Muhammad Ali Essay, Research Paper
Muhammad Ali
By
Chenell Delancy
English I
Mr. Eggleston
One-fourth I
August 28, 2000
MUHAMMAD ALI
Muhammad Ali, officially known as Cassius Marcellus Clay, became one the
best athletics function theoretical account of all clip. At the stamp age of 12, he and his friends went
to the Columbia Auditorium to see the bazar. When he and friends decided to
leave, he so realized his new motorcycle was stolen. He was in a lacrimation fury, and he
went down to the gym cellar, because he had heard there was a constabulary officer
down at that place. Ali told the constabulary what had happened, and was demanding a hunt.
The officer, Joe Martin, so asked him if he could contend, and Ali said no, so Martin
invited him to come to the gym and larn how to package. 1
Sadly the motorcycle was ne’er found. Cassius decided to hold Joe Martin teach him
how to package. One dark at dinner he said to his ma, ? I want to be a pugilist? His
female parent approved. She thought it would be better than rolling the streets. Cassius
went to the gym every trim minute. He learned how to throw clouts, how to
leap rope, and how to hit the heavy bag and velocity bag. He could take a hit and it
wouldn? t affect him, he would merely throw one right back. After that battle he
told everybody that he would be the title-holder of the universe.
Cassius was known as? The King? , utilizing the slogan, ? Float like a butterfly,
biting like a bee? . He was a really dedicated individual. He was ever foremost to the gym,
and last to go forth. At age 18, Cassius had already won six Kentucky Golden Glove
Awards, two National Golden Glove Awards, and in 1959-1960 he won the Amateur
Athletic Union ( AAU ) Titles. He fought in 108 recreational battles and won 100 of them.
Cassius was ready to turn pro.
While in the Rome Olympics Cassius had started reading Muhammad Speaks,
a magazine from Elijah Muhammad. Soon Cassius became a strong follower of
Elijah.
One twenty-four hours Malcolm X, a strong Muslim leader, visited Cassius at Fifth Street
Gym. Cassius said he wanted to alter his name to Muhammad Ali, which means
? person who is worthy of praise. ? Ali? s gramps was a slave and that? s where he
got the name Clay. Muhammad said he didn? T want a slave last name. Some people,
saw him as a function theoretical account, because of his devotedness to his faith, Muslim. After
going a Muslim, he changed his name. He was baptized a Catholic, but got really
interested in The State of Islam.
In the beginning he conceal his involvements in? The State, ? because he felt that the
populace was non ready for his transition. In an interview, he was one time asked if he
was a Muslim, and he replied, ? I am non Muslim, but they are the cleanest people I
have of all time met. ? 2
He became really near with Elijah Muhammad and Malcom X. Malcom went to all
of Ali? s lucifers, and they ate breakfast together often.
He is the greatest of all clip. He is a really nice adult male, who does many Nices
things for charities and The State of Islam worldwide. He had gotten a batch of encephalon
harm from packaging that in his old age he could non talk and work
But, this does non impact & # 8220 ; the butterfly & # 8221 ; in his day-to-day life. 3
In 1960, he won the Olympic Light? Heavyweight Championship over Heavy
Weight Champion Sonny Liston. He trained really difficult, and he did a good occupation, and
he produced a steady watercourse of headlines. He was the first pugilist to profit from
international telecasting, as it makes him known to the universe.
He was stripped of his rubric in 1967 during the Vietnam War for declining
military service on spiritual land. He said, ? If traveling to war, and possible death,
would assist twenty? two million inkinesss in this state addition freedom, justness and
equality, I would fall in tomorrow. ? 4 He, besides, said that he would non assist kill the hapless
in other states, when it is go oning to his ain people in America.5 Ali returned to
contending in 1970, climaxing in the & # 8220 ; Fight of the Century, & # 8221 ; against Joe Frazier. This
was the first of three heroic poem conflicts between these pealing gladiators with Ali taking two
out of three turns, including one of the greatest battles
of all clip, the “Thrilla in
Manilla. & # 8221 ; In 1974, Ali demonstrated his ring glare by strike harding out the
undefeated George Foreman to recover the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
The battle was held in Zaire, Africa, and was the first battle to be held on that
continent. Ali can genuinely be considered the first title-holder of the full universe and to
has served as an embassador of good will for our state to this twenty-four hours.
