After dodging a few punches, Monsoon put Ali in an airplane spin and dumped him to the mat. Ali, in his corner, winner by TKO, slumped on his stool, clearly spent. Actor Sylvester Stallone was ringside for the fight and said that it was like watching an autopsy on a man who is still alive. "[112], It was a major upset victory,[113] after Ali came in as a 41 underdog against the previously unbeaten, heavy-hitting Foreman. Ali was back on his feet in three seconds. During the lead up to the bout, Terrell repeatedly called Ali "Clay", much to Ali's annoyance. It was a bout that would inspire Sylvester Stallone to create the acclaimed film, Rocky.[119]. Clay had met Dundee in February 1957 during Clay's amateur career. The company's stockholders were mainly fellow Nation of Islam members, along with several others, including Bob Arum. [41] Initially, Clay did not take up Martin's offer, but after seeing amateur boxers on a local television boxing program called Tomorrow's Champions, Clay was interested in the prospect of fighting. [79][pageneeded] On June 4, 1967, in a first for sports professionals, a group of high-profile African-American athletes including Jim Brown, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as well as one political leader, Carl Stokes, assembled at the Negro Industrial Economic Union in Cleveland for what became known as the "Cleveland Summit" or the "Muhammad Ali Summit." But family spokesman Bob Gunnel disputed that, saying, "Lonnie wasn . Even those who were assassinated, certainly lost their lives, but they didn't voluntarily do that. 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. "[196] Ali's friendship with Malcolm X ended as Malcolm split with the Nation of Islam a couple of weeks after Ali joined, and Ali remained with the Nation of Islam. [37] (He was quoted as saying, "I said I was the greatest, not the smartest! In the sixth, Clay dominated, hitting Liston repeatedly. [207] He went on another Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in 1988. The Prophet is buried in the Sacred Chamber, along with two of his most faithful companions and the first two caliphs of Islam, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Umar ibn al-Khattab. | LII / Legal Information Institute", "Clay v. United States | The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law", "Muhammad Ali lost everything in opposing the Vietnam War. [52], In 1960, Clay left Moore's camp, partially due to Clay's refusal to do chores such as washing dishes and sweeping. He was one of only three boxers to be named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated. [131] Despite pleas to definitively retire, Ali fought one last time on December 11, 1981, in Nassau, Bahamas, against Trevor Berbick, losing a ten-round decision. I wrote to Angelo Dundee, Ali's trainer, his wife and Ali himself. Brown told Sports Illustrated writer Mark Kram, "Honkies sure bought into that one!" This raid exposed the COINTELPRO operations that included illegal spying on activists involved with the civil rights and anti-war movements. Early Life of Muhammad | World Civilization [298], Ali's funeral had been pre-planned by himself and others for several years prior to his actual death. [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. Imma be famous. [189] By the time of the first Liston fight, Nation of Islam members, including Malcolm X, were visible in his entourage. Lonnie converted to Islam from Catholicism in her late twenties. ", "Case of Muhammad Ali: The Ultimate Civil Disobedience", "Secret Honeymoon of the Champ: Muhammad Ali joins Muslim speaking tour with his wedding trip", "The forgotten story of the Rocky Marciano v Muhammad Ali Super Fight", "Knockout: An oral history of Muhammad Ali, Atlanta, and the fight nobody wanted", "Achilles Heel Advertising: Repositioning the Competition", "Victor, at 220, in Command of Houston Bout", "Muhammad Ali The Rumble In The Jungle(Interview)", "Muhammad Ali Inspirational Speech (Cassius Clay Boxing Motivation)", "George Foreman on why Muhammad Ali was so much more than a 'boxer', "Zaire's fight promotion opens new gold mines", "Rumble in the Jungle: the night Ali became King of the World again", "Revisiting 'The Rumble in the Jungle' 40 years later", "Mike Tyson May Fight George Foreman In Biggest Money Match: $80 Million", "Most-Watched Live TV Broadcasts Of All Time: Where Will The Royal Wedding Rank? [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. 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. He told the officer he was going to "whup" the thief. I done handcuffed lightning and throw thunder in jail. [161] In 1982, she became Ali's primary caregiver and in return, he paid for her to attend graduate school at UCLA. [132][133][134], Ali boxed both well known boxers and celebrities from other walks of life, including Michael Dokes,[135] Antonio Inoki,[136] Lyle Alzado,[137] Dave Semenko,[138] and the famous Puerto Rican comedian Jose Miguel Agrelot (with Iris Chacon acting as Agrelot's corner-woman). [258] The same year, he visited Sudan to raise awareness about the plight of famine victims. Midway through the fight, as Foreman began tiring, Ali countered more frequently and effectively with punches and flurries, which electrified the pro-Ali crowd. I am the part you won't recognize. [46] The Holmes fight is said to have contributed to Ali's Parkinson's syndrome. In 1976, inventor Alan Amron and businessman Joel Sacher partnered with Ali to promote The International Committee to Reunite the Beatles. Muhammad Ali's fights were some of the world's most-watched television broadcasts, setting television viewership records. Clay's pulse rate was measured at 120, more than double his normal 54. 