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[h3]Black, Muslim and proud, Muhammed Ali won the heavyweight title three times and became a voice for black and white American youth. His father, Clay Senior, was a sign painter, while his mother, Odessa Grady Clay, was a household domestic. [/h3]

Robbed of his bike in school, Cassius Clay started to box at 12. As a high school student, he won the national Golden Gloves middleweight championship in 1959 and 1960, and the AAU national light heavyweight title in 1960, then the light heavyweight gold medal at the Olympics. He had his first professional fight on 29th October, 1960.

For his sixth professional fight against Lamar Clark in 1961, Clay composed a ditty predicting how and when he would beat his opponent. His prediction was correct, knocking Lamar out in the 2nd round. The rhymes became part of his persona.

[quote]"I ain't got no quarrel with the Viet cong."
Ali after rejecting his Vietnam draft call.[/quote]

The clear outsider, Clay challenged and beat Sonny Liston on 25th February, 1964. Misreading Clay's exuberance as nervousness, Liston was typically over-confident and was unprepared for any result other than a quick knockout victory. Clay went on to take the fight after Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh round. Clay won the rematch the following year with a first-round knock-out.

Now the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, Clay revealed that he was a member of the Nation of Islam and that he had been given the name Cassius X, discarding his surname as a symbol of his ancestors' enslavement.

Shortly after, [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/154:0/Malcolm_X.htm]Malcolm X[/urlnew] - a black muslim minister - took Clay on a guided tour of the United Nations building. He announced that Clay would be granted his "X." That same night, the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad, issued a statement that Clay would be renamed Muhammad (one who is worthy of praise) Ali (fourth rightly guided caliph). Only a few journalists accepted it at that time.

As a supporter of the radical Nation of Islam, Ali spoke against the assimilation of black and white races, maintaining that black people should remain culturally distinct.

In 1967, Ali caused further sensation, by refusing to fight in Vietnam. He claimed his religious beliefs prevented him and famously blurted out to reporters, "I ain't got no quarrel with the Viet cong", becoming a hero to young conscientious objectors.

He was arrested, had his boxing license suspended, and was stripped of the heavyweight title. He was unable to box for two years while the case went to appeal.

At the trial, the jury, after only 21 minutes of deliberation, found Ali guilty. The judge imposed the maximum sentence. After the decision was upheld at an appeal hearing, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. During this time, people turned against the war and support for Ali grew.

In 1970, Ali was once again allowed to fight again. On 28th June, 1971 in Clay v. United States, the Supreme Court reversed his conviction with a unanimous decision.
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Ali was granted a license to box in Georgia because it was the only state without a boxing commission. In October 1970, he defeated Jerry Quarry. Shortly after this the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali had been unjustly denied a boxing license. In December that year, he fought and beat Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden having been granted permission to fight again in New York. This paved the way for a title bout against the unbeaten Joe Frazier.

Ali and Frazier met the following year for a fight that became known as '"The Fight of the Century." The fight was one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of all time and remains one of the most famous. Frazier retained the title on a unanimous decision, dealing Ali his first professional loss.

In 1973, after a campaign to force a rematch with Frazier, Ali split two bouts with Ken Norton before beating Frazier (who had lost the title to [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/248:0/George_Foreman.htm]George Foreman[/urlnew]) on points in their 1974 rematch, to earn another title shot.

In the infamous 1974 'Rumble in the Jungle', he slaughtered the supposedly invincible Foreman. The fight was held in Kinsasha, Zaire and Ali employed the now famous Rope-A-Dope to tire Foreman out, before flooring him in the eighth round.

Ali won the title again in 1979 and finally retired in 1981 with a career record of 56 wins (37 by knockout) and 5 losses.

Unfortunately, the boxing legend was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984. This neurological condition attacks the part of the brain that controls the body's movements.

In 1986, Ali married his fourth wife, Yolanda 'Lonnie' Ali. They had known each other since Ali was 22. They have one adopted son, Asaad. Ali also has two other daughters, Miya and Khaliah.
Muhammed Ali biography



- Was close friends with Malcom X.

- Ali took an interest in boxing when his bike was stolen by local yobs.

- Contrary to popular belief, he was stripped of his boxing license by the State of New York and his title by the World Boxing Association when he converted to Islam. The World Boxing Council, however, recognized him as champ throughout his battle with the US government over his refusal to be inducted into the Army.

- He married his second wife Belinda Boyd when she was just 17.
Muhammed Ali biography




Muhammed Ali biography

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