Poché Pictures
rich@pochepictures.com
rich@pochepictures.com
Disc 1
Ali vs. Liston I
Ali vs. Liston II
Disc 2
Ali vs. Patterson I
Disc 3
Ali vs. Chuvalo I
Ali vs. Cooper II
Ali vs. London
Disc 4
Ali vs. Mildenberger
Ali vs. C. Williams
Disc 5
Ali vs. Terrell
Ali vs. Folley
Disc 6
Ali vs. Quarry I
Ali vs. Bonavena
Disc 7
Ali vs. Frazier I
Ali-Frazier Pre Fight Press Conference
Disc 8
Ali vs. Ellis
Ali vs. Mathis
Disc 9
Ali vs. Blin
Ali vs. M. Foster
Ali vs. Chuvalo II
Disc 10
Ali vs. Quarry II
Ali vs. A. Lewis
Ali vs. Patterson II
Disc 11
Ali vs. B. Foster
Ali vs. Bugner I
Disc 12
Ali vs. Norton I
Ali vs. Norton II
Disc 13
Ali vs. Lubbers
Disc 14
Ali vs. Frazier II
Ali-Frazier Studio Brawl
Disc 15
Ali vs. Foreman
Ali vs. Wepner
Disc 16
Ali vs. Lyle
Ali vs. Bugner II
Disc 17
Ali vs. Frazier III
One Nation Divisible
Disc 18
Ali vs. Coopman
Ali vs. J. Young
Ali vs. Dunn
Disc 19
Ali vs. Norton III
Disc 20
Ali vs. Evangelista
Disc 21
Ali vs. Shavers
Disc 22
Ali vs. Spinks I
Disc 23
Ali vs. Spinks II
Disc 24
Ali vs. Holmes
Ali vs. Berbick
Disc 25
Ali vs. A. Johnson
Ali vs. Banks
Ali vs. Daniels
Ali vs. Moore
Ali vs. Jones
Disc 26
Ali vs. Cooper
Ali vs. Rocky Marciano
Ali vs. Michael Dokes (Exhibition)
Disc 27
Ali-Frazier Documentary
Disc 28
The Sweet Science
Sports Century
Disc 29
Ali Rap
Ali- Foreman on 60 Minutes
Disc 30
Cassius Clay's Greatest Hits
Cassius Clay The Early Years
Disc 31
Ringside King of the World
Disc 32
Ringside Banned From Boxing
Disc 33
Muhammad Ali- Through The Eyes of The World
Disc 34
King of The World (Movie)
Disc 35
The Greatest (Movie)
Disc 36
Ali on William F. Buckley show
Ali vs. Liston I
Ali vs. Liston II
Disc 2
Ali vs. Patterson I
Disc 3
Ali vs. Chuvalo I
Ali vs. Cooper II
Ali vs. London
Disc 4
Ali vs. Mildenberger
Ali vs. C. Williams
Disc 5
Ali vs. Terrell
Ali vs. Folley
Disc 6
Ali vs. Quarry I
Ali vs. Bonavena
Disc 7
Ali vs. Frazier I
Ali-Frazier Pre Fight Press Conference
Disc 8
Ali vs. Ellis
Ali vs. Mathis
Disc 9
Ali vs. Blin
Ali vs. M. Foster
Ali vs. Chuvalo II
Disc 10
Ali vs. Quarry II
Ali vs. A. Lewis
Ali vs. Patterson II
Disc 11
Ali vs. B. Foster
Ali vs. Bugner I
Disc 12
Ali vs. Norton I
Ali vs. Norton II
Disc 13
Ali vs. Lubbers
Disc 14
Ali vs. Frazier II
Ali-Frazier Studio Brawl
Disc 15
Ali vs. Foreman
Ali vs. Wepner
Disc 16
Ali vs. Lyle
Ali vs. Bugner II
Disc 17
Ali vs. Frazier III
One Nation Divisible
Disc 18
Ali vs. Coopman
Ali vs. J. Young
Ali vs. Dunn
Disc 19
Ali vs. Norton III
Disc 20
Ali vs. Evangelista
Disc 21
Ali vs. Shavers
Disc 22
Ali vs. Spinks I
Disc 23
Ali vs. Spinks II
Disc 24
Ali vs. Holmes
Ali vs. Berbick
Disc 25
Ali vs. A. Johnson
Ali vs. Banks
Ali vs. Daniels
Ali vs. Moore
Ali vs. Jones
Disc 26
Ali vs. Cooper
Ali vs. Rocky Marciano
Ali vs. Michael Dokes (Exhibition)
Disc 27
Ali-Frazier Documentary
Disc 28
The Sweet Science
Sports Century
Disc 29
Ali Rap
Ali- Foreman on 60 Minutes
Disc 30
Cassius Clay's Greatest Hits
Cassius Clay The Early Years
Disc 31
Ringside King of the World
Disc 32
Ringside Banned From Boxing
Disc 33
Muhammad Ali- Through The Eyes of The World
Disc 34
King of The World (Movie)
Disc 35
The Greatest (Movie)
Disc 36
Ali on William F. Buckley show
The following bouts/shows are
included in this set:
included in this set:
Muhammad Ali caree boxing DVD set:
$72.95
$72.95
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.; January 17, 1942) is a former American boxer and
three-time World Heavyweight Champion, who is widely considered one of the greatest heavyweight
championship boxers of all time. As an amateur, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at
the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.[1] After turning professional, he went on to become the first boxer
to win the lineal heavyweight championship three times.
Originally known as Cassius Clay, Ali changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964,
subsequently converting to Sunni Islam in 1975 and more recently to Sufism.[2] In 1967, Ali refused to be
inducted into the U.S. military based on his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. He was
arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges, stripped of his boxing title, and his boxing license was
suspended. He was not imprisoned, but did not fight again for nearly four years while his appeal worked
its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was successful.
Nicknamed "The Greatest", Ali was involved in several historic boxing matches. Notable among these are
three with rival Joe Frazier and one with George Foreman, whom he beat by knockout to win the world
heavyweight title for the second time. He suffered only five losses (four decisions and one TKO by
retirement from the bout) with no draws in his career, while amassing 56 wins (37 knockouts and 19
decisions).[3] Ali was well known for his unorthodox fighting style, which he described as "float like a
butterfly, sting like a bee", and employing techniques such as the rope-a-dope.[4] He was also known for
his pre-match hype, where he would "trash talk" opponents on television and in person some time before
the match, often with rhymes. These personality quips and idioms, along with an unorthodox fighting
technique, made him a cultural icon. In later life, Ali developed Parkinson's disease. In 1999, Ali was
crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century" by the
BBC.[5]
Biography
Amateur career and Olympic gold
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky.[6] The elder of two
boys, he was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., who was named for the 19th century
abolitionist and politician of the same name. His father painted billboards and signs,[6] and his mother,
Odessa Grady Clay, was a household domestic. Although Cassius Sr. was a Methodist, he allowed
Odessa to bring up both Cassius and his younger brother Rudolph "Rudy" Clay (later renamed Rahman
Ali) as Baptists.[7] He is a descendant of pre-Civil War era American slaves in the American South,[8]
and is predominantly of African-American descent with Irish and English ancestry.[9]
Clay was first directed toward boxing by the white Louisville police officer and boxing coach Joe E. Martin,
[10] who encountered the 12-year-old fuming over the theft of his bicycle.[11] However, without Martin's
knowledge, Clay also began training with Fred Stoner, an African-American trainer working at the local
community center.[12] In this way, Clay could make $4 a week on Tomorrow's Champions, a local, weekly
TV show that Martin hosted, while benefiting from the coaching of the more experienced Stoner, who
continued working with Clay throughout his amateur career.
