Changes

'''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.   

'''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's 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.

Ali's 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 in a youth boxing program run by a member of the Louisville police force. 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."

Ali was obliged to give up his heavyweight title when he refused induction into the US Army in 1967. The US Army was, at the time,  fighting the Vietnam War. While Ali would most likely have not served in Vietnam in a combat role he felt that service in the US Army at the time would have supported American actions in Vietnam, actions he objected to on moral grounds.  [[Vietnam War].  As a result of refusing to be inducted Ali lost important years in his prime.  After he was permitted to once again box professionally three years later in 1970, Ali defeated Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena in 1970 before losing to heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in 1971. In 1974, Ali beat the heavily favoured [[George Foreman]] in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle," a bout held in Kinshasa, Zaire 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."

Always undersized for a heavyweight, Ali made good use of his speed and technical boxing skills.  His skills started to erode quickly once he reached a certain age and he lost his title to a lightly regarded Leon Spinks, who went on to become a footnote in boxing history.  Ali took the title back in a lackluster decision, but retired soon thereafter.  He tried to make a comeback against then champion Larry Holmes, but out of shape and past his best fighting years, Ali's corner threw in the towel between rounds in the middle of the fight.

Always undersized for a heavyweight, Ali made good use of his speed and technical boxing skills.  His skills started to erode quickly once he reached a certain age and he lost his title to a lightly regarded Leon Spinks, who went on to become a footnote in boxing history.  Ali took the title back in a lackluster decision, but retired soon thereafter.  He tried to make a comeback against then champion Larry Holmes, but out of shape and past his best fighting years, Ali's corner threw in the towel between rounds in the middle of the fight.