Ali regained his rubric back in a 1974 turn with George Forman, and he lost it
once more in 1978 to Leon Spinks. He, so, regained the rubric back in the same twelvemonth, therefore
going the first adult male to win the rubric for the 3rd clip. 6
Muhammad Ali made a great part to pugilism and the dance manner,
and he will ne’er be forgotten for his amazing technique. Ali held the title
until 36 old ages of age. 7 He and regained the title rubric an unprecedented
3rd clip by disposing of Leon Spinks in a replay turn.
As a black adult male, populating in an epoch that continued to oppugn his rights as a
individual, Ali faced and battled issues of race and category, and to this twenty-four hours ranks as one of
the Civil Rights motion. Not surprisingly, this hardship merely made Ali stronger,
prouder, and more determined than of all time to populate his life with self-respect and by his ain
strong belief.
While it may hold looked to some that the count was approaching 10 and the concluding
bell was about to peal, Ali emerged from this conflict with chin high and custodies raised,
and old ages subsequently would be selected the greatest jock of modern times. 8 Leaving the
athletics he loved with a record of 56 wins, 37 by manner of smasher, he trekked a long
pilgrim’s journey through faith and democracy to happen himself an icon that will forever
touch the Black Marias of work forces. Muhammad Ali has been the really benchmark by which all
professional jocks are now measured. 9
Muhammad Ali was non merely a pugilist and a leader for African Americans, but
he was besides a poet and philosopher. He was ne’er really good in school but he could
ever write great verse forms.
Today, Muhammad lives with his married woman Lonnie in a beautiful house in
Handcock Park, Los Angeles. He is contending the toughest battle of his life, it? s called
James parkinsons disease. He was diagnosed 16 old ages ago and it has kept acquiring worse.
That? s non the merely bad thing. He has earned 10s of 1000000s of dollars in the ring.
Millions of that have been lost in bad investings, like? Muhammad Ali Sports, ?
which ne’er made any advancement.
His matrimony besides didn? T go good. In 1996 he divorced Veronica Porche and
rapidly married Lonnie Williams. She is a Muslim adult female who besides grew up
in Louisville. His Courage Confronting Parkinsons Muhammad has been enduring from
James parkinsons for 16 old ages. Parkinsons is a disease in your equilibrium that forces you of
balance and makes you agitate. He has seen many physicians but Parkinsons is
an incurable disease.
He is the prototype of what is good in athleticss and what is true in work forces. One
athleticss author wrote a long clip ago about Ali, say, ? There are many work forces that are
affected by the times in which they live but there are really few that really determine
them. ? 10
Footnotes
1. hypertext transfer protocol: /www.courier. journal.com/ali/cupnews/0.917transcript.html.
2. Tomas Hauser, ? Muhammad Ali in Perspective? . Collins Publishers, ( Vancouver,
1996 ) , pp 20-31.
3. Ibid.
4. Arlene Schulman, ? Champion? , Learner Publications. ( Minneapolis, 1996 ) , p56.
5. hypertext transfer protocol: /dir.yahoo.com/recreation/sports/boxing/boxers/muhammadali.
6. Ibid
7. Richard B. Stolley, ? Turbulent Years The 60? s? , p40.
8. Ibid
9. Gerald Early, ? The Muhammad Ali Reader? . ( Hopewell: Ecco Press, 1998_ , pp 56-
57.
10. Ibid
BIBLIOGRAPY
1. Stolley, Richard B. ? Disruptive Years the 60? s? , p 40.
2. Internet www.courier.journal.com/ali/cupnews/0917transcrip.html.
3. Conklin, Tomas. ? The Fight for Respect? . Brookfield, Agincourt Press, 1960.
4. Early, Gerald. ? The Muhammad Ali Reader? . Hopewell, Ecco Press, 1998.
5. Watts, Tessitore. ? Muhammad Ali, The Worlds Champion? . Danbury, Grolier
Publication, 1998 pp 56-57.