:: Muhammad Ali ::

Muhammad Ali is a mere mortal. But in the eyes of millions he is a legend, immortalized forever by the energy and incredible talent he brought: in and out of the boxing ring. He belongs to a generation of the history's best boxers, when there were a dozen top draws like George Foreman, Ken Norton, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, and Floyd Patterson. Despite the greatness of his peers though, Ali stood apart as the greatest.

One sentence says it all: "He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee."

BIOGRAPHY

He’s still one of the most recognizable men on Earth. And decades after he burst upon the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy, Muhammad Ali remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world.

Ali brought unprecedented speed and grace to his sport, and his charm and wit changed forever what we expect a champion to be. His accomplishments in the ring were the stuff of legend: two fights with Sonny Liston, where he proclaimed himself “The Greatest” and proved he was; three epic wars with Joe Frazier; the stunning victory over George Foreman in Zaire; and dethroning Leon Spinks to become heavyweight champion for an unprecedented third time. But there was always far more to Muhammad Ali than what took place in a boxing ring.

Ali’s life and career have been played out as much on the front page as on the sports page. His early embrace of the Nation of Islam and his insistence on being called Muhammad Ali instead of his “slave name,” Cassius Clay, heralded a new era in black pride. His refusal to be inducted into the United States Army anticipated the growing antiwar movement of the 1960s. And his willingness to stage his fights in such far-flung locales as Kinshasa, Zaire; Manila, Philipines; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia signaled a shift away from superpower dominance toward a growing awareness of the importance of the Third World.

Today Ali is a deeply religious man who evokes feelings of love and respect wherever he travels.

Muhammad Ali's Boxing Record

Record: 56 Wins, 5 Loss, 37 Knockouts
Born: January 17, 1942 -- Louisville, KY

1960
29 Oct -- Tunney Hunsaker, Louisville, KY -- W 6
27 Dec -- Herb Siler, Miami Beach, FL -- KO 4

1961
17 Jan -- Tony Esperti, Miami Beach, FL -- KO 3
6 Feb -- Ingemar Johansson, Miami Beach, FL -- Spar 2
7 Feb -- Jim Robinson, Miami Beach, FL -- KO 1
21 Feb -- Donnie Fleeman, Miami Beach, FL -- KO 7
19 Apr -- Lamar Clark, Louisville, KY -- KO 2
26 Jun -- Duke Sabedong, Las Vegas, NV -- W 10
22 Jul -- Alonzo Johnson, Louisville, KY -- W 10
7 Oct -- Alex Miteff, Louisville, KY -- KO 6
29 Nov -- Willi Besmanoff, Louisville, KY -- KO 7

1962
19 Feb -- Sonny Banks, New York, NY -- KO 4
28 Mar -- Don Warner, Miami Beach, FL -- KO 4
23 Apr -- George Logan, Los Angeles, CA -- KO 6
19 May -- Billy Daniels, New York, NY -- KO 7
20 Jul -- Alejandro Lavorante, Los Angeles, CA -- KO 5
15 Nov -- Archie Moore, Los Angeles, CA -- KO 4

1963
24 Jan -- Charlie Powell, Pittsburgh, PA -- KO 3
13 Mar -- Doug Jones, New York, NY -- W 10
18 Jun -- Henry Cooper, London -- KO 5

1964
25 Feb -- Sonny Liston, Miami Beach, FL -- KO 7
(Won World Heavyweight Title)

1965
25 May -- Sonny Liston, Lewiston, ME -- KO 1
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
31 Jul -- Jimmy Ellis, San Juan, PR -- Exh. 3
31 Jul -- Cody Jones, San Juan, PR -- Exh. 3
16 Aug -- Cody Jones, Goteborg, Sweden -- Exh. 2
16 Aug -- Jimmy Ellis, Goteborg, Sweden -- Exh. 2
20 Aug -- Jimmy Ellis, London -- Exh. 4
20 Aug -- Cody Jones, Paisley, Scotland -- Exh. 4
22 Nov -- Floyd Patterson, Las Vegas, NV -- KO 12
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)

1966
29 Mar -- George Chuvalo, Toronto -- W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
21 May -- Henry Cooper, London -- KO 6
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
6 Aug -- Brian London, London -- KO 3
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
10 Sep -- Karl Mildenberger, Frankfurt, Germany -- KO 12
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
14 Nov -- Cleveland Williams, Houston, TX -- KO 3
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)

1967
6 Feb -- Ernie Terrell, Houston, TX -- W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
22 Mar -- Zora Folley, New York, NY -- KO 7
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
15 Jun -- Alvin Lewis, Detroit, MI -- Exh. 3
15 Jun -- Orvill Qualls, Detroit, MI -- Exh. 3

1970
20 Jan -- Rocky Marciano (movie/computer fight) -- TKO by 8
?? Sep -- Rufus Braswell -- Exh. 2
?? Sep -- Johnny Hudgins -- Exh. 2
?? Sep -- George Hill -- Exh. 4
26 Oct -- Jerry Quarry, Atlanta, GA -- KO 3
7 Dec -- Oscar Bonavena, New York, NY -- KO 15

