Muhammad's Life
Here is a video of one of Muhammad Ali's speeches, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F30t-weDqko&feature=player_detailpage
Muhammad Ali started his boxing career in the 1950's. After advancing through the amateur ranks Cassius Clay won a gold medal in the light weight division at the Olympic games in Rome. He began his professional career under the guidance of the Louisville Sponsoring Group. He sought to raise public interest in his fights by reading childlike poetry and sprouting self-descriptive phrases such as his famous one "Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee." He told the world that he was "the Greatest," but the hard realities of boxing at the time seemed to indicated otherwise. On February 25, 1964, Clay challenged Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world. Clay was considered an underdog, but in one of the most stunning upsets in sports history Liston retired to the corner and Clay became the new world champion.
Two days later Clay shocked the boxing world by announcing he had accepted the teaching of the Islam nation. On March 6, 1964, he took the name, Muhammad Ali, which was giving to him by his spiritual mentor, Elijah Muhammad. After dominating the boxing world for three more years, Ali was drafted into U.S Army on April 28, 1967, after reciting his religious beliefs, he refused introduction into the U.S Army at the height of the war in Vietnam. Ali continued to dominate by beating many people including Floyd Patterson, George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Brian London and Karl Mildenberge. The final fights of Ali were sad yet to come. In 1978 he lost his title to Leon Spinks, several months later Ali regained his title by beating Spinks in a 15 round victory. Ali retired after, but two years later made a comback but suffered a horribly beating at the hands of Larry Holmes. The final ring contest of Ali's career was a loss by decision to Trevor Berbick in 1981. Then Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson disease, and damage to his brain caused slured speech and slowed movement, and other Parkinson's symptoms. In 1996 He was chosen to light the Olympic flame at the start of the 31st Olympiad Games in Atlanta. Ali is currently still living at the age of 73