At the very top of every sport are the gifted. These are the individuals who are endowed with an innate, natural ability for their particular sport. A few of them possess a type of excellence that rises above even the gifted. We call them champions.
Still, there is another individual, whose inherent talent is so superlative and so rare, he is called the greatest of all time. That individual is Muhammad Ali.
Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay
Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Ky., USA. His parents were Cassius Clay Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay. The family lived in the west end of Louisville at 3302 Grand Avenue. Cassius has one brother, Rudolph Clay, who later changed his name to Rahman Ali.
Cassius was 12 years old when someone stole his red and white Schwinn bicycle. His boxing career began when he told a Louisville police officer: "I'm gonna whup whoever stole my bicycle." That's when the officer took young Cassius to a local gym and as they say, the rest is history.
Cassius Clay fought many boxers during his great amateur career, which culminated in him winning a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
Cassius Clay Makes His Professional Debut
Cassius Clay made his professional boxing debut against Tunney Hunsaker on Oct. 29, 1960, in Louisville's Freedom Hall. Later, Hunsaker recalled the fight. "He was fast as lightning, and he could hit from any direction without getting hit." Hunsaker was completely outclassed and predicted then that Cassius Clay would be heavyweight champion of the world someday.
For the next three years Cassius Clay complied a record of 19-0, with 15 knockouts. With extreme confidence in himself, he told anyone who would listen of his exceptional credentials. "I got the height, the reach, the weight, the physique, the speed, the courage, the stamina, that's going to make me great." Clay had won every fight so far and was beginning to make bold predictions for each upcoming match. Could he back up his predictions? Cassius Clay's sixteenth pro fight was against the old veteran Archie Moore. The Mongoose as Moore was called was 47 years old and Clay was 20.
The fight was held in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1962. "When you come to the fight, don't block the aisle, and don't block the door, you will go home after round four," Cassius Clay brazenly predicted before his devastating knockout of Moore.
Cassius Clay Becomes Heavyweight Champion of the World
On Feb. 25, 1964, Cassius Clay fought Sonny Liston for the world heavyweight championship in Miami Beach, Fla. Even though Clay had an unbeaten record, few people gave him a chance against the Bear, Sonny Liston's nickname. Drew Bundini, Clay's corner man kept hollering, "Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee."
Cassius Clay won the fight when Sonny Liston didn't come out for the seventh round. "I upset Sonny Liston," Clay screamed to reporters adding, "I'm a bad man! I shook up the world! I am the greatest!"
Cassius Clay Becomes Muhammad Ali
After the Liston bout, Clay announced to the world that his new name was Muhammad Ali. Sonny Liston got a rematch, and Ali, the new Nation of Islam convert, took him out in one round. Over the next two years Muhammad Ali fought every top ranked contender. Some of the more notable ones were Jimmy Ellis, Floyd Patterson, Cleveland Williams, Henry Cooper, and Ernie Terrell.
Some sportswriters say in the Patterson and Terrell fights, Ali carried both men for the full 15 rounds, because neither would call him by his new name. Throughout each fight Muhammad Ali screamed to his opponent,"What's my name! What's my name!"
Muhammad Ali is Stripped of His Title
Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title in 1967, because he would not be drafted into the US Army. For three years Ali was exiled from boxing. He spent most of his time traveling the country and giving lectures. When the tide of public opinion turned against the Vietnam War, his handlers got him a fight with Jerry Quarry.
Muhammad Ali made his comeback with a win over Quarry on Oct. 26, 1970, in Atlanta, Ga., USA. In December 1970, Ali fought Oscar Bonavena in Madison Square Garden in New York City USA. Ali won with a fifteen round TKO, a victory that got him a fight with Smokin' Joe Frazier.
Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali fought for the heavyweight title on March 8, 1971, in Madison Square Garden. Both men were previously undefeated in what became known as The Fight of the Century.
The fight looked to be very close until the fifteen round, when Frazier won by flooring Ali with a vicious left hook.
In 1973, Ali had his jaw broken in a fight with Ken Norton, and lost by a 12-round split-decision. In rematches with Norton and Frazier, Muhammad won both fights by decisions.
Muhammad Ali regains the Title
George Foreman was the heavyweight champion in 1974. Foreman was a powerful, devastating puncher who had never lost a fight. By this time Muhammad Ali was 32 years old and few people gave him a chance against the bigger and stronger George Foreman. The two men met on Oct. 30, 1974, in Zaire, Africa.
The fight was advertised as The Rumble in the Jungle. Muhammad Ali stopped George Foreman in the eighth round with what he called The Rope-A-Dope. The fight was broadcast by satellite and watched by millions of people all over the world.
Muhammad Ali was once again the heavyweight champion. In the fall of 1975, Ali and Joe Frazier would meet again in a third fight, billed as The Thrilla in Manila. The bout was fought in near 100 degree temperatures in Manila, Philippines.
Ali won the grueling fight when Frazier's eyes became so swollen that he couldn't come out for the last round.
Ali Loses Title, Then Regains it
Muhammad Ali had several close fights before losing to Leon Spinks in February 1978. By this time many had urged Ali to retire, including his own doctor, Ferdie Pacheco. In a rematch with Spinks that fall, Ali won, making him a three time world heavyweight champion.
Ali retired after beating Leon Spinks but attempted a comeback in 1980, losing badly to Larry Holmes.
Muhammad Ali's Legacy
Muhammad Ali fought every top heavyweight contender of his era. His three year lay-off from the brutal sport of boxing would have finished a lesser man, but not Ali. In 1984, Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Ring Magazine has named Muhammad Ali as the greatest heavyweight of all eras.
Sources:
Muhammad Ali - His Life And Times by Thomas Hauser 1991
Muhammad Ali - The Unseen Archives by William Strathmore 2001
David Keith - David Keith
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