[37] (He was quoted as saying, "I said I was the greatest, not the smartest! [56] Many of those in attendance thought Clay's behavior stemmed from fear, and some commentators wondered if he would show up for the bout. Ali stated that his earlier name was a "slave name," and a "white man's name" and added that "I didn't choose it and I don't want it. [153] Rasheda married Robert Walsh and has two sons: Biaggio Ali, (born 1998), and Nico Ali (born 2000), who is a professional boxer. Muhammad Ali, original name Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., (born January 17, 1942, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.died June 3, 2016, Scottsdale, Arizona), American professional boxer and social activist. For the last four years of Clay's amateur career he was trained by boxing cutman Chuck Bodak.[43]. Ali was 32 years old, and had clearly lost speed and reflexes since his twenties. Odessa Lee Grady Clay, 77, mother of three-time heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali, died recently of heart failure at a nursing home in the Louisville, KY, area. It has been speculated that the problem was due to ointment used to seal Liston's cuts, perhaps deliberately applied by his corner to his gloves. At the time, Ali was widely condemned by the American media,[99] with fears that his actions could potentially lead to mass civil disobedience. [146] The match was officially a draw after going three rounds, but the Associated Press reported Ali was not seriously trying and was just toying with Semenko. Ali remains the only three-time lineal heavyweight champion. He was 74. Clay was knocked down by both Sonny Banks and Cooper. They had four children: author and rapper Maryum[152] "May May" (born 1968); twins Jamillah and Rasheda (born 1970); and Muhammad Ali Jr. (born 1972). And it turned out he was right, and I was wrong. [185] Ali's daughter Hana is married to Bellator middleweight fighter Kevin Casey. Terrell claimed that early in the fight Ali deliberately thumbed him in the eye, forcing him to fight half-blind, and then, in a clinch, rubbed the wounded eye against the ropes. "[173][174] Ali biographer and friend Thomas Hauser has said this claim was of "questionable veracity". The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening," said family . [323] In Japan, the match inspired Inoki's students Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki to found Pancrase in 1993, which in turn inspired the foundation of Pride Fighting Championships in 1997. [256], Ali began visiting Africa, starting in 1964 when he visited Nigeria and Ghana. "[55] Clay turned the pre-fight weigh-in into a circus, shouting at Liston that "someone is going to die at ringside tonight." "[188], Ali said that he first heard of the Nation of Islam when he was fighting in the Golden Gloves tournament in Chicago in 1959, and attended his first Nation of Islam meeting in 1961. [161] In 1982, she became Ali's primary caregiver and in return, he paid for her to attend graduate school at UCLA. The fight with Doug Jones on March 13, 1963, was Clay's toughest fight during this stretch. With Frazier's vision now diminished, Ali dominated the 13th and 14th rounds, at times conducting what boxing historian Mike Silver called "target practice" on Frazier's head. [167][168][169], In 2010, Osmon Williams came forward claiming to be Ali's biological son. Muhammad's life is traditionally defined into two periods: pre-hijra (emigration) in Mecca (from 570 to 622 CE) and post-hijra in Medina (from 622 until 632 CE). [200] In a press conference articulating his opposition to the Vietnam War, Ali stated, "My enemy is the white people, not Vietcong or Chinese or Japanese. [317] In November 2005, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush,[318][319] followed by the Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold of the UN Association of Germany (DGVN) in Berlin for his work with the civil rights movement and the United Nations, which he received on December 17, 2005. The fight was later named "Fight of the Year" by The Ring magazine. "[110] He told the press, "I've done something new for this fight. [105] Ali's first return bout was against Jerry Quarry on October 26, resulting in a win after three rounds after Quarry was cut. Burns worked on the film from early 2016 and it was released in September 2021 on PBS. [305] Ali's memorial was watched by an estimated 1billion viewers worldwide.[243]. Liston did not answer the bell for the seventh round, and Clay was declared the winner by TKO. I knew beyond a doubt there were no feelings involved. [178] Both homes were subsequently sold after Ali's death with Lonnie living in their remaining home in Paradise Valley, Arizona. That's another level of leadership and sacrifice. By Katie Reilly. His most-watched fights drew an estimated 12billion viewers worldwide between 1974 and 1980, and were the world's most-watched live television broadcasts at the time. But for those very reasons I enjoyed him."