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[[Image:Reagan and Ali photo.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Reagan and Ali]]

[[Image:Reagan and Ali photo.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Reagan and Ali]]

'''Muhammed Ali''' was the adopted name of '''Cassius Clay''' (January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016). He is a retired American boxer and former three-time World Heavyweight Champion; possibly the most famous [[boxing|boxer]] of all time. Through his career Ali had 61 professional fights and went 56-5.   

'''Muhammad Ali''' was the adopted name of '''Cassius Clay''' (January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016). He is a retired American boxer and former three-time World Heavyweight Champion; possibly the most famous [[boxing|boxer]] of all time. Through his career Ali had 61 professional fights and went 56-5.   

Ali birth name was  Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.  Clay was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, and began training as a boxer when he was 12 years old. Clay won the Light Heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome at age 18. He then turned pro and won the heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston.  After gaining the title, Clay announced his conversion to islam and took the name Muhammed Ali.  Ali joined the "Black Muslims" (later called the [[Nation of Islam]]) political activist group headed by [[Elijah Muhammad]].

Ali birth name was  Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.  Clay was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, and began training as a boxer when he was 12 years old. Clay won the Light Heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome at age 18. He then turned pro and won the heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston.  After gaining the title, Clay announced his conversion to Islam and took the name Muhammad Ali.  Ali joined the "Black Muslims" (later called the [[Nation of Islam]]) political activist group headed by [[Elijah Muhammad]].

Giving up his heavyweight title when he refused to go to fight in the [[Vietnam War]], Ali lost important years in his prime.  Coming back after he was allowed to return to boxing, Ali beat the heavily favored [[George Foreman]] in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle," a bout held in 1974 in Kinshasa.  It was Ali's first use of the "Rope-A-Dope" strategy, where he covered up and allowed his opponent to tire himself out with useless punching.  Ali's most famous line during his fighting days was, "I'll be floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee."

Giving up his heavyweight title when he refused to go to fight in the [[Vietnam War]], Ali lost important years in his prime.  Coming back after he was allowed to return to boxing, Ali beat the heavily favored [[George Foreman]] in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle," a bout held in 1974 in Kinshasa.  It was Ali's first use of the "Rope-A-Dope" strategy, where he covered up and allowed his opponent to tire himself out with useless punching.  Ali's most famous line during his fighting days was, "I'll be floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee."

After his boxing career, Ali was diagnosed with [[Parkinson's disease]].  Whether this was caused by his boxing is currently a subject of debate.

After his boxing career, Ali was diagnosed with [[Parkinson's disease]].  Whether this was caused by his boxing is currently a subject of debate.

Ali was not without controversy in his career.  In his rematch with Sonny Liston after taking the heavyweight title for the first time, Ali knocked out Liston in the first round with what has come to be called a "phantom punch".  In other words no one is exactly sure what made Liston go down, but it doesn't appear to have been Ali.  

Ali was not without controversy in his career.  In his rematch with Sonny Liston after taking the heavyweight title for the first time, Ali knocked out Liston in the first round with what has come to be called a "phantom punch".  In other words, no one is exactly sure what made Liston go down, but it doesn't appear to have been Ali.  

On January 8, 2001,President [[Bill Clinton]] presented Muhammad Ali with the [[Presidential Citizens Medal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clinton5.nara.gov/WH/new/html/Mon_Jan_8_141714_2001.html|title=President Clinton Awards the Presidential Citizens Medals|date=January 8, 2001|work=Today at The White House|publisher=National Archives and Records Administration|accessdate=June 9, 2016}}</ref> In November 2005, President George W. Bush presented Ali the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]],<ref>{{cite web| url=http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051103-5.html| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306114811/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051103-5.html| archivedate=March 6, 2008 | title =Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients |date=November 3, 2005|publisher=White House Press Secretary| accessdate=May 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2219166|title=Bush presents Ali with Presidential Medal of Freedom|date=November 14, 2005|work=ESPN|accessdate=June 9, 2016}}</ref> and Ali also received the [[Otto Hahn Peace Medal|Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold]] of the UN Association of Germany (DGVN) in Berlin for his work with the U.S. civil rights movement and the United Nations (December 17, 2005).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/briefs-ali-to-receive-otto-hahn-medal-today-in-berlin/|title=Briefs: Ali to receive Otto Hahn Medal today in Berlin|date=December 17, 2005|work=The Seattle Times|accessdate=June 9, 2016}}</ref>

On January 8, 2001,President [[Bill Clinton]] presented Muhammad Ali with the [[Presidential Citizens Medal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clinton5.nara.gov/WH/new/html/Mon_Jan_8_141714_2001.html|title=President Clinton Awards the Presidential Citizens Medals|date=January 8, 2001|work=Today at The White House|publisher=National Archives and Records Administration|accessdate=June 9, 2016}}</ref> In November 2005, President George W. Bush presented Ali the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]],<ref>{{cite web| url=http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051103-5.html| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306114811/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051103-5.html| archivedate=March 6, 2008 | title =Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients |date=November 3, 2005|publisher=White House Press Secretary| accessdate=May 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2219166|title=Bush presents Ali with Presidential Medal of Freedom|date=November 14, 2005|work=ESPN|accessdate=June 9, 2016}}</ref> and Ali also received the [[Otto Hahn Peace Medal|Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold]] of the UN Association of Germany (DGVN) in Berlin for his work with the U.S. civil rights movement and the United Nations (December 17, 2005).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/briefs-ali-to-receive-otto-hahn-medal-today-in-berlin/|title=Briefs: Ali to receive Otto Hahn Medal today in Berlin|date=December 17, 2005|work=The Seattle Times|accessdate=June 9, 2016}}</ref>