The Greatest—who fought as hard outside the ring for justice as he did inside it for the heavyweight title.
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1960 and the world heavyweight title in 1964, then shocked America by joining the Nation of Islam and renaming himself Muhammad Ali. In 1967 he refused military induction on religious grounds, was stripped of his title, and faced five years in prison. The Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 1971. He reclaimed the heavyweight title twice, including the legendary Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman in 1974. His fights—poetic taunts, blinding speed, and tactical brilliance—made him the most recognizable human on the planet. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984, widely attributed to his boxing career, but remained a global ambassador for peace, lighting the Olympic flame in Atlanta in 1996. He died on June 3, 2016.
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see.”
“I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was.”
Proved that an athlete's platform could be a moral weapon, sacrificing his prime years and title to stand against the Vietnam War and racial injustice.
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