The Greatest of All Time

The Greatest of All Time

"Fly like a butterfly; sting like a bee" (Schulman 33). This is one of the most famous quotes ever stated. It was also said by one of the finest Americans to ever live, Muhammad Ali. He battled opponents in the ring, but also battled racism among many other things. He is a perfect role model for not only boxers, but also for all Americans. Muhammad Ali is one of the greatest Americans to exist because he constantly persevered against opposition and provided a great example of what a man should become.

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born to Odessa and Cassius Clay Sr. on January 17, 1942. Growing up in rural Louisville, Kentucky had its disadvantages. The early life of young Cassius Jr. was full of extreme forms of prejudice. His hometown of Louisville was segregated (Blum 5). He was not only the subject of racism, but also bullying due to his dyslexia (Scholastic Action 13).

The poor wealth of the Clay family had an effect on Cassius. His prized possession growing up was his bicycle (Schulman 6-9). At a very young age, he faced prejudice for the first time. One hot summer day, the young boy asked a neighbor for a glass of water, just to have the

door slammed in his face (Ali 10). This blatant disregard for his feelings must have had an incredible impact on him.

When he was only 12 years of age, Louisville policeman Joe Martin first showed Cassius boxing (Hauser 1). Cassius was extremely dedicated to his boxing career at an early age. He quickly developed his skills and soon won matches (Smalls 4-5). During his teenage years, he constantly trained. He attended Louisville Central High, where he worked hard to overcome his reading disabilities (Zabell). After years of experience by the age of 18, he had notched six Kentucky Gold Glove Awards and two National AAU titles (Emmerson). After graduating from high school, he established himself as a power and entered the 1960 Olympics in Rome. He won the light-heavyweight gold medal (Schwartz).

The next leap for Cassius was the professional ring. One of his key skills in the ring was his agility and great footwork. He avoided danger easily and climbed the ranks of boxing (Kieller). Cassius also became known for his constant trash-talk, which helped to get in the mind of the opponent. He had a deep affection for the sport of boxing (Ali 116).

Cassius was a member of the Nation of Islam. He changed his name from Cassius Clay Jr. to Muhammad Ali (Parekh). His name changed but his domination of the sport continued. Suddenly, a new war raged between the United States and Vietnam (Sugar 21). He received a draft letter, but declined because his religion does not allow fighting in wars. Americans all over the country criticized him for not defending their land (Parekh). Ali's boxing license was banned for almost three years, but after waiting, he was back in the ring (Kiehler).

Ali has some memorable fights including fights against: Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes (Schulman 68-74; 92). Muhammad was as cocky