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| Fans Say Ali Is Still The Greatest Heavyweight Ever |
| 15 December 2009, 9:32 am |
| By GE Editor |
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| Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 17, 1942) is undoubtedly the most recognised face from the word of boxing. 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. Muhammad Aliis the World's Greatest Ever Heavyweight. |
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr. He changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam and subsequently converted to Sunni Islam in 1975.
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.
Fighting as Cassius Clay he won his first world title beating Sonny Liston. He defended his title nine times before being banned for refusing to go to fight in Viet Nam. He changed his name to Muhammad Ali and aligned himself with the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammed.
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 was unjustly denied a boxing license.
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 and won on points.
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.
Stats
MUHAMMAD "The Louisville Lip" ALI - 56-5 (37 KOs)…IBHOF… American…Pro Years: 1960-1981…gold medal winner in 1960 Olympics as Cassius Clay…3-time world heavyweight champion…Notable Victories: Joe Frazier (2), Sonny Liston (2), George Foreman, Archie Moore, George Chuvalo, Ernie Terrell, Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Ken Norton, Alfredo Evangelista and Earnie Shavers.
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