"[346], In 2002, Ali was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the entertainment industry. Antoine Fuqua's documentary What's My Name: Muhammad Ali was released in 2019. [286], In 1998, Ali began working with actor Michael J. He said he was embarrassed to get in the ring with Alex Miteff and claimed that Madison Square Garden was "too small for me. His most-watched fights drew an estimated 12billion viewers worldwide between 1974 and 1980, and were the world's most-watched live television broadcasts at the time. You my opposer when I want equality. On April 30, 1976, Ali would fight Jimmy Young and win a controversial unanimous decision. Smith said the first thing Ali told him was: "Man, you're almost pretty enough to play me. The meeting was organized by Brown for his peers to question Ali about the seriousness of his convictions, and to decide whether to support him, which they ultimately did. [94][95] A review by the NSA of the Minaret program concluded that it was "disreputable if not outright illegal. [287], In February 2013, Ali's brother Rahman Ali said Muhammad could no longer speak and could be dead within days. Ali.[350]. "[95], In 1971, Ali's Fight of the Century with Frazier was used by an activist group, the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI, to pull off a burglary at an FBI office in Pennsylvania; the anticipation for the fight was unlike anything else, so they believed the security would also be focused on the fight. Even at the time that Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's, it was known that the disease meant that these neurons mysteriously . Ali denied the accusations of cruelty but, for Ali's critics, the fight provided more evidence of his arrogance. - Rahman Ali", "The Secrets of Ali: Former Wife of Boxing Champ Tells All", "Muhammad Ali's Daughter, May May Ali, Writes Children's Book About His Boxing Career", "Muhammad Ali's son shut off from dad, living in poverty", "For Muhammad Ali's grandson, family legacy extends beyond the ring", "Former three-time heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali agreed Tuesday ", "Muhammad Ali's ex-wife reveals details about their secret wedding", "How Muhammad Ali's Ex-Wives Forgave His Infidelity: Cheating 'Never Meant Anything to Him', "Muhammad Ali Was Her First, and Greatest, Love", "Could Muhammad Ali's $80m fortune become subject of bitter legal battle? 70,000 people attended the bout and paid a total of $6million admission, making it the largest live gate in boxing history at that time. [257] In 1974, he visited a Palestinian refugee camp in Southern Lebanon, where Ali declared "support for the Palestinian struggle to liberate their homeland. In assessing the fight, analysts pointed out that Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, who had given Ali four tough battles and won two of them, had both been devastated by Foreman in second-round knockouts. Ali then faced a rematch with Liston scheduled for May 1965 in Lewiston, Maine. [156] In January 1985, Aaisha sued Ali for unpaid palimony. [315], In 1999, Time magazine named Ali one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century. The power of the Quraish derived from their role as successful merchants. [101], While banned from sanctioned bouts, Ali settled a $1million lawsuit against radio producer Murray Woroner by accepting $10,000 to appear in a privately staged fantasy fight against retired champion Rocky Marciano. [255], In 1996, he lit the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Ali was 32 years old, and had clearly lost speed and reflexes since his twenties. In the final round, Frazier knocked Ali down with a vicious left hook, which referee Arthur Mercante said was as hard as a man can be hit. Their second daughter, Laila Ali, was born in December 1977. "[149] The marriage was childless and they divorced on January 10, 1966. [36] Cassius Jr. attended Central High School in Louisville. [265][266], In 1984, Ali announced his support for the re-election of United States President Ronald Reagan. [45] Clay's amateur record was 100 wins with five losses. In 1977, Rodney Hilton Brown, who owned an art gallery in NYC, asked Ali if he was interested in painting. Outside boxing, Ali attained success as a spoken word artist, releasing two studio albums: I Am the Greatest! But get used to me. He was initially hospitalized in the Phoenix area on Monday. He played a role in the shaping of the black poetic tradition, paving the way for The Last Poets in 1968, Gil Scott-Heron in 1970, and the emergence of rap music in the 1970s. [260], In early 1980, Ali was recruited by President Jimmy Carter for a diplomatic mission to Africa, in an effort to persuade a number of African governments to join the US-led boycott of the Moscow Olympics in protest of the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. [323] In Japan, the match inspired Inoki's students Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki to found Pancrase in 1993, which in turn inspired the foundation of Pride Fighting Championships in 1997. Muhammad Ali (/li/;[4] born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.;[5] January 17, 1942 June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. However, Frazier came on in the middle rounds, snapping Ali's head in round seven and driving him to the ropes at the end of round eight. [288] Ali's daughter May May Ali responded to the rumors, stating that she had talked to him on the phone the morning of February 3 and he was fine. Brown told Sports