I
n 2016, Muhammad Ali lost his biggest bout. Though he fought a good fight, he was unable to knockout Parkinson’s Disease. He kept it on the ropes in a valiant battle for years; but when Ali lost this fight, the world lost a beloved champion of more than just boxing.
Ali, the incomparable former three-time world heavyweight boxing champion, who would have been 75yearsold on January 17, 2017, was more than just a colorful boxer. Full of self-aggrandizing trash talk in the ring, he transcended the world of boxing to become an endearing personality the world over. “The Champ” appeared in movies and on television, and even on Broadway in the musical Buck White. His talent, charisma, and personality were too big not to shine across all forms of media and entertainment (he even recorded an album, The Greatest). After achieving fame for both his athletic prowess and his controversial political views, Ali subsequently converted to the Islamic faith as a member of the Nation of Islam, led by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, where he was befriended by Malcolm X. After joining the Nation of Islam, the Louisville-born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. dropped his birth name. He was briefly known as “Cassius X” before adopting his permanent appellation saying, “Cassius Clay is a name that white people gave to my slave master. Now that I am free, that I don’t belong anymore to anyone, that I’m not a slave anymore, I gave back their white name, and I chose a beautiful African one.” More than just his name changed. In 1967 Ali refused to be inducted into the Army. He attributed his refusal to his religious beliefs and the tenets of Islam. He said he would not go overseas to kill Vietnamese soldiers because “No Vietcong ever called me a ni**er.” Of his seeming
“The People’s Champ” participating in a protest march in 1975 to free middleweight boxing contender Rubin “Hurricane” Carter in Trenton, New Jersey. (1975)
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February 2017
enlightenment from his knowledge of Islam Ali said, “A rooster crows only when it sees the light. Put him in the dark and he’ll never crow. I have seen the light and I’m crowing.” There were consequences for his stance against serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. He was in his prime when he was stripped of both his title and his passport, depriving him of any opportunity to fight and make millions of dollars. He was sentenced to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, though he remained out on bail while he appealed. “My principles are more important than the money or my title.” was his stoic response when questioned about his decision. While barred from boxing, Ali became more outspoken and took up the mantle of activism. He participated in several protest marches and demonstrations. In June of 1967, Ali spoke In Los Angeles at an anti-war rally of over 10,000 protestors saying, “Anything designed for peace to stop the killing of people, I’m for it 1,000 percent.” Thousands assembled around the Washington Monument in July of 1967 for an anti-war demonstration and praised Ali for refusing to go to war. Ali continued speaking out against the war for years stating, “I didn’t want to submit to the army and then, on the Day of Judgment have God say to me, ‘Why did you do that?’ This life is a trial, and you realize that what you do is going to be written down for Judgment Day.” Ali returned to boxing in 1970; his conviction was overturned by the United States Supreme Court in 1971.
Sprucing up after training.
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