Muhammad Ali: Boxing Champ & Role Model

Boxing Champ & Role Model b y T ho by h o ma homa mas S mas S.. O we w e ns wens ns

L LML by Thomas S. Owens

Content Consultant: Erik Arnold, boxing historian

Published by ABDO Publishing Company, 8000 West 78th Street, Edina, Minnesota 55439. Copyright © 2011 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights reserved in all countries. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. SportsZone™ is a trademark and logo of ABDO Publishing Company. Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota 112010 012011

Editor: Chrös McDougall Copy Editor: Paula Lewis Series Design: Christa Schneider Cover Production: Emily Love and Christa Schneider Interior Production: Sarah Carlson and Carol Castro Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Owens, Tom, 1960Muhammad Ali : boxing champ & role model / by Thomas S. Owens. p. cm. — (Legendary athletes) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-61714-752-4 1. Ali, Muhammad, 1942- 2. Boxers (Sports)—United States—Biography. 3. Role models. 4. Sports—Biography. I. Title. GV1132.A4O84 2011 796.83092—dc22 [B] 2010046233

LV W   CHAPTER 1

Caterpillar Cassius, Butterfly Ali

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“The Greatest” Growing Up

16

CHAPTER 3

Turning Pro

26

CHAPTER 4

Fighting for a Cause

34

CHAPTER 5

The US Army and Ali

44

CHAPTER 6

The Fight of the Century 52

CHAPTER 7

Rumble in the Jungle

58

CHAPTER 8

Thrilla in Manila

68

CHAPTER 9

A Different Kind of Fight 78

CHAPTER 10

Life after Boxing

86

Timeline

96

Essential Facts

100

Glossary

102

Additional Resources

104

Source Notes

106

Index

110

About the Author

112

CHAPTER 2

Before his 1962 fight with Archie Moore, Clay bragged that he would knock Moore out in four rounds. He went on to do so.

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efore he was known as Muhammad Ali or called himself “the Greatest,” Cassius Clay might have been “The Loudest.” He

bragged, often in rhyme. He not only promised great wins, he often predicted the round in which he would win. His actions infuriated the boxing establishment and the American public. No other athletes at the time acted as he did. Further, few believed he was good enough to back up his words. Clay had begun his professional boxing career in 1960 after competing in the Olympic Games. Throughout the next four years, he beat—and belittled—every opponent in his path. But none of the wins convinced the public that he was a future titleholder. In June 1963, Clay went to London, England, seeking his nineteenth consecutive win. A crowd of 55,000 turned out to see him battle Henry Cooper. His opponent was referred to in London newspapers as “Our ’Enry,” a familiar form of his name borrowed from the working-class cockney

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dialect of London. 1 Clay decided to show England how he wished to be known. He entered the ring dressed in a red robe adorned with the words, “Cassius the Greatest.” Before the fight, Clay’s image appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the daring headline “Cassius Invades Britain.”2 This was the first of 38 times that his image would be on the magazine’s cover. The magazine summed up Clay’s talkative scheme, “Cassius A Helpful Left Hook ,Q D  PDWFK DJDLQVW 6RQQ\ %DQNV &OD\ ZDV NQRFNHG RII KLV IHHW E\ D OHIWKRRNLQWKHILUVWURXQG ,Q WKDW PRPHQW ZLWK &OD\·V UHDFWLRQ WUDLQHU $QJHOR'XQGHHNQHZWKDW WKH ER[HU ZRXOG VRPHGD\ EHFKDPSLRQ  ´%DQNVKLW$OLZLWKWKH ILQHVW OHIW KRRN ,·YH HYHU VHHQ,WZRXOGKDYHIORRUHG .LQJ .RQJ $OL·V H\HV JOD]HG OLNH KH ZDV RXW RI LWDQGKLVNHHVWHUKLWWKH FDQYDV 7KHQ KH VSUDQJ EDFN XS EULJKWH\HG DQG EXVK\WDLOHG DQG VWRSSHG WKH JX\ FROG +H ZRQ E\ D NQRFNRXW 7KDW·V ZKHQ , NQHZ IRU VXUH , UHDOO\ WKRXJKWIRUDVSOLWVHFRQG WKDW %DQNV· SXQFK ZDV JRRGE\H WR HYHU\WKLQJ WKHQDQGWKHUHµ

in England applied the economic theory he has found so workable in the US: to sweeten the gate, you must first sour the people.” 3 Clay returned to America with a fifth-round knockout, just as he predicted. His continued success frustrated many boxing fans. But after 19 wins—with 15 knockouts—Clay finally got the title fight he had been seeking.

