Mohammad Ali Player of the Month

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Muhammad Ali Clay

Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 17, 1942) is a retired American boxer. In 1999, Ali was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated. He won the World Heavyweight Boxing championship three times, and won the North American Boxing Federation championship as well as an Olympic gold medal.

Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., who was named for the 19th century abolitionist and politician Cassius Clay. Ali later changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam and subsequently converted to Sunni Islam in 1975.
Statistics

Name: Muhammad Ali

Birth name: Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr

Nickname :The Greatest, Louisville Lip

Weight: Heavyweight

Nationality: American

Ethnicity: African American

Birth date: January 17, 1942 (age 65)

Birth place: Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Style: Orthodox


Boxing record

Total fights: 61

Wins: 56

Wins by KO: 37

Losses: 5

Draws: 0

No contests: 0




Olympic medal record

boxing

Gold 1960 Rome Light heavyweight

[sheem]

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[NoToRi0uS]

Early boxing career
Standing at 6'3" (1.91 m), Ali had a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer. Rather than the normal boxing style of carrying the hands high to defend the face, he instead relied on his ability to avoid a punch. In Louisville, October 29, 1960, Cassius Clay won his first professional fight. He won a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker, who was the police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia. From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19-0, with 15 knockouts. He defeated such boxers as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockout), Doug Jones, and Henry Cooper. Among Clay's victories were versus Sonny Banks (who knocked him down during the bout), Alejandro Lavorante, and the aged Archie Moore (a boxing legend who had fought over 200 previous fights, and who had been Clay's trainer prior to Angelo Dundee).

Clay won a disputed 10 round decision over Doug Jones. The fight was named "Fight of the Year" for 1963. Clay's next fight was against Henry Cooper, who knocked Clay down with a left hook near the end of the fourth round. The fight was stopped in the 5th round due to a deep cut on Cooper's face.
Despite these close calls against Doug Jones and Henry Cooper, he became the top contender for Sonny Liston's title. In spite of Clay's impressive record, he was not expected to beat the champ. The fight was to be held on February 25, 1964 in Miami, Florida. During the weigh-in on the previous day, the ever-boastful Ali�who frequently taunted Liston during the buildup by dubbing him "the big ugly bear", among other things�declared that he would "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee," and, in summarizing his strategy for avoiding Liston's assaults, said, "Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see."

First title fight
Clay, however, had a plan. Misreading Clay's exuberance as nervousness, Liston was over-confident, and was unprepared for any result but a quick stoppage. In the opening rounds, Clay's speed kept him away from Liston's powerful head and body shots, as he used his height advantage to effectively beat Liston to the punch with his jab.

Ali taunts Liston in their rematch, which lasted less than a round

By the third, Clay was on top, and had opened a cut under Liston's eye. Liston regained some ground in the fourth, as Clay was blinded by a foreign substance. It is officially unconfirmed whether this was something used to close Liston's cuts, or applied to Liston's gloves for a nefarious purpose; however, author, boxing historian and insider Bert Sugar has recalled at least two other Liston fights in which a similar situation occurred, suggesting the possibility that the Liston corner deliberately attempted to cheat.
Whatever the case, Liston came into the fourth round aggressively looking to put away the fight. As Clay struggled to recover his vision, he sought to escape Liston's offensive. He was able to keep out of range until his sweat and tears cleaned the foreign substance from his eyes, responding with a flurry of combinations near the end of the fifth round. By the sixth, he was looking for a finish and dominated Liston. Then Liston shocked the world when he did not come out for the seventh round to continue the fight; he later claimed to have injured his shoulder.

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. changes his name to Muhammad Ali

Ali at an address by Elijah Muhammad

Following his ascension to champion, he also became famous for other reasons: He revealed that he was a member of the Nation of Islam (often called the Black Muslims at the time) and Malcolm X provided Clay with the name Cassius X, discarding his surname as a symbol of his ancestors' enslavement, as had been done by other Nation members. On Friday, March 6, 1964, Malcolm X took Clay on a guided tour of the United Nations building (for a second time). Malcolm X announced that Clay would be granted his "X." That same night, Elijah Muhammad recorded a statement over the phone to be played over the radio that Clay would be renamed Muhammad (one who is worthy of praise) Ali (fourth rightly guided caliph). Only a few journalists (most notably Howard Cosell) accepted it at that time. The adoption of this name symbolized his new identity as a member of the Nation of Islam

Vietnam puts a pause in Ali's career
In 1964, Ali failed the Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were subpar. However, in early 1966, the tests were revised and Ali was reclassified 1A. He refused to serve in the United States Army during the Vietnam War as a conscientious objector, because "War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are not supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger. We don't take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers." Ali also famously said, "I ain't got no quarrel with those Vietcong" and "no Vietcong ever called me nigger."

