Muhammad Ali

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He joined the Nation of Islam in the early 1960s, but later transitioned to Sunni Islam in the mid-1970s after the death of its longtime leader, Elijah Muhammad. He won the world heavyweight championship, defeating Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. During that year, he denounced his birth name as a 'slave name' and formally changed his name to Muhammad Ali. In 1967, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, owing to his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War, and was found guilty of draft evasion and stripped of his boxing titles. He stayed out of prison while appealing the decision to the Supreme Court, where his conviction was overturned in 1971. He did not fight for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. Ali's actions as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War made him an icon for the larger counterculture of the 1960s generation, and he became a prominent, high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement and throughout his career. Ali fought in several highly publicized boxing matches, including fights with Liston, Joe Frazier (including the Fight of the Century, which at the time was the biggest boxing event, and the Thrilla in Manila), and George Foreman in The Rumble in the Jungle. At a time when many boxers let their managers do the talking, Ali became renowned for his provocative and outlandish persona. He was famous for trash talking, often free-styled with rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, and is identified as a pioneer in hip-hop. He often predicted in which round he would knock out his opponent. As a boxer, Ali was known for his unorthodox movement, footwork, head movement, and rope-a-dope technique, among others. Outside boxing, Ali performed as a spoken word artist, releasing two studio albums: I Am the Greatest! (1963) and The Adventures of Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay (1976). Both albums received Grammy Award nominations. He also featured as an actor and writer, releasing two autobiographies. Ali retired from boxing in 1981 and focused on religion, philanthropy, and activism. In 1984, he made pub

In Their Own Story

The lights in Kinshasa hummed with a heat that matched the humidity outside the stadium. Inside, George Foreman waited, a mountain of muscle and intimidation, while Muhammad Ali leaned back against the ropes. The crowd roared. When the bell rang, Ali absorbed Foreman's punches, letting him tire himself out. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Ali exploded forward, landing a flurry of blows that sent the giant crashing down in the eighth round, cementing a legend in the dust. Ali had entered as a 4-to-1 underdog.

Reader's Guide

Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. He began boxing at age 12 after his bicycle was stolen. He won six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden Gloves titles, and a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics. His amateur record was 100–8. He turned professional in 1960 and won the heavyweight title in 1964. He was stripped of his titles in 1967 for refusing the draft. He returned to win the undisputed championship in 1974. He retired in 1981. He died on June 3, 2016.

Did You Know?

• Ali was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated in 1999.
• Ali was named the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC in 1999.
• Ali's amateur record was 100 wins and 8 losses.
• Ali held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1967, not 1970, because he was stripped of the title in 1967.

Origins of the Clash

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Global Anticipation and Spectacle

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Controversial Rules and Negotiations

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The Fight and MMA Legacy

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