"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee". The famous words of Muhammad Ali. The greatest of all time? Does anyone deny that? I don't think so. From his early life as Cassius Clay, the height as Muhammad Ali and his retirement in 1981, he is the greatest.
Cassius Clay had his first fight at the age of twelve. Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves Championship for novices in the light heavyweight class (biography). He was chosen to be in the 1960 Olympic Games. He won. He came back as a hero and then a professional boxer.
After winning the heavyweight championship Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali because he converted to the Islamic religion. Ali got his draft notice in 1967 (nova). He said because of his religion he can not join the war. The government charged him with tax evasion and stripped him of his title. Some Americans backed his decision, but others called him a draft dodger and a traitor (nova).
Ali went through a long court battle and he was convicted of draft evasion. He was sentenced to 5 years in jail and fined $10,000 dollars. There was another lawsuit and in 1970 Ali was permitted to box again. The match was against Joe Frazier. Some news papers called it “The Fight of the Century”. Ali lost the bout in a decision.
He spent three years coming back and when he got his she at Frazier, he lost the title to George Foreman. So Ali would now fight George Forman for the heavy weight title. “The Rumble in the Jungle” was set to take place on October 30, 1974. 60,000 fans gathered to watch the fight (nova). Foreman was favored to win the fight, but Ali was an amazing fighter. He used the “Rope-a-Dope” tactics and knocked out Foreman in the eighth.
After That Muhammad Ali defended his title eight times. He fought Leon Spinks on February 15, 1978. Ali lost in a split decision. He regained his title seven months later. Muhammad Ali was the first man to win the heavyweight title three times. In 1979 Ali announced his...