Ali refused to respond to his name being read out as Cassius Clay, stating, as instructed by his mentors from the Nation of Islam, that Clay was the name given to his slave ancestors by the white man. By refusing to respond to this name, Ali's personal life was filled with controversy. Ali was essentially banned from fighting in the United States and forced to accept bouts abroad for most of 1966.

From his rematch with Liston in May 1965, to his final defense against Zora Folley in March 1967, he defended his title nine times. Few other heavyweight champions in history have fought so much in such a short period. Ali was scheduled to fight WBA champion Ernie Terrell in a unification bout in Toronto on March 29, 1966, but Terrell backed out and Ali won a 15-round decision against substitute opponent George Chuvalo. He then went to England and defeated Henry Cooper and Brian London by stoppage on cuts. Ali's next defense was against German southpaw Karl Mildenberger, the first German to fight for the title since Max Schmeling. In one of the tougher fights of his life, Ali stopped his opponent in round 12.
Ali returned to the United States in November 1966 to fight Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams in the Houston Astrodome. A year and a half before the fight, Williams had been shot in the stomach at point-blank range by a Texas policeman. As a result, Williams went into the fight missing one kidney, 10 feet of his small intestine, and with a shriveled left leg from nerve damage from the bullet. Ali beat Williams in three rounds.
On February 6, 1967, Ali returned to a Houston boxing ring to fight Terrell in what became one of the uglier fights in boxing. Terrell had angered Ali by calling him Clay, and the champion vowed to punish him for this insult. During the fight, Ali kept shouting at his opponent, "What's my name, Uncle Tom ... What's my name." Terrell suffered 15 rounds of brutal punishment, losing 13 of 15 rounds on two judges' scorecards, but Ali did not knock him out. Analysts, including several who spoke to ESPN on the sports channel's "Ali Rap" special, speculated that the fight only continued because Ali chose not to end it, choosing instead to further punish Terrell. After the fight, Tex Maule wrote, "It was a wonderful demonstration of boxing skill and a barbarous display of cruelty."
Ali's actions in refusing military service and aligning himself with the Nation of Islam made him a lightning rod for controversy, turning the outspoken but popular former champion into one of that era's most recognizable and controversial figures. Appearing at rallies with Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad and declaring his allegiance to him at a time when mainstream America viewed them with suspicion � if not outright hostility � made Ali a target of outrage, and suspicion as well. Ali seemed at times to even provoke such reactions, with viewpoints that wavered from support for civil rights to outright support of separatism. For example, Ali once stated, in relation to integration:
� We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man; that's all.
And in relation to inter-racial marriage:
� No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters.
Indeed, Ali's religious beliefs at the time included the notion that the white man was "the devil", and that white people were not "righteous". Ali claimed that white people hated black people.
Near the end of 1967, Ali was stripped of his title by the professional boxing commission and would not be allowed to fight professionally for more than three years. He was also convicted for refusing induction into the army and sentenced to five years in prison. Over the course of those years in exile, Ali fought to appeal his conviction. He stayed in the public spotlight and supported himself by giving speeches, primarily at rallies on college campuses that opposed the Vietnam War.
In 1970, Ali was allowed to fight again, and in late 1971 the Supreme Court reversed his conviction.

The comeback
In 1970, Ali was finally able to get a boxing license. With the help of a State Senator, he was granted a license to box in Georgia because it was the only state in America without a boxing commission. In October 1970, he returned to stop Jerry Quarry on a cut after three rounds. Shortly after the Quarry fight, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali had been unjustly denied a boxing license. Once again able to fight in New York, he fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in December 1970. After a tough 14 rounds, Ali stopped Bonavena in the 15th, paving the way for a title fight against Joe Frazier.


