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Muhammad Ali

Author | * 01/17/1942 († 74, 06/03/2016) | Louisville, Kentucky (United States of America (USA))
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "the Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century and is often regarded as The Greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. He held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1970. He was the undisputed champion from 1974 to 1978 and the WBA and Ring heavyweight champion from 1978 to 1979. In 1999, he was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC. Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, he began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He converted to Islam after 1961. He won the world heavyweight championship, defeating Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. During that year, he denounced his birth name as a "slave name" and formally changed his name to Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, owing to his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War, and wa... ()
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Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer and philanthropist. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated figures of the 20th century and as one of The Greatest boxers of all time.Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He became a Muslim after 1961. He won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. On March 6, 1964, he announced that he no longer would be known as Cassius Clay but as Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, citing his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War. He was found guilty of draft evasion so he faced 5 years in prison and was stripped of his boxing titles. He stayed out of prison as he appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971, but he had not fought for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. Ali's actions as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War made him an icon for the larger counterculture generation, and he was a very high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement and throughout his career. As a Muslim, Ali was initially affiliated with Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam (NOI). He later disavowed the NOI, adhering to Sunni Islam, and supporting racial integration like his former mentor Malcolm X.Ali was a leading heavyweight boxer of the 20th century, and he remains the only three-time lineal champion of that division. His joint records of beating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight title and winning 14 unified title bouts stood for 35 years. He is the only fighter to have been ranked as the world's best heavyweight by BoxRec twelve times. He has been ranked among BoxRec's ten best heavyweights seventeen times, the third most in history. He won 8 fights that were rated by BoxRec as 5-Star, the third most in the history of the heavyweight division. Ali is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He has been ranked The Greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, and as The Greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC, and the third greatest athlete of the 20th century by ESPN SportsCentury. He was involved in several historic boxing matches and feuds, most notably his fights with Joe Frazier, such as the Fight of the Century and the Thrilla in Manila, and his fight with George Foreman, known as The Rumble in the Jungle, which has been called "arguably The Greatest sporting event of the 20th century" and was watched by a record estimated television audience of 1 billion viewers worldwide, becoming the world's most-watched live television broadcast at the time. Ali thrived in the spotlight at a time when many fighters let their managers do the talking, and he was often provocative and outlandish. He was known for trash-talking, and often free-styled with rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, anticipating elements of hip hop.

Most frequent genres for this person: Documentaries | Drama | Music

Known for these Movies & Shows

Awards & Nominations for Muhammad Ali

Presidential Citizens Medal Presidential Medal of Freedom Liberty Medal Arthur Ashe Courage Award Otto Hahn Peace Medal Library of Congress Living Legend Associated Press Athlete of the Year Star On Hollywood Walk of Fame
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Movies with Muhammad Ali as Actor(70)

as Self (archive footage)2023 Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)2023 STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie
as Self (archive footage)2023 My Father Muhammad Ali
as Self (archive footage)2023 Stand
as Self (Archival Footage)2022 McEnroe
as Self (Archival Footage)2021 Pelé
as Self - Professional Boxer (archive footage)2021 Untold: Deal with the Devil
as Self (archive footage)2021 Mister Candid Camera
as Self (archive footage)2021 Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)2020 Da 5 Bloods
as Self (archive footage)2020 Ali's Comeback: The Untold Story
as Self (archive footage)2019 Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston
as Self (archive footage)2019 Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
as Self - Boxer (archive footage)2019 Africa Rising
as Self (archive footage)2018 In Search of Greatness
as Self (archive footage)2018 Andre the Giant
as Self (voice) (archive footage)2018 Black Is Beltza
as himself2014 I Am Ali
as Himself (archive footage)2013 Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
as Self (archive footage)2012 WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
as Himself (Archive Footage)2011 The Real Rocky
as himself2009 Facing Ali
as himself2009 Muhammad and Larry
as Himself (archive footage)2008 Soul Power
as Himself (archive footage)2008 Thrilla in Manila
as Self (archive footage)2006 Legends Never Die
as himself2006 Ali Rap
as Self (archive footage)2004 TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
as Self - Roastee (archive footage)1998 The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
as himself1996 When We Were Kings
as Himself (Ringside)1994 WCW Halloween Havoc 1994
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)1992 Malcolm X
as himself1990 Night Of 100 Stars III
as himself1989 Champions Forever
as Referee1985 WrestleMania
as himself1985 Doin' Time
as himself1981 Body and Soul
as Gideon Jackson1979 Freedom Road
as Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali1977 The Greatest
as himself1972 Money Talks
as himself1972 Black Rodeo
as Self (archive footage)1972 Malcolm X
as himself1971 Fight of the Century
as himself1970 a.k.a. Cassius Clay
as himself1970 The Super Fight
as Himself (as Cassius Clay)1962 Requiem for a Heavyweight

TV Shows/Series with Muhammad Ali as Actor(11)

as Self (archive footage)2022 Le Siècle des icônes
as Self (archive footage)2021 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
as Self (archive footage)2020 70 Years of Youth Revolt
as himself1982 Wogan
as himself1975 Apostrophes
as Self - Guest1968 The Dick Cavett Show
as himself1963 Der Sport-Spiegel
as himself1962 The Merv Griffin Show
as Self - Mystery Guest1950 What's My Line?

Movies with Muhammad Ali as Crew(2)

Crew/Thanks2007 American Gangster
Writing/Novel1977 The Greatest

Additional Information

Official websites:
Born: Saturday, 01/17 1942 (January) in Louisville, Kentucky (United States of America (USA))
Died: Friday, 06/03 2016 (June) in Scottsdale (aged: 74)
Zodiac sign: Capricorn (Chinese zodiac sign: Horse)
Languages: English (EN)
Educated at: Santa Monica College, Central High School
Record Label: Columbia Records
Spouses (current/former): Sonji Roi, Khalilah Ali, Veronica Porché Ali, Yolanda Williams
Children: Maryum Ali, Muhammad Ali Jr., Hana Ali, Laila Ali, Rasheda Ali
Siblings: Rahman Ali
Father: Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr.
Mother: Odessa Grady Clay
Student of: Jhoon Rhee, George Dillman
Other names for Muhammad Ali (nicknames, foreign languages etc.):
"Cassius Clay"
"Cassius Marcellus Clay"
"Mohamed Ali"
"Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr."
"The Greatest" (Nickname)
"The Louisville Lip" (Nickname)
Muhammad Ali frequently works together with these people:
Malcolm X (11x, Actor)
Vince McMahon (10x, Crew)
George Foreman (9x, Actor)
Leon Gast (9x, Crew)
Spike Lee (8x, Crew)
Joe Frazier (8x, Actor)
Rahman Ali (8x, Cast)
Hulk Hogan (7x, Actor)
Don King (7x, Actor)
Sonny Liston (7x, Actor)
Peter Ustinov (6x, Actor)
James Brown (6x, Actor)
WatchPlayStream ID: PEOPLE:294183, Added: 08/11/2018, Last updated: 03/12/2024