Muhammad Ali is often described by boxing experts as one of the greatest sports stars of all time and is famous for his ability to fight both in and out of the boxing ring.
The heavyweight boxer, who was originally known as Cassius Clay, enjoyed a rapid rise to stardom in the early 1960s, becoming world champion for the first time in 1964 with a victory over Sonny Liston.
Ali remained unbeaten for his first 29 fights, overcoming a series of strong opponents including Henry Cooper and Ernie Terrell.
Ali was the dominant force in the heavyweight division and one of the first major trash talkers in the game with famous phrases such as “float like a butterfly sting like a bee.”
The American fighter’s career came to a dramatic halt in 1967 when he refused to be inducted into the U.S army during the war in Vietnam.
Ali was stripped of his title for his actions and had his boxing licence suspended for three years during the peak of his career.
Despite his inactivity he returned to the ring to regain the heavyweight title on two further occasions and he finished his career with a record of 56 victories and 5 defeats.
Ali is the only fighter in history to be undisputed champion on three separate occasions and is remembered for victories over boxing greats such as Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Earnie Shavers.