Illustrated writer Mark Kram, "Honkies sure bought into that one!" His retirement was short-lived, however; Ali announced his comeback to face Larry Holmes for the WBC belt in an attempt to win the heavyweight championship an unprecedented fourth time. Slow-motion replays show that Liston was jarred by a chopping right from Ali, although it is unclear whether the blow was a genuine knockout punch. [83], On June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court of the United States in Clay v. United States overturned Ali's conviction by a unanimous 80 decision (Justice Thurgood Marshall recused himself, as he had been the U.S. "[188], Ali said that he first heard of the Nation of Islam when he was fighting in the Golden Gloves tournament in Chicago in 1959, and attended his first Nation of Islam meeting in 1961. Civil rights figures came to believe that Ali had an energizing effect on the freedom movement as a whole. Ali first appeared on the magazine's cover in 1963 and went on to be featured on numerous covers during his storied career. His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see. [218] No reunion happened. Possessing a killer jump shot or the ability to stop on a dime was no longer enough. [180] Ali would later say, "If America was in trouble and real war came, I'd be on the front line if we had been attacked. Ali did, however, convince the government of Kenya to boycott the Soviet Olympics. Inc) to consolidate and license his intellectual properties for commercial purposes. It was watched by an estimated 3.5billion viewers worldwide. But family spokesman Bob Gunnel disputed that, saying, "Lonnie wasn . and "The tree will fall" during a shared interview. Patterson later said that he had never been hit by punches as soft as Ali's. He paid a bond and remained free while the verdict was being appealed. The three-time world heavyweight champion, who had Parkinson's disease for 32 years, died aged 74 from "septic shock due to unspecified natural causes" according to his family. )", "Sports of The Times; On His 50th, Ali Is Still 'The Greatest', "Boxing Muhammad Ali Rank Cinema, Wardour Street, London", "The trials of a Chicago director making Muhammad Ali doc", "Vietnam War: Muhammad Ali's Draft Controversy", "Remembering Cleveland's Muhammad Ali Summit, 45 years later", "Cassius Marsellus CLAY, Jr. also known as Muhammad Ali, Petitioner, v. United States", "Cassius Marsellus Clay, Jr. also known as Muhammad Ali, Petitioner, v. United States. Against the odds, and amidst pandemonium in the ring, Ali had regained the title by knockout. However, after he won the championship from Liston in 1964, the Nation of Islam was more receptive and agreed to publicize his membership. Ali also received numerous tributes from the world of sports including Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, the Miami Marlins, LeBron James, Steph Curry and more. [118][unreliable source] Outside of fights, he made many other television appearances. [46] Nevertheless, Ali lost by unanimous decision, his first professional defeat. Ali rode on a float at the following year's Tournament of Roses Parade, launching the U.S. Constitution's 200th birthday commemoration. [234], On March 31, 1985, Ali was the special guest referee for the main event of the inaugural WrestleMania event. Having arrived in Tanzania, Ali told cameras "Russia is invading a Muslim country, Asiatic country", and that its probable intention to head to oil-rich Persia to take dwells and ports "could lead to nuclear war. "[111] Ali was wildly popular in Zaire, with crowds chanting "Ali, bomaye" ("Ali, kill him") wherever he went. Judges awarded Ali a unanimous decision. Kiiursti says she has a relationship with his other children. Ali sparred less than two dozen rounds in preparation for the fight, and was seriously out of shape by the opening bell. Ali took him up on the offer and produced several paintings for him to sell. [155] At age 32 in 1974, Ali began an extramarital relationship with 16-year-old Wanda Bolton (who subsequently changed her name to Aaisha Ali) with whom he fathered another daughter, Khaliah (born 1974). [25][73][75] This classification meant he was now eligible for the draft and induction into the U.S. Army at a time when the U.S. was involved in the Vietnam War, a war which put him further at odds with the white establishment. [247], In 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's syndrome, which sometimes results from head trauma from violent physical activities such as boxing. [85], Ali's example inspired many black Americans and others. His funeral. Rather, the Court held that since the appeal board gave no reason for the denial of a conscientious objector exemption to Ali, that it was therefore impossible to determine which of the three basic tests for conscientious objector status (offered in the Justice Department's brief) the appeal board relied on, and Ali's conviction must be reversed. "[112], It was a major upset victory,[113] after Ali came in as a 41 underdog against the previously unbeaten, heavy-hitting Foreman. Ali said in his 1975 autobiography that shortly after his return from the Rome Olympics, he threw his gold medal into the Ohio River after he and a friend were refused service at a "whites-only" restaurant and fought with a white gang. [114] The fight became famous for Ali's introduction of the rope-a-dope tactic. "[217] The former Beatles were indifferent to the plan, which elicited only a tepid response from the public. "[22] "I've wrestled with alligators, I've tussled with a whale. In the 12th round, Frazier began to tire, and Ali scored several sharp blows that closed Frazier's left eye and opened a cut over his right eye. My arms, my face, my sides all ache. Ali said in his 1975 autobiography that shortly after his return from the Rome Olympics, he threw his gold medal into the Ohio River after he and a friend were refused service at a "whites-only" restaurant and fought with a white gang. My enemy is the white people, not Viet Cong or Chinese or Japanese. He was helped to his feet by his wife Lonnie to stand before the flag due to his Parkinson's syndrome rendering him unable to carry it into the stadium. Ali won the bout through a technical knockout when the referee stopped the fight in the twelfth round.