Muhammad Ali: Early Life
Muhammad Ali, one of the most famous boxers of all time, had humble beginnings. He was born Cassius Clay, Jr., on January 17, 1942, in Louisville , Kentucky. He began boxing at the age of 12, winning various Golden Glove titles, both locally and nationally. In 1960, he attended the Olympics in Rome and came away with the gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the age of 18. Ali was then sponsored by a Kentucky organization to begin his professional career. Besides this sponsorship, it was Muhammad Ali's own self-promoting wise cracks that got him noticed as a great boxer.
Muhammad Ali: Fighting Life
Pehaps Muhammad Ali is best known for his three "World Heavyweight Champion" titles. His first reign (1964-1967) began after he fought Sonny Liston, a formidable opponent. Ali bragged that he could take Liston down, and he did, knocking him out. From 1974-1978, he again held the title after seizing it from then champion, George Foreman. Another rival Ali faced was Joe Frazier, whom he lost to, but came back to defeat duting his second heavyweight reign in 1974. Muhammad Ali lost the heavyweight title again in 1978 to Leon Spinks, but regained it for the third and last time ('78-'79) by refighting Spinks and knocking him out. Ali retired from boxing in 1981.
Muhammad Ali: Religious/ Political Life
In the 1960's, Muhammad Ali became inspired by Malcolm X and went on to join the Muslim faith. After gaining the world heavyweight title in 1964, he announced his allegiance to the Nation of Islam, and his new name (he renounced his given name, Cassius Clay.) Ali's religious beliefs came into controversy in 1967 when he refused to be drafted to Vietnam. He was then stripped of his world title and his boxing license was revoked. Briefly imprisoned, Ali was released on appeal and he fought his conviction until it was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court in 1971, under reasoning that Ali was protected by his Islamic religious convictions.
Muhammad Ali: Life with Parkinson's Disease
As Muhammad Ali's boxing career started to wind down in the early 80's, he began to show signs of a neurological disorder. He had evident signs of decreasing motor skills during a fight against Larry Holmes in 1980. Parkinson's disease was diagnosed soon after, and it was noted that his illness was probably brought on by repetitive head trauma.
In more recent years, Ali has lost his ability to speak. He was able to attend the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA, and he lit the Olympic torch at the opening ceremony. Ali just celebrated his 65th birthday this past January and his children say he still has great, meaningful moments. He now leads a more placid life, and since his Parkinson's diagnosis, he has stated that he regrets nothing.
For further reference: http://www.topblacks.com/sports/muhammad-ali.htm, http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9181165, http://www.nndb.com/people/487/000022421/, and http://www.gale.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/ali_m.htm .
- For more information on Parkinson's disease, read Parkinson's Disease and Coping and Parkinson's Disease Overview.
- For related neurological information, check out the Neurological ARTICLE INDEX and Blog.
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