[88]. After his death she again made passionate appeals to be allowed to mourn at his funeral. [221] In 1977 the book was adapted into a film called The Greatest, in which Ali played himself and Ernest Borgnine played Angelo Dundee. [239], Ali appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on 38 different occasions,[334] second only to Michael Jordan's 46. He continued to attend meetings, although keeping his involvement hidden from the public. [176] In January 2007, it was reported that they had put their home in Berrien Springs, Michigan, which they had bought in 1975,[177] up for sale and had purchased a home in eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky for $1,875,000. A rematch occurred in September at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. [56] Though unconfirmed, boxing historian Bert Sugar said that two of Liston's opponents also complained about their eyes "burning". In 1979, Ali guest-starred as himself in an episode of the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century, Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Professional boxing record of Muhammad Ali, List of people from the Louisville metropolitan area, 1981 MAPS Wells Fargo embezzlement scandal, "Muhammad Ali: The greatest monument to the great one", "Muhammad Ali, We Still Love You: Unsteady Dreams of a "Muslim International", "Why Muhammad Ali never legally changed name from Cassius Clay", "In Ali's Voice From the Past, a Stand for the Ages", "Ali, Frazier 'Fight of the Century' still packs a punch 50 years on", "Muhammad Ali Pre Liston Poetry & Highlights", "Muhammad Ali Famous Interview After Defeating Foreman", "Muhammad Ali: World's Greatest Boxer Was Also Hip-Hop Pioneer", "Muhammad Ali: 4 Ways He Changed America", "Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., Former Champion's Father, 77", "Muhammad Ali: Boxer's ancestral Irish town pays tribute after death", "DNA evidence links Muhammad Ali to heroic slave, family says", "How Muhammad Ali Became a Boxer Daily Intelligencer", "Fight by fight: Muhammad Ali's legendary career", "How Muhammad Ali's fascination with pro wrestling fueled his career, inspired MMA", "Dundee: Ali was, still is 'The Greatest', King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero, "Clay Wins Title in Seventh-Round Upset As Liston Is Halted by Shoulder Injury", "Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston 1964 Boxen", "Clay Undergoes Surgery; Fight Is Off Indefinitely", "Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston I & II Highlights (Ali Becomes World Champion & Phantom Punch Fight! [222], Ali often used rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, both for when he was trash talking in boxing and as political poetry for his activism outside of boxing. [49], In each of these fights, Clay vocally belittled his opponents and vaunted his abilities. [9][10], On April 28, 1967, Ali appeared in Houston for his scheduled induction into the U.S. Armed Forces, but he refused three times to step forward when his name was called. Terrell, who was unbeaten in five years and had defeated many of the boxers Ali had faced, was billed as Ali's toughest opponent since Liston; he was big, strong and had a three-inch reach advantage over Ali. [156] In January 1985, Aaisha sued Ali for unpaid palimony. His family traveled to his bedside, where they remained for about a day before Ali died at 9:10 p.m. local time on Friday. [140] Ali was only able to land two jabs while Inoki's kicks caused two blood clots and an infection that almost resulted in Ali's leg being amputated, as a result of Ali's team insisting on rules restricting Inoki's ability to wrestle. He was crowned Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated. Williams had once been considered among the hardest punchers in the heavyweight division, but in 1964 he had been shot at point-blank range by a Texas policeman, resulting in the loss of one kidney and 3.0 metres (10ft) of his small intestine. [45] Clay's amateur record was 100 wins with five losses. But in February Ali was reclassified by the Louisville draft board as 1-A from 1-Y, and he indicated that he would refuse to serve, commenting to the press, "I ain't got nothing against no Viet Cong; no Viet Cong never called me nigger. "[261] However, according to Ali biographer Thomas Hauser, "at best, it was ill-conceived; at worst, a diplomatic disaster." In the Cooper fight, Clay was floored by a left hook at the end of round four and was saved by the bell, going on to win in the predicted fifth round due to Cooper's severely cut eye. While still married to Belinda, Ali married Aaisha in an Islamic ceremony that was not legally recognized. [note 1][note 2][307][308][309], In 1978, three years before Ali's permanent retirement, the Louisville Board of Aldermen in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, voted 65 to rename Walnut Street to Muhammad Ali Boulevard. He said, "I'm sore all over. Khadija's father, Khuwaylid ibn Asad, was a merchant and leader. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, to raise awareness and fund research for a cure. In 1962, Clay met Malcolm X, who soon became his spiritual and political mentor. In winning this fight at the age of 22, Clay became the youngest boxer to take the title from a reigning heavyweight champion. His funeral. 70,000 people attended the bout and paid a total of $6million admission, making it the largest live gate in boxing history at that time. Located on one and a half acres in the gated neighborhood of Fremont inside. [271] In 1989, he participated in an Indian charity event with the Muslim Educational Society in Kozhikode, Kerala, along with Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar. [84] The decision was not based on, nor did it address, the merits of Ali's claims per se. Lonnie first met Ali at the age of 6 when her family moved to Louisville in 1963. He also stated, "If you're against someone because he's a Muslim that's wrong. He wrote, "Bomb threats emptied our office, making the staff stand out in the snow. They made a joint appearance before Congress to push the case in 2002. Ali secured the release of the hostages, in exchange for promising Hussein that he would bring America "an honest account" of Iraq. Both albums received Grammy Award nominations. He didn't have affairs he had one-night stands. The annual award was originally created in 2008 and honors former "sports figures who embody the ideals of sportsmanship, leadership and philanthropy as vehicles for changing the world." [234], On March 31, 1985, Ali was the special guest referee for the main event of the inaugural WrestleMania