The Fight of the Century
Ali and Frazier fought each other on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. The fight, known as '"The Fight of the Century", was one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of all time and remains one of the most famous. It featured two skilled, undefeated fighters, both of whom had reasonable claims to the heavyweight crown. The fight lived up to the hype, and Frazier punctuated his victory by flooring Ali with a hard left hook in the 15th and final round. Frank Sinatra � unable to acquire a ringside seat � took photos of the match for Life Magazine. Legendary boxing announcer Don Dunphy and actor and boxing aficionado Burt Lancaster called the action for the broadcast, which reached millions of people.
Frazier eventually won the fight and retained the title with a unanimous decision, dealing Ali his first professional loss.
In 1973, after a string of victories over top Heavyweight opposition in a campaign to force a rematch with Frazier, Ali split two bouts with Ken Norton (in the bout that Ali lost to Norton, Ali suffered a broken jaw), before beating Frazier (who had lost the title to George Foreman) on points in their 1974 rematch, to earn another title shot.

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he Rumble in the Jungle
Ali regained his title on October 30, 1974 by defeating champion George Foreman in their bizarre bout in Kinshasa, Zaire. Hyped as "The Rumble In The Jungle", the fight was promoted by Don King.

Almost no one, not even Ali's long-time supporter Howard Cosell, gave the former champion a chance of winning. Analysts pointed out that Joe Frazier and Ken Norton had given Ali four tough battles in the ring and won two of them while Foreman had destroyed both in the second round.
The fight became a political symbol - Ali was taken to represent Black consciousness and the fight against white power, Foreman taken to represent US arrogance. Ali was massively popular in Za�re and gained enthusiastic support of the crowd for the much-hyped fight.
During the bout, Ali employed an unexpected strategy. Throughout the build up he declared he was going to 'dance' and use his speed to keep away from Foreman and out box him. However in the first round Ali headed straight for the champion and began hitting him with a rarely used punch known as a right hand lead. This involves hitting first with your right, rarely done at professional level as it has to travel the extra distance across the shoulders. Ali caught Foreman nine times in the first round with this technique but failed to knock him out. He then decided to take advantage of the young champion's one weakness: staying power. Foreman had won 37 of his 40 bouts by knockout, most within three rounds or less, with Foreman's eight previous bouts not going past the second round. Ali saw an opportunity to outlast Foreman, and capitalised on it. In the second round, the challenger retreated to the ropes inviting Foreman to hit him, whilst counterpunching and verbally taunting the younger man. Ali's plan was to enrage Foreman and absorb his best blows in order to exhaust him mentally and physically. While Foreman threw wide shots to Ali's body, Ali countered with stinging straight punches to Foreman's head. The champion threw hundreds of punches in seven rounds but with decreasing technique and effect. This was later termed "The Rope-A-Dope".
By the end of the eighth round Foreman was clearly flagging and Ali made his move, turning Foreman off the ropes and executing a combination for the knockout. Allegedly asking the young champ "is that all you got" before launching the final knockout combination. Foreman failed to make the count, and Ali had regained the title.
This match was ranked seventh in the British television program The 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.

Ali becomes a Sunni Muslim
Ali converted from the Nation of Islam to Sect Sunni Islam in 1975. In a 2004 autobiography, written with daughter Hana Yasmeen Ali, Muhammad Ali attributes his conversion to the shift towards Sunni Islam made by W.D. Muhammad after he gained control of the Nation of Islam upon the death of his father, Elijah Muhammad in 1975.

Rocky
On March 24, 1975, Ali fought Chuck Wepner in Cleveland, a fight that was to inspire the Academy Award winning movie Rocky. Ironically, however, it was Ali's opponent who provided the inspiration for history's most famous fictional pugilist. Wepner was a journeyman fighter who had been earning his living as a liquor salesman and security guard. Wepner had been dubbed "The Bayonne Bleeder" and, although he was ranked, he was considered hapless. Wepner, however, trained for two months and although he lost on a technical knock-out in the 15th round, he managed to knock Ali down with a body shot in the 9th. Sylvester Stallone saw the match in person and the concept of Rocky Balboa � an unknown club fighter who goes 15 rounds with the heavyweight champion � was born. Heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, the character portrayed by Carl Weathers, was loosely based on Ali.

