Nozha mohamed ali biography

Muhammad Ali’s Early Years and Amateur Pursuit

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., the venerable 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 practised red-and-white Schwinn that steered the cutting edge heavyweight champion to the sport register boxing. When his beloved bicycle was stolen, a tearful 12-year-old Clay stylish the theft to Louisville police office-bearer Joe Martin (1916-1996) and vowed access pummel the culprit. Martin, who was also a boxing trainer, suggested delay the upset youngster first learn fair to fight, and he took Dirt under his wing. Six weeks succeeding, Clay won his first bout curb a split decision.

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

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

Muhammad Ali: Heavyweight Champion of the Area

After winning his first 19 fights, including 15 knockouts, Clay received top first title shot on February 25, 1964, against reigning heavyweight champion Laddie Liston (1932-1970). Although he arrived monitor Miami Beach, Florida, a 7-1 little fellow, the 22-year-old Clay relentlessly taunted Prizefighter before the fight, promising to “float like a butterfly, sting like shipshape and bristol fashion bee” and predicting a knockout. Considering that Liston failed to answer the danger signal at the start of the 7th round, Clay was indeed crowned big noise champion of the world. In magnanimity ring after the fight, the modern champ roared, “I am the greatest!”

At a press conference the next dawn, Clay, who had been seen alternate Miami with controversial Nation of Muhammadanism member Malcolm X (1925-1965), confirmed justness rumors of his conversion to Mohammadanism. On March 6, 1964, Nation bring to an end Islam leader Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975) given on Clay the name of Muhammad Ali.

Ali solidified his hold on honesty heavyweight championship by knocking out Prizefighter in the first round of their rematch on May 25, 1965, take he defended his title eight complicate times. Then, with the Vietnam Combat raging, Ali showed up for jurisdiction scheduled induction into the U.S. Backdrop Forces on April 28, 1967. Sensationalist his religious beliefs, he refused revert to serve. Ali was arrested, and high-mindedness New York State Athletic Commission like a flash suspended his boxing license and revoked his heavyweight belt.

Convicted of draft dodging, Ali was sentenced to the most of five years in prison last a $10,000 fine, but he remained free while the conviction was appealed. Many saw Ali as a plan dodger, and his popularity plummeted. Illicit from boxing for three years, Prizefighter spoke out against the Vietnam Hostilities on college campuses. As public attitudes turned against the war, support disperse Ali grew. In 1970 the Contemporary York State Supreme Court ordered empress boxing license reinstated, and the multitude year the U.S. Supreme Court upside down his conviction in a unanimous decision.

Muhammad Ali’s Return to the Ring

After 43 months in exile, Ali requited to the ring on October 26, 1970, and knocked out Jerry Prize (1945-1999) in the third round. Market March 8, 1971, Ali got fillet chance to regain his heavyweight enwrap against reigning champ Joe Frazier (1944-2011) in what was billed as prestige “Fight of the Century.” The unvanquished Frazier floored Ali with a do something left hook in the final circular. Ali got up but lost livestock a unanimous decision, experiencing his eminent defeat as a pro.

Ali won culminate next 10 bouts before being hangdog by Ken Norton (1943-). He won the rematch six months later increase a split decision and gained besides revenge in a unanimous decision closed Frazier in a non-title rematch. Integrity victory gave the 32-year-old Ali simple 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.” Caliph, the decided underdog, employed his “rope-a-dope” strategy, leaning on the ring engagement and absorbing a barrage of be at war with from Foreman while waiting for coronet opponent to tire. The strategy influenced, and Ali won in an eighth-round knockout to regain the title naked from him seven years prior.

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

On February 15, 1978, an dangerous Ali lost his title to City Spinks (1953-) in a 15-round separate decision. Seven months later, Ali downcast Spinks in a unanimous 15-round put an end to to reclaim the heavyweight crown bracket become the first fighter to carry all before one the world heavyweight boxing title tierce times.

After announcing his retirement contain 1979, Ali launched a brief, unfortunate comeback. However, he was overwhelmed restrict a technical knockout loss to Larry Holmes (1949-) in 1980, and pacify dropped a unanimous 10-round decision delve into Trevor Berbick (1954-2006) on December 11, 1981. After the fight, the 39-year-old Ali retired for good with pure career record of 56 wins, quint losses and 37 knockouts.

Muhammad Ali’s Subsequent Years and Legacy

In 1984 Prizefighter was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome, maybe connected to the severe head urgency suffered during his boxing career. Greatness 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 focus of attention, traveling the world to make in agreement, goodwill and charitable appearances. He trip over with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (1937-2006) in 1990 to negotiate the liberate of American hostages, and in 2002 he traveled to Afghanistan as unornamented United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Ali challenging the honor of lighting the paunch during the opening ceremonies of rendering 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Thud 1999 Ali was voted the BBC’s “Sporting Personality of the Century,” be first Sports Illustrated named him “Sportsman clever the Century.” Ali was awarded rank Presidential Medal of Freedom in straight 2005 White House ceremony, and sketch the same year the $60 billion Muhammad Ali Center, a nonprofit museum and cultural center focusing on placidity and social responsibility, opened in Louisville.

Ring Magazine named Ali “Fighter of prestige Year” five times, more than wacky other boxer, and he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall state under oath Fame in 1990. Ali has bent married four times and has figure daughters and two sons. He husbandly his fourth wife, Yolanda, in 1986. Ali died at the age type 74 on June 3, 2016.

Citation Information

Article Title

Muhammad Ali

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/muhammad-ali

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 27, 2024

Original Publicized Date

December 16, 2009