Under Stoner's guidance, Cassius Clay won six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden
Gloves titles, an Amateur Athletic Union National Title, and the Light Heavyweight gold medal in the 1960
Summer Olympics in Rome.[13] Clay's amateur record was 100 wins with five losses.
Ali states (in his 1975 autobiography) that he threw his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio River after
being refused service at a 'whites-only' restaurant, and fighting with a white gang.[14] Whether this is true
is still debated, although he was given a replacement medal at a basketball intermission during the 1996
Olympics in Atlanta, where he lit the torch to start the games.
Early professional career
After his Olympic triumph, Clay returned to Louisville to begin his professional career. There, on October
29, 1960, he won his first professional fight, a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker, who was the
police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia.
Standing tall, at 6-ft, 3-in (1.91 m), Clay had a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer. Rather
than the normal style of carrying the hands high to defend the face, he instead relied on foot speed and
quickness to avoid punches and carried his hands low.
From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19–0, with 15 knockouts. He defeated boxers
such as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff,
Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockout), Doug Jones and Henry Cooper.
Clay built a reputation by correctly predicting the round in which he would "finish" several opponents, and
by boasting before his triumphs.[6] Clay admitted he adopted the latter practice from "Gorgeous" George
Wagner, a popular professional wrestling champion in the Los Angeles area who drew thousands of fans.
[6] Often referred to as "the man you loved to hate," George could incite the crowd with a few heated
remarks, and Ali followed suit.
Among Clay's victims were Sonny Banks (who knocked him down during the bout), Alejandro Lavorante,
and the aged Archie Moore (a boxing legend who had fought over 200 previous fights, and who had
been Clay's trainer prior to Angelo Dundee). Clay had considered continuing using Moore as a trainer
following the bout, but Moore had insisted that the cocky "Louisville Lip" perform training camp chores
such as sweeping and dishwashing. He also considered having his idol, Sugar Ray Robinson, as a
manager, but instead hired Dundee.
Clay first met Dundee when the latter was in Louisville with light heavyweight champ Willie Pastrano. The
teenaged Golden Gloves winner traveled downtown to the fighter's hotel, called Dundee from the house
phone, and was asked up to their room. He took advantage of the opportunity to query Dundee (who was
working with, or had, champions Sugar Ramos and Carmen Basilio) about what his fighters ate, how long
they slept, how much roadwork (jogging) they did, and how long they sparred.
Following his bout with Moore, Clay won a disputed 10-round decision over Doug Jones in a matchup that
was named "Fight of the Year" for 1963. Clay's next fight was against Henry Cooper, who knocked Clay
down with a left hook near the end of the fourth round. The fight was stopped in the fifth due to deep cuts
over Cooper's eyes.
Despite these close calls, Clay became the top contender for Sonny Liston's title. Despite his impressive
record, however, he was not widely expected to defeat the champ. The fight was scheduled for February
25, 1964 in Miami, Florida, but was nearly canceled when the promoter, Bill Faversham, heard that Clay
had been seen around Miami and in other cities with the controversial Malcolm X, a member of The
Nation of Islam. Because of this, news of this association was perceived as a potential gate-killer to a
bout where, given Liston's overwhelming status as the favorite to win (7–1 odds),[15] had Clay's colorful
persona and nonstop braggadocio as its sole appeal.
Faversham confronted Clay about his association with Malcolm X (who, at the time, was actually under
suspension by the Nation as a result of controversial comments made in the wake of President Kennedy's
assassination). While stopping short of admitting he was a member of the Nation, Clay protested the
suggested cancellation of the fight. As a compromise, Faversham asked the fighter to delay his
announcement about his conversion to Islam until after the fight. The incident is described in the 1975
book The Greatest: My Own Story by Ali (with Richard Durham).
During the weigh-in on the day before the bout, the ever-boastful Clay, who frequently taunted Liston
during the buildup by dubbing him "the big ugly bear" (among other things), declared that he would "float
like a butterfly and sting like a bee," and, summarizing his strategy for avoiding Liston's assaults, said,
"Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see."
First title fight and aftermath
Main article: Muhammad Ali versus Sonny Liston
At the pre-fight weigh-in, Clay's pulse rate was around 120, more than double his norm of 54.[16] Liston,
among others, misread this as nervousness. In the opening rounds, Clay's speed kept him away from
Liston's powerful head and body shots, as he used his height advantage to beat Liston to the punch with
his own lightning-quick jab.[16]
By the third round, Clay was ahead on points and had opened a cut under Liston's eye.[16] Liston
regained some ground in the fourth, as Clay was blinded by a substance in his eyes.[16] It is unconfirmed
whether this was something used to close Liston's cuts, or deliberately applied to Liston's gloves;[16]
however, Bert Sugar (author, boxing historian and insider) has recalled at least two other Liston fights in
which a similar situation occurred, suggesting the possibility that the Liston corner deliberately attempted
to cheat.
Liston began the fourth round looking to put away the challenger. As Clay struggled to recover his vision,
he sought to escape Liston's offensive. He was able to keep out of range until his sweat and tears rinsed
the substance from his eyes, responding with a flurry of combinations near the end of the fifth round. By
the sixth, he was looking for a finish and dominated Liston. Then, Liston shocked the boxing world when
he failed to answer the bell for the seventh round, stating he had a shoulder injury. At the end of the
fight, Clay boasted to the press that doubted him before the match, proclaiming, "I shook up the world!"
When Clay beat Liston, he was the youngest boxer (age 22) ever to take the title from a reigning
heavyweight champion, a mark that stood until Mike Tyson won the title from Trevor Berbick on 22
November 1986. At the time, Floyd Patterson (dethroned by Liston) had been the youngest heavyweight
champ ever (age 21), but he won the title during an elimination tournament following Rocky Marciano's
retirement by defeating Archie Moore, the light-heavyweight champion at the time.
In the rematch with Liston, which was held in May 1965 in Lewiston, Maine, Ali (who had by then publicly
converted to Islam and changed his name) won by knockout in the first round as a result of what came to
be called the "phantom punch." Many believe that Liston, possibly as a result of threats from Nation of
Islam extremists, or in an attempt to "throw" the fight to pay off debts, waited to be counted out (see
Muhammad Ali versus Sonny Liston). Others, however, discount both scenarios and insist that it was a
quick, chopping Ali punch to the side of the head that legitimately felled Liston.
Early title defenses
On November 22, 1965, Ali fought Floyd Patterson in his second title defense. Patterson lost by technical
knockout at the end of the 12th round. As would later occur with Ernie Terrell, many sportswriters
accused Ali of "carrying" Patterson so that he could physically punish him without knocking him out. Ali
countered that Patterson, who said his punching prowess was limited when he strained his sacroiliac, was
not as easy to down as may have appeared.
Ali was scheduled to fight WBA champion Ernie Terrell (the WBA stripped Ali of his title after his
agreement to fight a rematch with Liston) on March 29, 1966, but Terrell backed out. Ali won a 15-round
decision against substitute opponent George Chuvalo. He then went to England and defeated Henry
Cooper by stoppage on cuts May 21, and knocked out Brian London in the third round in August. Ali's
next defense was against German southpaw Karl Mildenberger, the first German to fight for the title since
Max Schmeling. In one of the tougher fights of his life, Ali stopped his opponent in round 12.
Ali returned to the United States in November 1966 to fight Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams in the Houston
Astrodome. According to the Sports Illustrated account, the bout drew an indoor world record 35,460 fight
fans. A year and a half before the fight, Williams had been shot in the stomach at point-blank range by a
Texas policeman. As a result, Williams went into the fight missing one kidney and 10 feet of his small
intestine, and with a shriveled left leg from nerve damage from the bullet. Ali beat Williams in three
rounds.