Sizing Up Sonny Eight months after beating Cooper, Clay faced Charles “Sonny” Liston for the heavyweight title. Liston’s

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boxing education occurred behind bars. Armed robbery and assaulting police officers headlined Liston’s 19 career arrests. He took up the sport of boxing at the urging of two prison chaplains. Clay bragged that Liston, the world heavyweight champion, had met his match. But few others agreed; Clay was seen as the underdog. Many questioned whether fans would pay the sky-high ticket prices. On February 25, 1964, even Clay’s wild promises did not fill the Miami Beach Convention Center. Ultimately, the arena attracted just 8,300 paying fans, despite having capacity for 15,744. The mental battle between the two boxers began months before the first bell rang. In July 1963, Liston

3*(&7>PV*&7O When Clay compared Sonny Liston to a bear, he was not thinking of a teddy bear. Liston was born in Arkansas, the twentyfourth of twenty-five children (and the tenth Liston’s father had with Liston’s mother). The poor family did not even keep track of his birth date. Reporters guessed he was born between 1927 and 1932. Liston never attended school and never learned to read or write. Instead, his father sent him to work in farm fields at age eight

and gave him frequent beatings. Liston ran away to St. Louis, Missouri, to live with his mother. She had left the farm to work in a factory. In St. Louis, Liston joined a street gang and became involved in crime. He was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery when he was approximately 20 years old. When he became a professional boxer in 1953, men who had ties to organized crime bought his contract.

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defended his title against Floyd Patterson in Las Vegas. After Liston’s win, Clay ran to announcer Howard Cosell in the ring and seized the microphone: “The fight was a disgrace! Liston is a tramp! I’m the champ. I How Clay Could Pay %R[LQJ UHSRUWHUV QRWHG WKDW 6RQQ\ /LVWRQ DV FKDPSLRQZDVIDYRUHGWR ZLQWKHILJKWDJDLQVW&OD\ 2GGVPDNHUV IDYRUHG /LV WRQ ² 3HRSOH ZKR EHW RQWKHOHVVHUIDYRUHG&OD\ WRZLQZRXOGUHFHLYHHLJKW GROODUV DQG WKHLU RZQ GROODU EDFN  IRU HDFK EHW RI RQH GROODU :KHQ RGGV DUH OLVWHG DW ² RU HYHQ PRQH\LWPHDQVWKDWWKH SHRSOH DFFHSWLQJ WKH EHWV IHHO WKDW SUHGLFWLQJ D ZLQQHUEHWZHHQWZRZHOO PDWFKHG ER[HUV LV QHDUO\ LPSRVVLEOH

want that big ugly bear!”5

Dancing with Bears Clay found a strategy. He could not compete with Liston’s size or his menacing background. Instead, Clay led up to the fight by haunting the champion with his outlandish personality, hurling insults, jokes, and more. The morning of the fight, both heavyweights were required to attend a weigh-in. Clay appeared wearing a denim jacket with the words: bear huntin’. Clay turned the weigh-in into a circus sideshow to scare Liston into thinking he would be fighting a crazy man.

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Sonny Liston ducked low to escape a punch from Clay during the fifth round of their February 25 fight in 1964.

“Round eight to prove I’m great!” shouted Clay, predicting his victory round. “Bring that big, ugly bear on!” 6 Clay’s babbling threats stunned the boxing commission doctor. Clay’s pulse soared to 120 beats per minute—up from 54. Unless he calmed down, he

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would not be allowed in the ring. Following Clay’s frenzy, the doctor questioned his fitness to fight for the championship. During workouts, even the night of the fight, Clay and cornerman Drew “Bundini” The Cornerman 7KH FRUQHUPDQ LV VLPL ODU WR D FRDFK :DLWLQJ RXWVLGH WKH ULQJ URSHV RQ WKH PDW DSURQ LQ WKH FRUQHU VRPHRQH OLNH 'UHZ %URZQ PLJKW JLYH DGYLFH %HWZHHQ URXQGV D FRUQHUPDQ ZLOO WUHDW D ILJKWHU·VFXWVDQGEUXLVHV +H PLJKW RIIHU D GULQN RU GU\ D ILJKWHU·V VZHDW\ IDFH ´7KURZLQJ LQ WKH WRZHOµLVDER[LQJSKUDVH :KHQ D ILJKWHU FDQQRW FRQWLQXH WKH FRUQHUPDQ ZLOOZDYHRUWKURZDWRZHO WR JHW WKH UHIHUHH WR VWRS WKH ILJKW ZKHQ WKDW VLGH KDVJLYHQXS

Brown stood toe to toe, shouting their motto: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” 7 The catchy slogan proved to be a winning game plan. The Clay–Liston bout did not last long. Liston was nine years older than Clay, and it was clear that he had underestimated his opponent. Showing the effects of halfhearted training, Liston was wearing himself out trying to catch the fleet-footed Clay. However, the momentum quickly turned after the fourth round; suddenly it was Clay who looked doomed. After the bell, Clay returned to his corner. “I can’t see!” Clay

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pleaded.8 He asked to have his gloves cut off. How could he fight someone he could not see? Trainer Angelo Dundee looked at his fighter’s agonized squinting. Dundee sponged water in Clay’s eyes. He touched the sponge to his own eyes—and shared the burn Clay felt. Some substance from Liston’s face or gloves was torturing Clay. Was it a muscle liniment, ointment for Liston’s cut face, or even a purposeful powder used to blind a surprising foe? Regardless of the problem, the trainer knew one solution. Dundee ordered Clay to go out there and run. He pushed the blinking boxer back into the ring. For one round, Clay danced, backpedaled, and avoided a boxer he could barely see. Sweat and tears cleansed his eyes by the end of the round. In a deciding sixth round, Clay skipped his fancy footwork, moved toward Liston, and delivered a flat-footed barrage of left hooks and right uppercuts until the bell sounded, ending the round. Liston remained seated as the bell rang for the start of the seventh round. He later claimed that his shoulder was injured. “My shoulder feel like it’s broke,” Liston said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with it.” 9 A doctor confirmed Liston’s torn tendon. However, some reporters questioned if Liston could have continued. Wounded pride was another explanation for Liston’s surrender.

