", Ali boxed his best tactical fight. Leading with his "wrong" hand (the right hand lead, which Foreman would not have expected due to it being a normally slow & obvious move - but Ali had such fast hands that he repeatedly did so, raising Foreman's anger) and playing "rope-a-dope" by leaning far back on the ropes, Ali absorbed everything Foreman could throw at him, whilst only occasionally throwing counter-punches. By the end of the sixth round, Foreman had punched himself out, and Ali was able to attack a little more. Foreman kept advancing, but his blows were much less effective, and near the end of the eighth, Ali's right hand finally sent the exhausted Foreman to the floor. As a result of this fight, Ali was awarded the 1974 Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year, and Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award.

In 1975, Ali defeated Joe Frazier once more in the "Thrilla In Manila", in the Philippines. This fight surpassed their earlier bouts, and became one of the most well-known heavyweight fights ever. After 14 grueling rounds, Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch refused to allow Frazier to continue, and Ali left, the winner by TKO. Along with the "Rumble", his fights with Frazier are widely considered among the greatest in boxing history. Ring Magazine called this bout 1975's Fight of the Year, the fifth year an Ali fight had earned that distinction. Many felt Ali should have retired after this fight; however, he continued to box. 1976 saw him knock out two largely unknown opponents, Belgian stonecutter Jean-Pierre Coopman and English boxer Richard Dunn. On April 30, 1976 Ali faced Jimmy Young in Landover, Maryland, and many regard this as his worst fight. Ali was heavy and out of shape, refusing to take the young challenger seriously. Ali was awarded a unanimous decision, but it was widely booed by the crowd. Many who scored the fight at ringside thought Young deserved the decision. Even Ali's loyal trainer Angelo Dundee said this was his worst performance in the ring. In September, Ali faced Ken Norton in their third fight, held at Yankee Stadium. Once again, the champion won a widely-debated decision causing further outcry for Ali to retire. In 1977 Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, Ali's longtime fight doctor left Ali's entourage citing Ali was going on fighting for too long and was damaging himself.

Ali would retain his title until a 1978 loss to 1976 Olympic champion Leon Spinks, who was fighting in only his eighth professional fight. By the time this loss occured it was obvious Ali's skills had been eroding since the "Thrilla In Manila". He defeated Spinks in a rematch, becoming the heavyweight champion for the record third time. Then on June 27, 1979, he announced his retirement and vacated the title.

That retirement was short-lived, however, and on October 2, 1980, he challenged Larry Holmes for the WBC's version of the world Heavyweight title. Looking to set another record, as the first boxer to win the Heavyweight title four times, Ali lost by technical knockout in round eleven, when Dundee would not let him come out for the round. The Holmes fight, promoted as "The Last Hurrah", was a fight many fans and experts view with disdain, because of what many viewed as a "deteriorated version" of Ali. Holmes was Ali's sparring partner when Holmes was a budding fighter; thus, some viewed the result of the fight as a symbolic "passing of the torch." Holmes even admitted later that, although he dominated the fight, he held his punches back a bit out of sheer respect for his idol, and former employer. It was revealed after the fight that Ali had been examined at the Mayo Clinic, and the results were shocking. He had admitted to tingling in his hands, and slurring of his speech. The exam revealed he actually had a hole in the membrane of his brain. However, Don King withheld this report, and allowed the fight to go on. Above all this fight was the culmination in the decline of Ali's skills due to age that had started after 1975.

Despite the apparent finality of his loss to Holmes and his increasingly suspect medical condition, Ali would fight one more time. On December 11, 1981, he fought rising contender and future world champion Trevor Berbick, in what was billed as "The Drama in the Bahamas." Because Ali was widely viewed as a damaged fighter, few American venues expressed much interest in hosting the bout, and few fans expressed much interest in attending or watching it. Compared to the mega-fights Ali fought in widely known venues earlier in his career, the match took place in virtual obscurity, in Nassau. Although Ali performed marginally better against Berbick than he had against Holmes fourteen months earlier, he still lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Berbick, who at 27 was twelve years younger.

Following this loss, Ali retired permanently in 1981, with a career record of 56 wins (37 by knockout) and 5 losses.

In retirement

Ali was diagnosed with pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome in 1984, following which his motor functions began a slow decline.

Despite this, he remains a hero to millions around the world. In 1985, he was called upon to negotiate for the release of kidnapped Americans in Lebanon. In 1996, he had the honor of lighting the Olympic flame in Atlanta, Georgia. Every public appearance by Ali is treasured, including his appearance at the 1998 AFL Grand Final, where NFL Hall of Famer Anthony Pratt recruited him to watch the game.

His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999, despite her father's earlier comments against female boxing in 1978: "Women are not made to be hit in the breast, and face like that... the body's not made to be punched right here [patting his chest]. Get hit in the breast... hard... and all that."

The $60 million Muhammad Ali Center opened in downtown Louisville, Kentucky on November 19, 2005 (his 19th wedding anniversary). In addition to displaying his boxing memorabilia, the center focuses on core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth. Muhammad Ali currently lives in Michigan with his fourth wife, Yolanda Williams.

He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on November 9, 2005 ^[2].

Personal life

Muhammad Ali has been married four times. His first wife was Sonji Roi, whom he married on August 14, 1964, and she had his first two children, they divorced on January 10, 1966. His second wife was Khalilah 'Belinda' Ali, whom he married on August 17, 1967; and she had four of his nine children, they divorced in 1977. His third wife was Veronica Porche Ali, whom he married on August 19, 1977, and she had two children with him, one of which was Laila Ali; they divorced in July, 1986. His fourth and current wife is Lonnie Ali, whom he married on November 19, 1986, and they adopted a son named Asaad. His children are: Rasheedah, Jamilla, Maryum, Miya, Khalilah, Hana, Laila, Muhammad Jr. and Asaad. He also learned Taekwondo from Jhoon Rhee.

See also

• List of heavyweight boxing champions

External links

• Muhammad Ali official website
• Muhammad Ali Center
• United Athletes Magazine Ali's physical qualities and abilities.
• Muhammad Ali's profile at FamousMuslims.com
• Muhammad Ali's Career Record