On February 6, 1967, Ali returned to a Houston boxing ring to fight Terrell in what became one of the
uglier fights in boxing. Terrell had angered Ali by calling him Clay, and the champion vowed to punish him
for this insult. During the fight, Ali kept shouting at his opponent, "What's my name, Uncle Tom ... What's
my name?" Terrell suffered 15 rounds of brutal punishment, losing 13 rounds on two judges' scorecards,
but Ali did not knock him out. Analysts, including several who spoke to ESPN on the sports channel's "Ali
Rap" special, speculated that the fight continued only because Ali wanted to thoroughly punish and
humiliate Terrell. After the fight, Tex Maule wrote, "It was a wonderful demonstration of boxing skill and a
barbarous display of cruelty." When asked about this during a replay of the fight on ABC's popular "Wide
World of Sports" by host Howard Cosell, Ali said he was not unduly cruel to Terrell- that boxers are paid
to punch all their opponents into submission or defeat. He pointed out that if he had not hit and hurt
Terrell, Terrell would have hit and hurt him, which is standard practice. Cosell's repeated reference to the
topic surprised Ali. Following his final defense against Zora Folley in March 1967 Ali would be stripped of
his title the following month for refusing to be drafted into the Army[6] and had his professional boxing
license suspended
Vietnam War
In 1964, Ali failed the U.S. Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were sub-
par. However, in early 1966, the tests were revised and Ali was reclassified as 1A.[6] This classification
meant he was now eligible for the draft and induction into the U.S. Army during a time when the United
States was involved in the Vietnam War. When notified of this status, he declared that he would refuse to
serve in the United States Army and publicly considered himself a conscientious objector.[6] Ali stated
that "War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are not
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 in 1966: "I ain't got no quarrel with them
Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger." Rare for a heavyweight boxing champion in those days, Ali
spoke at Howard University, where he gave his popular "Black Is Best" speech to 4,000 cheering students
and community intellectuals after he was invited to speak at Howard by a Howard sociology professor,
Nathan Hare, on behalf of the Black Power Committee, a student protest group.[19][20]
Appearing shortly thereafter for his scheduled induction into the U.S. Armed Forces on April 28, 1967 in
Houston, he refused three times to step forward at the call of his name. An officer warned him he was
committing a felony punishable by five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Once more, Ali refused to
budge when his name was called. As a result, he was arrested and on the same day the New York State
Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his title. Other boxing commissions
followed suit.
At the trial on June 20, 1967, after only 21 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Ali guilty.[6] After a
Court of Appeals upheld the conviction, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. During this time, the
public began turning against the war and support for Ali began to grow. Ali supported himself by speaking
at colleges and universities across the country, where opposition to the war was especially strong. On
June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court reversed his conviction for refusing induction by unanimous decision
in Clay v. United States.[6] The decision was not based on, nor did it address, the merits of Clay's/Ali's
claims per se; rather, the Government's failure to specify which claims were rejected and which were
sustained, constituted the grounds upon which the Court reversed the conviction.[21]
Quotes about Vietnam war
“ I ain't got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me Nigger.[22] ”
“ No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder kill and burn other people to simply help continue the
domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such
evil injustice must come to an end.[23] ”
“ Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs
and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs
and denied simple human rights?[22] ”
The Fight of the Century
Main article: Fight of the Century
In 1970, while his case was still on appeal, Ali was allowed to fight again. With the help of a State Senator,
[who?] he was granted a license to box in Georgia because it was the only state in America without a
boxing commission. In October 1970, he stopped Jerry Quarry on a cut after three rounds. Shortly after
the Quarry fight, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali had been unjustly denied a boxing
license. Once again able to fight in New York, he fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in
December 1970. After a tough 14 rounds, Ali stopped Bonavena in the 15th, paving the way for a title
fight against Joe Frazier, who was himself undefeated.
Ali and Frazier met in the ring on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. The fight, known as '"The
Fight of the Century," was one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of all time and remains one of the
most famous. It featured two skilled, undefeated fighters, both of whom had legitimate claims to the
heavyweight crown. Frank Sinatra—unable to acquire a ringside seat—took photos of the match for Life
magazine. Legendary boxing announcer Don Dunphy and actor and boxing aficionado Burt Lancaster
called the action for the broadcast, which reached millions of people. The fight lived up to the hype, and
Frazier punctuated his victory by flooring Ali with a hard, leaping left hook in the 15th and final round.
Frazier retained the title on a unanimous decision, dealing Ali his first professional loss.
In 1973, Ali fought Ken Norton, who broke Ali's jaw and won by split decision in 12 rounds. Ali won the
rematch, also by split decision, on September 10, 1973, which set up Ali-Frazier II, a nontitle rematch with
Joe Frazier, who had already lost his title to George Foreman. The bout was held on January 28, 1974,
with Ali winning a unanimous 12-round decision.
The Rumble in the Jungle
Main article: Rumble in the Jungle
In one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, Ali regained his title on October 30, 1974 by defeating
champion George Foreman in their bout in Kinshasa, Zaire. Hyped as "The Rumble In The Jungle", the
fight was promoted by Don King.
Almost no one, not even Ali's long-time supporter Howard Cosell, gave the former champion a chance of
winning. Analysts pointed out that Joe Frazier and Ken Norton had given Ali four tough battles in the ring
and won two of them, while Foreman had knocked out both of them in the second round. As a matter of
fact, so total was the domination that, in their bout, Foreman had knocked down Frazier an incredible six
times in only four minutes and 25 seconds.
During the bout, Ali employed an unexpected strategy. Leading up to the fight, he had declared he was
going to "dance" and use his speed to keep away from Foreman and outbox him. However, in the first
round, Ali headed straight for the champion and began scoring with a right hand lead, clearly surprising
Foreman. Ali caught Foreman nine times in the first round with this technique but failed to knock him out.
He then decided to take advantage of the young champion's weakness: staying power. Foreman had won
37 of his 40 bouts by knockout, mostly within three rounds. Eight of his previous bouts didn't go past the
second round. Ali saw an opportunity to outlast Foreman, and capitalized on it.
In the second round, the challenger retreated to the ropes—inviting Foreman to hit him, while
counterpunching and verbally taunting the younger man. Ali's plan was to enrage Foreman and absorb
his best blows to exhaust him mentally and physically. While Foreman threw wide shots to Ali's body, Ali
countered with stinging straight punches to Foreman's head. Foreman threw hundreds of punches in
seven rounds, but with decreasing technique and potency. Ali's tactic of leaning on the ropes, covering
up, and absorbing ineffective body shots was later termed "The Rope-A-Dope".
By the end of the seventh round, Foreman was exhausted. In the eighth round, Ali dropped Foreman with
a combination at center ring and Foreman failed to make the count. Against the odds, Ali had regained
the title.
The "Rumble in the Jungle" was the subject of a 1996 Academy Award winning documentary film, When
We Were Kings. The fight and the events leading up to it are extensively depicted in both John Herzfeld's
1997 docudrama Don King: Only in America and Michael Mann's 2001 docudrama, Ali.
The Thrilla in Manila
Main article: Thrilla in Manila
Ali being interviewed by WBAL-TV's Curt Anderson, 1978, Baltimore, MarylandIn March 1975, Ali faced
Chuck Wepner in a bout that inspired the original Rocky. While it was largely thought that Ali would
dominate, Wepner surprised everyone by not only knocking Ali down in the ninth round, but nearly going
the distance. Ali eventually stopped Wepner in the fading minutes of the 15th round. Following a title
defense with Ron Lyle, in July Ali faced Joe Bugner, winning a 15 round decision.
On October 1, 1975, Ali fought Joe Frazier for the third time.[6] The bout was promoted as the Thrilla in
Manila[6] by Don King, who had ascended to prominence following the Ali-Foreman fight. The anticipation
was enormous for this final clash between two great heavyweights. Ali believed Frazier was "over the hill"
by that point. Ali's frequent insults, slurs and demeaning poems increased the anticipation and
excitement for the fight, but also enraged a determined Frazier. Regarding the fight, Ali famously
remarked, "It will be a killa... and a chilla... and a thrilla... when I get the gorilla in Manila."
