‘THE GREATEST”
∗ Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky
∗ Won numerous state and national boxing titles and earned a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome
∗ Finished amateur career with 100 wins and five losses before turning pro after the Olympics
∗ Inspired by the showmanship of pro wrestler Gorgeous George, became known for colorful bravado and rhyming predictions of which round he would win finish the fight — earning him the nickname “The Louisville Lip”
∗ Described his unorthodox boxing style as “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”
∗ Shocked the boxing world in 1964 by winning the heavyweight title over Sonny Liston, who refused to answer the bell for the seventh round; proclaimed “I am the greatest”
∗ Announced after the fight that he had converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali
∗ Won rematch against Liston in 1965 by a first-round knockout
∗ Was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1966 but refused induction based on religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War, famously saying, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong . . . no Viet Cong ever called me nigger”
∗ Found guilty of draft evasion in 1967, was stripped of his championship title, and his boxing license was suspended; at the time he was undefeated with 29 wins
∗ Remained free while he appealed the conviction, which was overturned by U.S. Supreme Court in 1971; however, he was idle for four years during his prime (age 25-29)
∗ Lost comeback title match to champion Joe Frazier in 1971 in what was billed the “Fight of the Century” – the first loss in his pro career
∗ Regained heavyweight title in 1974 in upset victory over George Foreman in Zaire, billed as the “Rumble in the Jungle” – fight was the subject of 1996 Academy Award winning documentary When We Were Kings
∗ Was a hero to millions for his boxing abilities, his endearing self-promotion, and his racial and religious pride; was frequently called the “most famous person in the world”
∗ Barely survived a 15-round fight in 1975 against Chuck Wepner that inspired creation of the movie Rocky
∗ Won the 1975 “Thrilla in Manila” over Joe Frazier in one of the most heavily promoted boxing matches in history
∗ Lost championship to Leon Spinks in 1978, but won the rematch seven months later, becoming the only heavyweight to win the title three times
∗ Retired in 1979; came out of retirement to fight two more times, losing both bouts.
∗ Compiled pro career record of 56 wins and five losses
∗ Diagnosed in 1984 with Parkinson’s syndrome, a neurological disease that affects motor control, including the ability to speak clearly
∗ Lit Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, bravely carrying the torch despite visibly shaking arms
∗ Inspired the naming of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix
∗ Made regular appearances at annual Celebrity Fight Night in metro Phoenix; the fund-raising event for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and other charities has attracted scores of celebrity entertainers and athletes since 1994
∗ Named a United Nations “goodwill ambassador” in 1998 and has earned many honors for his humanitarian work around the world
∗ Named “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated and “Sports Personality of the Century” by the BBC; awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005
∗ Was the subject of Ali, a 2001 bio pic that earned Oscar nominations for Will Smith and Jon Voight
∗ Inspired the Muhammad Ali Center, an international education, cultural and communications center opened in 2015 in his hometown of Louisville
∗ Lived most of the year in Paradise Valley with wife Lonnie from 2005 to 2016
∗ Died June 3, 2016 at Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center of respiratory complications related to Parkinson’s disease
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