Throughout history there have been many influential people who have lived in this country. Some were politicians, some were actors, and some were even athletes. One such man was a gifted boxer named Muhammad Ali. He made his mark as an amateur, then as a professional. "The Greatest" was the self-proclaimed nickname of Ali, but so many people agreed that it stuck. He went through trials and tribulations in his life, which make him a historic icon. Muhammad Ali is known for being "The Greatest" boxer of all time, but unlike other athletes he is remembered for his out of the ring actions as well as his athletic accomplishments. Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Mercellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Cassius …show more content…
In 1960 he decided it was time to take his skills to the Olympics. In order to do so he had to get a job to pay for all the expenses that the Olympics entail. He worked as a "houseboy" for Billy Reynolds, the heir to the Reynolds aluminum foil fortune (Conklin 26-27). The eighteen-year-old was now six feet, two inches tall and weighed 178 pounds of pure muscle. Clay easily beat the European champion, Zbigniew Pietrzykowski, to win the light-heavyweight gold medal. All that was left was to go pro. On October 29, 1960 Cassius Clay made his a professional debut with a six round unanimous decision over Tunney Hunsaker. Cassius made all arrangements for the fight and he even trained himself. After having trouble with a less talented Hunsaker, Ali decided to hire a trainer. He went through many trainers until he found Angelo Dundee. Clay won his first world heavyweight championship on February 25, 1964. He beat Sonny Liston in six rounds. Liston refused to leave his corner for the seventh round. Almost directly after the fight, Clay told the world that he was now to be called Cassius X because of his affiliation with Islam. A month later he announced his name was to be Muhammad Ali which was the title given to him by the head of the Black Muslims, Elijah Muhammad. The name Muhammad Ali means "worthy of praise most high." Ali was then drafted into the Army and to fight in the Vietnam War. However, he refused to join the army
Muhammad Ali was a great boxer he was born January 17, 1942. He won the heavy weight champion he also went to jail because he did not want to service for his country so he was put in jail for five years. The reason why Muhammad Ali started to fight was because some stole his bike and Ali went to the police and the police told him that he needs to know how to fight so he started to train Ali and at 12 he knew that he had to fight. Muhammad won his first fight in 1954. In 1956 Ali to go win the golden gloves. Ali fought for the heavy weight a British champion. In 1963 Ali knocked out Sonny Liston and in 1964 became the heavy weight champion.
In Conclusion, Muhammad Ali is a fascinating person because he stood up for what he believed in, known worldwide, and achieved a lifetime of accomplishments. Muhammad Ali was not only a legend at boxing but inspiring to many people. Muhammad was known as an inspiring, controversial, and polarizing figure both inside and outside the
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. later known as Muhammad Ali, was a black boxer, and was proud of it. Many African Americans were ashamed of their color, but Ali was different. He was the first boxer to win the Heavyweight Championship 3 different times. He had a great personality and was liked by the people. During his life, he made big decisions that changed the course of his life completely. Muhammad Ali's journey through life was a great inspiration for African American people, but Ali himself deserves the admiration of everyone.
To begin, Muhammad Ali was born in a life where his parents knew he would accomplish great things. Ali was born on January 17th, 1942, in Louisville Kentucky. According to, the book, The Importance Of Muhammad Ali, his father said that Ali, ”Came into this world with a good body and a big head, that was the image of Joe Louis. That made me real proud, I loved Joe Louis.” Ali was known as a leader, even
This was a time when blacks were being discriminated against, the military was segregated, blacks were not allowed to play Major League Baseball. When he started boxing early in the 1930's hero worship was not achievable in any professional sports, there were none that were able
Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. to Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay on January 17, 1942 Louisville, Kentucky. His father painted billboards and signs. His mother was a domestic helper. Ali grew up in a black lower middle class house in a segregated black sub-division. He experienced racial injustice and discrimination which made him very defensive. When he was about twelve-years old his bike was stolen.He reported it to a local police officer named Joe Martin. Ali told the officer that he wanted to beat up the thief. Martin told him that he needs to learn how to fight before he started to challenge
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. or commonly known as Muhammad Ali, Was one of the greatest boxers who ever lived. Ali thrived in a world that was run by whites. Ali figured out at a young age that he is going to face a lot of problems in his life. Ali inspired people of all races to keep persevering through life and to help others. Not only was Muhammad Ali a revolutionary fighter he was also a revolutionary political figure. Ali was an enormous influence on the way America is today, by fighting battles inside and outside of the ring.