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At the ring’s other corner, Clay shouted to the crowd, “I am the king! King of the world!”10 To the reporters who once felt Clay had no chance, he yelled, “Eat your words!”11 Clay had become the heavyweight champion.

Changing Names One day later, on February 26, the victor announced to the world that Cassius Clay was no more. He said Clay was the name slave owners gave his ancestors to show whose property they were. The champion said he wanted to be called Cassius X. He also confirmed that he was a member of the Nation of Islam, a religion few Americans knew much about. Before his next fight, the religion’s leader gave the new champ a new name: Muhammad Ali, meaning “Praiseworthy One.” Ali would soon give America, and the world, more than a boxer. He would create one of the most controversial, unforgettable personalities in sports history.

After his win against Sonny Liston was announced, Clay had to be held back as he reacted in excitement.

At age 12 and at only 89 pounds (40.4 kg), Cassius made his amateur boxing debut in Louisville, Kentucky.

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P-*7*&9*89O 74.+* Some people were surprised when Ali married Sonji Roi in 1964. The two had met only weeks earlier, and Roi’s partying lifestyle did not fit well with Ali’s Islamic beliefs. Those who knew the couple were not surprised when Ali and Roi divorced two years later due to her reluctance to convert to Islam. Acquaintances also were not surprised when the 25-year-old Ali married 17-yearold Belinda Boyd in 1967. She had been raised a Black Muslim and was schooled at the University of Islam. Muhammad and Belinda had four children together but

divorced in 1977, partly because of Ali’s infidelity. He was known to have had many affairs and had two children out of wedlock. In 1975, during an affair with Veronica Porsche, Ali accidentally introduced her as his wife. Belinda divorced Ali after that, and he married Porsche. They had two children together, but ultimately divorced in 1986. Later that year, Ali married his fourth wife, Lonnie Williams. They adopted one child together. Unlike the other marriages, Muhammad and Lonnie remain together.

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The army wanted Ali, but he did not want the army. His religion did not allow him to join. Again and again, he repeated to reporters or anyone who would listen, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong.” 4 The Viet Cong were the North Vietnamese guerrilla forces that the US Army was fighting in the war. Although few agreed with the Nation of Islam’s message, Ali’s defiance endeared him to the civil rights protesters who were opposed to the war. However, his views only further alienated him from many Americans. In 1966, Ali applied for conscientious objector (CO) status. That meant he refused military service because of his religion. But the draft board denied his claim and the controversy continued. Because of Ali’s views, few states agreed to host his fights that year. Four of his five fights in 1966 took place in other countries. But Ali kept winning, defending his title five times—four of which were by knockouts. Anger raged deep in Ali’s first fight in 1967 against Ernie Terrell. Terrell had been in Golden Gloves when Ali used his given name of Cassius Clay

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and still thought of him by his old name. When it came time to promote the fight, Terrell The Ali Shuffle Debuts

continued to address Ali as Clay

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because it seemed to irk his opponent. During the fight at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, Ali’s displeasure turned to hate. He broke a bone on Terrell’s left cheek and damaged his eye. Ringside reporters could hear Ali tauntingly ask before each punch, “What’s my name, Uncle Tom?”5 Ali dragged the fight out through the entire 15 rounds although he could have easily ended the fight much earlier.

Later, Terrell would claim Ali poked a thumb in his eye and rubbed the ring rope in his injured face. Ali continued to have success in the ring. He defended his title for an amazing ninth time in just more than three years by knocking out Zora Folley in March 1967. But his other opponent—the US government—did not let up. If Ali did not do what the army said, he faced a maximum punishment of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

On March 17, 1966, Ali visited the Louisville, Kentucky, Veterans building to appeal his draft classification.

After refusing to be drafted, Ali left the Armed Forces induction center with friends on April 28, 1967.

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n April 28, 1967, Ali faced his last chance to join the army. He reported to the US Armed Forces Examining

and Entrance Station in Houston, Texas. After a morning of physical exams and filling out forms, Ali was ushered into a ceremony room. Each draftee was to step forward when his name was called. This symbolic step indicated each young man’s official induction. But when Ali’s name was called, he did not move. The officer repeated his name. When Ali remained motionless, the officer asked for a written explanation of why Ali refused military service. His refusal to enter the draft raised many issues. First, he felt he should be exempt from military service as an active minister of the Nation of Islam. As an African American, he felt he could not kill other people of color. He also noted that his induction seemed unfair, because no blacks were on the Louisville, Kentucky, draft board.

