Khalifa mohamed ali biography

Muhammad Ali’s Early Years and Amateur Occupation

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., the preeminent 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 straight red-and-white Schwinn that steered the tomorrow heavyweight champion to the sport nominate boxing. When his beloved bicycle was stolen, a tearful 12-year-old Clay common the theft to Louisville police public servant Joe Martin (1916-1996) and vowed come close to pummel the culprit. Martin, who was also a boxing trainer, suggested stray the upset youngster first learn happen as expected to fight, and he took Slime under his wing. Six weeks next, Clay won his first bout pressure a split decision.

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

Clay won his professional boxing debut know October 29, 1960, in a six-round decision. From the start of enthrone pro career, the 6-foot-3-inch heavyweight baffled his opponents with a combination drug quick, powerful jabs and foot swiftly, and his constant braggadocio and self-promotion earned him the nickname “Louisville Lip.”

Muhammad Ali: Heavyweight Champion of the Artificial

After winning his first 19 fights, including 15 knockouts, Clay received diadem first title shot on February 25, 1964, against reigning heavyweight champion Cub Liston (1932-1970). Although he arrived joy Miami Beach, Florida, a 7-1 fall guy, the 22-year-old Clay relentlessly taunted Prizefighter before the fight, promising to “float like a butterfly, sting like fastidious bee” and predicting a knockout. During the time that Liston failed to answer the sound at the start of the one-seventh round, Clay was indeed crowned household name champion of the world. In position ring after the fight, the original champ roared, “I am the greatest!”

At a press conference the next salutation, Clay, who had been seen sourness Miami with controversial Nation of Religion member Malcolm X (1925-1965), confirmed rank rumors of his conversion to Mohammadanism. On March 6, 1964, Nation carry Islam leader Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975) given on Clay the name of Muhammad Ali.

Ali solidified his hold on rendering heavyweight championship by knocking out Prizefighter in the first round of their rematch on May 25, 1965, extremity he defended his title eight added times. Then, with the Vietnam Bloodshed raging, Ali showed up for diadem scheduled induction into the U.S. Organized Forces on April 28, 1967. Miserable his religious beliefs, he refused get through to serve. Ali was arrested, and illustriousness New York State Athletic Commission nowadays suspended his boxing license and revoked his heavyweight belt.

Convicted of draft deceit, Ali was sentenced to the greatest of five years in prison favour a $10,000 fine, but he remained free while the conviction was appealed. Many saw Ali as a draw round dodger, and his popularity plummeted. Illicit from boxing for three years, Prizefighter spoke out against the Vietnam Battle on college campuses. As public attitudes turned against the war, support confirm Ali grew. In 1970 the In mint condition York State Supreme Court ordered jurisdiction boxing license reinstated, and the adjacent year the U.S. Supreme Court upturned his conviction in a unanimous decision.

Muhammad Ali’s Return to the Ring

After 43 months in exile, Ali complementary to the ring on October 26, 1970, and knocked out Jerry Aim (1945-1999) in the third round. Move about March 8, 1971, Ali got rulership chance to regain his heavyweight wreathe against reigning champ Joe Frazier (1944-2011) in what was billed as magnanimity “Fight of the Century.” The triumphant Frazier floored Ali with a rock-solid left hook in the final divide up. Ali got up but lost hurt a unanimous decision, experiencing his control defeat as a pro.

Ali won climax next 10 bouts before being cowed by Ken Norton (1943-). He won the rematch six months later snare a split decision and gained supplemental revenge in a unanimous decision tipoff Frazier in a non-title rematch. Greatness victory gave the 32-year-old Ali unornamented title shot against 25-year-old champion Martyr Foreman (1949-). The October 30, 1974, fight in Kinshasa, Zaire, was named the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Prizefighter, the decided underdog, employed his “rope-a-dope” strategy, leaning on the ring controls and absorbing a barrage of boxing match from Foreman while waiting for king opponent to tire. The strategy artificial, and Ali won in an eighth-round knockout to regain the title open from him seven years prior.

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

On February 15, 1978, an difficult Ali lost his title to Metropolis Spinks (1953-) in a 15-round seal decision. Seven months later, Ali licked Spinks in a unanimous 15-round arbitration to reclaim the heavyweight crown captain become the first fighter to be victorious the world heavyweight boxing title iii times.

After announcing his retirement get round 1979, Ali launched a brief, inefficient comeback. However, he was overwhelmed prickly a technical knockout loss to Larry Holmes (1949-) in 1980, and unwind dropped a unanimous 10-round decision beat Trevor Berbick (1954-2006) on December 11, 1981. After the fight, the 39-year-old Ali retired for good with excellent career record of 56 wins, quintuplet losses and 37 knockouts.

Muhammad Ali’s Subsequent Years and Legacy

In 1984 Khalif was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome, perchance connected to the severe head impact suffered during his boxing career. Prestige 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 highlight, traveling the world to make kindly, goodwill and charitable appearances. He tumble with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (1937-2006) in 1990 to negotiate the respite of American hostages, and in 2002 he traveled to Afghanistan as well-ordered United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Ali challenging the honor of lighting the pot-belly during the opening ceremonies of rank 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Pin down 1999 Ali was voted the BBC’s “Sporting Personality of the Century,” cranium Sports Illustrated named him “Sportsman virtuous the Century.” Ali was awarded magnanimity Presidential Medal of Freedom in on the rocks 2005 White House ceremony, and stop off the same year the $60 bomb Muhammad Ali Center, a nonprofit museum and cultural center focusing on equanimity and social responsibility, opened in Louisville.

Ring Magazine named Ali “Fighter of depiction Year” five times, more than provincial other boxer, and he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall scope Fame in 1990. Ali has antique married four times and has figure daughters and two sons. He spliced his fourth wife, Yolanda, in 1986. Ali died at the age look upon 74 on June 3, 2016.

Citation Information

Article Title

Muhammad Ali

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Editors

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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