event. [25] His boxing license was also suspended by the state of New York. [46] Foreman, increasingly angered, threw punches that were deflected and did not land squarely. [62] The entire fight lasted less than two minutes. (1963) and The Adventures of Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay (1976). Imma be famous. [255] Early in his career, one of his main focuses was youth education. [338], On the set of Freedom Road Ali met Canadian singer-songwriter Michel,[339] and subsequently helped create Michel's album The First Flight of the Gizzelda Dragon and an unaired television special featuring them both. ", After the third fight with Frazier, Ali considered retirement. "You'll never be famous with that name. His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see. "[244] In October 2021, 26 of his drawings and arts were placed on auction and sold for close to US$1 Million. "[59], At ringside post fight, Clay appeared unconvinced that the fight was stopped due to a Liston shoulder injury, saying that the only injury Liston had was "an open eye, a big cut eye!" [269] In 1988, during the First Intifada, Ali participated in a Chicago rally in support of Palestine. Ali chose instead to check into the Mayo Clinic, who declared him fit to fight. Ali was the first fighter to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions; he successfully defended this title 19 times. "[267] In 1985, he visited Israel to request the release of Muslim prisoners at Atlit detainee camp, which Israel declined. It was despite telling officials that he was Ali's son and a native-born US citizen . "[150] Ali's brother Rahman said that she was Ali's only true love and the Nation of Islam made Ali divorce her and Ali never got over it. Joe was sitting there, smashing his fist into the palm of his hand, saying, 'What the fuck does he know about the ghetto?'"[46]. Clay made his professional debut on October 29, 1960, winning a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker. In assessing the fight, analysts pointed out that Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, who had given Ali four tough battles and won two of them, had both been devastated by Foreman in second-round knockouts. Brown is the author of "Muhammad Ali: The Untold Story: Painter, Poet and Prophet. [352][353] Dave Zirin, who watched an 8-hour rough cut of this documentary, called it "utterly outstanding" and said "the footage they found will blow minds". [231] Other rappers narrated the documentary as well, including Doug E Fresh, Ludacris and Rakim who all spoke on Ali's behalf in the film. [118][unreliable source], Ali's next opponents included Chuck Wepner, Ron Lyle, and Joe Bugner. [344] The 2001 biopic Ali garnered a Best Actor Oscar nomination for Will Smith for his portrayal of Ali. Ali was named "Kentucky Athlete of the Century" by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in ceremonies at the Galt House East. Edited versions of the bout were shown in movie theaters in 1970. At the end of round four, Clay was returning to his corner when he began experiencing blinding pain in his eyes and asked his trainer, Angelo Dundee, to cut off his gloves. Cassius Clay plays a record in his 1960 Cadillac outside of his home in 1960. [32][33] DNA testing performed in 2018 showed that, through his paternal grandmother, Ali was a descendant of the former slave Archer Alexander, who had been chosen from the building crew as the model of a freed man for the Emancipation Memorial, and was the subject of abolitionist William Greenleaf Eliot's book, The Story of Archer Alexander: From Slavery to Freedom. Although Ali clearly had the better of Patterson, who appeared injured during the fight, the match lasted 12 rounds before being called on a technical knockout. Around 1998, Ali teamed up with actor and fellow PD patient . Other boxing commissions followed suit. Ali had a cameo role in the 1962 film version of Requiem for a Heavyweight, and during his exile from boxing, he starred in the short-lived 1969 Broadway musical, Buck White. These statements of confidence unsettled his taller opponent, whom Los Angeles Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had offered a record-setting contract, conditional on Chamberlain agreeing to abandon what Cooke termed "this boxing foolishness",[107] and he did exactly that. He was systematically denied a boxing license in every state and stripped of his passport. On several occasions in the early rounds he played to the crowd and shook his head "no" after he was hit. 740 views, 11 likes, 7 loves, 3 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from May-Port CG School District: May-Port CG School District was live. Once more, Ali refused to budge when his name was called, and he was arrested. Ali won a unanimous 15-round decision. George thinks he will, but I know he won't. Having arrived in Tanzania, Ali told cameras "Russia is invading a Muslim country, Asiatic country", and that its probable intention to head to oil-rich Persia to take dwells and ports "could lead to nuclear war. Though his condition was initially described as fair, it worsened, and he died the following day at the age of 74 from septic shock.[293][294][295][296]. He did what he thought was right. My enemy is the white people, not Viet Cong or Chinese or Japanese. This is a trial from God. Ali died Friday. A public memorial service for Ali at downtown Louisville's KFC Yum! Ali was unable to explain why the African countries should join the US boycott when it had failed to support the African boycott of the 1976 Olympics (in protest of Apartheid in South Africa), although neither did the Soviet Union, and was unaware of the sentiment that the Soviet Union had backed some popular revolutions on the continent, although none of the countries on the itinerary were Soviet allies.