The fight lasted 14 grueling rounds in temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Ali won many
of the early rounds, but Frazier staged a comeback in the middle rounds, while Ali lay on the ropes. By
the late rounds, however, Ali had reasserted control and the fight was stopped when Frazier was unable
to answer the bell for the 15th and final round (his eyes were swollen closed). Frazier's trainer, Eddie
Futch, refused to allow Frazier to continue.
Subsequent bouts and retirement
In February 1976, Ali easily beat Jean-Pierre Coopman. In April 1976 he defeated Jimmy Young and then
Richard Dunn the following month, which would turn out to be Ali's last knockout victory. Following that
fight, he staged an exhibition match with professional wrestler and Mixed Martial Artist Antonio Inoki.[24]
Although widely perceived as a publicity stunt, the match against Inoki would have a long-term
detrimental affect on Ali's mobility. Inoki spent much of the fight on the ground trying to damage Ali’s legs,
while Ali spent most of the fight dodging the kicks or staying on the ropes.[25] At the end of 15 rounds,
the bout was called a draw. Ali's legs, however, were bleeding, leading to an infection. He suffered two
blood clots in his legs as well.[24]
In September 1976, at Yankee Stadium, Ali faced Ken Norton in their third fight, with Ali winning a close
but unanimous 15-round decision. 1977 saw Ali defend his title against Alfredo Evangelista and Earnie
Shavers. Fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco left Ali's camp following the Shavers fight after being rebuffed for
advising Ali to retire.
In February 1978, Ali lost the heavweight title to 1976 Olympics Champion Leon Spinks. On September
15, 1978, Ali fought a rematch in the New Orleans Louisiana Superdome against Spinks for the WBA
version of the Heavyweight title, winning it for a record third time. Ali retired following this victory on June
27, 1979, but returned in 1980 to face current champion Larry Holmes in an attempt to win a heavyweight
title an unprecedented four times. Angelo Dundee refused to let his man come out for the 11th round, in
what became Ali's only loss by anything other than a decision. Ali's final fight, a loss by unanimous
decision after 10 rounds, was to up-and-coming challenger Trevor Berbick in 1981.
Ali's legacy
Muhammad Ali defeated every top heavyweight in his era, which has been called the golden age of
heavyweight boxing. Ali was named "Fighter of the Year" by Ring Magazine more times than any other
fighter, and was involved in more Ring Magazine "Fight of the Year" bouts than any other fighter. He is an
inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and holds wins over seven other Hall of Fame
inductees. He is also one of only three boxers to be named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated.
In 1978, three years before Ali's permanent retirement, the Board of Aldermen in his hometown of
Louisville, Kentucky voted 6–5 to rename Walnut Street to Muhammad Ali Boulevard. This was
controversial at the time, as within a week 12 of the 70 street signs were stolen. Earlier that year, a
committee of the Jefferson County Public Schools considered renaming Central High School in his honor,
but the motion failed to pass. At any rate, in time, Muhammad Ali Boulevard—and Ali himself—came to be
well accepted in his hometown.[26]
In 1993, the Associated Press reported that Ali was tied with Babe Ruth as the most recognized athlete,
out of over 800 dead or alive athletes, in America. The study, conducted by Nye Lavalle's Sports
Marketing Group, found that over 97% of Americans, over 12-years of age, identified both Ali and Ruth.
[27]
He was the recipient of the 1997 Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
In retirement
Muhammad Ali in retirementAli was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984,[28][29] a disease for
which those subject to severe head trauma, such as boxers, are many times more susceptible.[30]
Despite the disability, he remains a beloved and active public figure. In 1985, he served as a guest
referee at the inaugural WrestleMania event.[31][32] In 1987 he was selected by the California
Bicentennial Foundation for the U.S. Constitution to personify the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and Bill
of Rights in various high profile activities. Ali rode on a float at the 1988 Tournament of Roses Parade,
launching the U.S. Constitution's 200th birthday commemoration. He also published an oral history,
Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times by Thomas Hauser, in 1991. That same year Ali traveled to Iraq
during the Gulf War and met with Saddam Hussein in an attempt to negotiate the release of American
hostages.[33] Ali received a Spirit of America Award calling him the most recognized American in the
world. In 1996, he had the honor of lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Muhammad Ali Center, alongside Interstate 64 on Louisville's riverfrontHe appeared at the 1998 AFL
(Australian Football League) Grand Final, where Anthony Pratt invited him to watch the game. He also
greets runners at the start line of the Los Angeles Marathon every year.
In 1999, the BBC produced a special version of its annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award
ceremony, and Ali was voted their Sports Personality of the Century,[34] receiving more votes than the
other four contenders combined. His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999,[35] 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."[36]
On September 13, 1999, Ali was named "Kentucky Athlete of the Century" by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of
Fame in ceremonies at the Galt House East.[37]
Ali's Presidential Medal of Freedom on display at the Ali CenterIn 2001, a biographical film, entitled Ali,
was made, directed by Michael Mann, with Will Smith starring as Ali. The film received mixed reviews, with
the positives generally attributed to the acting, as Smith and supporting actor Jon Voight earned
Academy Award nominations. Prior to making the Ali movie, Will Smith had continually rejected the role of
Ali until Muhammad Ali personally requested that he accept the role. According to Smith, the first thing Ali
said about the subject to Smith was: "You ain't pretty enough to play me."
On November 17, 2002, Muhammad Ali went to Afghanistan as "U.N. Messenger of Peace".[38] He was in
Kabul for a three-day goodwill mission as a special guest of the United Nations.[39]
On January 8, 2005, Muhammad Ali was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President
George W. Bush.
He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on November 9, 2005,[40]
[41] and the "Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold" of the United Nations Association of Germany (DGVN) in
Berlin for his work with the US civil rights movement and the United Nations (December 17, 2005).
As Mrs. Lonnie Ali looks on, President George W. Bush embraces Muhammad Ali after presenting him
with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 9, 2005, during ceremonies at the White House.On
November 19, 2005 (Ali's 19th wedding anniversary), the $60 million non-profit Muhammad Ali Center
opened in downtown Louisville. In addition to displaying his boxing memorabilia, the center focuses on
core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth.
According to the Ali Center website, "Since he retired from boxing, Ali has devoted himself to
humanitarian endeavors around the globe. He is a devout Muslim, and travels the world over, lending his
name and presence to hunger and poverty relief, supporting education efforts of all kinds, promoting
adoption and encouraging people to respect and better understand one another. It is estimated that he
has helped to provide more than 22 million meals to feed the hungry. Ali travels, on average, more than
200 days per year."
At the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 2, 2007, Ali was an honorary captain for the Louisville Cardinals
wearing their white jersey, number 19. Ali was accompanied by golf legend Arnold Palmer, who was the
honorary captain for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade.
A youth club in Ali's hometown and a species of rose (Rosa ali) have also been named after him. On
June 5, 2007, he received an honorary doctorate of humanities at Princeton University's 260th
graduation ceremony.[42]
Ali lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his fourth wife, Yolanda "Lonnie" Ali.[43] They own a house in Berrien
Springs, Michigan, which is for sale. On January 9, 2007, they purchased a house in eastern Jefferson
County, Kentucky for $1,875,000.[44] Lonnie converted to Islam from Catholicism in her late 20s.[45]
On the 17th of August 2009, it was voted unanimously by the town council of Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland to
make Ali the first Freeman of Ennis. Ennis was the birthplace of Ali's great grandfather before he
emigrated to the U.S. in the 1860s, before eventually settling in Kentucky.[46] On September 1, 2009, Ali
visited the town of Ennis and at a civic reception he received the honour of the freedom of the town.[47]
Ranking in heavyweight history
Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves are preserved in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American
HistoryAli is generally considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time by boxing
commentators and historians. Ring Magazine, a prominent boxing magazine, named him number 1 in a
1998 ranking of greatest heavyweights from all eras.[48]
Ali was named the second greatest fighter in boxing history by ESPN.com behind only welterweight and
middleweight great Sugar Ray Robinson.[49] In December 2007, ESPN listed Ali second in its choice of
the greatest heavyweights of all time, behind Joe Louis.[50]
Personal life
Muhammad Ali has been married four times and has seven daughters and two sons. Ali met his first wife,
cocktail waitress Sonji Roi, approximately one month before they married on August 14, 1964. Roi's
objections to certain Muslim customs in regard to dress for women contributed to the breakup of their
marriage. They divorced on January 10, 1966.