1971
8 Mar -- Joe Frazier, New York, NY -- L 15
(For World Heavyweight Title)
25 Jun -- J.D. McCauley, Dayton, OH -- Exh. 2
25 Jun -- Eddie Brooks, Dayton, OH -- Exh. 3
25 Jun -- Rufus Brassell, Dayton, OH -- Exh. 3
30 Jun -- Alex Mack, Charleston, SC -- Exh. 3
30 Jun -- Eddie Brooks, Charleston, SC -- Exh. 4
26 Jul -- Jimmy Ellis, Houston, TX -- KO 12
21 Aug -- Lancer Johnson, Caracas -- Exh. 4
21 Aug -- Eddie Brooks, Caracas -- Exh. 4
23 Aug -- Lancer Johnson, Port of Spain, Trinidad -- Exh. 4
23 Aug -- Eddie Brooks, Port of Spain, Trinidad -- Exh. 2
6 Nov -- James Summerville, Buenos Aires -- Exh. 5
6 Nov -- Miguel Paez, Buenos Aires -- Exh. 5
17 Nov -- Buster Mathis, Houston, TX -- W 12
26 Dec -- Jurgen Blin, Zurich, Switzerland -- KO 7

1972
1 Apr -- Mac Foster, Tokyo -- W 15
1 May -- George Chuvalo, Vancouver, Canada -- W 12
29 Jun -- Jerry Quarry, Las Vegas, NV -- KO 7
1 Jul -- Lonnie Bennett, Los Angeles, CA -- Exh. 2
1 Jul -- Eddie Jones, Los Angeles, CA -- Exh. 2
1 Jul -- Billy Ryan, Los Angeles, CA -- Exh. 2
1 Jul -- Charley James, Los Angeles, CA -- Exh. 2
1 Jul -- Rudy Clay, Los Angeles, CA -- Exh. 2
19 Jul -- Al Lewis, Dublin -- KO 11
1 Aug -- Gregorio Peralta, Barcelona, Spain -- Exh. 8
24 Aug -- Obie English, Baltimore, MD -- Exh. 4
24 Aug -- Ray Anderson, Baltimore, MD -- Exh. 2
24 Aug -- Alonzo Johnson, Baltimore, MD -- Exh. 2
24 Aug -- George Hill, Baltimore, MD -- Exh. 2
28 Aug -- Alonzo Johnson, Cleveland, OH -- Exh. 2
28 Aug -- Amos Johnson, Cleveland, OH -- Exh. 2
28 Aug -- Terry Daniels, Cleveland, OH -- Exh. 2
28 Aug -- Rodney Greene, Cleveland, OH -- Exh. 1
28 Aug -- Gary Dee, Cleveland, OH -- Exh. 1
20 Sep -- Floyd Patterson, New York, NY -- KO 7
11 Oct -- John Dennis, Boston, MA -- Exh. 2
11 Oct -- Cliff McDonald, Boston, MA -- Exh. 2
11 Oct -- Doug Kirk, Boston, MA -- Exh. 2
11 Oct -- Ray Anderson, Boston, MA -- Exh. 2
11 Oct -- Paul Raymond, Boston, MA -- Exh. 2
18 Nov -- Al Jones, Johannesburg, S.A. -- Exh. ?
21 Nov -- Bob Foster, Stateline, NV -- KO 8
28 Nov -- Charlie Boston, Salem, Va -- Exh. 2
28 Nov -- Jimmy Wingfield, Salem, Va -- Exh. 2
28 Nov -- John Jordan, Salem, Va -- Exh. 2
28 Nov -- Alonzo Johnson, Salem, Va -- Exh. 2

1973
14 Feb -- Joe Bugner, Las Vegas, NV -- W 12
23 Feb -- Cookie Wallace, Dallas -- Exh. 4
31 Mar -- Ken Norton, San Diego, CA -- L 12
10 Sep -- Ken Norton, Los Angeles, CA -- W 12
20 Oct -- Rudi Lubbers, Jakarta -- W 12

1974
28 Jan -- Joe Frazier, New York, NY -- W 12
30 Oct -- George Foreman, Kinshasa -- KO 8
(Won World Heavyweight Title)

1975
24 Mar -- Chuck Wepner, Cleveland, OH -- KO 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
16 May -- Ron Lyle, Las Vegas, NV -- KO 11
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
30 Jun -- Joe Bugner, Kuala Lumpur -- W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
1 Oct -- Joe Frazier, Manila -- KO 14
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
6 Dec -- Randy Stephens, Dallas, TX -- Exh. 3

1976
20 Feb -- Jean Pierre Coopman, San Juan, PR -- KO 5
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
30 Apr -- Jimmy Young, Landover, MD -- W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
24 May -- Richard Dunn, Munich, Germany -- KO 5
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
25 Jun -- Antonio Inoki, Tokyo -- Exh. D 15
28 Sep -- Ken Norton, New York, NY -- W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)

1977
29 Jan -- Peter Fuller, Boston, MA -- Exh. 4
29 Jan -- Walter Haines, Boston, MA -- Exh. 1
29 Jan -- Jerry Houston, Boston, MA -- Exh. 2
29 Jan -- Ron Drinkwater, Boston, MA -- Exh. 2
29 Jan -- Matt Ross, Boston, MA -- Exh. 2
29 Jan -- Frank Smith, Boston, MA -- Exh. 1
16 May -- Alfredo Evangelista, Landover, MD -- W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
29 Sep -- Earnie Shavers, New York, NY -- W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
14 Nov -- Bernardo Mercado, Bogata, Colombia -- Exh. 5
2 Dec -- Scott LeDoux, Chicago, IL -- Exh. 5

1978
15 Feb -- Leon Spinks, Las Vegas, NV -- L 15
(Lost World Heavyweight Title)
15 Aug -- Leon Spinks, New Orleans, LA -- W 15
(Won World Heavyweight Title)

1979
27 May -- Alonzo Johnson, Randers, Den -- Exh. 5
27 May -- Jimmy Willis, Randers, Den -- Exh. 5
14 Jul -- Lyle Alzado, Denver, CO -- Exh. 8

1980
2 Oct -- Larry Holmes, Las Vegas, NV -- KO by 11
(For World Heavyweight Title)

1981
11 Dec -- Trevor Berbick, Nassau -- L 10