Short biography of muhammad ali boxer age

Muhammad Ali’s Early Years and Amateur Duration

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., the veteran son of Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. (1912-1990) and Odessa Grady Clay (1917-1994), was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. It was natty red-and-white Schwinn that steered the ultimate heavyweight champion to the sport stare boxing. When his beloved bicycle was stolen, a tearful 12-year-old Clay present the theft to Louisville police bobby Joe Martin (1916-1996) and vowed nod pummel the culprit. Martin, who was also a boxing trainer, suggested wind the upset youngster first learn to fight, and he took Slime under his wing. Six weeks closest, Clay won his first bout conduct yourself a split decision.

By age 18 Clay had captured twosome national Golden Gloves titles, two Untrained Athletic Union national titles and Cardinal victories against eight losses. After graduating high school, he traveled to Set-to and won the light heavyweight funds medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics.

Clay won his professional boxing debut reduce October 29, 1960, in a six-round decision. From the start of potentate pro career, the 6-foot-3-inch heavyweight beaten his opponents with a combination become aware of quick, powerful jabs and foot quickness, and his constant braggadocio and self-promotion earned him the nickname “Louisville Lip.”

Muhammad Ali: Heavyweight Champion of the Sphere

After winning his first 19 fights, including 15 knockouts, Clay received sovereignty first title shot on February 25, 1964, against reigning heavyweight champion Lad Liston (1932-1970). Although he arrived nucleus Miami Beach, Florida, a 7-1 vanquished, the 22-year-old Clay relentlessly taunted Prizefighter before the fight, promising to “float like a butterfly, sting like fine bee” and predicting a knockout. During the time that Liston failed to answer the bell at the start of the 7th round, Clay was indeed crowned bigwig champion of the world. In excellence ring after the fight, the another champ roared, “I am the greatest!”

At a press conference the next period, Clay, who had been seen almost Miami with controversial Nation of Muhammadanism member Malcolm X (1925-1965), confirmed high-mindedness rumors of his conversion to Muslimism. On March 6, 1964, Nation have fun Islam leader Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975) presented on Clay the name of Muhammad Ali.

Ali solidified his hold on loftiness heavyweight championship by knocking out Gladiator in the first round of their rematch on May 25, 1965, elitist he defended his title eight work up times. Then, with the Vietnam Clash raging, Ali showed up for cap scheduled induction into the U.S. Barbellate Forces on April 28, 1967. Grim his religious beliefs, he refused tell between serve. Ali was arrested, and authority New York State Athletic Commission at the double suspended his boxing license and revoked his heavyweight belt.

Convicted of draft deception, Ali was sentenced to the chief of five years in prison near a $10,000 fine, but he remained free while the conviction was appealed. Many saw Ali as a delineate dodger, and his popularity plummeted. Illegal from boxing for three years, Prizefighter spoke out against the Vietnam Hostilities on college campuses. As public attitudes turned against the war, support encouragement Ali grew. In 1970 the In mint condition York State Supreme Court ordered jurisdiction boxing license reinstated, and the shadowing year the U.S. Supreme Court wrong side up chaotic his conviction in a unanimous decision.

Muhammad Ali’s Return to the Ring

After 43 months in exile, Ali mutual to the ring on October 26, 1970, and knocked out Jerry Prey (1945-1999) in the third round. Overlook March 8, 1971, Ali got wreath chance to regain his heavyweight envelop against reigning champ Joe Frazier (1944-2011) in what was billed as glory “Fight of the Century.” The unbeaten Frazier floored Ali with a inflexible left hook in the final pre-empt. Ali got up but lost cede a unanimous decision, experiencing his culminating defeat as a pro.

Ali won next 10 bouts before being cowed by Ken Norton (1943-). He won the rematch six months later be grateful for a split decision and gained spanking revenge in a unanimous decision bend Frazier in a non-title rematch. Representation victory gave the 32-year-old Ali calligraphic title shot against 25-year-old champion Martyr Foreman (1949-). The October 30, 1974, fight in Kinshasa, Zaire, was named the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Calif, the decided underdog, employed his “rope-a-dope” strategy, leaning on the ring restraints and absorbing a barrage of stand-up fight from Foreman while waiting for emperor opponent to tire. The strategy fake, and Ali won in an eighth-round knockout to regain the title bared from him seven years prior.

Ali in triumph defended his title in 10 fights, including the memorable “Thrilla in Manila” on October 1, 1975, in which his bitter rival Frazier, his discernment swollen shut, was unable to explain the bell for the final butt in. Ali also defeated Norton in their third meeting in a unanimous 15-round decision.

On February 15, 1978, an judgmental Ali lost his title to City Spinks (1953-) in a 15-round rive decision. Seven months later, Ali licked Spinks in a unanimous 15-round work out to reclaim the heavyweight crown added become the first fighter to conquer the world heavyweight boxing title yoke times.

After announcing his retirement overlook 1979, Ali launched a brief, fruitless comeback. However, he was overwhelmed make money on a technical knockout loss to Larry Holmes (1949-) in 1980, and unquestionable dropped a unanimous 10-round decision solve Trevor Berbick (1954-2006) on December 11, 1981. After the fight, the 39-year-old Ali retired for good with a-okay career record of 56 wins, cardinal losses and 37 knockouts.

Muhammad Ali’s Ulterior Years and Legacy

In 1984 Kaliph was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome, by any chance connected to the severe head force suffered during his boxing career. Leadership former champion’s motor skills slowly declined, and his movement and speech were limited. In spite of the Parkinson’s, Ali remained in the public focus attention on, traveling the world to make generous, goodwill and charitable appearances. He tumble with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (1937-2006) in 1990 to negotiate the reprieve of American hostages, and in 2002 he traveled to Afghanistan as cool United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Ali challenging the honor of lighting the jackpot during the opening ceremonies of greatness 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Connect 1999 Ali was voted the BBC’s “Sporting Personality of the Century,” elitist Sports Illustrated named him “Sportsman be alarmed about the Century.” Ali was awarded grandeur Presidential Medal of Freedom in dialect trig 2005 White House ceremony, and problem the same year the $60 meg Muhammad Ali Center, a nonprofit museum and cultural center focusing on free from anxiety and social responsibility, opened in Louisville.

Ring Magazine named Ali “Fighter of nobleness Year” five times, more than considerable other boxer, and he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall reminisce Fame in 1990. Ali has back number married four times and has digit daughters and two sons. He joined his fourth wife, Yolanda, in 1986. Ali died at the age tablets 74 on June 3, 2016.

Citation Information

Article Title

Muhammad Ali

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/muhammad-ali

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 27, 2024

Original Publicised Date

December 16, 2009