- He was an American professional boxer
- He is regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time
- He was named the Sportsman of the Century by the BBC
Who is Muhammad Ali?
Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest boxers in history, the first fighter to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions.
In addition, Muhammad was known for his social message of black pride and black resistance to white domination and for refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
Muhammad’s Personal Life
Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky and had only one sibling, a brother. His father was a billboard painter while his mother was a domestic helper.
The boxer was married to three different ladies at different times but their marriages ended up in divorce. He married his fourth in 1986, Yolanda Williams who he stuck with. In his unions, they sired nine children.
The family was based on the Christian faith initially Methodists but later became Baptists.
Muhammad Ali. Photo/CBC Gem
Ali grew up in a racially segregated region and his mother recalls a time when he was denied a drink of water at a store simply because he was black.
He joined Islam at 19 years led by Malcolm X and changed his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali. The move shocked the White American who followed his career.
Three years later, Ali was inducted into the U.S. Army but he refused citing his religious [Islamic] beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War and the core of his protest was his identity as a black man, a black Muslim in America.
During his prime athletic years, Ali was stripped of his title, banned from boxing and his source of income was gone simply because he defended being black.
He fought for the rights of black people and in subsequent years, his actions inspired other athletes to step up. At the 1968 Olympics, two American sprinters donned black gloves, bowed their heads and held a fist in the air as the national anthem was played in the medal ceremony.
This was a protest to highlight how far the U.S. civil rights movement had to go to eliminate racial injustice.
Laila Ali, his daughter pursued a career as a professional boxer during which she went undefeated for a term of eight years.
Ali’s Career
Ali began his career first as an amateur after watching a program on television and that is where he developed his interest from eventually moulding his style.
He made his amateur debut in a local amateur boxer winning by split decision. He won six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden Gloves titles, an amateur Athletic Union national title, and the light heavyweight gold medal in the Summer Olympics held in Rome in 1960.
Ali made his professional debut winning a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker. Since then, he always emerged as the winner and even beat his former trainer and veteran boxer.
The boxer became a top contender for Sonny Liston’s title as the World heavyweight champion and he became the winner at the age of 22 years.
For a period, he was banned from fighting, denied a license in every state and stripped of his passport due to refusing to be inducted into the armed forces.
Muhammad Ali. Photo/NPR
He was exiled and during this time of inactivity, as opposition to the Vietnam War began to grow and Ali’s stance gained sympathy. While in Chicago, he spoke to colleges across the nation, criticizing the Vietnam War.
In addition, he advocated for African-American pride and racial justice. His popularity had gone far beyond, especially among black people at this time. The American media condemned him for fear that his action could lead to mass civil disobedience.
His daughter Laila also became a professional boxer and he attended several of her fights. His other daughter Hana is married to Bellator middleweight fighter, Kelvin Casey.
His Demise
Ali’s later years were marked by physical decline. His brain was damaged by blows he received in his career and this resulted in slurred speech, slowed movement and other symptoms.
His condition differed with time dementia and punch drunk as known by the fighters. This went on until he breathed his last on June 3 2016. He died at the age of 74 years.
He will always be remembered for his helping hand and he loved seeing people happy.
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