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. Hana wrote about her father, "His love for people was extraordinary. Muhammad Ali's long struggle with Parkinson's disease [335] He also appeared on the cover of Time Magazine 5 times,[336] the most of any athlete. [154], Ali was a resident of Cherry Hill, New Jersey in suburban Philadelphia in the early 1970s. Ali fought Ken Norton for the third time in September 1976. Though his condition was initially described as fair, it worsened, and he died the following day at the age of 74 from septic shock.[293][294][295][296]. What many Americans will remember the most was Muhammad Ali's surprise appearance at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics, where he lit the Olympic Torch. Ali was unable to explain why the African countries should join the US boycott when it had failed to support the African boycott of the 1976 Olympics (in protest of Apartheid in South Africa), although neither did the Soviet Union, and was unaware of the sentiment that the Soviet Union had backed some popular revolutions on the continent, although none of the countries on the itinerary were Soviet allies. He won the world heavyweight championship, defeating Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. [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]. Ali had a cameo role in the 1962 film version of Requiem for a Heavyweight, and during his exile from boxing, he starred in the short-lived 1969 Broadway musical, Buck White. In the 11th round, Frazier connected with a left hook that wobbled Ali, but because it appeared that Ali might be clowning as he staggered backwards across the ring, Frazier hesitated to press his advantage, fearing an Ali counter-attack. 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. The fight was even in the early rounds, but Ali was taking more punishment than ever in his career. [305] Ali's memorial was watched by an estimated 1billion viewers worldwide.[243]. [250][251], Ali was known for being a humanitarian[252] and philanthropist. ", "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. 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. 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. Muhammad Ali, originally named Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., was born in Louisville in 1942. The Trials of Muhammad Ali, a documentary directed by Bill Siegel that focuses on Ali's refusal of the draft during the Vietnam War, opened in Manhattan on August 23, 2013. "[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. [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. [140] The match was not scripted and ultimately declared a draw. The following table lists known viewership figures of his non-fight television appearances. Muhammad Ali reflecting on having Parkinson's disease[284][285], Ali's Parkinson's syndrome led to a gradual decline in his health, though he was still active into the early 2000s, promoting his own biopic, Ali, in 2001. [127] The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) ordered that he undergo a complete physical in Las Vegas before being allowed to fight again. Kiiursti says she has a relationship with his other children. A public memorial service for Ali at downtown Louisville's KFC Yum! [270] According to Politico, Ali supported Orrin Hatch politically. How Did Muhammad Ali Die? - Yahoo You know I'm bad. Clay's father's paternal grandparents were John Clay and Sallie Anne Clay; Clay's sister Eva claimed that Sallie was a native of Madagascar. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century, Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Professional boxing record of Muhammad Ali, List of people from the Louisville metropolitan area, 1981 MAPS Wells Fargo embezzlement scandal, "Muhammad Ali: The greatest monument to the great one", "Muhammad Ali, We Still Love You: Unsteady Dreams of a "Muslim International", "Why Muhammad Ali never legally changed name from Cassius Clay", "In Ali's Voice From the Past, a Stand for the Ages", "Ali, Frazier 'Fight of the Century' still packs a punch 50 years on", "Muhammad Ali Pre Liston Poetry & Highlights", "Muhammad Ali Famous Interview After Defeating Foreman", "Muhammad Ali: World's Greatest Boxer Was Also Hip-Hop Pioneer", "Muhammad Ali: 4 Ways He Changed America", "Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., Former Champion's Father, 77", "Muhammad Ali: Boxer's ancestral Irish town pays tribute after death", "DNA evidence links Muhammad Ali to heroic slave, family says", "How Muhammad Ali Became a Boxer Daily Intelligencer", "Fight by fight: Muhammad Ali's legendary career", "How Muhammad Ali's fascination with pro wrestling fueled his career, inspired MMA", "Dundee: Ali was, still is 'The Greatest', King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero, "Clay Wins Title in Seventh-Round Upset As Liston Is Halted by Shoulder Injury", "Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston 1964 Boxen", "Clay Undergoes Surgery; Fight Is Off Indefinitely", "Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston I & II Highlights (Ali Becomes World Champion & Phantom Punch Fight! Muhammad Ali 'had a tough time for a year' before death - doctor Clay was knocked down by both