Muhammad ali

Ali was an American professional boxer and activist. From early in his career, Ali was known as an inspiring and controversial ?gure both inside and outside the ring. Muhammad Ali claimed the World heavyweight title three times. Ali was the world champion from 1964 to 1967, 1974 to 1978, and 1978 to 1979. Ali remains the only to win the heavyweight champion three-times in a row, having won the title in 1964, 1974 and 1978. He is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He was ranked as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated and the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC. Alis birth name was Cassius Marcellus Clay jr but he thought that it was a slave name and changed name at the age of 22. Facts on screen

Vietnam War and resistance to the draft

In 1964, he was classi?ed as Class 1-Y (?t for service only in times of national emergency) after he failed the U.S. Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were sub-standard. (He was quoted as saying, "I said I was the greatest, not the smartest!” By early 1966, the army lowered its standards and Ali was classi?ed as 1-A. at that time U.S.A. was involved in the Vietnam War. When noti?ed of this status, Ali declared that he would refuse to serve in the army Ali refused three times to step forward at the call of his name. He got a ?ne of $10,000 and On the same day the American Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his title.