Handsome, weight champion, muslim, freely spoken, racial rights leaders, all exemplifies the powerful Muhammad Ali. A man whose story has a positive impact on americans lives today and back during the civil rights movement. “Muhammed Ali: The World’s Champion” by John Tessitore is an autobiography that is written to tell all the obstacles of Muhammed Ali. The adventures annals of Muhammed Ali begins from growing up and discovering that boxing was his outlet from racism, to dropping out of school, to becoming muslim, also being the voice of the public people, to lastly being coming one of the most known African American Boxing world champion. Thousands world wide then and now see Muhammad Ali as an tragic hero due to his resistance of entering the war, going to jail, and returning back to the ring even more powerful than before.
Cassius Marcellus Clay, now known as Muhammad Ali, was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17,1942. “He has shown throughout his life that he is not afraid of any fight—inside or outside the ring. Growing up in the segregated South, Ali experienced firsthand the prejudice and discrimination that
Still in some stores and restaurants they didn’t want to serve him because he was black. Muhammad won the match against Zbigniew Pietrzykowski for the gold medal of the lightweight division. Cassius Clay was soon making his way to the match that determined if he would win the title World Heavyweight Champion. His match against Sonny Liston the heavyweight champion at the time was a surprise to many people. Sonny was the heavyweight champ for many years.
Muhammad was from Louisville, Kentucky. When he was a kid he left his bike outside of a place unlocked when he came back it was gone. When he saw that it was gone he wanted to beat up the person who took his bike so he went to a cop in the boxing ring and told him what happened and the officer said if you want to beat up the person who took your book you would need to learn how to fight first. After that in Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, as well also he won the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light heavyweight division. Also muhammad ali won a gold medal in the olympics in 1960 when he came back to louisville to show people his metal to brag about it but that all stopped when he went into a whites only restaurant and he was denied service and mad ali throw his medal in the
Muhammad Ali did a lot of important things in American History. He was a famous boxer also a arch believer of religious freedom and racial justice. Ali’s original name was Cassius Clay. He was born January 17,1942 in Louisville, KY. Muhammad Ali devoted his life to humanitarian in work, putting his name to many initiatives for peace and humanitarian aid. Ali was also a part of Black History.
He decided to convert his religious views to the Nation of Islam. Cassius then reciprocated his birth name to Muhammad Ali, stating that he wanted to be free of the slave name Cassius Clay. On April 28, 1967, the boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, refused to be enlisted into the U.S. Army and was urgently deprived of his heavyweight title. Ali, now a Muslim, alleged religious reasoning for his ruling to deny military service. “I don’t want to be apart of the army at all, this war is wrong.” A few skimpy months later, on June 20, 1967, Ali was taken to court and was condemned of draft evasion. Muhammad was sentenced to 5 years in prison, fined ten thousand dollars, and banned from boxing for three years. This news hit Ali hard, as he was stripped of his World Heavyweight title. “I would like to say that I did not lose a thing up until this very moment, I haven’t lost one thing,” Muhammad said. “I have gained a lot. Number one, I have gained a piece of mind. I have gained a piece of heart.” Ali believed in peace. Ali believed that the people of Viet Cong hadn’t done anything to harm him, therefore there was no reason to retaliate. Ali was still able to fight on bail, therefore, on October 26, 1970, Muhammad returned to the ring and unfortunately lost his first match back to Joe Frazier in what the masses called the “Fight of the Century.” Ali’s case was appealed on June 28, 1971. During this time, many people thought
Cassius clay, one of the world’s most distinguished boxers, was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 7, 1942. Clays work ethic was apparent even in the early years of his life. As a child, he raced the school bus to school each morning. His friends would wave to him as the lead fluctuated based on the school bus’ stops. This work ethic extended to the classroom. Because of a learning disability, Clay had to work extra hard in school to not fall behind. Clay grew up with racial segregation all around him. These injustices sparked a passion in him to change the way people viewed African Americans: “I wanted to show that color didn’t matter”(Muhammad Ali: An American Legend). Clay’s boxing career began because of an incident when he was 12 years old. He and a friend rode their bikes to the Columbia Auditorium for The Louisville Home Show. When they were ready to go home, Clay discovered that his bike was stolen. Filled with rage, Clay wanted to retaliate. He found police officer, Joe Martin, who told him, “You better learn how to fight before you start challenging people that you’re gonna whoop” (Hauser 18). Martin became his coach, and although Clay never found the thief, he found a love of boxing that would continue throughout his life. Between the ages of 12 and 18, Clay
Shortly after the fight, Clay surprised the sports world by announcing that he had joined the nation of Islam and had changed his name to Muhammad Ali.