Muhammad Ali Bio

Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, is considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, known for his unorthodox fighting style and verbal quips. After winning an Olympic gold medal in Rome in 1960, Clay turned pro and defeated Sonny Liston for the title of heavyweight champion in 1964. He defended his title nine times in the following two years. Clay joined the Nation of Islam in 1964, and in 1965 changed his name to Muhammad Ali. In 1966 he refused to fight in Vietnam on moral and religious grounds. He was arrested and indicted for draft evasion, and the professional boxing commission revoked his title and suspended his license. Ali’s boxing career was interrupted for nearly four years but he continued to speak at anti-Vietnam War rallies. He regained his boxing license in 1970, and the Supreme Court granted his case’s appeal in 1971. That year, he fought Joe Frazier in “The Fight of the Century,” and suffered his first professional loss. In 1974, he regained the title in a triumphant rematch. Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the early 1980s, but has remained an active public figure, honored by a wide gamut of organizations. He currently lives in Berrien Springs, MI, with his fourth wife, Yolanda.