The sport of boxing is known worldwide; a sport where men and women duke it out with their opponents to prove who is the toughest. Though-out the decades there have been many fighters and many fights, but few known quite as well as Cassius Clay, also known as Muhammad Ali. The fighter that referred to himself as, “the greatest” (biography.com) and a man that could, “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” (about.com). From the beginning of his career, which was started after a police officer told him he might want to learn to fight, he was known as an underdog. He took on the Olympics in 1960 at the age of 18 and won the gold medal. Yet being a gold medalist wouldn’t help persuade the public view of him as a serious contender for the …show more content…
After the end of the sixth round Liston decide he had, had enough and refused to return to the center of the ring for the seventh round. His claim was his shoulder had sustained an injury and couldn’t continue to fight; he left the fight not only with the physical injuries received in the fight but with his pride wounded as he forfeited the title to Clay (history.com). Clay manage to win the fight a round before he had predicted. Clay didn’t stop surprising the world with his upset over the light-heavy weight title and took the world by surprise once again the following day with his announcement. Clay makes the announcement to the world that he has joined the Islam Nation and will no longer go by his “slave” name of Cassius Clay but Muhammad Ali. Many disapproved of his conversion because the Nation of Islam was believe to be racist and against integration calling for separate nation for the blacks. This change would also cause Ali later on to lose the title and be banned from boxing when he refused to report when drafted due to religious beliefs and being charged with draft dodging (about.com). With Ali’s interest in boxing beginning at a young age he set off to not only prove himself to those that doubted his abilities but challenged properly opinion. Throughout out his career Ali would sting the unsuspected with his foot work and speed making a
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
Muhammad Ali was a boxer because of his prominent role as a Civil Rights Activist. He stood up for what he believed
Muhammad Ali was a man made to box. He had a great career before him since he made his first professional fight under President Eisenhower presidency. His Professional Career was really
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.
Muhammad Ali was a professional boxer during the 1960’s and 70’s, and was the heavyweight champion for many years. Muhammad Ali was born with the name Cassius Clay Jr. on January 17th, 1942, but changed his name to Muhammad Ali when he converted to Islam. He was the son of Cassius Clay Sr. and Odessa Clay. He was 6’3” tall and fought at the weight of 210 pounds, in the heavyweight division. He started boxing when he was only 12 years old, and won his first fight by split decision, and won the Golden Gloves Tournament for amateurs when he was 14. Ali also competed in the 1960 Rome Olympics and won a gold medal for boxing at only 18 years old. He became the heavyweight champion of the world in 1963 when he beat Sonny Liston who held a record
Clay’s fighting technique was far different than that of the other heavyweights at the time, he moved quickly and refused to set in a position. At the time this was seen as almost cowardly – he couldn’t handle a punch and his hits were soft blows. This philosophy all changed after Clay decided to fight the World Champion at the time, Sonny Liston. Cassius Clay somehow pulled off one of the greatest upsets in boxing history by defeating Liston in the seventh round. Afterword’s his name was changed to Muhammad Ali. Muhammad means “worthy of all praise” while Ali means “most high”. Muhammad Ali’s name wasn’t the only aspect that people used to deify him. Boxer’s became fascinated with his legendary footwork and tried to imitate Ali’s boxing style. Boxer’s across the world today still center their training techniques on Muhammad
Strong, athlete, religious figure are three thing that connect to the name muhammad ali. Many people new of muhammad ali as a supreme athlete but there's much more. As known the greatest boxer of all time, muhammad ali showed Americans that they can take a stand for what he believed in. He left a lasting legacy as as the greatest boxer ever a religious leader.
“On August 11, 1970, with his case still in appeal, Ali was granted a license to box by the City of Atlanta Athletic Commission, thanks to State Senator Leroy R. Johnson. Ali's first return bout was against Jerry Quarry on October 26, resulting in a win after three rounds.” Less than a month earlier, a win in court forced the New York Boxing Commission to give Ali his license back because his ban tenure ended (History Staff.)
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.
Winning the heavyweight boxing championship many times and an olympic medal, Muhammad Ali, proved to the world that he really was the greatest. After having his bike stolen at 12, Ali began training in boxing for revenge with cop he complained to, going on to win many novice tournaments. Honing his craft and utilizing his stature Ali, with his quick feet went to the Olympics for America in 1960 and came on bearing a gold medal, when trouble reared its head. Ali, converted to Islam with the radical Black Muslims, refused to fight against the “Viet Cong” and was arrested, and was suspended from his sport for 3 years. However, Ali, came back to sport in the 70’s but took a loss before his big “Rumble in the Jungle” and “Thrilla in Manila”, but
Muhammad Ali had an outstanding record of 56 wins, 5 loses, and had 37 knockouts even to some opponents treat people thought he would never beat like the big bear AKA Sunny Liston.
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.
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