Let’s Talk About The Heavyweight Champ
A man by the name of Cassius Clay was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942. Having started boxing at the young age of 12, he quickly rose through the amateur ranks. It was at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome that he won the gold medal in the light heavyweight division. Now let’s talk about the heavyweight champ…. In 1964, Cassius Clay, who had converted to Islam and decided to change his name to Muhammad Ali, shocked the boxing world when he defeated Sonny Liston to become the world heavyweight champion at the age of 22. Ali’s quick wit and charismatic personality, matched with his incredible boxing ability, quickly made him a beloved figure around the world. However, Ali quickly became a controversial figure in the United States because of his outspokenness on issues such as race and religion. Then in 1967, Ali refused to be drafted into the military during the Vietnam War, citing his religious beliefs and opposition to the war. As a result, he was stripped...