The Thrilla in Manila
In 1975, Ali was again slated to fight Joe Frazier. The anticipation for the fight was enormous for the final clash between these two great heavyweights. Ali's frequent insults, slurs and poems increased the anticipation and excitement for the fight. After 14 grueling rounds, Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch refused to allow Frazier to continue. Frazier felt betrayed and never talked to Futch again. Ali was quoted after the fight as saying "This must be what death feels like". Ring Magazine called this bout 1975's Fight of the Year, the fifth year an Ali fight had earned that distinction. This fight has been called the greatest fight of all time by many.[citation needed] Ali won many of the early rounds, but Frazier staged a comeback in the middle rounds. By the late rounds, however, Ali had re-asserted control, and the fight was stopped due to Frazier's eyes being closed.
Neither fighter was ever the same again. Frazier would permanently retire after two more fights, and a declining Ali would struggle with many opponents from then on, aided by some controversial victories.
1976 saw Ali knock out two largely unknown opponents, Belgian stonecutter Jean-Pierre Coopman and English boxer Richard Dunn. On April 30, 1976 Ali faced Jimmy Young in Landover, Maryland. Ali weighed in at 230 lbs, the heaviest of his career to that point. The judges, chosen by Don King, gave Ali a decision after 15 rounds. But it was widely believed that Young had outscored Ali; many called the decision one of the worst in the history of boxing.[citation needed] In September, Ali faced Ken Norton in their third fight, held at Yankee Stadium. In another highly-disputed decision, the judges unanimously declared Ali the victor.[citation needed
In 1977 Ali's ring doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, left Ali's entourage, stating that Ali was damaging himself by continuing to fight for too long, and that he did not wish to be held responsible. Pacheco had advised Ali to retire after beginning to see signs of Ali's reflexes slowing down.
Ali would retain his title until a February 1978 loss to 1976 Olympic champion Leon Spinks. In losing to the novice Spinks, Ali became the first heavyweight champion in the entire history of boxing to lose his title to a novice who had had only seven professional fights. In the September rematch in New Orleans at the Superdome, Spinks' cornerman Georgie Benton walked out of the ring after the 6th round, later commenting that he did not think the fight was on the level. Ali was given a 15-round decision over the disoriented Spinks. Then on June 27, 1979, he announced his retirement and vacated the title.

Final comeback and retirement
That retirement was short-lived, however, and on October 2, 1980, he challenged Larry Holmes for the WBC's version of the world Heavyweight title. Looking to set another record, as the first boxer to win the Heavyweight title four times, Ali lost by technical knockout in round eleven, when Dundee would not let him come out for the round. The Holmes fight, promoted as "The Last Hurrah", was a fight many fans and experts view with disdain, because it was a fight that saw a "deteriorated version" of Ali. Holmes was Ali's sparring partner when Holmes was a budding fighter; thus, some viewed the result of the fight as a symbolic "passing of the torch." Holmes even admitted later that, although he dominated the fight, he held his punches back a bit out of sheer respect for his idol, and former employer. It was revealed after the fight that Ali had been examined at the Mayo Clinic, and the results were shocking. He had admitted to tingling in his hands, and slurring of his speech. The exam revealed he actually had a hole in the membrane of his brain. However, Don King withheld this report, and allowed the fight to go on.

Despite the apparent finality of his loss to Holmes and his increasingly suspect medical condition, Ali would fight one more time. On December 11, 1981, he fought rising contender and future world champion Trevor Berbick, in what was billed as "The Drama in the Bahamas." Because Ali was widely viewed as a damaged fighter, few American venues expressed much interest in hosting the bout, and few fans expressed much interest in attending or watching it. Compared to the mega-fights Ali fought in widely known venues earlier in his career, the match took place in virtual obscurity, in Nassau. Although Ali performed marginally better against Berbick than he had against Holmes fourteen months earlier, he still lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Berbick, who at 27 was twelve years younger.
Following this loss, Ali retired permanently in 1981, with a career record of 56 wins (37 by knockout) and 5 losses, and as a three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.

[ozair]

thanx for sharing...........

[NoToRi0uS]

Ali's legacy
Muhammad Ali defeated almost every top Heavyweight in his era, an era which has been called the Golden Age of Heavyweight boxing. Ali was named "Fighter of the Year" by Ring Magazine more times than any other fighter, and was involved in more Ring Magazine "Fight of the Year" bouts than any other fighter. He is an inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and holds wins over seven other Hall of Fame inductees. He is also one of only three boxers to be named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated. He is regarded as one of the best pound for pound boxers in history. He was a masterful self-promoter, and his psychological tactics before, during, and after fights, were very effective. It was his supreme skill, however, that enabled him to scale the heights and sustain his position.
In 1978, three years before Ali's permanent retirement, the Board of Aldermen in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky voted 6-5 to rename Walnut Street to Muhammad Ali Boulevard. This was controversial at the time, as within a week of the city installing 70 street signs, 12 were stolen. Earlier that year, a committee of the Jefferson County Public Schools considered renaming Central High School in his honor, but didn't approve the idea. At any rate, the naming of Ali Boulevard as well as Ali himself, in time, came to be well accepted in his hometown

