Muhammad Ali
Born Cassius Clay, January 17 1942, USA
One of the most popular boxing legends ever, Ali is a household name as well as a sporting hero. He became a huge star, as famous for his love of talking, his overtly confident self hype and his political beliefs as much as for his boxing Ali’s journey to stardom began at the age of twelve, when the young Cassius Clay had his bike stolen. Reporting the crime to a policeman, Clay promised to “whup the ass” of whoever stole it. The policeman told him he’d have to learn to fight first, and so the story began.
Intensely devoted, the young Clay trained rigorously and six years later he turned pro, winning the first two fights of his career. In 1964, he predicts a win against Sonny Liston and true to his word the fight ends after six rounds. After the fight, Clay announces that he has become a member of the Nation of Islam (Black Muslims). He uses the name Muhammad Ali.
Three years later in ’67 Ali is drafted to serve for the US army in the Vietnam War. He refused giving grounds of conscientious objection. He was famous for quoting that he didn’t “have no quarrel with those Vietcong” adding, “aint no Vietcong ever called me nigger”. He is evoked of his licence to box in the US and does not fight in the country again until 1970.
He wins two fights after his return to the ring and in 1971 he challenges Joe Frazier for the Unified Heavyweight World Championship. This is an important fight to mark his comeback, but Ali loses. The fights against Frazier become a trilogy which span a period of four years, culminating in ’75 with a bought known as Thrilla in Manila. Having lost the first fight, won the second, Ali triumphs after Frazier cannot leave his corner to fight the final round. The fight was relentless and violent and one of Ali’s most credited performances.
Another of his famous fights from this date include his 1974 fight against George Foreman. A fight known as The Rumble in The Jungle. Foreman was undefeated and considered unstoppable in the ring. Foreman had also crushed Frazier who had recently beaten Ali. This made Ali the underdog and the odds were on a Foreman victory. Ali fought a clever and impressive fight. Ali lay on the ropes, allowing Foreman to wail away at his mid-section, whilst absorbing or deflecting the blows. This was a clever tactical manoeuvre by Ali to exhaust Foreman. Once he could see that his opponent had ‘run out of gas’ Ali knocked him out. The term rope-a-dope was coined from this fight.
Also during this period were the trilogy of matches against Frazier which span a period of four years, culminating in ’75 with a bought known as Thrilla in Manila, held in the Phillipines. Having lost the first fight, won the second, Ali triumphs after Frazier cannot leave his corner to fight the final round. The fight was relentless and violent and one of Ali’s most credited performances.
Ali retired during the years 1978-1980 when he made an unsuccessful and brief comeback. His last appearance in the ring was in 1981.
Ali remained a household name and saddened many fans when in the early 1980s he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Ali has not let the disease dampen his spirit and his famous personality is as strong as ever. He is father to nine children, his daughter Laila Ali is a professional female boxer.
