Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a philanthropist, social activist and a former American professional boxer. During his boxing career he had 61 fights and 56 wins. Ali changed his name from Cassius Clay after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964. He converted to Sunni Islam in 1975. After Ali won the World Heavyweight Championship he was publicly vilified for his refusal to be conscripted in the U.S military. Ali inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to voice his own opinions of the war. Ali was arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges. His boxing title was stripped and boxing license suspended. He did not fight again for four years.

Ali fought on to become the first and only three-time World Heavyweight Champion. He was nicknamed "The Greatest." Some of his greatest and historic boxing matches were against, Joe Frazier and George Foreman. Ali is well-known for his unorthodox fighting techniques, which he described as "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." He is also known for doing a lot of trash talking in rhymes in the fighting ring.

In 1970, while his case was on appeal, Ali was later give permission to start fighting again. The New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali had been unjustly denied a boxing license. He was able to fight in New York where he fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in 1970. Ali and Bonavena went 14 rounds. Ali beat Bonavena in the 15th which allowed him to go on to fight Joe Frazier.

Muhammad Ali beat every top heavyweight of his era. This era is often referred to as the "golden age" of heavyweight boxing. He was named the "Fighter of the Year" by Ring magazine more times than any other known fighter.

Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease an illness that is common in those such as boxers with head trauma. Despite his illness he still continues to be a public icon.