Ali, Muhammad or Clay, Cassius (1942- ), African American heavyweight prizefighter, antiwar protester, and international ambassador of goodwill. As the dominant heavyweight boxer of the 1960s and 1970s, Muhammad Ali won an Olympic gold medal, captured the professional world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions, and successfully defended his title 19 times. Muhammad Ali's extroverted, colorful style, both in and out of the ring, heralded a new mode of media-conscious athletic celebrity. Through his bold assertions of black pride, his conversion to the Muslim faith, and his outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War (1959-1975), Muhammad Ali became a highly controversial figure during the turbulent 1960s. At the height of his fame, Muhammad Ali was described as "the most recognizable human being on earth."

Muhammad Ali's 1981 retirement from boxing did not diminish his status as an international public figure. Despite suffering from Parkinson's disease, Muhammad Ali has remained on the world stage as an adherent of the Nation of Islam, an advocate of children and war victims, and a proponent of international understanding.

Credit: africanaonline.com