[109]. In late 1966, he also pledged to donate a total of $100,000 to the UNCF (specifically promising to donate much of the proceeds of his title defense against Cleveland Williams), and paid $4,500 per closed circuit installation at six HBCUs so they could watch his fights. Hauser wrote about the story, "The thought that Liz and Roz (the lesbian couple he met) were happy pleased Muhammad. Midway through the first round, Liston was knocked down by a difficult-to-see blow the press dubbed a "phantom punch". Clay was knocked down by both Sonny Banks and Cooper. He called Jones "an ugly little man" and Cooper a "bum". In 2006, the documentary Ali Rap was produced by ESPN. The punch used to knock Dunn out was taught to Ali by Taekwondo Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee. But he did so much more. [105] Ali's first return bout was against Jerry Quarry on October 26, resulting in a win after three rounds after Quarry was cut. ", "Jhoon Rhee, Father of American Tae Kwon Do", Read Peter Finney's column on Ali vs. Spinks 2 at the Superdome in 1978, The Last Flight of the Butterfly: Remembering Ali vs Spinks II, "Timeline: Fifty years of Las Vegas memories for Muhammad Ali", "Failed drug test was sign of the great man's decline", "Boxing King Casts His Shadow, Even at Time of Defeat", "Michael Dokes, Larger-Than-Life Heavyweight Boxer, Dies at 54", "The Joke That Almost Ended Ali's Career", "Muhammad Ali Boxing Football's Lyle Alzado", "Greatest Hockey Legends.com: Ali vs. Semenko - It Really Happened", "Filantropia - Fundacin Jos Miguel Agrelot", "Muhammad Ali's Forgotten Fight Was Also One of His Most Influential", "Collision in Korea: Pyongyang's historic socialism and spandex spectacular", "When Muhammad Ali fought hockey's heavyweight champ, Dave Semenko", "Ep. Their opinion was accepted by the NAC on July 31, 1980, paving the way for Ali's return to the ring.[128]. From then until the end of 1963, Clay amassed a record of 190 with 15 wins by knockout. The fight was even in the early rounds, but Ali was taking more punishment than ever in his career. During this part of the bout Ali did some effective counter-punching, but for the most part absorbed punishment from a relentlessly attacking Frazier. [note 1][note 2][307][308][309], In 1978, three years before Ali's permanent retirement, the Louisville Board of Aldermen in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, voted 65 to rename Walnut Street to Muhammad Ali Boulevard. In 1979, Ali guest-starred as himself in an episode of the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes. ", "Ken Burns' Next Documentary Will Profile Muhammad Ali", "OK just finished watching the eight hour rough cut of Ken Burns' forthcoming documentary about Muhammad Ali. [161], Kiiursti Mensah-Ali claims she is Ali's biological daughter with Barbara Mensah, with whom he allegedly had a 20-year relationship,[163][164][165][166] citing photographs and a paternity test conducted in 1988. Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer who proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and was among the most famous and beloved athletes on the planet, died Friday in Arizona, a family spokesman said. Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer and iconic public figure, died on Friday, June 3, at a hospital in the Phoenix area. Williams had once been considered among the hardest punchers in the heavyweight division, but in 1964 he had been shot at point-blank range by a Texas policeman, resulting in the loss of one kidney and 3.0 metres (10ft) of his small intestine. But in February Ali was reclassified by the Louisville draft board as 1-A from 1-Y, and he indicated that he would refuse to serve, commenting to the press, "I ain't got nothing against no Viet Cong; no Viet Cong never called me nigger. The outcome of the fight was a major upset. "[91] Ali's promoter Bob Arum did not support Ali's choice at the time, but in 2016 Arum stated: "when I look back at his life, and I was blessed to call him a friend and spent a lot of time with him, it's hard for me to talk about his exploits in boxing because as great as they were they paled in comparison to the impact that he had on the world. The show's title itself was inspired by the quote "Different strokes for different folks" popularized in 1966 by Ali, who also inspired the title of the 1967 Syl Johnson song "Different Strokes", one of the most sampled songs in pop music history. I'm the prettiest thing that ever lived. [citation needed] Ali was featured in Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, a 1978 DC Comics comic book pitting the champ against the superhero. "[72] In relation to integration, he said: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. The anger toward