A Brief History of Cassius Clay
When school boy Cassius Clay was robbed of his bike, he vowed never to be victimized again.
This vow was the start of angruably the most amazing boxing career of all time. Starting his boxing career at the age of 12, he won the national Golden Gloves middleweight championship in 1959 and 1960, the AAU national light heavyweight title in 1960, then a gold medal at the Olympics at only 18 years of age.
He had his first professional fight on 29 October 1960 ending with a victory over Tunney Hunsaker . Slightly further into his career Clay started to compose little rhymes predicting his successes and these rhymes quickly became a big part of the Clay/Ali persona.
The eccentric Clay also had a brilliant technique of footwork and double-quick counter-punching which confused his opponents but delighted the fight crowds. On 25 February 1964 the relatively unknown Cassius Clay stepped into the ring and before the end of the seventh round was proclaimed heavyweight boxing champion of the world.
Clay then converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammed Ali, casting off his 'slave name'. In 1967, the boxer refused to fight in Vietnam, causing further sensation for the media by telling reporters "I ain't got no quarrel with the Viet cong."
Ali was arrested, was stripped of his heavyweight title and had his boxing license suspended. He was unable to box while the case went to appeal. But this was not the end of the legend...Ali regained his world heavyweight boxing title on 29 October 1974 in Zaire (14 years to the day he won his first professional bout). In the infamous "Rumble in the Jungle", he floored George Foreman in the eighth round.
Ali won the title again in 1979 and finally retired in 1981 after a loss to Trevor Berbick (only his fifth loss in over 20 years of boxing). Ali used to say 'I am the greatest'. And he truly is.
Kymmage
Kymmage is a 26 year old editor/administrator/wife/cat 'mummy'/Master of Arts/daughter/sister/voter and moore living it up in H-town.
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