The torch Ali used to light the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics

In retirement
Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the early 1980s, following which his motor functions began a slow decline. Although Ali's doctors disagreed during the 1980s and 1990s about whether his symptoms were caused by boxing and whether or not his condition was degenerative,[5] he was ultimately diagnosed with Pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome. By late 2005 it was reported that Ali's condition was notably worsening.[5] According to the documentary When We Were Kings, when Ali was asked about whether he has any regrets about boxing due to his disability, he responded that if he didn't box he would still be a painter in Louisville, Kentucky.
Despite the disability, he remains a beloved and active public figure. Recently he was voted into Forbes Celebrity 100 coming in at number 13 behind Donald Trump. In 1985, he served as a guest referee at the inaugural WrestleMania event. In 1987 he was selected by the California Bicentennial Foundation for the U.S. Constitution to personify the vitality of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights in various high profile activities. Ali rode on a float at the 1988 Tournament of Roses Parade, launching the U.S. Constitution's 200th birthday commemoration. He also published an oral history, Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times with Thomas Hauser, in 1991. Ali received a Spirit of America Award calling him the most recognized American in the world. In 1996, he had the honor of lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia
He has appeared at the 1998 AFL (Australian Football League) Grand Final, where Anthony Pratt recruited him to watch the game. He also greets runners at the start line of the Los Angeles Marathon every year.

In 1999, Ali received a special one-off award from the BBC at its annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony, which was the BBC Sports Personality of the Century Award. His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999, despite her father's earlier comments against female boxing in 1978: "Women are not made to be hit in the breast, and face like that... the body's not made to be punched right here [patting his chest]. Get hit in the breast... hard... and all that."
On September 13, 1999, Ali was named "Kentucky Athlete of the Century" by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in ceremonies at the Galt House East.
In 2001, a biographical film, entitled Ali, was made, with Will Smith starring as Ali. The film received mixed reviews, with the positives generally attributed to the acting, as Smith and supporting actor Jon Voight earned Academy Award nominations. Prior to making the Ali movie, Will Smith had continually rejected the role of Ali until Muhammad Ali personally requested that he accept the role. According to Smith, the first thing Ali said about the subject to Smith was: "You ain't pretty enough to play me".

He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on November 9, 2005,[7] and the prestigious "Otto Hahn peace medal in Gold" of the United Nations Association of Germany (DGVN) in Berlin for his work with the US civil rights movement and the United Nations (December 17 2005).

On November 19, 2005 (Ali's 19th wedding anniversary), the $60 million non-profit Muhammad Ali Center opened in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to displaying his boxing memorabilia, the center focuses on core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth.

According to the Muhammad Ali Center website, "Since he retired from boxing, Ali has devoted himself to humanitarian endeavors around the globe. He is a devout Sunni Muslim, and travels the world over, lending his name and presence to hunger and poverty relief, supporting education efforts of all kinds, promoting adoption and encouraging people to respect and better understand one another. It is estimated that he has helped to provide more than 22 million meals to feed the hungry. Ali travels, on average, more than 200 days per year."

At the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 2, 2007, Ali was an honorary captain for the Louisville Cardinals wearing their white jersey, number 19. Ali was accompanied by golf legend Arnold Palmer, who was the honorary captain for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade.
A youth club in Ali's hometown and a species of rose (Rosa ali) have also been named after him.
Ali currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his fourth wife, Yolanda 'Lonnie' Ali,[8] They own a house in Berrien Springs, Michigan which is currently for sale and on January 9, 2007, they purchased a house in eastern Jefferson County for $1,875,000


Ranking in heavyweight history
There is some dispute among boxing historians about who is actually the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. However, a 1998 ranking in Ring magazine named Ali as the greatest heavyweight of all time.

Personal life
Muhammad Ali has been married four times and has seven daughters and two sons. Ali's met his first wife, cocktail waitress Sonji Roi, approximately one month before they married on August 14, 1964. Roi's objections to certain Muslim customs in regards to dress for women contributed to the break-up of their marriage. They divorced on January 10, 1966.