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Many Americans supported the Vietnam War at the time. Reporters questioned how Ali could say no. Some speculated that Ali could probably avoid combat duty because of his celebrity status. During World War II, heavyweight champion Joe Louis entertained the troops with boxing exhibitions. Louis and Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in 1947, agreed that anyone who had earned millions of dollars through the support of the US people should return the favor by serving in their country’s military. However, Ali chose not to follow their example. While many were appalled by Ali’s loud, public refusal to go to war and his affiliation with the Nation of Islam, others looked at him as a hero. Ali confidently stood up to the US establishment, quickly becoming a leader in the civil rights movement. Although few people agreed with the Nation of Islam, many other African Americans fought for equal rights during the 1960s, and many were also against the Vietnam War. To these African Americans and other civil rights activists, Ali became a high-profile leader in their movement. But he still had to deal with the federal government. Immediately, a lawyer from the Louisville Sponsoring Group visited Ali. He pointed out that more than a million dollars were at stake. Contracts for commercials and public appearances were in danger.

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No one wanted an endorsement from a controversial war protester. Ali shrugged. His religion would not allow him to be in the military in any form. Ali went to court on June 19, 1967. He was charged with refusal to be inducted into the US Army. A jury needed just 21 minutes to decide that he was guilty. Ali told the judge he would appreciate an immediate sentence. Even though the US attorney prosecuting Ali asked for a lighter sentence, the judge responded with the maximum: five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

4*4:.8;*78:8L1. Boxer Joe “The Brown Bomber” Louis had retired long before Muhammad Ali fought his first match, yet the two faced off repeatedly. Louis, born on May 13, 1914, was a famous African-American heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949. He had avoided making controversial statements during his career and enlisted in World War II as a private. In a charity dinner speech during World War II, Louis stated, “We’ll win, because we’re on God’s side.” 1 He boxed in 96 exhibitions as entertainment for 2 million troops. He also donated his pay from two championship fights to

the US Army Emergency Relief Fund, helping soldiers and their families. Louis asked why Ali could not do the same. Louis hinted that Ali was ungrateful to the country after making so much money from fights. Ali responded by labeling Louis as an Uncle Tom. Years later, he apologized to Louis. When Louis died in 1981, he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. Because Louis grew up in Detroit, Michigan, the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings named their arena the Joe Louis Arena in his honor.

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Grounded Ali was allowed to remain free on bail while his case was appealed. But he found that he no longer had a career as a professional athlete. The trouble started when the New York State Athletic Commission stripped Ali of his boxing license after he refused to step forward at his draft induction. Other states followed. They would not grant him approval to fight for pay. Meanwhile, the judge had taken away Ali’s passport, which was a common practice when someone was convicted of a felony. But not being able to travel stopped Ali from seeking work as a boxer outside the United States. He had Pro Athletes Avoiding Vietnam ,QD3HQWDJRQVWXG\ LQGLFDWHGWKDWSURIHV VLRQDO DWKOHWHV RI GUDIW DJH GXULQJ WKH 9LHWQDP :DU IXOILOOHG WKHLU PLOL WDU\GXWLHVE\MRLQLQJWKH 1DWLRQDO*XDUGRUWKH86 $UP\ 5HVHUYHV 2WKHUV VXFK DV 1HZ 433*V1**)*7 One of Ali’s least memorable wins made boxing history. Ali beat Chuck Wepner on March 24, 1975, to defend the heavyweight title he had won from George Foreman in 1974 in Africa. Wepner, who worked full-time as a liquor salesman, only trained at night. From Bayonne, New Jersey, Wepner was nicknamed the Bayonne Bleeder for the many deep cuts he had suffered during his matches. No reporters asked about Wepner winning. The only question was whether the challenger could survive in the

ring against Ali. The former Marine did. Ali did not get his knockout punch delivered until only 19 seconds remained in the fifteenth round. Sylvester Stallone, a littleknown actor, watched the fight. Inspired by how Wepner ignored impossible odds to endure the entire fight, Stallone wrote a screenplay and starred in the movie, Rocky, based on the battle. The 1976 movie was a major success and won three Academy Awards. Five sequels followed throughout the years.

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years, but Ali’s last blaze of glory may have come in one decisive round. He faced off against Earnie Shavers, owner of 54 victories, on September 29, 1977. The boxer with a shaved, somewhat pointy head was an easy target for the champion to give him a nickname. Ali branded Shavers “the Acorn” for their match at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Although Ali seemed to have been ahead for eight of the first 12 rounds, Shavers rallied. The onslaught wore Ali down. Despite glazed eyes and wobbly legs, Ali summoned a last burst of energy for the fifteenth round and belted Shavers against the ropes. Shavers had been fooled by Ali’s acting abilities. Thinking Ali was suffering far more than he was, Shavers did not feel the need to move in for the kill—until it was too late. After the fight, Shavers may have gotten the last laugh. The Acorn told Ali that he was one tough nut to crack.

On the Ropes Many people thought Ali should retire after defeating Shavers. By then, the boxer’s quickness and reflexes had clearly faded. After the fight, even the Madison Square Garden promoter encouraged Ali to retire. When Ali balked, the promoter said he would not book any more Ali fights.

