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In 1960, Cassius Marcellus Clay would end his amateur career on a high note, winning light heavyweight gold at the 1960 Olympic games in Rome.
After running his pro record to 19-0, Clay faced 7-1 favorite Sonny Liston for the title. Most figured Clay stood very little chance of lasting past the first round; Liston was forced to retire on his stool after the 7th.
Ali, the name he adopted after converting to Islam the day after winning the title, would make 9 successful title defenses, upending the likes of Floyd Patterson and Henry Cooper, cleaning out the division.
After beating Zora Folley, Ali would begin a 3 year exile from the sport due to legal difficulties. He would return with stoppages of Ringo Bonavena and Jerry Quarrey, though his timing and foot speed seem to have suffered as a result of inactivity.
He would lose to Joe Frazier in "The Fight of the Century" in a bid to regain unanimous recognition as the heavyweight champion. Ali would run up a long winning streak, beating most of the top contenders for the title, including fellow Dundee disciple Jimmy Ellis.
He would drop an upset decision to Ken Norton, suffering a broken jaw in the process. Stung by the defeat and written off as a finished force, Ali would storm back with defeats of both Norton and Frazier.
Then came "The Rumble in the Jungle", with undefeated wrecking ball George Foreman. Foreman had just knocked out both Norton and Frazier in under 4 rounds cumulative. Ali used his famous rope-a-dope act to wear out the huge punching Foreman and then came on to knock out Foreman in the 8th.
Ten years after first winning the heavyweight crown, Ali knocked out the recognized best heavyweight in the world. He didn't just pick up some alphabet organized vacant belt or settle for a lesser titlist, he beat the only man you could beat to be seen as the heavyweight champion. Not many could do the same today.
Ali would go on to participate in the fight many consider to be the best heavyweight fight of all time, the third contest with Smokin' Joe Frazier. Ali would stop Frazier after the 14th in Quezon City, Philippines and gain recognition as being the man who bested his opponent in the sport's hottest rivalry of all-time.
Well past his best, Ali would lose to and avenge his defeat against Leon Spinks, becoming the first three-time heavyweight champion in the history of boxing.
Ali would compete in 5 fight of the years, winning three of them and dropping two of them.
Ali would retire after 2 ill-conceived comeback attempts against Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick with a record of 56-5 (37 KO). Most boxing pundits rank him as either the best or the second best heavyweight champion of all-time, alongside Joe Louis.
Now, my question is, given that some have denigrated Ali as "a bum" on these forums, was Muhammad Ali a bum or not?
For the record, I voted that he was not a bum.
After running his pro record to 19-0, Clay faced 7-1 favorite Sonny Liston for the title. Most figured Clay stood very little chance of lasting past the first round; Liston was forced to retire on his stool after the 7th.
Ali, the name he adopted after converting to Islam the day after winning the title, would make 9 successful title defenses, upending the likes of Floyd Patterson and Henry Cooper, cleaning out the division.
After beating Zora Folley, Ali would begin a 3 year exile from the sport due to legal difficulties. He would return with stoppages of Ringo Bonavena and Jerry Quarrey, though his timing and foot speed seem to have suffered as a result of inactivity.
He would lose to Joe Frazier in "The Fight of the Century" in a bid to regain unanimous recognition as the heavyweight champion. Ali would run up a long winning streak, beating most of the top contenders for the title, including fellow Dundee disciple Jimmy Ellis.
He would drop an upset decision to Ken Norton, suffering a broken jaw in the process. Stung by the defeat and written off as a finished force, Ali would storm back with defeats of both Norton and Frazier.
Then came "The Rumble in the Jungle", with undefeated wrecking ball George Foreman. Foreman had just knocked out both Norton and Frazier in under 4 rounds cumulative. Ali used his famous rope-a-dope act to wear out the huge punching Foreman and then came on to knock out Foreman in the 8th.
Ten years after first winning the heavyweight crown, Ali knocked out the recognized best heavyweight in the world. He didn't just pick up some alphabet organized vacant belt or settle for a lesser titlist, he beat the only man you could beat to be seen as the heavyweight champion. Not many could do the same today.
Ali would go on to participate in the fight many consider to be the best heavyweight fight of all time, the third contest with Smokin' Joe Frazier. Ali would stop Frazier after the 14th in Quezon City, Philippines and gain recognition as being the man who bested his opponent in the sport's hottest rivalry of all-time.
Well past his best, Ali would lose to and avenge his defeat against Leon Spinks, becoming the first three-time heavyweight champion in the history of boxing.
Ali would compete in 5 fight of the years, winning three of them and dropping two of them.
Ali would retire after 2 ill-conceived comeback attempts against Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick with a record of 56-5 (37 KO). Most boxing pundits rank him as either the best or the second best heavyweight champion of all-time, alongside Joe Louis.
Now, my question is, given that some have denigrated Ali as "a bum" on these forums, was Muhammad Ali a bum or not?
For the record, I voted that he was not a bum.
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