Among all-time great boxers like Floyd Mayweather, George Foreman, and Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali earned the title "King of Boxing." During his 21-year career, Ali fought 56 bouts, won an Olympic gold medal in 1960, and was the first boxer to win the heavyweight belt three times.

Swipe to see how he inspired millions of Black Americans and left his mark on history inside and outside the ring.

The Birth of A Warrior

Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. When he was 12, Clay's bicycle was stolen, so he reported it to a local police officer named Joe Martin, who taught Clay to box and ended up training him for the next six years. Ali won his first fight by a split decision six weeks later.

The Transformation From Cassius to Muhammad

After growing close to Malcolm X, the heavyweight champion abandoned the name Clay because he considered it a slave name, and instead adopted Cassius X and later, Muhammad Ali. Under his new name, he successfully defended his heavyweight championship 19 times.

Fighter and Humanitarian Peace Advocate

Muhammad Ali was a revolutionary humanitarian and peace advocate who committed his life to better people's lives. He assisted people worldwide in achieving freedom, justice, and equality. In 1980, Muhammad Ali met with African leaders on behalf of US President Jimmy Carter, who had called for a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics as part of his human rights diplomatic efforts. Before capturing his first world heavyweight boxing title in 1964, Ali donated the money from his fights to help those in need.

The Fight Of The Century

World heavyweight boxing champions Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier squared off in three memorable contests during their professional careers. Frazier had the world heavyweight championship in 1970, and Ali held it thrice in 1964, 1967, and 1974. Throughout the three bouts, Fraizer won the first fight, followed by Ali winning the last two. Ali received more Fighter of the Year awards than any other boxer in history.

Muhammad Ali makes a special appearance at the 2012 Olympic Games in London

An Immortal Legacy

Muhammad Ali died at 74 after a 32-year struggle with Parkinson's disease. Ali is widely regarded as one of the most essential athletes and humanitarians of all time, having generated some of the most iconic moments in sports, social justice, and civil rights history.