Muhammad Ali

Updated：2008-05-12 10:17 | Source：beijing2008

Atlanta, 3 August 1996. Games of the XXVI Olympiad: the American basketball team  gather around former boxing champion Muhammad ALI, who is carrying the gold medal  which he won at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 and had lost in the interim.  Credit: Getty Images/Doug Pensinger

Other names: ALI, Mohammad

CLAY, Cassius

CLAY, Cassius Marcellus

Born: 17 January 1942

Birthplace: Louisville (United States)

Nationality: United States

Sport: Boxing

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Rome 1960

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Other results:

Amateur Win-Loss Record-

137-7

Professional Win-Loss Record-

56-5 (37 KO's)

22 World Heavyweight Titles (1960-1980)

The Greatest

Before boxer Muhammad Ali became one of the most famous people in the world, he was Cassius Marcellus Clay, a brash and friendly 18-year-old who travelled to the 1960 Rome Olympics to compete in the light heavyweight division. He won all four of his fights easily. In the final he defeated three-time European champion Zbigniew Pietrzykowski.

Clay turned professional and, in 1964, he stopped Sonny Liston to win the World Heavyweight championship. Over the next four years he defended his title nine times.

He converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. After he refused to be drafted into the United States Army during the Vietnam War, he was stripped of his title and did not fight again for 3 ½ years.

Ali regained his title in 1974 by knocking out George Foreman. He defended his championship ten more times before losing to Leon Spinks, whom he then defeated seven months later.

Ali retired from boxing in 1981 with a professional record of 56 wins and 5 losses.

In 1996, Ali was chosen to light the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the Atlanta Olympics. He has devoted much of his life to humanitarian affairs. In 1998 Ali was honoured with the United Nations Messenger of Peace award.

(Credit: IOC. Click here for further information.)

Editor : LiuAnqi