On August 17, 1967, Ali (aged 25) married 17-year old Belinda Boyd. After the wedding, she converted
to Islam and changed her name to Khalilah Ali, though she was still called Belinda by old friends and
family. They had four children: Maryum (b. 1968), Jamillah and Liban (b. 1970), and Muhammad Ali Jr. (b.
1972).[51]
In 1975, Ali began an affair with Veronica Porsche, an actress and model. By the summer of 1977, Ali's
second marriage was over and he had married Veronica.[52] At the time of their marriage, they had a
baby girl, Hana, and Veronica was pregnant with their second child. Their second daughter, Laila, was
born in December 1977. By 1986, Ali and Veronica were divorced.
On November 19, 1986, Ali married Yolanda Ali. They had been friends since 1964 in Louisville. They
have one adopted son, Asaad Amin, who they adopted when Amin was five.[51][53][54][55][56]
Ali has two other daughters, Miya and Khaliah, from extramarital relationships.[51][57]
Ali in the media and popular culture
Main article: Muhammad Ali in media and popular culture
As a world champion boxer and social activist, Ali has been the subject of numerous books, films and
other creative works. In 1963, he released an album of spoken word on Columbia Records titled I am the
Greatest! He has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on 37 different occasions, second only to
Michael Jordan.[58] His autobiography The Greatest: My Own Story, written with Richard Durham, was
published in 1975.[59] In 1977 the book was adapted into a film called The Greatest, in which Ali played
himself and Ernest Borgnine played Angelo Dundee. When We Were Kings, a 1996 documentary about
the Rumble in the Jungle, won an Academy Award,[60] and the 2001 biopic Ali garnered an Oscar
nomination for Will Smith's portrayal of the lead role.[61]
For contributions to the theater industry, Muhammed Ali was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk
of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.[62]
three-time World Heavyweight Champion, who is widely considered one of the greatest heavyweight
championship boxers of all time. As an amateur, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at
the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.[1] After turning professional, he went on to become the first boxer
to win the lineal heavyweight championship three times.
Originally known as Cassius Clay, Ali changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964,
subsequently converting to Sunni Islam in 1975 and more recently to Sufism.[2] In 1967, Ali refused to be
inducted into the U.S. military based on his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. He was
arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges, stripped of his boxing title, and his boxing license was
suspended. He was not imprisoned, but did not fight again for nearly four years while his appeal worked
its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was successful.
Nicknamed "The Greatest", Ali was involved in several historic boxing matches. Notable among these are
three with rival Joe Frazier and one with George Foreman, whom he beat by knockout to win the world
heavyweight title for the second time. He suffered only five losses (four decisions and one TKO by
retirement from the bout) with no draws in his career, while amassing 56 wins (37 knockouts and 19
decisions).[3] Ali was well known for his unorthodox fighting style, which he described as "float like a
butterfly, sting like a bee", and employing techniques such as the rope-a-dope.[4] He was also known for
his pre-match hype, where he would "trash talk" opponents on television and in person some time before
the match, often with rhymes. These personality quips and idioms, along with an unorthodox fighting
technique, made him a cultural icon. In later life, Ali developed Parkinson's disease. In 1999, Ali was
crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century" by the
BBC.[5]
Biography
Amateur career and Olympic gold
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky.[6] The elder of two
boys, he was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., who was named for the 19th century
abolitionist and politician of the same name. His father painted billboards and signs,[6] and his mother,
Odessa Grady Clay, was a household domestic. Although Cassius Sr. was a Methodist, he allowed
Odessa to bring up both Cassius and his younger brother Rudolph "Rudy" Clay (later renamed Rahman
Ali) as Baptists.[7] He is a descendant of pre-Civil War era American slaves in the American South,[8]
and is predominantly of African-American descent with Irish and English ancestry.[9]
Clay was first directed toward boxing by the white Louisville police officer and boxing coach Joe E. Martin,
[10] who encountered the 12-year-old fuming over the theft of his bicycle.[11] However, without Martin's
knowledge, Clay also began training with Fred Stoner, an African-American trainer working at the local
community center.[12] In this way, Clay could make $4 a week on Tomorrow's Champions, a local, weekly
TV show that Martin hosted, while benefiting from the coaching of the more experienced Stoner, who
continued working with Clay throughout his amateur career.
Under Stoner's guidance, Cassius Clay won six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden
Gloves titles, an Amateur Athletic Union National Title, and the Light Heavyweight gold medal in the 1960
Summer Olympics in Rome.[13] Clay's amateur record was 100 wins with five losses.
Ali states (in his 1975 autobiography) that he threw his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio River after
being refused service at a 'whites-only' restaurant, and fighting with a white gang.[14] Whether this is true
is still debated, although he was given a replacement medal at a basketball intermission during the 1996
Olympics in Atlanta, where he lit the torch to start the games.
Early professional career
After his Olympic triumph, Clay returned to Louisville to begin his professional career. There, on October
29, 1960, he won his first professional fight, a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker, who was the
police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia.
Standing tall, at 6-ft, 3-in (1.91 m), Clay had a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer. Rather
than the normal style of carrying the hands high to defend the face, he instead relied on foot speed and
quickness to avoid punches and carried his hands low.
From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19–0, with 15 knockouts. He defeated boxers
such as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff,
Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockout), Doug Jones and Henry Cooper.
Clay built a reputation by correctly predicting the round in which he would "finish" several opponents, and
by boasting before his triumphs.[6] Clay admitted he adopted the latter practice from "Gorgeous" George
Wagner, a popular professional wrestling champion in the Los Angeles area who drew thousands of fans.
[6] Often referred to as "the man you loved to hate," George could incite the crowd with a few heated
remarks, and Ali followed suit.
Among Clay's victims were Sonny Banks (who knocked him down during the bout), Alejandro Lavorante,
and the aged Archie Moore (a boxing legend who had fought over 200 previous fights, and who had
been Clay's trainer prior to Angelo Dundee). Clay had considered continuing using Moore as a trainer
following the bout, but Moore had insisted that the cocky "Louisville Lip" perform training camp chores
such as sweeping and dishwashing. He also considered having his idol, Sugar Ray Robinson, as a
manager, but instead hired Dundee.
Clay first met Dundee when the latter was in Louisville with light heavyweight champ Willie Pastrano. The
teenaged Golden Gloves winner traveled downtown to the fighter's hotel, called Dundee from the house
phone, and was asked up to their room. He took advantage of the opportunity to query Dundee (who was
working with, or had, champions Sugar Ramos and Carmen Basilio) about what his fighters ate, how long
they slept, how much roadwork (jogging) they did, and how long they sparred.
Following his bout with Moore, Clay won a disputed 10-round decision over Doug Jones in a matchup that
was named "Fight of the Year" for 1963. Clay's next fight was against Henry Cooper, who knocked Clay
down with a left hook near the end of the fourth round. The fight was stopped in the fifth due to deep cuts
over Cooper's eyes.
