Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky:
When Ali was just 12 years old, he started training to be a boxer at an amateur level.
And it was abundantly clear from the very beginning just how much talent he had. He eventually came to be known as one of the best boxers of all time.
Nicknamed “The Greatest,” Ali’s extraordinary boxing skills may have been what made him famous.
But that’s hardly all there was to him. Ali converted to Islam in 1961, and when the United States got involved in the Vietnam War, he was staunchly against it.
When he was drafted in 1966, Ali avoided the draft, citing his religious beliefs. He was eventually arrested and banned from boxing. The Supreme Court didn’t overturn their decision until 1971 and by then, Ali was past his “prime” in the boxing world.
While he never went on to fight at that level again, to this day, Ali is known as one of the most incredible sports figures of the 20th century:
1_Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) pictured as a young boy of age 12 at a gym in Louisville, Kentucky, USA at the beginning of his career, 1954
2_Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) (C), gold; Zbigniew Pietrzykowski of Poland (R), silver; and Giulio Saraudi (Italy) and Anthony Madigan (Australia), joint bronze.
3_Muhammad Ali (L) fighting George Chuvalo to retain the heavyweight title.
4_Cassius Clay and Cleveland Williams, Clay won by knock-out in the third round to retain his World Heavyweight title
5_Muhammad Ali (left) and Argentina’s Oscar Bonavena
6_Muhammad Ali steps away from a punch thrown by boxer Joe Frazier during their heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in 1971. Frazier became the undisputed heavyweight champ of the world by winning a unanimous 15-round decision.
Muhammad Ali steps away from a punch thrown by boxer Joe Frazier during their heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in 1971. Frazier became the undisputed heavyweight champ of the world by winning a unanimous 15-round decision
7 – Manila, The Philippines Champion Muhammad Ali (white trunks) lands a right on Joe Frazier’s head during the 2nd round. Ali held his title 10:1 defeating Frazier by TKO in the 14th round.
The Philippines Champion Muhammad Ali (white trunks) lands a right on Joe Frazier’s head during the 2nd round. Ali held his title 10:1 defeating Frazier by TKO in the 14th round
8_Muhammad Ali (R) lands a punch against Earnie Shavers during the fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Muhammad Ali won the WBC heavyweight title and WBA World heavyweight title by a UD 15.
Muhammad Ali lands a punch against Earnie Shavers during the fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York
9 – Muhammad Ali stands over Sonny Liston after dropping Liston with a short hard right to the jaw on May 25, 1965, in Lewiston, Maine