On August 17, 1967, Ali married 17-year old Belinda Boyd. After the wedding, she changed her name to Khalilah Ali, following Muslim tradition, but she was still called Belinda by old friends and family. They had four children together; the eldest daughter, Maryum, was born in 1968. Twin daughters, Jamillah and Rasheda, were born in 1970. Muhammad Ali's only biological son, Muhammad Ali Jr., was born in 1972. However, Ali began an affair with a young woman named Veronica Porsche in 1974. Porche was one of the four poster girls who had promoted the Rumble in the Jungle fight in Zaire versus George Foreman. By the summer of 1977, Ali's second marriage was over and he had married Veronica. By the time they were married, they had a baby girl, Hana, and Veronica was pregnant with their second child. Their second daughter, Laila Ali, was born in December of that year. By 1986, Ali and Veronica had divorced.

The Muhammad Ali Center, alongside Interstate 64 on Louisville's riverfront

On November 19, 1986, Ali married his fourth wife, Yolanda 'Lonnie' Ali. They had known each other since their childhoods in Louisville. Their mothers were close friends, and Muhammad Ali was her babysitter. They have one adopted son, Asaad.

Ali's Presidential Medal of Freedom on display at the Ali Center

Ali has two other daughters, Miya and Khaliah, from extramarital relationships.


Ali in the media

Books
King of the World - The best-selling biography by David Remnick.
The Greatest-My Own Story by Muhammad Ali with Richard Durham - 1975.
The Fight by Norman Mailer - 1975
Mohammad Ali and a fictional son Mohammad Ali Jr. are portrayed in the Japanese manga series New Grappler Baki - In search of our strongest hero.
GOAT (Greatest Of All Time): Taschen's massive 800 page tribute to Ali, weighs in at 75lbs, limited "Champ's Edition" is autographed by Muhammad Ali and comes with a sculpture by Jeff Koons.
The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey by Muhammad Ali (with Hana Yasmeen Ali) - 2004.
Superman vs Muhammad Ali: DC Comics - 1978, by Dennis O'Neill & Neal Adams.

Music
In 1971, New York singer Vernon Harrell released a record about him called "Muhammed Ali" (Brunswick Records #55448) as Verne Harrell. This misspelling of Ali's name was printed on the 45's.
In 1974, a song about Ali titled "Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)" was recorded by British reggae group Johnny Wakelin & the Kinshasa Band.[10]
The British dance band Faithless recorded a song titled "Muhammad Ali" which was released as a single on 23 September 2001. The single reached #29 in the UK singles chart. The song was included on their 2001 album Outrospective.

Movies and television
When We Were Kings is a 1996 Academy Award-winning documentary film about the "Rumble in the Jungle", Ali's legendary 1974 fight against George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

When We Were KingsSeveral individuals have portrayed Ali in film biographies, including Ali himself:

Future Amazing Race winner Chip McAllister, in the 1977 film, The Greatest (portraying a young adult Cassius Clay)
Muhammad Ali, in the 1977 film, The Greatest
Darius McCrary, in the 1997 HBO TV movie, Don King: Only in America
Terrence Howard, in the 2000 ABC TV movie, King of the World
Aaron Meeks, in the 2000 Fox TV movie, Ali: An American Hero (portraying a young Cassius Clay)
David Ramsey, in the 2000 Fox TV movie, Ali: An American Hero
Will Smith, in the 2001 film, Ali
Additionally, Ali has appeared as himself in numerous scripted films and television series, including the films Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), Body and Soul (1981 version, starring Leon Isaac Kennedy), and Doin' Time (1985); and the television series Vega$ (1979), Diff'rent Strokes (1979), and Touched by an Angel (1999).

Ali portrayed a former slave in Reconstruction-era Virginia who is elected to the United States Senate in the 1979 NBC TV movie Freedom Road, which was based upon the 1944 novel by Howard Fast.

Ali provided the voice for the titular character in the 1977 NBC animated series, I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali.

Ali is featured prominently in a series of ESPN specials in honor of his 65th birthday. The shows include Ali Rap, Ali's Dozen & Ali 65. They premiered on December 9th, 2006 at 9PM EST on ESPN.

Ali speaks about his reasons for not serving in Vietnam on the WGBH series, Say Brother

[Pukhtana_4_Lyfe]

very nice. thnx for sharin. He is my fav player

[NoToRi0uS]

The colorful and controversial Ali began taking boxing lessons when he was twelve years old at the urging of a Louisville policeman he talked to after his bike was stolen. As a high school student, he won the national Golden Gloves middleweight championship in 1959 and 1960 and the AAU national light heavyweight title in 1960, then went on to a gold medal in the Olympic light heavyweight division.

