Over fifty years after he burst upon the scene as a gold-medal winner at the Olympics, in Rome, Muhammad Ali remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world. As a boxer, Muhammad brought unprecedented speed and grace to his sport, while his charm and wit changed forever what the public expected a champion to be. His accomplishments in the ring were the stuff of legend. But there was always far more to Muhammad than what took place in a boxing ring.
At home, he visited countless numbers of soup kitchens and hospitals. At the State Capitol in Michigan, he advocated new laws protecting children. Porche and Ali divorced in Ali married his fourth and final wife Yolanda "Lonnie" in The pair had known each other since Lonnie was just six and Ali was 21; their mothers were best friends and raised their families on the same street. Ali and Lonnie couple remained married until his death and had one son together, Asaad.
In , Ali announced that he had Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurological condition. Despite the progression of Parkinson's and the onset of spinal stenosis, he remained active in public life. And he was on hand to celebrate the inauguration of the first African American president in January , when Barack Obama was sworn into office.
A few years before his death, Ali underwent surgery for spinal stenosis, a condition causing the narrowing of the spine, which limited his mobility and ability to communicate. In his retirement, Ali devoted much of his time to philanthropy.
In , he lit the Olympic cauldron at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, an emotional moment in sports history. Ali traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In , he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing nations. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia.
I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another. Actor Will Smith played Ali in the biopic film Ali, released in Ali died on June 3, , in Phoenix, Arizona, after being hospitalized for what was reportedly a respiratory issue.
He was 74 years old. In early , the athlete battled pneumonia and was hospitalized for a severe urinary tract infection. That he grew up during segregation, and that during his early life he was not free to be who he wanted to be. But he never became embittered enough to quit or to engage in violence.
Former President Clinton spoke about how Ali found self-empowerment: "I think he decided, before he could possibly have worked it all out, and before fate and time could work their will on him, he decided he would not ever be disempowered.
He decided that not his race nor his place, the expectations of others, positive, negative or otherwise would strip from him the power to write his own story.
You shook up the world in life now you're shaking up the world in death. Now you are free to be with your creator. We love you so much Daddy. Until we meet again, fly butterfly, fly. Ali's stature as a legend continues to grow even after his death. He is celebrated not only for his remarkable athletic skills but for his willingness to speak his mind and his courage to challenge the status quo. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!
Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. American athlete Laila Ali, daughter of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, has established her own reputation as a boxing champion and television personality. Then, with the Vietnam War raging, Ali showed up for his scheduled induction into the U. Armed Forces on April 28, Citing his religious beliefs, he refused to serve.
Ali was arrested, and the New York State Athletic Commission immediately suspended his boxing license and revoked his heavyweight belt. Many saw Ali as a draft dodger, and his popularity plummeted. Banned from boxing for three years, Ali spoke out against the Vietnam War on college campuses. As public attitudes turned against the war, support for Ali grew. Supreme Court overturned his conviction in a unanimous decision.
After 43 months in exile, Ali returned to the ring on October 26, , and knocked out Jerry Quarry in the third round. Ali got up but lost in a unanimous decision, experiencing his first defeat as a pro.
Ali won his next 10 bouts before being defeated by Ken Norton He won the rematch six months later in a split decision and gained further revenge in a unanimous decision over Frazier in a non-title rematch. The victory gave the year-old Ali a title shot against year-old champion George Foreman The strategy worked, and Ali won in an eighth-round knockout to regain the title stripped from him seven years prior.
Ali also defeated Norton in their third meeting in a unanimous round decision. On February 15, , an aging Ali lost his title to Leon Spinks in a round split decision. Seven months later, Ali defeated Spinks in a unanimous round decision to reclaim the heavyweight crown and become the first fighter to win the world heavyweight boxing title three times.
After announcing his retirement in , Ali launched a brief, unsuccessful comeback. However, he was overwhelmed in a technical knockout loss to Larry Holmes in , and he dropped a unanimous round decision to Trevor Berbick on December 11, After the fight, the year-old Ali retired for good with a career record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts.
He met with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in to negotiate the release of American hostages, and in he traveled to Afghanistan as a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Ali had the honor of lighting the cauldron during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Ali has been married four times and has seven daughters and two sons.
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