Muhammad Ali is widely considered one of the greatest heavyweight championship boxers of all time. As an amateur, he first became famous when he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.

After turning professional, he went on to become the first boxer to win the heavyweight championship on three occasions. Originally known as Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali changed his name after becoming a Muslim in 1964. In 1967, Muhammad Ali refused to be drafted into the U.S. military, based on his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. He was arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges, stripped of his boxing title, and his boxing license was suspended. Muhammad Ali was not imprisoned, but did not fight again for nearly four years while his appeal worked its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was successful.

Muhammad Ali was involved in several historic boxing matches, notably three with rival Joe Frazier ('Fight of the Century', Fight II, 'Thrilla in Manila') and one with George Foreman ('Rumble in the Jungle'). He suffered only five losses with no draws in his career, while amassing 56 wins. Muhammad Ali AKA Cassius Clay was well known for his unorthodox fighting style, which he described as "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", and employing techniques such as the rope-a-dope.

Ali's most memorable impressions on the public was his "trash talk" against opponents on television and in person some time before the match, often with rhymes. These personality quips and idioms, along with an unorthodox fighting technique, made him a cultural icon. In 1999, Ali was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century" by the BBC and in simple terms is known as:

 

 'THE GREATEST'

​

WHAT WERE MUHAMMAD ALI'S VITAL STATISTICS?

 

Muhammad Ali was a heavyweight boxer measuring 6ft 3in (1.91m) and had a reach of 80in (203cm). He was born on January 17th 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

​

WHAT WAS MUHAMMAD ALI'S FIGHT RECORD?

​

Muhammad Ali fought 61 fights, winning 56 with 37 of these by knock-out. He lost just 5 times.

​

​

WHAT WERE MUHAMMAD ALI'S MAIN FIGHTS?

 

Muhammad Ali had many memorable fights and these were primarily winning the 1960 Olympic Gold Medal, The 'Fight of the Century', The 'Thrilla in Manila' and The 'Rumble in the Jungle'.

​