Ali, especially after losing the fight and the championship belt, was real. [11] Ali's actions as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War made him an icon for the larger counterculture of the 1960s generation,[12][13] and he was a very high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement and throughout his career. Let 'Ali vs. Inoki' author Josh Gross explain", "Click Debate: What's all this talk about the Ali Act coming to MMA? [253][254] He focused on practicing his Islamic duty of charity and good deeds, donating millions to charity organizations and disadvantaged people of all religious backgrounds. During the lead up to the bout, Terrell repeatedly called Ali "Clay", much to Ali's annoyance. Cassius Clay in 1963 at his Louisville home. "[92], Ali's resistance to the draft was covered in the 2013 documentary The Trials of Muhammad Ali. [67], Ali and then-WBA heavyweight champion boxer Ernie Terrell had agreed to meet for a bout in Chicago on March 29, 1966 (the WBA, one of two boxing associations, had stripped Ali of his title following his joining the Nation of Islam). Ali won the fight by another unanimous decision, but the bout caused his longtime doctor Ferdie Pacheco to quit after he was rebuffed for telling Ali he should retire. Ali remains the only three-time lineal heavyweight champion. [316] On January 8, 2001, Muhammad Ali was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton. They are racist fanatics who call themselves Muslims." "You'll never be famous with that name. A public memorial service for Ali at downtown Louisville's KFC Yum! Muhammad Ali was often dubbed the world's "most famous" person in the media. [205], Ali had gone on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in 1972, which inspired him in a similar manner to Malcolm X, meeting people of different colors from all over the world giving him a different outlook and greater spiritual awareness. Dundee refused. [30][31] Ali's maternal great-grandfather, Abe Grady, emigrated from Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland. [115] The fight was watched by a record estimated television audience of 1billion viewers worldwide. Khadija's father, Khuwaylid ibn Asad, was a merchant and leader. His mother recalled one occasion when he was denied a drink of water at a store: "They wouldn't give him one because of his color. In the Cooper fight, Clay was floored by a left hook at the end of round four and was saved by the bell, going on to win in the predicted fifth round due to Cooper's severely cut eye. [84] The decision was not based on, nor did it address, the merits of Ali's claims per se. Ali cooperated with Thomas Hauser on a biography, Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. Following Ali's death, he was the number-one trending topic on Twitter for over 12 hours and on Facebook for several days. "[181] He also said, "Black men would go over there and fight, but when they came home, they couldn't even be served a hamburger. [148] According to Ali, "She wouldn't do what she was supposed to do. [140] Ali was only able to land two jabs while Inoki's kicks caused two blood clots and an infection that almost resulted in Ali's leg being amputated, as a result of Ali's team insisting on rules restricting Inoki's ability to wrestle. Jones staggered Clay in the first round, and the unanimous decision for Clay was greeted by boos and a rain of debris thrown into the ring. [44] He went on to win six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden Gloves titles, an Amateur Athletic Union national title, and the light heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. [212][213], Muhammad Ali received guidance from Islamic scholars such as Grand Mufti of Syria Al Marhum Al Sheikh Ahmed Kuftaro, Hisham Kabbani, Imam Zaid Shakir, Hamza Yusuf, and Timothy J. Gianotti, who was at Ali's bedside during his last days and ensured that although his funeral was interfaith, it was still in accordance with Islamic rites and rituals.[214][215]. [216] They asked fans worldwide to contribute a dollar each. [46] The Holmes fight is said to have contributed to Ali's Parkinson's syndrome. Integration is wrong. Ali stumbled to the corner, where his associate Butch Lewis convinced him to walk away. Throughout most of the bout, however, Ali was able to circle away from Frazier's dangerous left hook and to tie Frazier up when he was cornered, the latter a tactic that Frazier's camp complained of bitterly. While still married to Belinda, Ali married Aaisha in an Islamic ceremony that was not legally recognized. Foreman was considered one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight history. [300] The services began in Louisville on June 9, 2016, with an Islamic Janazah prayer service at Freedom Hall on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center. [331][332][333] Several of his fights were watched by an estimated 12billion viewers between 1974 and 1980, and his lighting of the torch at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics was watched by an estimated 3.5billion viewers. The following table lists known viewership figures of his non-fight television appearances. Construction of the mall, the first of its kind in the Philippines, began shortly after Ali's victory in a match with Joe Frazier in nearby Araneta Coliseum in 1975. That really affected him. In winning this fight at the age of 22, Clay became the youngest boxer to take the title from a reigning heavyweight champion.
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