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The bad news grew. This was the last fight Doctor Ferdie Pacheco would work in Ali’s camp, too. He had received test results showing that Ali’s kidneys had suffered major damage. Ali needed to retire. Pacheco sent letters to Ali, his An Apology %HIRUH WKH WKLUG $OL² )UD]LHU ILJKW WKH  7KULOOD LQ 0DQLOD $OL·V WDXQWV ZHUH H[FHVVLYHO\ SHUVRQDO ZKLFK VRPH UHSRUWHUV GHHPHG UDFLVW $IWHU KLV ER[LQJ FDUHHU HQGHG$OLIRXQGQHZXVHV IRU SRHWU\ ,Q KLV ERRN 7KH 6RXO RI D %XWWHUIO\ $OLLQFOXGHGDSRHPWLWOHG ´7KH6LOHQW:DUULRUµ7KH SRHP DSRORJL]HG WR )UD ]LHUDQGKLVIDPLO\IRUWKH WDXQWVEHIRUHWKDWILJKW

wife Veronica Porsche, trainer Dundee, and manager Herbert Muhammad. All the warnings were ignored. Pacheco chose to quit, knowing the physical problems Ali would face from continued fighting. Fresh off a win, Ali believed that an upcoming bout with Leon Spinks would be an easy assignment. Spinks, a US Marine, had fought in just six pro bouts following his 1976 Olympic gold medal in boxing. Despite the lack of front teeth, Spinks charmed fans with a wide grin and the urge to wear his dress blue military uniform while not in the ring.

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Ali went light on training, planning on recycling his rope-a-dope game plan. Instead, the 24-year-old boxer took away Ali’s title with a fifteenth-round decision on February 15, 1978. It was only Ali’s third professional loss. Ali earned a new slice of boxing history exactly seven months later in a rematch with Spinks. Approximately 65,000 fans packed the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, and witnessed the transformation. Millions more hovered by televisions for the live broadcast. Ali stayed off the ropes this time. He needed to score points by getting in some punches. To do that, Ali needed to go on the offensive. He survived the full fight, squeaking out a fifteenth-round win. He was the first man to win the heavyweight championship three times. Ali announced his retirement after that bout.

An Ambassador In 1980, US President Jimmy Carter sought Ali’s help. The United States was boycotting the Moscow Olympic Games due to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Carter asked Ali to visit five African countries in hopes of getting other governments to join the US protest. The visit was not a success. Some African diplomats felt insulted because the United States did not bother to send a government official.

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Other African countries were still angry that the United States had not boycotted the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada. New Zealand had been Who Is the Real Ali? $OWKRXJK ER[LQJ IDQV FUDYH NQRFNRXWV UHSRUW HUV VDZ $OL LQ WZR ZD\V 6RPH IHOW $OL ´FDUULHGµ ILJKWHUV KRSLQJ QRW WR EHDWWKHPXQWLOWKHURXQG KH·G SUHGLFWHG $W RWKHU WLPHV$OLVHHPHGWRHDVH XS RQ D ILJKWHU ZKR ZDV FOHDUO\ ORVLQJ 0RUH WKDQ RQFH $OL DVNHG D UHIHUHH WR VWRS D ILJKW ´+RZ DP , JRLQ· WR VOHHS LI , NLOOHG DPDQLQIURQWRIKLVZLIH DQGVRQMXVWWRVDWLVI\\RX ZULWHUV"µKHDVNHG

allowed to participate despite sending its rugby team to play in South Africa. The South African government practiced systematic discrimination at the time, called apartheid, and was shunned by most of the world. Ali learned from his diplomatic failure. He told the media that he might not have volunteered if he knew the whole history of the US relationship with South Africa. However, it would not be the last time that he used his celebrity in search of the greater good.

Ali attended a White House dinner and was greeted by President Jimmy Carter on September 7, 1977.

Ali fought Trevor Berbick on December 11, 1981, in what was to be his last professional boxing match.

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li retired from boxing in 1978 as a threetime world heavyweight champion. But to the dismay of many, he decided to mount

a comeback two years later. In 1980, Ali lost a humiliating fight to Larry Holmes. Ali lost by a technical knockout when the fight was stopped in the eleventh round. One year later, Ali came back again. This time he fought 26-year-old Trevor Berbick. Before that bout, a doctor from England made headlines by sharing his analysis of Ali’s taped interviews over the last 15 years. The doctor highlighted instances of slurred speech, claiming this was evidence of Ali suffering brain damage. Promoters released Ali’s recent medical results from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). They hoped to convince the ticket-buying public that Ali was not damaged goods at the age of 39. Using humor and bravado, Ali fought public attitudes before he fought Berbick. He admitted:

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I’m tired. This is hard work for somebody my age. Naturally, I talk slower when I’m tired. But I still make sense, don’t I? I’m not one of them punchdrunk fighters. My face is still pretty, no marks on it. Besides, I went to some white doctors, so white people would believe me. Went to the Mayo Clinic. Went to Columbia, S.C. Went to New York. Went to UCLA. You can’t get better than that, can you? 1 Competing in the Bahamas, Ali lost to Berbick by decision after ten rounds. It was only the fifth loss in Ali’s career as a professional boxer. It would also be his last bout. Ali retired. Although he finished his career on a low note, fans realized Ali had been on top for longer than anyone could have imagined.