Sonny Banks and Cooper. "[244] In October 2021, 26 of his drawings and arts were placed on auction and sold for close to US$1 Million. Center was held during the afternoon of June 10. He knew Ali had nothing left; he knew it would be a horror. [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. It Happened", "Muhammad Ali's influence ran deep through rap's golden age", "Muhammad Ali: Famed Pugilist Was Also Hip-Hop Pioneer", "Grammy Award Nominees 1964 - Grammy Award Winners 1964", "The 10 Best Muhammad Ali References In Hip Hop", "Muhammad Ali: The original rapper Legendary emcee Chuck D of Public Enemy talks Ali's impact on hip-hop", "Jay Z, Eminem and more hip-hop luminaries remember Muhammad Ali", "Muhammad Ali Boxing a Monsoon Boxing Hall of Fame", "Diff'rent Strokes The Complete Second Season DVD Review", "Art by Muhammad Ali, boxing icon, sells for close to $1 million in New York auction", "Muhammad Ali's Little-Known Art Becomes a Hit at Auction", "Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali's Art Sells for Nearly $1 Million in Auction", "Ali Leaves Hospital Vowing to take better care of himself and get more sleep", "Muhammad Ali Handed Humanitarian Honour", "A Tribute To Muhammad Ali: The Athlete, Philanthropist And Legend", "In pictures: Muhammad Ali's love affair with Africa", "Andrew Cuomo Would Have Blacklisted Muhammad Ali", "Muhammad Ali's forgotten land in Bangladesh". He said some people didn't like the change and stuck to Elijah's teachings, but he admired it and so left Elijah's teachings and became a follower of Sunni Islam. Lonnie first met Ali at the age of 6 when her family moved to Louisville in 1963. [176] In January 2007, it was reported that they had put their home in Berrien Springs, Michigan, which they had bought in 1975,[177] up for sale and had purchased a home in eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky for $1,875,000. BET played their documentary Muhammad Ali: Made In Miami. Ali denied the accusations of cruelty but, for Ali's critics, the fight provided more evidence of his arrogance. He defeated boxers including Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, LaMar Clark, Doug Jones, and Henry Cooper. The case was settled when Ali agreed to set up a $200,000 trust fund for Khaliah. [204], In a 2004 autobiography, Ali attributed his conversion to mainstream Sunni Islam to Warith Deen Muhammad, who assumed leadership of the Nation of Islam upon the death of his father Elijah Muhammad, and persuaded the Nation's followers to become adherents of Sunni Islam. [222], Ali often used rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, both for when he was trash talking in boxing and as political poetry for his activism outside of boxing. By Katie Reilly. Muhammad's life is traditionally defined into two periods: pre-hijra (emigration) in Mecca (from 570 to 622 CE) and post-hijra in Medina (from 622 until 632 CE). [94][95] A review by the NSA of the Minaret program concluded that it was "disreputable if not outright illegal. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74 - BBC News [269] In 1988, during the First Intifada, Ali participated in a Chicago rally in support of Palestine. [312] Named BBC's Sports Personality of the Century, he received more votes than the other five candidates combined. "[86][87] The New York Times columnist William Rhoden wrote, "Ali's actions changed my standard of what constituted an athlete's greatness. He said a reunion of the Beatles "would make a lot of people happy. [230]" Ali spoke like no man the world had seen before. In the later roundsin what was the first appearance of the "rope-a-dope strategy"Ali leaned against the ropes and absorbed punishment from Frazier, hoping to tire him. Clay made his amateur boxing debut in 1954 against local amateur boxer Ronnie O'Keefe. [144], In 1979, Ali fought an exhibition match against NFL player Lyle Alzado. [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. Ali opened the fight moving and scoring with right crosses to Foreman's head. In the eighth round, Ali taunted Terrell, hitting him with jabs and shouting between punches, "What's my name, Uncle Tom what's my name?" The official cause of death was "septic shock due to unspecified natural . There are also traditional Muslim biographies of Muhammad (the sira literature), which provide additional information about Muhammad's life. He lost the title by split decision. Ali and Frazier's first fight, held at the Garden on March 8, 1971, was nicknamed the "Fight of the Century", due to the tremendous excitement surrounding a bout between two undefeated fighters, each with a legitimate claim to be heavyweight champion. Ali first appeared on the magazine's cover in 1963 and went on to be featured on numerous covers during his storied career. That really affected him. On August 11, 1970, with his case still in appeal, Ali was granted a license to box by the City of Atlanta Athletic Commission. Terrell, who was unbeaten in five years and had defeated many of the boxers Ali had faced, was billed as Ali's toughest opponent since Liston; he was big, strong and had a three-inch reach advantage over Ali. [139], On June 26, 1976, Ali participated in an exhibition bout in Tokyo against Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist Antonio Inoki. [82], Ali remained free in the years between the Appellate Court decision and the Supreme Court ruling. [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. In the U.S. version Ali lost in a simulated 13th-round knockout, but in the European version Marciano lost due to cuts, also simulated. [320], On November 19, 2005, Ali and his wife Lonnie Ali opened the $60million non-profit Muhammad Ali Center in downtown Louisville. Muhammad Ali's doctor says the iconic boxer had been "having a tough time in the last year" before his death. [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. 