Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville on January 17, 1942. He became the undisputed heavyweight champion three times as a boxer and remained world-famous as a voice against the Vietnam War.
Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. He grew up in Louisville in humble circumstances where money was often scarce. At the age of twelve, he starts boxing after someone steals his bicycle and he no longer wants to feel powerless. He trains in the basement of police officer Joe Martin, who also shows the young fights on local television. Clay leaves school early because he puts everything into sport. In 1960, he wins gold at the Olympic Games in Rome. That same year, he turned professional and quickly attracted attention because he not only boxed, but also staged fights.
World champion, style icon, media star
In 1964, Clay challenges heavyweight champion Sonny Liston and wins. He shocks the industry by devaluing Liston’s pressure with speed and reflexes. After his triumph, he shouts: “I am the greatest!”, turning his self-image into a brand. Shortly afterwards, he dropped the name Cassius Clay and called himself Muhammad Ali, publicly marking a new path in life. His great rivalries characterize the 1970s: three fights against Joe Frazier, three against Ken Norton and in 1974 the “Rumble in the Jungle” against George Foreman. There Ali relies on “Rope-a-Dope”, lets Foreman work and counters late – with success.
Politics, lockdown and lasting legacy
Ali does not remain in sport, but is at the center of political debates. He rejects the Vietnam War and refuses military service, which costs him his title and boxing license, while he remains in the public eye. He later returns to the ring and wins the world title again, making him the only boxer to become undisputed world champion three times. In 1999, the IOC declared him “Sportsman of the Century”. In 1984, doctors diagnosed him with Parkinson’s syndrome; despite this, he continued to appear as a symbolic figure, for example when he lit the Olympic flame in 1996. Ali died on June 3, 2016 in Scottsdale, but his name remains synonymous with heavyweight boxing, charisma and social impact.
Text by Robin Josten