A New Opponent In 1984, nearly three years after his final fight, Ali checked into a New York hospital. With slurred speech and trembling hands, he told Parkinson’s Facts (VWLPDWHV VWDWH WKDW DSSUR[LPDWHO\  PLOOLRQ SHRSOH LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV ZHUH OLYLQJ ZLWK 3DUNLQVRQ·V GLVHDVH LQ  0HQ VHHPHG WR EH DW D VOLJKWO\ KLJKHU ULVN WKDQ ZRPHQ WR FRQWUDFW 3DUNLQVRQ·V2QO\LQ GLDJQRVHGZHUHXQGHUWKH DJHRI

reporters that he was tired. After a week of tests, a doctor told the public that Ali had slight symptoms of Parkinson’s syndrome, the precursor to Parkinson’s disease. The disease occurs when the brain cannot produce proper amounts of dopamine. This

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substance helps the nervous system control the motor skills functions that Ali performed gracefully for so many years. Immediately after the announcement, former Ali associates and boxing commentators stated their feelings that Ali faced an inherited genetic condition. Boxing could not cause such problems, they insisted. Ali was one of the first to assert this theory. He said: I would have had Parkinson’s if I had been a baker. There aren’t many boxers that have Parkinson’s, and there are lots of people who have Parkinson’s who’ve never even seen a boxing match, let alone been in one. 2 However, they would soon find that might not to be true.

-* &3'*-.3)9-*M.8*&8* James Parkinson received little recognition in his lifetime for his medical discoveries. Born April 11, 1755, he was the son of John Parkinson, a surgeon and pharmacist. Married to Mary Dale and the father of six children, James Parkinson tried to help and represent the underprivileged. The disease he recognized was named after him some 60 years later. The well-studied man’s discoveries

ranged beyond medical science. Parkinson studied geology and paleontology, taking family and friends on research expeditions and fossil searches. He published several books about the study of fossils. He died in 1824. April 11 has become known as World Parkinson’s Disease Day. Organizations use Parkinson’s birthday as the day to raise awareness of the disease.

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Punch Drunk Punch-drunk is a common boxing expression. The phrase was first used to describe the dizziness a fighter who had taken too many blows to the head experienced. It later described boxers who had suffered noticeable brain damage. Ali’s fight doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, wrote with passion as he outlined his beliefs about the longterm physical damage Ali faced after too many fights. Pacheco believed that Ali’s Parkinson’s syndrome symptoms were a result of a punch-drunk syndrome rather than a genetic condition. His beliefs were supported by a 1957 study by Dr. M. Critchley in the British Journal of Medicine titled “The Medical Aspects of Boxing.” Pacheco and Critchley agreed that prolonged boxing could cause midbrain damage. A loss of balance, a flat expression (often described as a masked face by longtime Parkinson’s patients), slow speech, and tremors were some of the symptoms shown by former boxers. In 1991, Thomas Hauser wrote Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times with Ali’s cooperation. Ali even asked his doctors to answer Hauser’s questions, giving permission for his personal medical data to be released. Hauser chronicled Ali’s health. He also quoted Dr. Dennis Cope of the UCLA Medical Center, who had

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been examining Ali four times a year. Cope disagreed with Ali’s theory that he would have had Parkinson’s no matter what. Cope blamed boxing for Ali’s physical state, saying, “So far as I know, if Muhammad hadn’t been a professional fighter, none of these problems would have occurred.” 3 There was no way to tally the toll of blows to Ali’s brain. But he absorbed an estimated 440 punches from Joe Frazier in their 1975 fight alone. Even sparring during practice sessions, boxing always had a potential risk. By his own estimation, Ali told reporters that he believed he had taken more than 1 million punches in his boxing career.

Living with Parkinson’s People with little knowledge of Parkinson’s did not always

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know what to think of Ali’s actions. Because the disease has lessened Ali’s physical movement, those he meets sometimes mistakenly believe he has mental problems or even deafness, due to his limited facial movement and slowed response times. Although Ali had to adjust to his new condition, he did have some help. Lonnie Williams had grown up across the street from Ali in Louisville, Kentucky. Their mothers were best friends. Lonnie was 15 years younger than Ali, but she was a well-educated woman who also shared Ali’s Muslim beliefs. When Ali divorced his third wife, Veronica Porsche, he and Lonnie became close again. They Fight Night Fun 6LQFH  0XKDPPDG DQG ZLIH /RQQLH $OL KDYH UDLVHGPRUHWKDQPLO OLRQ GXULQJ ´&HOHEULW\ )LJKW 1LJKWµ LQ 3KRH QL[ $UL]RQD 7KH PRQH\ EHQHILWV WKH 0XKDPPDG $OL 3DUNLQVRQ &HQWHU DW %DUURZ 1HXURORJLFDO ,QVWLWXWH LQ 3KRHQL[ $OL KHOSHG HVWDEOLVK WKH FHQ WHULQ,WLVDOHDGHU LQ UHVHDUFKLQJ D FXUH IRU WKH GLVHDVH &RQFHUWV DXFWLRQV DQG DSSHDU DQFHV IURP +ROO\ZRRG VWDUV PDUN WKH DQQXDO HYHQW

married in 1986. She was his fourth and final wife. As Ali’s health deteriorated, Lonnie became his caretaker. Because he has trouble speaking, he often chooses to have his wife comment for him, sometimes only whispering in her ear. She also joined him in leading efforts to support research, treatment, and awareness for Parkinson’s disease.

