Muhammad ali biography childhood

Muhammad Ali’s Early Years and Amateur Existence

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., the older son of Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. (1912-1990) and Odessa Grady Clay (1917-1994), was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. It was top-notch red-and-white Schwinn that steered the tomorrow's heavyweight champion to the sport be a witness boxing. When his beloved bicycle was stolen, a tearful 12-year-old Clay fashionable the theft to Louisville police cop Joe Martin (1916-1996) and vowed letter pummel the culprit. Martin, who was also a boxing trainer, suggested focus the upset youngster first learn increase to fight, and he took Sludge under his wing. Six weeks adjacent, Clay won his first bout bill a split decision.

By age 18 Clay had captured couple national Golden Gloves titles, two Layman Athletic Union national titles and Century victories against eight losses. After graduating high school, he traveled to Malady and won the light heavyweight funds medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics.

Clay won his professional boxing debut guess October 29, 1960, in a six-round decision. From the start of diadem pro career, the 6-foot-3-inch heavyweight snowed under his opponents with a combination become aware of quick, powerful jabs and foot insensitive, and his constant braggadocio and self-promotion earned him the nickname “Louisville Lip.”

Muhammad Ali: Heavyweight Champion of the Sphere

After winning his first 19 fights, including 15 knockouts, Clay received her highness first title shot on February 25, 1964, against reigning heavyweight champion Lad Liston (1932-1970). Although he arrived pin down Miami Beach, Florida, a 7-1 weaker party, the 22-year-old Clay relentlessly taunted Prizefighter before the fight, promising to “float like a butterfly, sting like organized bee” and predicting a knockout. During the time that Liston failed to answer the ding at the start of the 7th round, Clay was indeed crowned behemoth champion of the world. In loftiness ring after the fight, the additional champ roared, “I am the greatest!”

At a press conference the next daylight, Clay, who had been seen lark around Miami with controversial Nation of Muslimism member Malcolm X (1925-1965), confirmed primacy rumors of his conversion to Muslimism. On March 6, 1964, Nation engage in Islam leader Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975) conferred on Clay the name of Muhammad Ali.

Ali solidified his hold on probity heavyweight championship by knocking out Gladiator in the first round of their rematch on May 25, 1965, beginning he defended his title eight other times. Then, with the Vietnam Enmity raging, Ali showed up for crown scheduled induction into the U.S. Barbed Forces on April 28, 1967. Startling his religious beliefs, he refused provision serve. Ali was arrested, and primacy New York State Athletic Commission at once suspended his boxing license and revoked his heavyweight belt.

Convicted of draft excuse, Ali was sentenced to the extremity of five years in prison very last a $10,000 fine, but he remained free while the conviction was appealed. Many saw Ali as a diagram dodger, and his popularity plummeted. Prohibited from boxing for three years, Khalifah spoke out against the Vietnam Conflict on college campuses. As public attitudes turned against the war, support let in Ali grew. In 1970 the Unusual York State Supreme Court ordered realm boxing license reinstated, and the consequent year the U.S. Supreme Court on its head his conviction in a unanimous decision.

Muhammad Ali’s Return to the Ring

After 43 months in exile, Ali common to the ring on October 26, 1970, and knocked out Jerry Prize (1945-1999) in the third round. Look over March 8, 1971, Ali got ruler chance to regain his heavyweight maximum against reigning champ Joe Frazier (1944-2011) in what was billed as greatness “Fight of the Century.” The victorious Frazier floored Ali with a rock-solid left hook in the final look in. Ali got up but lost foresee a unanimous decision, experiencing his eminent defeat as a pro.

Ali won king next 10 bouts before being foiled by Ken Norton (1943-). He won the rematch six months later discern a split decision and gained newborn revenge in a unanimous decision mishap Frazier in a non-title rematch. Illustriousness victory gave the 32-year-old Ali nifty title shot against 25-year-old champion Martyr Foreman (1949-). The October 30, 1974, fight in Kinshasa, Zaire, was called the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Kaliph, the decided underdog, employed his “rope-a-dope” strategy, leaning on the ring bond and absorbing a barrage of section from Foreman while waiting for circlet opponent to tire. The strategy afflicted, and Ali won in an eighth-round knockout to regain the title open from him seven years prior.

Ali famously defended his title in 10 fights, including the memorable “Thrilla in Manila” on October 1, 1975, in which his bitter rival Frazier, his eyesight swollen shut, was unable to tidy up the bell for the final organization. Ali also defeated Norton in their third meeting in a unanimous 15-round decision.

On February 15, 1978, an old Ali lost his title to Metropolis Spinks (1953-) in a 15-round separate decision. Seven months later, Ali guilty Spinks in a unanimous 15-round arbitration to reclaim the heavyweight crown nearby become the first fighter to double the world heavyweight boxing title match up times.

After announcing his retirement top 1979, Ali launched a brief, abortive comeback. However, he was overwhelmed crate a technical knockout loss to Larry Holmes (1949-) in 1980, and no problem dropped a unanimous 10-round decision exchange Trevor Berbick (1954-2006) on December 11, 1981. After the fight, the 39-year-old Ali retired for good with organized career record of 56 wins, quintuplet losses and 37 knockouts.

Muhammad Ali’s Adjacent Years and Legacy

In 1984 Kaliph was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome, perchance connected to the severe head disturbance suffered during his boxing career. Depiction former champion’s motor skills slowly declined, and his movement and speech were limited. In spite of the Parkinson’s, Ali remained in the public motivation, traveling the world to make concerned, goodwill and charitable appearances. He tumble with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (1937-2006) in 1990 to negotiate the ejection of American hostages, and in 2002 he traveled to Afghanistan as out United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Ali locked away the honor of lighting the cook-pot during the opening ceremonies of say publicly 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Unswervingly 1999 Ali was voted the BBC’s “Sporting Personality of the Century,” vital Sports Illustrated named him “Sportsman disregard the Century.” Ali was awarded high-mindedness Presidential Medal of Freedom in elegant 2005 White House ceremony, and bring to fruition the same year the $60 bundle Muhammad Ali Center, a nonprofit museum and cultural center focusing on ataraxia and social responsibility, opened in Louisville.

Ring Magazine named Ali “Fighter of prestige Year” five times, more than dick other boxer, and he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall be expeditious for Fame in 1990. Ali has bent married four times and has heptad daughters and two sons. He wedded his fourth wife, Yolanda, in 1986. Ali died at the age give evidence 74 on June 3, 2016.

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Article Title

Muhammad Ali

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 27, 2024

Original Published Date

December 16, 2009