ISLAMABAD – On January 17, the sports world remembers one of the greatestboxers in history – Muhammad Ali – who was born on that day in Louisville,Kentucky, in 1942.

Ali, who was dubbed ‘*the Greatest*’, won the world heavyweightchampionship on three separate occasions and successfully defended histitle 19 times. He posted an impressive record of 56 wins against fivelosses, including 37 knockouts, before retiring from the sport in 1981 atthe age of 39.

Ali’s rigid stance and outspokenness on social issues made him one of themost controversial sports figures of his era. He was famously forced tospend three years out of the ring for his refusal to be drafted into the USarmy and serve in the Vietnam War.

Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in the largest city in the State ofKentucky in the American South, the son of painter Cassius Marcellus ClaySr. The young boy didn’t think to take up boxing until a petty theftdetermined his fate.

It was a red and white Schwinn bicycle that drove the future champion tothe sport of boxing. One day, the 12-year-old Clay rode downtown lookingfor free ice cream, popcorn and hot dogs, which were given out at theLouisville Home Show, an exhibition for black businesses. When going tomake his way back from the show, the boy discovered that his beloved bikehad been stolen.

The tearful child was directed to a nearby boxing gym to find a policemanto report the theft. The little Clay couldn’t have known at that time thatby finding the gym he would also meet his destiny.

Louisville police officer Joe Martin, who ran boxing classes in his sparetime at the gym, somehow discovered potential in Clay and invited him totake up boxing under his tutelage. The boy had vowed “whup” the bike thief,but was told he should first learn how to fight before seeking revenge.

“*It was like God telling me, boxing was my responsibility*,” Ali latersaid, describing that moment as a turning point in his life.

The young Clay began boxing under his new trainer Martin and after just sixweeks had his first amateur bout, winning by a split decision.[image: © imago sportfotodienst / Global Look Press]

By the age of 18, Clay had claimed two national Golden Gloves titles in arow, earned two successive light-heavyweight National Amateur AthleticUnion titles and recorded a stand-out 100 victories in 108 bouts.

After graduating from high school, he participated in the 1960 OlympicGames in Rome, Italy, as a light-heavyweight, where he earned the covetedgold medal. However, Clay first took a little persuading to go to theGames, initially rejecting the idea of travelling to Rome due to hiscrippling fear of flying.

Eventually, Clay agreed to take the flight, after purchasing a parachutelink>whichhe kept strapped to himself throughout the entire flight. Clay won all hisOlympic fights by the maximum points advantage of 5-0, with the exceptionof his first fight, a second round stoppage victory.

Clay got the better of Zbigniew Pietrzykowski of Poland in the gold medalmatch, but his return Stateside was tainted by racial prejudice that wasstill prominent in his hometown. Upon returning home, a joyous Clayventured downtown wearing his gold medal for a celebratory meal.

However, after he was allegedly told by the restaurant owner that he wasn’tallowed to eat at the restaurant at because he was “*colored*,” a saddenedClay bitterly tore off his medal and tossed it into the Ohio River.[image: © Istvan Bajzat / DPA / Global Look Press]

Ali turned professional one month after the Olympics, in October 1960, andwon his first 19 fights, 15 by knockout. Clay got his first title shot in1964, against the feared and enigmatic reigning heavyweight champion SonnyListon. Before the fight, the quick-tongued Clay promised to “*float like abutterfly, sting like a bee*” on his way to a knockout victory.

The 22-year-old, a huge underdog, sensationally defeated Liston bysixth-round technical knockout. Liston, recognized as one of the mostfeared men ever to lace up a pair of gloves, quit on his stool from thebeating administered by the youngster, handing Clay the world heavyweightcrown.

Immediately after the fight, Clay changed his name to Muhammad X, and thento Muhammad Ali, and became deeply immersed in the Nation of Islam.

A year after his victory over Liston, the two fighters met again for arematch. This time, the new champion registered a first-round knockout,hitting Liston with what has become known as the ‘phantom punch’, whichseemed not to connect, but sent Liston sprawling for the count.[image: © AFP]

Ali then won a series of bouts against high-profile boxers including FloydPatterson, Ernie Terrell and Cleveland ‘Big Cat’ Williams, and began toestablish himself as of the most gifted and powerful heavyweight fightersever seen.

Then in 1967 his popularity plummeted. Ali refused to be drafted into theUS army and serve in the Vietnam War, which the overwhelming majority ofthe American public considered an act of treachery.

However, citing his strong religious beliefs, Ali remained adamant he wouldnot join the war, a move which temporarily tarnished his reputation, andcost him millions of dollars as well as time in the ring.

After being convicted of draft dodging, Ali was stripped of his titles andboxing license, not fighting from the ages of 25 to 29. In 1971, the USSupreme Court overturned Ali’s conviction for refusing induction into thearmy and allowed the boxer to resume his pro career.

Ali’s return to the boxing ring was sensational. In a bout branded the ‘*Fightof the Century’* he faced Joe Frazier, who had become champion in hisabsence, in the first time two undefeated boxers fought each other for theheavyweight title.

The fight was a clash of titans, and both went toe-to-toe all the way tothe 15th round when Frazier laid Ali out with a vicious left hook. Alirecovered quickly, but the judges awarded the victory to Frazier, markingAli’s first professional loss after 31 wins.[image: © Reuters]

Despite the defeat, Ali went on to reclaim the heavyweight title once moreduring the 1970s, winning famed bouts against George Foreman and LeonSpinks and becoming the first boxer to win the heavyweight championshipthree times. In 1974, Ali avenged the loss by beating Frazier in a rematch,dubbed ‘*The Thrilla in Manila*’.

Following the 1981 loss to Trevor Berbick, the boxing great decided toretire from sport at age of 39. In 1984, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’sdisease, a neurodegenerative disorder in which brain cells that controlmovement begin to die.

While battling the disease, Ali was honored with the privilege of lightingthe Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 1996 Olympic Gamesin Atlanta, where he was also presented with another Olympic gold medal toreplace his original.

In later life, just as in his boxing career, Ali became a major figure inthe fight for social justice and peace. But his biggest fight came againstParkinson’s disease. After a three-decade battle, Ali passed away due tohealth complications brought on by the condition on June 3, 2016, inPhoenix, USA, at the age of 74.- RT