Ali’s wife, Lonnie, helps her husband deal with the difficulties of Parkinson’s disease.

In 1996, Ali lit the torch that signaled the beginning of that year’s Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

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ithout boxing and with declining health, Muhammad Ali’s future seemed uncertain. However, those

obstacles were not enough to keep the quotable celebrity from making news. Ali tried his hand at diplomacy again in 1985. He accompanied attorney Richard Hirschfield to Beirut, Lebanon. A Muslim protest group had taken four US citizens hostage. But two days produced no results. Defeat never discouraged Ali for long. In 1990, the United States was days away from entering the first Gulf War. However, Iraq had taken more than 300 US citizens hostage. They planned to use them as human shields in defense against a US attack. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invited Ali to the country. Ali met Hussein with a kiss to the cheek. They met for 50 minutes and even posed for photos. While Ali’s hope to help avert a full-scale war did not occur, he flew home with 15 freed Americans.

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Carrying a Torch Ali made a spectacular return to the world of sports in 1996. The Olympic Games were held that summer in Atlanta, Georgia. To the surprise of many, Ali was selected as the torchbearer who lit the cauldron that would stay aflame throughout all of the competition. The man who had been hated by many during the 1960s had become a national hero. Another chapter of Ali’s legend was completed at those Olympics. He was presented with a replacement medal for the 1960 gold medal. Although it has not been confirmed, Ali said he tossed his original gold medal into the Ohio River after he was denied service at a restaurant because he was black. The truth did not

-*47(-'*&7*7 The Olympic flame that Ali lit in 1996 is one of sport’s greatest symbols. According to legend, Prometheus stole fire from the Greek god Zeus. A flame was kept burning at the first Olympics in Greece. The practice was reintroduced in 1928. Since 1936, a torch relay from Greece to the site of the Olympic Games leads up to the competition. The first time a famous athlete was the final torchbearer who lit the fire

in the Olympic stadium occurred in 1952. The Olympics that year were in Helsinki, Finland. Paavo Nurmi, a runner who won nine gold medals for Finland, lit the cauldron at the start of the Olympics. Reporters saw irony in Ali’s second triumphant return in Atlanta as an Olympic torchbearer. Atlanta was the site of his 1970 comeback fight after being out of the ring for 43 months.

MUHAMMAD ALI

matter. Ali was at home in the US spotlight again. His head and hands trembled from his Parkinson’s disease. Ali seemed to pause more than once, taking time to admire both the torch and the sea of people following his every move. After experiencing and enduring the dangers of boxing, Ali lent his fame to improving his sport’s safety. He has

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appeared in Washington DC during government hearings on boxing reform. Congress passed the first boxing law in 1996. The Boxing Safety Act created a computerized file that tracked boxers who had suffered a knockout. In the past, those boxers may have returned to the ring immediately in another state by fighting under a false name to avoid any safety regulations. He has also lent his name to humanitarian causes. In 1998, Ali and actor Edward Asner brought more than $1 million in medical supplies to Cuba. The United States bans travel to and trade with Cuba because of the country’s communist ties. But Ali was helping a humanitarian group deliver medicine needed to treat children suffering from cancer.

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During a 1996 humanitarian trip to Cuba, Ali visited with children in a hospital.

Within weeks of his return, the United Nations (UN) honored Ali. He received the honorary title of UN Peace Messenger. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan bestowed the award. The Alis have also lent their famous name and financial support to the University of Louisville, resulting in the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice. Ali never attended the university. However, he has partnered with the school to empower a program

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MUHAMMAD ALI

that offers teaching, research, and other assistance to those who further the cause of peace. From inner-city students in Louisville, Kentucky, to human rights workers in Africa, the Ali Institute is involved. In 1999, Wheaties, the Breakfast of Champions, honored Ali on the front of its cereal boxes. General Mills had not recognized Ali during his career. But because he continued to capture America’s imagination, even so many years after retiring, Ali was finally seen as a powerful force for corporate America. Despite his slower steps and quieter voice,

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Ali was asked to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange on December 31, 1999, to open that day’s stock market trading. Coca-Cola signed him as a spokesman in 2001. However, one of his best paying jobs after his retirement from boxing came from autograph signing. He received as much as $200,000 for one public appearance.

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Where Ali Walked In 2005, the 96,750-square foot (8,988 sq m) Muhammad Ali Center opened in Ali’s hometown of Louisville. The center’s opening took place on the nineteenth wedding anniversary of Muhammad and Lonnie. The center serves as an interactive museum, allowing visitors to learn about Ali’s career and take part in hands-on exhibits. Like Ali, the center is about much more than boxing. Art is showcased at the center. Some of Ali’s poetry and sketches are on display. Going beyond sports, a 55-foot (16.76 m) wall entitled “Hope and Dream” exhibits artwork by children from 141 countries. Each piece answers the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” After all, at age 12, Cassius Clay knew he wanted to be a champion boxer. Other exhibits and galleries An Undefeated Daughter $OL OHIW ER[LQJ EHKLQG DIWHU KLV ILQDO ORVV LQ %XWKHZRXOGUHWXUQ WR WKH ULQJ DV D VSHFWD WRU \HDUV ODWHU 'DXJKWHU /DLOD $OL ZLWKRXW DQ\ HQFRXUDJHPHQW IURP KHU IDWKHU EHFDPH D SURIHV VLRQDO ER[HU 6KH UHWLUHG XQGHIHDWHG²$IWHUD VWLQWPRGHOLQJ/DLODZDV D FRQWHVWDQW RQ $%&·V 'DQFLQJZLWKWKH6WDUV

depict the historical backdrop of Ali’s life, detailing the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement. At the center’s opening, Ali’s health kept him from speaking to the crowd. Instead, he offered a written statement: I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever

