Muhammad Ali
Biography
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.
Known For
Self
When We Were Kings
City of Ali
Self (archive footage)
Sonny Liston - La vera storia
Self (archive footage)
Ali's Comeback: The Untold Story
Self (archive footage)
Soul Power
Self
モハメッド・アリ 黒い魂 STAND UP LIKE A MAN
Self (archive footage)
Ron Lyle
Earnie Shavers
The King of Miami Beach
Self - Professional Boxer (archive footage)
Untold: Deal with the Devil
Self (archive footage)
Stand
Muhammad and Larry
Self
Muhammad Ali, the Greatest
Self (archive footage)
Black Power Salute
Self (archive footage)
In Search of Greatness
Self (archive footage)
Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
Self
The Fighters
Himself
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
Self
Fight of the Century
Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali
The Greatest
Himself
Doin' Time
Self (archive footage)
Malcolm X
Himself
Muhammad and Larry
Self
Cassius Clay vs. Doug Jones
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II
Self
Cassius Clay vs. Alonzo Johnson
Self
Larry Holmes vs. Muhammad Ali
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson II
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson I
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I
Self
The Rumble in the Jungle: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
Self (archive footage)
Say Hey, Willie Mays!
Himself
Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World
The Documented Life and Times of Muhammad Ali - The Greatest
Himself
Ali Rap
Himself
Champions Forever - World Heavyweight Champs!
Self
a.k.a. Cassius Clay
Self (archive footage)
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Self
Norman Mailer: The American
Cassius le grand
Self
The Best of ABC's Wide World of Sports: The 60's
Himself
The Super Fight
Self
Black Rodeo
Self (Archival Footage)
Out From Ali's Shadow: The Larry Holmes Story
Self (archive footage)
O.J.: Made in America
Self
Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick
Self
Mike Tyson vs Trevor Berbick
Himself
Body and Soul
Self
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Self (archive footage)
Parkinson at 50
Himself (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
Self (archive footage)
The Trials of Muhammad Ali
Self (archive footage)
Darts Tarts – Welcome to my World
Self
Rumble in the Jungle
Self
Thrilla in Manila
Muhammad Ali
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
Self (archive footage)
Cassius X: Becoming Ali
Self (archive footage)
Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child
Self (archive Footage)
Pelé
Self (archive footage)
The Real Rocky
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
McEnroe
Self
Diana
Self (archive footage)
I Am Ali
Self
Muhammad Ali The Whole Story
Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Collection
Self (archive footage)
Tribute to Chuck Wepner: The Legacy and Retirement of the Real Rocky Balboa
Self
Night of 100 Stars III
Self (archive footage)
Mister Candid Camera
Himself (as Cassius Clay)
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Self (archive footage)
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
Self (archive footage)
Franz Klammer – Der Skikaiser wird 70
Self (archive footage)
70 Jahre Annemarie Moser-Pröll – Ein Leben als Wintermärchen
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
Himself
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
Self (archive footage)
My Father Muhammad Ali
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II
Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston I
Self
James Bond: The First 21 Years
Self (archive footage)
Andre the Giant
Himself (archive footage)
Thrilla in Manila
Muhammad Ali
WWE Hall of Fame 2024
Self
Sticky: A (Self) Love Story
Something's Happening
Himself
Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing
Himself (Archival Footage)
Kings of The Ring - History of Heavyweight Boxing 1919-1990
Gideon Jackson
Freedom Road
Himself
Sugar Ray Robinson: The Bright Lights and Dark Shadows of a Champion
Self
Money Talks
Muhammad Ali
When Ali Met Cathal
Self (archive footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes
Self (archive footage)
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Self
Funny Girl to Funny Lady
Self
Facing Ali
Himself
The Last Round: Chuvalo vs. Ali
Self - Boxer (archive footage)
Africa Rising
Self
Jack Paar: Smart Television
Self (archive footage)
Les vendredis d'Apostrophes
Self (archive footage)
Tyson
Self
Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible
Leon Spinks vs Muhammad Ali II
Self
Boxing's Greatest Champions
Self (archive footage)
WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
Self (archive footage)
Legends Never Die
Self (Archival Footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
Himself
Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami
Self (archive footage)
The Journey of the African-American Athlete
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle
Self
Champions Forever
Self
B.B. King: Live In Africa '74
Self (archive footage)
James Brown - The Night James Brown Saved Boston
Self
Naked Sport: Welcome to the Sewer
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Da 5 Bloods
Self
Ali's Dozen
Self - Roastee (archive footage)
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Muhammad Ali (Enforcer)
WrestleMania
Himself (Ringside)
WCW Halloween Havoc 1994
Himself
The Fight
Self (archive footage)
The Champ and the King
Self (voice) (archive footage)
Black Is Beltza
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
Self (archive footage)
Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali
himself
Muhammad Ali: Fighting Spirit
Self (archive footage)
Beatles '64
Self
Wake Up and Apologise
Self (archive footage)
Monday Night Mayhem
When Ali Came to Britain
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
American Made
Self
Atlanta 1996: Games of the XXVI Olympiad - Opening Ceremony
Self (archive footage)
Pelé Eterno
archival footage
United We Stand: The Ali Summit
Self (archive footage)
Ali: The Mission
Self (archival)
Best of Enemies
Self
Robbed
格闘技世界一 四角いジャングル
Self
When Boxing Ruled The World
The Summer of Love
Boxing Crazy
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
140
Gender
Male
Birthday
1942-01-17
Place of Birth
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Also Known As
Cassius Clay