Despite these close calls, Clay became the top contender for Sonny Liston's title. Despite his impressive
record, however, he was not widely expected to defeat the champ. The fight was scheduled for February
25, 1964 in Miami, Florida, but was nearly canceled when the promoter, Bill Faversham, heard that Clay
had been seen around Miami and in other cities with the controversial Malcolm X, a member of The
Nation of Islam. Because of this, news of this association was perceived as a potential gate-killer to a
bout where, given Liston's overwhelming status as the favorite to win (7–1 odds),[15] had Clay's colorful
persona and nonstop braggadocio as its sole appeal.
Faversham confronted Clay about his association with Malcolm X (who, at the time, was actually under
suspension by the Nation as a result of controversial comments made in the wake of President Kennedy's
assassination). While stopping short of admitting he was a member of the Nation, Clay protested the
suggested cancellation of the fight. As a compromise, Faversham asked the fighter to delay his
announcement about his conversion to Islam until after the fight. The incident is described in the 1975
book The Greatest: My Own Story by Ali (with Richard Durham).
During the weigh-in on the day before the bout, the ever-boastful Clay, who frequently taunted Liston
during the buildup by dubbing him "the big ugly bear" (among other things), declared that he would "float
like a butterfly and sting like a bee," and, summarizing his strategy for avoiding Liston's assaults, said,
"Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see."
First title fight and aftermath
Main article: Muhammad Ali versus Sonny Liston
At the pre-fight weigh-in, Clay's pulse rate was around 120, more than double his norm of 54.[16] Liston,
among others, misread this as nervousness. In the opening rounds, Clay's speed kept him away from
Liston's powerful head and body shots, as he used his height advantage to beat Liston to the punch with
his own lightning-quick jab.[16]
By the third round, Clay was ahead on points and had opened a cut under Liston's eye.[16] Liston
regained some ground in the fourth, as Clay was blinded by a substance in his eyes.[16] It is unconfirmed
whether this was something used to close Liston's cuts, or deliberately applied to Liston's gloves;[16]
however, Bert Sugar (author, boxing historian and insider) has recalled at least two other Liston fights in
which a similar situation occurred, suggesting the possibility that the Liston corner deliberately attempted
to cheat.
Liston began the fourth round looking to put away the challenger. As Clay struggled to recover his vision,
he sought to escape Liston's offensive. He was able to keep out of range until his sweat and tears rinsed
the substance from his eyes, responding with a flurry of combinations near the end of the fifth round. By
the sixth, he was looking for a finish and dominated Liston. Then, Liston shocked the boxing world when
he failed to answer the bell for the seventh round, stating he had a shoulder injury. At the end of the
fight, Clay boasted to the press that doubted him before the match, proclaiming, "I shook up the world!"
When Clay beat Liston, he was the youngest boxer (age 22) ever to take the title from a reigning
heavyweight champion, a mark that stood until Mike Tyson won the title from Trevor Berbick on 22
November 1986. At the time, Floyd Patterson (dethroned by Liston) had been the youngest heavyweight
champ ever (age 21), but he won the title during an elimination tournament following Rocky Marciano's
retirement by defeating Archie Moore, the light-heavyweight champion at the time.
In the rematch with Liston, which was held in May 1965 in Lewiston, Maine, Ali (who had by then publicly
converted to Islam and changed his name) won by knockout in the first round as a result of what came to
be called the "phantom punch." Many believe that Liston, possibly as a result of threats from Nation of
Islam extremists, or in an attempt to "throw" the fight to pay off debts, waited to be counted out (see
Muhammad Ali versus Sonny Liston). Others, however, discount both scenarios and insist that it was a
quick, chopping Ali punch to the side of the head that legitimately felled Liston.
Early title defenses
On November 22, 1965, Ali fought Floyd Patterson in his second title defense. Patterson lost by technical
knockout at the end of the 12th round. As would later occur with Ernie Terrell, many sportswriters
accused Ali of "carrying" Patterson so that he could physically punish him without knocking him out. Ali
countered that Patterson, who said his punching prowess was limited when he strained his sacroiliac, was
not as easy to down as may have appeared.
Ali was scheduled to fight WBA champion Ernie Terrell (the WBA stripped Ali of his title after his
agreement to fight a rematch with Liston) on March 29, 1966, but Terrell backed out. Ali won a 15-round
decision against substitute opponent George Chuvalo. He then went to England and defeated Henry
Cooper by stoppage on cuts May 21, and knocked out Brian London in the third round in August. Ali's
next defense was against German southpaw Karl Mildenberger, the first German to fight for the title since
Max Schmeling. In one of the tougher fights of his life, Ali stopped his opponent in round 12.
Ali returned to the United States in November 1966 to fight Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams in the Houston
Astrodome. According to the Sports Illustrated account, the bout drew an indoor world record 35,460 fight
fans. A year and a half before the fight, Williams had been shot in the stomach at point-blank range by a
Texas policeman. As a result, Williams went into the fight missing one kidney and 10 feet of his small
intestine, and with a shriveled left leg from nerve damage from the bullet. Ali beat Williams in three
rounds.
On February 6, 1967, Ali returned to a Houston boxing ring to fight Terrell in what became one of the
uglier fights in boxing. Terrell had angered Ali by calling him Clay, and the champion vowed to punish him
for this insult. During the fight, Ali kept shouting at his opponent, "What's my name, Uncle Tom ... What's
my name?" Terrell suffered 15 rounds of brutal punishment, losing 13 rounds on two judges' scorecards,
but Ali did not knock him out. Analysts, including several who spoke to ESPN on the sports channel's "Ali
Rap" special, speculated that the fight continued only because Ali wanted to thoroughly punish and
humiliate Terrell. After the fight, Tex Maule wrote, "It was a wonderful demonstration of boxing skill and a
barbarous display of cruelty." When asked about this during a replay of the fight on ABC's popular "Wide
World of Sports" by host Howard Cosell, Ali said he was not unduly cruel to Terrell- that boxers are paid
to punch all their opponents into submission or defeat. He pointed out that if he had not hit and hurt
Terrell, Terrell would have hit and hurt him, which is standard practice. Cosell's repeated reference to the
topic surprised Ali. Following his final defense against Zora Folley in March 1967 Ali would be stripped of
his title the following month for refusing to be drafted into the Army[6] and had his professional boxing
license suspended
Vietnam War
In 1964, Ali failed the U.S. Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were sub-
par. However, in early 1966, the tests were revised and Ali was reclassified as 1A.[6] This classification
meant he was now eligible for the draft and induction into the U.S. Army during a time when the United
States was involved in the Vietnam War. When notified of this status, he declared that he would refuse to
serve in the United States Army and publicly considered himself a conscientious objector.[6] Ali stated
that "War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are not
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 in 1966: "I ain't got no quarrel with them
Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger." Rare for a heavyweight boxing champion in those days, Ali
spoke at Howard University, where he gave his popular "Black Is Best" speech to 4,000 cheering students
and community intellectuals after he was invited to speak at Howard by a Howard sociology professor,
Nathan Hare, on behalf of the Black Power Committee, a student protest group.[19][20]
Appearing shortly thereafter for his scheduled induction into the U.S. Armed Forces on April 28, 1967 in
Houston, he refused three times to step forward at the call of his name. An officer warned him he was
committing a felony punishable by five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Once more, Ali refused to
budge when his name was called. As a result, he was arrested and on the same day the New York State
Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his title. Other boxing commissions
followed suit.