Under his given name, Cassius Clay, he had his first professional fight on October 29, 1960. Before his sixth professional bout, against Lamar Clark on April 19, 1961, Clay predicted a 2nd-round knockout and was right. He continued making predictions, often in rhyme, and making them come true until March 13, 1963. On that date, he won a questionable 10-round decision over Doug Jones after predicting a 4th-round knockout.
Clay was a heavy underdog when he met Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship on February 25, 1964, at Miami Beach, FL. But he won the fight when Liston failed to come out for the 8th round, claiming a shoulder injury. In a rematch on May 25, 1965, Clay knocked Liston out with a "phantom punch" that few observers saw in the 1st round at Lewiston, ME.
Shortly after becoming champion, Clay announced that he had become a Black Muslim and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He defended the title eight times in the next twenty months. In the meantime, he had refused induction into the Army. As a result, his license was revoked by the New York State Boxing Commission, his title was stripped, and he was sentenced to five years in prison for draft evasion.
While the conviction was being appealed, Ali was inactive for more than two years and announced his retirement early in 1970. He returned to the ring shortly afterward, knocking out Jerry Quarry in the 3rd round on October 26, 1970, at Atlanta. After a court ordered New York to restore his license, he fought the new champion, Joe Frazier, at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971. Frazier won a brutal 15-round fight on a unanimous decision.
The U. S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction on June 29, 1971, and Ali won the North American Boxing Federation's championship by knocking out Jimmy Ellis in the 12th round less than a month later. He lost it on a 12-round decision to Ken Norton, regained it by outpointing Norton in 12 rounds, and then beat Frazier on a 12-round decision to gain a world title fight against George Foreman, who had also beaten Frazier.
Ali knocked Foreman out in the 8th round on October 30, 1974, at Kinshasa, Zaire, in the first heavyweight championship fight ever held in Africa. He was named fighter of the year by Ring magazine. He and Frazier shared the 1975 award after their celebrated "Thrilla in Manila" fight on October 1, when Ali won with a 14th-round knockout.
After ten defenses, Ali lost the title to Leon Spinks on a 12-round decision February 15, 1978, but regained it for a third time with a 15-round decision on September 15. He then announced his retirement.
He came out of retirement for another championship fight, against Larry Holmes on October 2, 1980. Holmes knocked him out in the 11th round. Ali retired for good after losing a 1981 decision to Trevor Berbick.
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee," a phrase coined by corner man Drew "Bundini" Brown, aptly described Ali's remarkable combination of speed and power during his prime, when he fought at about 210 pounds.
Record: 61 fights, won 56, 37 by KO; lost 5, 1 by KO.






Professional Record

1960
29 Oct Tunney Hunsaker Louisville, KY W6
27 Dec Herb Siler Miami Beach, FL KO4

1961
17 Jan Tony Esperti Miami Beach, FL KO3
7 Feb Jim Robinson Miami Beach, FL KO1
21 Feb Donnie Fleeman Miami Beach, FL KO7
19 Apr Lamar Clark Louisville, KY KO2
26 Jun Duke Sabedong Las Vegas, NV W10
22 Jul Alonzo Johnson Louisville, KY W10
7 Oct Alex Miteff Louisville, KY KO6
29 Nov Willi Besmanoff Louisville, KY KO7

1962
19 Feb Sonny Banks New York, NY KO4
28 Mar Don Warner Miami Beach, FL KO4
23 Apr George Logan Los Angeles, CA KO6
19 May Billy Daniels New York, NY KO7
20 Jul Alejandro Lavorante Los Angeles, CA KO5
15 Nov Archie Moore Los Angeles, CA KO4

1963
24 Jan Charlie Powell Pittsburgh, PA KO3
13 Mar Doug Jones New York, NY W10
18 Jun Henry Cooper London KO5

1964
25 Feb Sonny Liston Miami Beach, FL TKO7
(Won world championship)

1965
25 May Sonny Liston Lewiston, Maine KO1
(Retained world championship)
31 Jul Jimmy Ellis San Juan, PR Exh 3
31 Jul Cody Jones San Juan, PR Exh 3
16 Aug Cody Jones Goteborg, Sweden Exh 2
16 Aug Jimmy Ellis Goteborg, Sweden Exh 2
20 Aug Jimmy Ellis London Exh 4
20 Aug Cody Jones Paisley, Scotland Exh 4
22 Nov Floyd Patterson Las Vegas KO12
(Retained world championship)

