Biography: Who is Muhammad Ali Clay

Muhammad Ali is an American athlete and boxer, considered by many to be the greatest boxer of all time. Ali had an impressive charisma that earned him the attention and love of the masses, and during his career, he achieved many important achievements, and he is also known for his charitable activities. 

Biography of Muhammad Ali Clay

Cassius Marcus Clay was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942, and Muhammad Ali accidentally discovered his talent when he was 12 years old when he was robbed. This incident led to his acquaintance with coach and policeman John Martin. He then began working with Martin, earning him the Golden Glove in 1956 for lightweight. In 1960, he left with the US Olympic team to Rome to participate in the Olympics, where he managed to beat Poland's Zbigniew Peterzkowski.

In 1964, after becoming a professional athlete, he defeated Sonny Liston to become the world heavyweight champion. After that, the biggest event in Muhammad Ali's life happened, as he was looking for some spiritual matters and decided to join a group of black Muslims called the "Nation of Islam".

Then Muhammad Ali started another kind of fighting as he stood up to the American war on Vietnam. When he was asked to join the US Army for the war, he refused, to be arrested on charges of treason, and almost stripped of his title and license to practice boxing.

The court later sentenced him to 5 years in prison. In 1971, he lost to Joe Frazier, the famous boxer, in a fight that became known as the “fight of the century.” He retired from boxing in 1981, to devote himself to charitable and humanitarian work, and in 1984 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and died in 2016.

The name Muhammad has many meanings and connotations, you can learn about them through The meaning of the name Muhammad.

Beginnings

Cassius Marcus Clay was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942. Muhammad Ali accidentally discovered his talent when he was 12 years old when his bike was stolen, and then he told policeman Joe Martin that he wanted to hit the thief. The policeman, who was a boxing coach at a local club, replied: "You have to learn how to fight before you can challenge the world." He then began working with Martin, earning him the Golden Glove in 1956 for lightweight.

In 1960 he joined the US Olympic boxing team and left with him to Rome to participate in the Olympics. Muhammed Ali had shown tremendous courage in the field; He was famous for his great speed and distinguished steps in the ring. After winning the first three fights, he beat Poland's Zbigniew Peterzkowski to win the gold medal in this tournament.

Personal life

Muhammad Ali married 3 times, during which he had five daughters and two sons. His daughter, Laila, followed in his footsteps and became a professional boxer.

Facts about Muhammed Ali

Muhammad Ali is of Irish descent.

The proceeds from the sale of his glove, in which he won the world championship for the first time, were more than the prize for the championship itself.

His original name is not Muhammad Ali, but Cassius Marcellus Clay.

He participated in the WrestleMania professional wrestling festival, which was held in 1985.

The most famous sayings of Muhammad Ali Clay

I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop his talents, and many fans wanted to create a museum to honor my achievements. But I wanted something more than a building that would house my memorabilia. I want a place that can inspire people to be the best they can be and encourage them to respect each other.

The death of Muhammad Ali Clay

Muhammad Ali contracted Parkinson's disease in 1984, and his health deteriorated significantly in 2005. In 2013, he was transferred to the hospital, where he contracted pneumonia from which he was able to recover. But on June 2, 2016, Clay was hospitalized again, and his family announced his death on the fourth of the same month.

Achievements

After his outstanding Olympic victory, Ali turned into an American champion. He became a professional player, continuing to defeat his opponents in the ring. Then in 1963, he defeated the well-known British champion Henry Cooper 1963, then defeated boxer Sonny Liston by knockout in 1964 to become the world champion in heavyweight boxing.

Ali was famous for his love of cherishing his special talents before the fight and for his use of distinctive and flashy expressions. In one of his most famous self-descriptions, Ali told the sports commentator that he could "hover like a butterfly, and sting like a bee" on the battlefield.

After that, the biggest event in Muhammad Ali's life happened, as he was looking for some spiritual matters and decided to join a group of black Muslims called the "Nation of Islam". He initially called himself "Cassius X" before settling on his famous name, "Muhammad Ali".

Then Muhammad Ali began another kind of fighting, as he stood up to the American war on Vietnam, and when he was asked to join the American army in 1967, he refused, to be arrested on charges of treason, and he was almost stripped of his title and license to practice boxing.

The US Court of Justice filed a case against boxer Muhammad Ali, found him guilty of violating the laws of military service, and was sentenced to five years in prison in June of 1967. But he did not go to prison and remained free during the appeal period of this decision, and Ali was no longer able to exercise Boxing during these three years was a dark period in his professional and sporting life. In 1971 the court removed this charge against the champion boxer.

Muhammad Ali returned to the ring before the Supreme Court decision in 1970, where he defeated Jerry Carey. The following year, he was defeated by Joe Frazier in what is known as the Battle of the Century. Ali and Fraser fought with great force and determination, and the fight lasted 14 rounds before Fraser punched Muhammad Ali with his left fist in the 15th round. Ali quickly regained his strength but the judges awarded the title to Joe Fraser. This was Muhammad Ali's first loss after 31 wins. That loss was followed by another loss against Ken Norton, but Muhammad Ali did not know how to give up and defeated Fraser in 1974.

In 1974, Ali had another historic bout against the unbeatable heavyweight champion, George Foreman. This fight was called "the hustle of the jungle". During the early stages of this match, Ali seemed to be a victim against the huge Foreman who is younger than him, but he managed to silence all the critics with a legendary professional performance. He drained his opponent's energy with his signature style, before defeating him by knockout in the eighth round to win the heavyweight champion title.

Ali met his opponent Fraser in 1975, in a match called "Thrilla in Manila" in which both opponents exerted terrible force and endured painful blows, after which Fraser's coach announced in the fourteenth round the defeat of Fraser and the victory of Muhammad Ali.

After losing his title to Leon Spinks in February 1978, Muhammad Ali defeated him in September to become the first boxer to win the heavyweight title three times. After a short break, he returned to the ring to face Larry Holmes in 1980, but lost to him and then lost to Trevor Berbick in 1981. He then announced his retirement from the sport.

After his retirement, Muhammad Ali devoted himself to charitable work and announced that he had Parkinson's disease in 1984. He was one of the people who contributed to fundraising for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center in Phoenix, Arizona. During these years, he has supported Special Olympics and other organizations and institutions. In 1996 he carried the Olympic torch at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and that moment was a defining moment in the history of world sport.

In 2005 Muhammad Ali received the Presidential Gold Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville. That same year he said, "I am an ordinary man who has worked hard to develop his talents, so many fans wanted to build a museum to honor my accomplishments. But I wanted something more than a building to house my memorabilia. I want a place that could inspire people to be the best they could be and encourage them to be." respect each other."