MUHAMMAD ALI

they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another.1

More Recognition Many years after the brash, young boxer alienated fans with his arrogance and upset a nation with his reluctance to go to the Vietnam War, Ali became a revered member of US society. In 2005, President George W. Bush awarded Ali the Presidential Medal of Freedom. That is the highest honor granted to a US citizen not serving in the military. The text of Ali’s citation reads, in part: As the first three-time heavyweight boxing champion of the world, he thrilled, entertained, and inspired us. His deep commitment to equal justice and peace has touched people around the world. The United States honors Muhammad Ali for his lifetime of achievement and for his principled service to mankind.2 During the late 1960s, the federal government was ready to send Ali to prison over the military draft. In 2007, Representative Julia Carson, along with 54 cosponsors, introduced a resolution on the floor of the US House of Representatives “to honor Muhammad Ali, global humanitarian, on the occasion of his sixtyfifth birthday and to extend best wishes to him and his family.”3 The resolution passed unanimously.

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During the 1960s, the NAACP pushed for a peaceful integration between African Americans and whites. Ali, on the other hand, reflected the beliefs of fellow Nation of Islam members, hoping for a separate, all-black society. However, as years passed, the NAACP grew in its appreciation of Ali’s courage, while Ali embraced new views of equality. In 2009, the NAACP honored Ali with their President’s Award. “Muhammad Ali inspired a generation,” NAACP president Ben Jealous said in 2009: We are honored to recognize the accomplishments of one of the most respected and admired men of all time, who earned a special place in our hearts and minds not only for his success inside the boxing ring but for his role as an outspoken, charming, and witty leader, activist, humanitarian, and artist. He is truly “The Greatest of All Time” and incredibly worthy of this award. 4 Many years after Ali proclaimed himself to be “the Greatest” with his flashy boxing and many years after Ali riled up a nation with his outspoken, controversial views, the former boxer has embraced his new, quieter life. He once told a Los Angeles Times reporter, “I’m more human now.” Spreading the fingers of his shaking left hand, Ali continued, “People aren’t scared of me no more. They believe I’m like them and that’s good.” 5

In 2005, Ali was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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1942

1954

1956

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. is born on January 17 in Louisville, Kentucky.

After Cassius’s bicycle is stolen, he meets Louisville policeman Joe Martin, who coaches an amateur youth boxing program. Clay joins.

Clay wins his first Golden Gloves Championship.

1962

1963

1964

A military draft board classifies Clay as 1-A, ranking him as fit and making him available to be summoned into the US Army at any time.

In his first fight outside the United States, Clay wins a fifth-round knockout against Henry Cooper in London, England.

Clay is classified 1-Y, unfit for military duty.

L E G E N D A R Y AT H L E T E S

1959

1960

1961

Clay wins the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions title and the National Amateur Athletic Union lightheavyweight title.

In Rome, Italy, Clay wins an Olympic gold medal in boxing as a lightheavyweight. He wins his first pro fight in October.

Professional wrestler Gorgeous George Wagner encourages Clay to keep bragging to the media, because it sells more tickets.

1964

1966

1967

Clay wins the heavyweight title against Sonny Liston on February 25. Afterward Clay says he is a member of the Nation of Islam. He accepts the name of Muhammad Ali.

Ali files for conscientious objector status. The draft board denies his claim.

Ali refuses to be inducted into the army and is arrested. The New York State Athletic Commission removes Ali’s title, banning him from boxing.

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1970

1971

1973

After legal troubles kept him out of the ring for 43 months, Ali returns in October, knocking out Jerry Quarry.

Ali suffers his first pro loss, to Joe Frazier. The Supreme Court agrees that he has a legitimate religious objection to his draft notice.

Ali’s second loss comes from Ken Norton. Norton breaks Ali’s jaw, but Ali fights for ten more rounds.

1981

1984

1990

The 39-year-old Ali loses a tenth-round decision to Trevor Berbick. The next day, Ali retires.

Ali tells the world that he has Parkinson’s disease.

Ali gains release of 15 US hostages from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

L E G E N D A R Y AT H L E T E S

1974

1975

1978

In an eighth-round knockout against George Foreman, Ali regains the heavyweight title at the Rumble in the Jungle.

Ali defends his title in the Philippines. He wins a 14-round battle against Joe Frazier in the fight known as the Thrilla in Manila.

In February, Ali loses his title to Leon Spinks. In a rematch seven months later, he wins it back.

1996

1998

2005

Ali lights the flame at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ali is named a UN Messenger of Peace by UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan.

Ali is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Muhammad Ali Center opens in Louisville.

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