1966
29 Mar George Chuvalo Toronto W15
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
21 May Henry Cooper London KO6
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
6 Aug Brian London London KO3
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
10 Sep Karl Mildenberger Frankfurt, Germany KO12
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
14 Nov Cleveland Williams Houston, TX KO3
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)

1967
6 Feb Ernie Terrell Houston, TX W15
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
22 Mar Zora Folley New York, NY KO7
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
15 Jun Alvin Lewis Detroit, MI Exh 3
15 Jun Orvill Qualls Detroit, MI Exh 3

1970
26 Oct Jerry Quarry Atlanta KO3
7 Dec Oscar Bonavena New York KO15

1971
8 Mar Joe Frazier New York L15
(For World championship)
25 Jun J.D. McCauley Dayton, OH Exh 2
25 Jun Eddie Brooks Dayton, OH Exh 3
25 Jun Rufus Brassell Dayton, OH Exh 3
30 Jun Alex Mack Charleston, SC Exh 3
30 Jun Eddie Brooks Charleston, SC Exh 4
26 Jul Jimmy Ellis Houston, TX KO12
(Won Vacant NABF Heavyweight Championship)
21 Aug Lancer Johnson Caracas Exh 4
21 Aug Eddie Brooks Caracas Exh 4
23 Aug Lancer Johnson Port of Spain, Trinidad Exh 4
23 Aug Eddie Brooks Port of Spain, Trinidad Exh 2
6 Nov James Summerville Buenos Aires Exh 5
6 Nov Miguel Paez Buenos Aires Exh 5
17 Nov Buster Mathis Houston, TX W12
26 Dec Jurgen Blin Zurich, Switzerland KO7

1972
1 Apr Mac Foster Tokyo W15
1 May George Chuvalo Vancouver, BC W12
(Retained NABF Heavyweight Championship)
27 Jun Jerry Quarry Las Vegas KO7
(Retained NABF Heavweight Championship)
19 Jul Al Lewis Dublin KO11
20 Sept Floyd Patterson New York KO7
(Retained NABF Heavyweight Championship)
21 Nov Bob Foster Stateline, NV KO8
(Retained NABF Heavyweight Championship)

1973
14 Feb Joe Bugner Las Vegas W12
23 Feb Cookie Wallace Dallas Exh 4
31 Mar Ken Norton San Diego L12
(Lost NABF Heavyweight Championship)
10 Sep Ken Norton Los Angeles W12
(Regained NABF Heavyweight Championship)
21 Oct Rudi Lubbers Jakarta, Indonesia W12

1974
28 Jan Joe Frazier New York W12
(Retained NABF Heavyweight Championship)
30 Oct George Foreman Kinshasa, Zaire KO8
(Won World Championship)

1975
24 Mar Chuck Wepner Cleveland KO15
(Retained world championship9
16 May Ron Lyle Las Vegas KO11
(Retained world championship)
30 Jun Joe Bugner Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia W15
(Retained world championship)
30 Sep Joe Frazier Manila, Philippines KO14
(Retained world championship)
Dec 6 Randy Stephens Dallas, Tx Exh 3

1976
20 Feb Jean Pierre Coopman San Juan, PR KO5
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
30 Apr Jimmy Young Landover, MD W15
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
24 May Richard Dunn Munich, Germany KO5
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
25 Jun Antonio Inoki Tokyo Exh D15
(above was boxer-wrestler exhibition)
28 Sep Ken Norton New York W15
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)

1977
16 May Alfredo Evangelista Landover, MD W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
29 Sep Earnie Shavers New York, NY W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Championship)
14 Nov Bernardo Mercado Bogata, Colombia Exh 5
2 Dec Scott LeDoux Chicago, IL Exh 5

1978
15 Feb Leon Spinks Las Vegas L15
(Lost World Championship)
15 Sep Leon Spinks New Orleans W15
(Won World Championship)

1979
May 27 Alonzo Johnson Randers, Den Exh 5
May 27 Jimmy Willis Randers, Den Exh 5

1980
Oct 2 Larry Holmes Las Vegas KO by 11
(For World Championship)

1981
Dec 11 Trevor Berbick Nassau, Bahamas L10

[Pukhtana_4_Lyfe]

very kool. thnx for the info