Many people know about Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali, but do you know about Olympic Games Legend Muhammad Ali? Read on for a boxing profile of this great Olympic Medalist.
Muhammad Ali has also been known as Cassius Clay in his lifetime, but he was actually born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.
Ali was a world heavyweight boxing champion that fought his way into the country and the world’s affection. Outspoken and unrelenting, Ali began his boxing career back in 1954. Ali, then known as Clay, won 6 Golden Gloves contents in Kentucky, 2 golden gloves titles that were national and 2 Amateur Athletic Union Crowns.
It was in 1960 that he won a gold medal in the Summer Olympics that took place in Rome. He later threw that gold medal in the Ohio River when he found that racism in Louisville was rife. It was in 1960 that he became a professional boxer.
It wasn’t long before he became the heavyweight champion, picking up the title in 1964. He was the underdog in this content with the renowned Sonny Liston, however Clay taunted his way through 5 rounds, winning the title. It was in 1964 that Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali after becoming a Black Muslim.
Ali has been controversial for most of his life. It was in 1966/67 that Ali was stripped of his heavyweight championship, had his boxing license taken away from him because he bluntly refused to partake in the Vietnam War. Regardless of his controversy and his outspoken nature, Muhammad Ali was a talented and gifted boxer.
In 1970, Ali resumed boxing but had to go to Atlanta to fight. As there was no boxing commission in Georgia Ali was able to fight even though he had previously been banned.
In 1971, Ali fights against Joe Frazier the heavyweight champ in Madison Square Garden. Ali loses to Frazier in the 15th round. It was in June this year that the Supreme Court reverses the decision of his ban due to his draft evasion, and Ali fights again.
Ali gets his heavyweight title back in 1974 after knocking out George Foreman in Zaire. He successfully used his famous rope strategy against him and let Foreman tire himself out while Ali conserved his energy and then attacked.
Ali met Frazier again in the ring in the Philippines in 1975. The two champions fight until they are bloodied and battered. The battle between them is long and ferocious, eventually in the 15th round, Frazier cannot continue and Ali wins.
In 1978, Lai has an outstanding career record of 55 wins to two losses. He loses his winning belt to Spinks, but 7 months later, Ali wins back his belt from Spinks. Ali decides to retire from his lucrative boxing career in 1979 but comes back out of retirement in 1980.
In 1984, Ali was sadly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and he begins his slow and long deterioration. In 1996, Ali carried the Olympic torch to the lighting of the cauldron in Atlanta in the Summer Olympics. Ali was actually given another gold medal which would proudly replace the one he threw away 36 years prior.
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