At the trial on June 20, 1967, after only 21 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Ali guilty.[6] After a
Court of Appeals upheld the conviction, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. During this time, the
public began turning against the war and support for Ali began to grow. Ali supported himself by speaking
at colleges and universities across the country, where opposition to the war was especially strong. On
June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court reversed his conviction for refusing induction by unanimous decision
in Clay v. United States.[6] The decision was not based on, nor did it address, the merits of Clay's/Ali's
claims per se; rather, the Government's failure to specify which claims were rejected and which were
sustained, constituted the grounds upon which the Court reversed the conviction.[21]
Quotes about Vietnam war
“ I ain't got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me Nigger.[22] ”
“ No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder kill and burn other people to simply help continue the
domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such
evil injustice must come to an end.[23] ”
“ Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs
and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs
and denied simple human rights?[22] ”
The Fight of the Century
Main article: Fight of the Century
In 1970, while his case was still on appeal, Ali was allowed to fight again. With the help of a State Senator,
[who?] he was granted a license to box in Georgia because it was the only state in America without a
boxing commission. In October 1970, he stopped Jerry Quarry on a cut after three rounds. Shortly after
the Quarry fight, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali had been unjustly denied a boxing
license. Once again able to fight in New York, he fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in
December 1970. After a tough 14 rounds, Ali stopped Bonavena in the 15th, paving the way for a title
fight against Joe Frazier, who was himself undefeated.
Ali and Frazier met in the ring on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. The fight, known as '"The
Fight of the Century," was one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of all time and remains one of the
most famous. It featured two skilled, undefeated fighters, both of whom had legitimate claims to the
heavyweight crown. Frank Sinatra—unable to acquire a ringside seat—took photos of the match for Life
magazine. Legendary boxing announcer Don Dunphy and actor and boxing aficionado Burt Lancaster
called the action for the broadcast, which reached millions of people. The fight lived up to the hype, and
Frazier punctuated his victory by flooring Ali with a hard, leaping left hook in the 15th and final round.
Frazier retained the title on a unanimous decision, dealing Ali his first professional loss.
In 1973, Ali fought Ken Norton, who broke Ali's jaw and won by split decision in 12 rounds. Ali won the
rematch, also by split decision, on September 10, 1973, which set up Ali-Frazier II, a nontitle rematch with
Joe Frazier, who had already lost his title to George Foreman. The bout was held on January 28, 1974,
with Ali winning a unanimous 12-round decision.
The Rumble in the Jungle
Main article: Rumble in the Jungle
In one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, Ali regained his title on October 30, 1974 by defeating
champion George Foreman in their bout in Kinshasa, Zaire. Hyped as "The Rumble In The Jungle", the
fight was promoted by Don King.
Almost no one, not even Ali's long-time supporter Howard Cosell, gave the former champion a chance of
winning. Analysts pointed out that Joe Frazier and Ken Norton had given Ali four tough battles in the ring
and won two of them, while Foreman had knocked out both of them in the second round. As a matter of
fact, so total was the domination that, in their bout, Foreman had knocked down Frazier an incredible six
times in only four minutes and 25 seconds.
During the bout, Ali employed an unexpected strategy. Leading up to the fight, he had declared he was
going to "dance" and use his speed to keep away from Foreman and outbox him. However, in the first
round, Ali headed straight for the champion and began scoring with a right hand lead, clearly surprising
Foreman. Ali caught Foreman nine times in the first round with this technique but failed to knock him out.
He then decided to take advantage of the young champion's weakness: staying power. Foreman had won
37 of his 40 bouts by knockout, mostly within three rounds. Eight of his previous bouts didn't go past the
second round. Ali saw an opportunity to outlast Foreman, and capitalized on it.
In the second round, the challenger retreated to the ropes—inviting Foreman to hit him, while
counterpunching and verbally taunting the younger man. Ali's plan was to enrage Foreman and absorb
his best blows to exhaust him mentally and physically. While Foreman threw wide shots to Ali's body, Ali
countered with stinging straight punches to Foreman's head. Foreman threw hundreds of punches in
seven rounds, but with decreasing technique and potency. Ali's tactic of leaning on the ropes, covering
up, and absorbing ineffective body shots was later termed "The Rope-A-Dope".
By the end of the seventh round, Foreman was exhausted. In the eighth round, Ali dropped Foreman with
a combination at center ring and Foreman failed to make the count. Against the odds, Ali had regained
the title.
The "Rumble in the Jungle" was the subject of a 1996 Academy Award winning documentary film, When
We Were Kings. The fight and the events leading up to it are extensively depicted in both John Herzfeld's
1997 docudrama Don King: Only in America and Michael Mann's 2001 docudrama, Ali.
The Thrilla in Manila
Main article: Thrilla in Manila
Ali being interviewed by WBAL-TV's Curt Anderson, 1978, Baltimore, MarylandIn March 1975, Ali faced
Chuck Wepner in a bout that inspired the original Rocky. While it was largely thought that Ali would
dominate, Wepner surprised everyone by not only knocking Ali down in the ninth round, but nearly going
the distance. Ali eventually stopped Wepner in the fading minutes of the 15th round. Following a title
defense with Ron Lyle, in July Ali faced Joe Bugner, winning a 15 round decision.
On October 1, 1975, Ali fought Joe Frazier for the third time.[6] The bout was promoted as the Thrilla in
Manila[6] by Don King, who had ascended to prominence following the Ali-Foreman fight. The anticipation
was enormous for this final clash between two great heavyweights. Ali believed Frazier was "over the hill"
by that point. Ali's frequent insults, slurs and demeaning poems increased the anticipation and
excitement for the fight, but also enraged a determined Frazier. Regarding the fight, Ali famously
remarked, "It will be a killa... and a chilla... and a thrilla... when I get the gorilla in Manila."
The fight lasted 14 grueling rounds in temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Ali won many
of the early rounds, but Frazier staged a comeback in the middle rounds, while Ali lay on the ropes. By
the late rounds, however, Ali had reasserted control and the fight was stopped when Frazier was unable
to answer the bell for the 15th and final round (his eyes were swollen closed). Frazier's trainer, Eddie
Futch, refused to allow Frazier to continue.
Subsequent bouts and retirement
In February 1976, Ali easily beat Jean-Pierre Coopman. In April 1976 he defeated Jimmy Young and then
Richard Dunn the following month, which would turn out to be Ali's last knockout victory. Following that
fight, he staged an exhibition match with professional wrestler and Mixed Martial Artist Antonio Inoki.[24]
Although widely perceived as a publicity stunt, the match against Inoki would have a long-term
detrimental affect on Ali's mobility. Inoki spent much of the fight on the ground trying to damage Ali’s legs,
while Ali spent most of the fight dodging the kicks or staying on the ropes.[25] At the end of 15 rounds,
the bout was called a draw. Ali's legs, however, were bleeding, leading to an infection. He suffered two
blood clots in his legs as well.[24]
In September 1976, at Yankee Stadium, Ali faced Ken Norton in their third fight, with Ali winning a close
but unanimous 15-round decision. 1977 saw Ali defend his title against Alfredo Evangelista and Earnie
Shavers. Fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco left Ali's camp following the Shavers fight after being rebuffed for
advising Ali to retire.
In February 1978, Ali lost the heavweight title to 1976 Olympics Champion Leon Spinks. On September
15, 1978, Ali fought a rematch in the New Orleans Louisiana Superdome against Spinks for the WBA
version of the Heavyweight title, winning it for a record third time. Ali retired following this victory on June
27, 1979, but returned in 1980 to face current champion Larry Holmes in an attempt to win a heavyweight
title an unprecedented four times. Angelo Dundee refused to let his man come out for the 11th round, in
what became Ali's only loss by anything other than a decision. Ali's final fight, a loss by unanimous
decision after 10 rounds, was to up-and-coming challenger Trevor Berbick in 1981.
Ali's legacy
Muhammad Ali defeated every top heavyweight in his era, which has been called the golden age of
heavyweight boxing. Ali was named "Fighter of the Year" by Ring Magazine more times than any other
fighter, and was involved in more Ring Magazine "Fight of the Year" bouts than any other fighter. He is an
inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and holds wins over seven other Hall of Fame
inductees. He is also one of only three boxers to be named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated.
