
An American professional boxer and global icon who transcended the sport to become a prominent figure in the civil rights and anti-war movements.
Một võ sĩ quyền anh chuyên nghiệp người Mỹ và biểu tượng toàn cầu, người vượt ra khỏi thể thao để trở thành một nhân vật nổi bật trong phong trào dân quyền và phản chiến.
This biography of Muhammed Ali helps you learn English through real historical stories. Explore Muhammed Ali's impact on the world.
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, he quickly rose to become one of the greatest boxers of all time. Known for his lightning-fast speed, unmatched confidence, and poetic trash-talking, he famously declared he would "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." In 1964, at just 22 years old, he shocked the world by defeating Sonny Liston to win the world heavyweight championship. Shortly after, he publicly announced his conversion to Islam and changed his "slave name" to Muhammad Ali.
Ali's most defining moment came outside the boxing ring. In 1967, at the peak of his athletic career, he cited his religious beliefs and opposition to American racism to categorically refuse the military draft for the Vietnam War. He famously stated, "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong." Consequently, he was stripped of his boxing titles, fined, and sentenced to five years in prison. Though he stayed out of prison on appeal, he was banned from boxing for over three years, sacrificing his prime athletic years for his deeply held anti-war principles.
In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously overturned his conviction, allowing him to reclaim his throne. He engaged in some of the most famous fights in history, including the "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman and the "Thrilla in Manila" against Joe Frazier. Retiring in 1981, he was later diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Despite his declining physical health, he remained a powerful, beloved ambassador for peace, lighting the Olympic cauldron in 1996 and traveling the globe to promote humanitarian causes until his death in 2016.