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Muhammad Ali
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Charismatic, outspoken and nicknamed "The Greatest," heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali was the dominant heavyweight fighter of the 1960s and 1970s. A fighter of exceptional speed, cunning and flair, Ali won the world heavyweight title on three separate occasions over a span of 15 years. He was born Cassius Clay, and under that name he won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. After claiming his first title by defeating Sonny Liston in 1964, Clay joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. Citing his Islamic faith, Ali refused to serve in the U.S. military during the war in Vietnam; his title was revoked and he was sentenced to five years in prison for draft evasion. (The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the conviction in 1971.) He had a long-running rivalry with fellow heavyweight Joe Frazier, whom he fought three times: Ali lost the first match in 1971, but won rematches in 1974 and 1975.
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Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., in Louisville, Kentucky. Cassius was named after his father. His boxing career was sparked at the age of 12, after someone stole his bicycle. Cassius reported it to a local policeman, Joe Martin, and told the officer he was going to beat up the person who stole his bike. Martin replied that he had better learn to fight first. That was the beginning of the youngster's climb to the top of the boxing game.
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Muhammad Ali, one of the most famous boxers of all time, had humble beginnings. He was born Cassius Clay, Jr., on January 17, 1942, in Louisville , Kentucky. He began boxing at the age of 12, winning various Golden Glove titles, both locally and nationally. In 1960, he attended the Olympics in Rome and came away with the gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the age of 18. Ali was then sponsored by a Kentucky organization to begin his professional career. Besides this sponsorship, it was Muhammad Ali's own self-promoting wise cracks that got him noticed as a great boxer.
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Currently, Muhammad Ali is retired and has two battles which he faces daily; his own long-lasting fight against Parkinson’s disease, and helping those less fortunate in the world – especially in Africa. Ali published an oral autobiography of his life in the early 1990s. And, in the acclaimed movie Ali in 2001, Will Smith portrayed the fighter’s life, his fights, and his personal and religious battles on the big screen. Along with many other awards given to him for his humanitarian deeds, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House in 2005.
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The recently announced GOAT brand of nutritious foods, being developed with Peter Arnell and MasterFoods' MARS Nutrition for Health & Well-Being division, is an example of the type of opportunity Muhammad Ali Enterprises will pursue. The new GOAT food products will be delicious, nutritious and convenient enough to fit into the hectic daily lives of young adults. The brand epitomizes Mr. Ali's belief in having a fit and healthy lifestyle and his desire to help the world's youth improve their bodies as well as their minds. The first GOAT food products to be developed, packaged snacks containing no more than 150 calories and fortified with vitamins and fiber, are expected to be available in stores early next year.
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On August 23, 1966, Muhammad Ali embarked on the biggest "fight" of his life when he applied with the Selective Service for conscientious objector status on religious grounds (as a minister with the Nation of Islam). In what became an extensive legal, political, professional, and personal battle, Ali was convicted of draft evasion, stripped of his boxing title, and became a lightning rod — and a voice — for opinions on the Vietnam War. Muhammad Ali's willingness to speak out against racism in the United States, and the affect it had on domestic and foreign policy, earned him many supporters and detractors. In 1971, nearly five years after it began, Ali's legal battle finally culminated with a unanimous decision (8-0 with Thurgood Marshall abstaining) by the United States Supreme Court overturning his draft conviction. The following resources document his struggle, his views, and his influence.
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Muhammad Ali