In 1978, three years before Ali's permanent retirement, the Board of Aldermen in his hometown of
Louisville, Kentucky voted 6–5 to rename Walnut Street to Muhammad Ali Boulevard. This was
controversial at the time, as within a week 12 of the 70 street signs were stolen. Earlier that year, a
committee of the Jefferson County Public Schools considered renaming Central High School in his honor,
but the motion failed to pass. At any rate, in time, Muhammad Ali Boulevard—and Ali himself—came to be
well accepted in his hometown.[26]
In 1993, the Associated Press reported that Ali was tied with Babe Ruth as the most recognized athlete,
out of over 800 dead or alive athletes, in America. The study, conducted by Nye Lavalle's Sports
Marketing Group, found that over 97% of Americans, over 12-years of age, identified both Ali and Ruth.
[27]
He was the recipient of the 1997 Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
In retirement
Muhammad Ali in retirementAli was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984,[28][29] a disease for
which those subject to severe head trauma, such as boxers, are many times more susceptible.[30]
Despite the disability, he remains a beloved and active public figure. In 1985, he served as a guest
referee at the inaugural WrestleMania event.[31][32] In 1987 he was selected by the California
Bicentennial Foundation for the U.S. Constitution to personify the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and Bill
of Rights in various high profile activities. Ali rode on a float at the 1988 Tournament of Roses Parade,
launching the U.S. Constitution's 200th birthday commemoration. He also published an oral history,
Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times by Thomas Hauser, in 1991. That same year Ali traveled to Iraq
during the Gulf War and met with Saddam Hussein in an attempt to negotiate the release of American
hostages.[33] Ali received a Spirit of America Award calling him the most recognized American in the
world. In 1996, he had the honor of lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Muhammad Ali Center, alongside Interstate 64 on Louisville's riverfrontHe appeared at the 1998 AFL
(Australian Football League) Grand Final, where Anthony Pratt invited him to watch the game. He also
greets runners at the start line of the Los Angeles Marathon every year.
In 1999, the BBC produced a special version of its annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award
ceremony, and Ali was voted their Sports Personality of the Century,[34] receiving more votes than the
other four contenders combined. His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999,[35] 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."[36]
On September 13, 1999, Ali was named "Kentucky Athlete of the Century" by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of
Fame in ceremonies at the Galt House East.[37]
Ali's Presidential Medal of Freedom on display at the Ali CenterIn 2001, a biographical film, entitled Ali,
was made, directed by Michael Mann, with Will Smith starring as Ali. The film received mixed reviews, with
the positives generally attributed to the acting, as Smith and supporting actor Jon Voight earned
Academy Award nominations. Prior to making the Ali movie, Will Smith had continually rejected the role of
Ali until Muhammad Ali personally requested that he accept the role. According to Smith, the first thing Ali
said about the subject to Smith was: "You ain't pretty enough to play me."
On November 17, 2002, Muhammad Ali went to Afghanistan as "U.N. Messenger of Peace".[38] He was in
Kabul for a three-day goodwill mission as a special guest of the United Nations.[39]
On January 8, 2005, Muhammad Ali was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President
George W. Bush.
He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on November 9, 2005,[40]
[41] and the "Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold" of the United Nations Association of Germany (DGVN) in
Berlin for his work with the US civil rights movement and the United Nations (December 17, 2005).
As Mrs. Lonnie Ali looks on, President George W. Bush embraces Muhammad Ali after presenting him
with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 9, 2005, during ceremonies at the White House.On
November 19, 2005 (Ali's 19th wedding anniversary), the $60 million non-profit Muhammad Ali Center
opened in downtown Louisville. In addition to displaying his boxing memorabilia, the center focuses on
core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth.
According to the Ali Center website, "Since he retired from boxing, Ali has devoted himself to
humanitarian endeavors around the globe. He is a devout Muslim, and travels the world over, lending his
name and presence to hunger and poverty relief, supporting education efforts of all kinds, promoting
adoption and encouraging people to respect and better understand one another. It is estimated that he
has helped to provide more than 22 million meals to feed the hungry. Ali travels, on average, more than
200 days per year."
At the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 2, 2007, Ali was an honorary captain for the Louisville Cardinals
wearing their white jersey, number 19. Ali was accompanied by golf legend Arnold Palmer, who was the
honorary captain for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade.
A youth club in Ali's hometown and a species of rose (Rosa ali) have also been named after him. On
June 5, 2007, he received an honorary doctorate of humanities at Princeton University's 260th
graduation ceremony.[42]
Ali lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his fourth wife, Yolanda "Lonnie" Ali.[43] They own a house in Berrien
Springs, Michigan, which is for sale. On January 9, 2007, they purchased a house in eastern Jefferson
County, Kentucky for $1,875,000.[44] Lonnie converted to Islam from Catholicism in her late 20s.[45]
On the 17th of August 2009, it was voted unanimously by the town council of Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland to
make Ali the first Freeman of Ennis. Ennis was the birthplace of Ali's great grandfather before he
emigrated to the U.S. in the 1860s, before eventually settling in Kentucky.[46] On September 1, 2009, Ali
visited the town of Ennis and at a civic reception he received the honour of the freedom of the town.[47]
Ranking in heavyweight history
Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves are preserved in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American
HistoryAli is generally considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time by boxing
commentators and historians. Ring Magazine, a prominent boxing magazine, named him number 1 in a
1998 ranking of greatest heavyweights from all eras.[48]
Ali was named the second greatest fighter in boxing history by ESPN.com behind only welterweight and
middleweight great Sugar Ray Robinson.[49] In December 2007, ESPN listed Ali second in its choice of
the greatest heavyweights of all time, behind Joe Louis.[50]
Personal life
Muhammad Ali has been married four times and has seven daughters and two sons. Ali met his first wife,
cocktail waitress Sonji Roi, approximately one month before they married on August 14, 1964. Roi's
objections to certain Muslim customs in regard to dress for women contributed to the breakup of their
marriage. They divorced on January 10, 1966.
On August 17, 1967, Ali (aged 25) married 17-year old Belinda Boyd. After the wedding, she converted
to Islam and changed her name to Khalilah Ali, though she was still called Belinda by old friends and
family. They had four children: Maryum (b. 1968), Jamillah and Liban (b. 1970), and Muhammad Ali Jr. (b.
1972).[51]
In 1975, Ali began an affair with Veronica Porsche, an actress and model. By the summer of 1977, Ali's
second marriage was over and he had married Veronica.[52] At the time of their marriage, they had a
baby girl, Hana, and Veronica was pregnant with their second child. Their second daughter, Laila, was
born in December 1977. By 1986, Ali and Veronica were divorced.
On November 19, 1986, Ali married Yolanda Ali. They had been friends since 1964 in Louisville. They
have one adopted son, Asaad Amin, who they adopted when Amin was five.[51][53][54][55][56]
Ali has two other daughters, Miya and Khaliah, from extramarital relationships.[51][57]
Ali in the media and popular culture
Main article: Muhammad Ali in media and popular culture
As a world champion boxer and social activist, Ali has been the subject of numerous books, films and
other creative works. In 1963, he released an album of spoken word on Columbia Records titled I am the
Greatest! He has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on 37 different occasions, second only to
Michael Jordan.[58] His autobiography The Greatest: My Own Story, written with Richard Durham, was
published in 1975.[59] In 1977 the book was adapted into a film called The Greatest, in which Ali played
himself and Ernest Borgnine played Angelo Dundee. When We Were Kings, a 1996 documentary about
the Rumble in the Jungle, won an Academy Award,[60] and the 2001 biopic Ali garnered an Oscar
nomination for Will Smith's portrayal of the lead role.[61]
For contributions to the theater industry, Muhammed Ali was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk
of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.[62]