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'''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 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. 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."