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. Khadija bint Khuwaylid - Wikipedia Who Was the Real Muhammad Ali? | History News Network [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. As a result, he did not fight from March 1967 to October 1970from ages 25 to almost 29as his case worked its way through the appeals process before his conviction was overturned in 1971.[97]. The fight was stopped when Frazier's trainer, Eddie Futch, refused to allow Frazier to answer the bell for the 15th and final round, despite Frazier's protests. "[71] The fight was close until the seventh round, when Ali bloodied Terrell and almost knocked him out. Odessa Lee Grady Clay, 77, mother of three-time heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali, died recently of heart failure at a nursing home in the Louisville, KY, area. ")[73][75] By early 1966, the army lowered its standards to permit soldiers above the 15th percentile and Ali was again classified as 1-A. "[150] Ali's brother Rahman said that she was Ali's only true love and the Nation of Islam made Ali divorce her and Ali never got over it. At the opening bell, Liston rushed at Clay, seemingly angry and looking for a quick knockout. The article quoted Cassius Clay Sr. as saying that his son had joined the Black Muslims when he was 18. "[142] Today it is considered by some to be one of Ali's most influential fights and CBS Sports said the attention the mixed-style bout received "foretold the arrival of standardized MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) years later. [104], Ali suggested that prejudice determined his defeat in the U.S. version; he was reported to have jokingly said, "That computer was made in Alabama."[102]. Pacheco was quoted as saying, "the New York State Athletic Commission gave me a report that showed Ali's kidneys were falling apart. He gave me this illness to remind me that I am not number one; He is. 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. He is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times, and was involved in more Ring "Fight of the Year" bouts than any other fighter. He said he was embarrassed to get in the ring with Alex Miteff and claimed that Madison Square Garden was "too small for me. ", "Rand Paul's amendment to knock out the draft named after Muhammad Ali", "H.R. [179], In a 1974 interview, Ali said, "If they say stand and salute the flag I do that out of respect, because I'm in the country". 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. [191] Around that time Ali moved to the south side of Chicago and lived in a series of houses, always near the Nation of Islam's Mosque Maryam or Elijah Muhammad's residence. [255] Early in his career, one of his main focuses was youth education. . [199][210][211] According to Ali's daughter, Hana Yasmeen Ali, who co-authored The Soul of a Butterfly with him, Ali was attracted to Sufism after reading the books of Inayat Khan, which contain Sufi teachings. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military owing to his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War[9][10] and was found guilty of draft evasion and stripped of his boxing titles. According to some accounts, he died c. 585 in the Sacrilegious War, but according to others, he was still alive when Khadija married Muhammad in 595. Why Muhammad Ali never legally changed his name from Cassius Clay [257] In 1974, he visited a Palestinian refugee camp in Southern Lebanon, where Ali declared "support for the Palestinian struggle to liberate their homeland. [34] Like Ali, Alexander fought for his freedom. [45] Clay's amateur record was 100 wins with five losses. Finally, after winning the heavyweight title in February 1964, he became Muhammad Alirenamed by Elijah, pried apart from Malcolm, and the new front man for the Nation of Islam. Muhammad Ali (/li/;[4] born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.;[5] January 17, 1942 June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. [327], In 2015, Sports Illustrated renamed its Sportsman Legacy Award to the Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award. [324][325], The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act was introduced in 1999 and passed in 2000, to protect the rights and welfare of boxers in the United States. "He said, 'Listen here little girl. Eugene Powers/Shutterstock. [234], On March 31, 1985, Ali was the special guest referee for the main event of the inaugural WrestleMania event. I'm so mean, I make medicine sick[229]" "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. [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. )", "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. [329][330], As a world champion boxer, social activist, sex symbol and pop culture icon, Ali was the subject of numerous creative works including books, films, music, video games, TV shows, and other. He wrote, "Bomb threats emptied our office, making the staff stand out in the snow. A month earlier, a victory in federal court forced the New York State Boxing Commission to reinstate Ali's license.