Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay, has never been afraid to speak his mind, which over the years has made some people resent his outspoken nature and his notoriety as a public figure. While flashiness is nothing new in the boxing world—Jack Johnson was famous for his flamboyant displays of wealth and women—Muhammad Ali broke the mold for athletes in general, and boxers in particular, by proving to be an electrifying public speaker with verbal and oratorical skills to match those he possessed in the boxing ring.

Important as much for being a freethinker as a devastating boxer, Muhammad Ali disavowed any obligation or connection to the US invasion of Vietnam, saying, “No Viet Cong ever called me ‘nigger.’” This alongside other equally pithy and at the time outrageous quotes kept him in the headlines, while many criticized his Muslim faith. Like many prominent African-Americans at the time, Muhammad Ali turned to Islam as a means of connecting with what he felt was his true identity and to escape the imperialistic history imposed on him and his ancestors.

The fact that the press’ negative portrayal of Muhammad Ali coincided with the height of his career is surprising. Despite his bold and often rhyming declarations of his beliefs, the sum of his statements amounted to vigorous self promotion and verbal self actualization, and instances of his publicly criticizing others are quite rare—even when he may have had cause to do so.

His career is filled with highlights, such as the iconic photo of him standing victorious over the fallen Sonny Liston, or his defeat in Zaire over George Foreman, in a bout dubbed “The Rumble in the Jungle.” In addition to saying “no” to the US government, Muhammad Ali resisted being controlled by mafia groups and boxing commissions, fighting on his terms and insisting on his right to say and do as he pleased.

Today his biggest opponent is Parkinson’s disease, which in addition to robbing him of his grace and athletic prowess has denied him much of the good humor that made him such an effusive, attractive personality.