Beginnings
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Clay was named after his father (who was himself named for the Kentucky abolitionist, Cassius M. Clay). At age 12, he had his bicycle stolen, and he reported the fact to a local policeman (and boxing trainer), Joe Martin. Martin suggested that Clay learn to fight; under his guidance, Clay rapidly advanced through the youth ranks. A low-achiever academically, Clay won six Kentucky Golden Gloves while at high school, and was allowed to graduate, despite his poor grades. Presciently, his principal announced during a staff meeting about the issue that Clay would someday be "this school's claim to fame." Clay later joked about his lackluster academic record saying, "I said I was the Greatest, not the smartest."
Young Muhammad Ali
At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Clay won a gold medal as a light heavyweight boxer. After being refused service in a whites-only restaurant, a disgusted Clay threw his gold medal into the Ohio River. He then turned professional, under the tutelage of boxing legend Angelo Dundee, and quickly became famous for his unorthodox style, his spectacular results, and his tireless self-promotion (the latter inspired in part by professional wrestler Gorgeous George and singer Little Richard). He made a name for himself as the "Louisville Lip" by composing poems and predicting in which round he would knock out his opponent.
He boisterously sang his own praises, with sayings like "I am the greatest" and "I'm young, I'm pretty, I'm fast, and no one can beat me."Ali has himself explained that he used ostentation as a publicity device. As a youngster, he learned that boasting, with maximum impudence, would bring bigger and bigger crowds to attend his fights, because everyone would so desperately want to see the braggart get beaten or otherwise pummelled.
Professional Career
In Louisville, on October 29, 1960, Cassius Clay won his first professional fight. He won a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker, who was the police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia. From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19-0, with 15 knockouts. He defeated such boxers as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Duke Sabedong, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, and Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockout). Among Clay's more impressive victories were against Sonny Banks (who knocked him down earlier in the bout), Alejandro Lavorante, and Archie Moore (a boxing legend who had won over 200 previous fights). Cassius became the number one contender for Sonny Liston's title. Liston was greatly feared, and some have said that he was the Mike Tyson of his era. Almost no one gave the young boxer a chance of beating Liston. The date was fixed for February 25, 1964; during the weigh-in, the boisterous Ali declared that he would "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
First Title Fight
Muhammad Ali punches challenger Joe Frazier in the head during their 1975 heavyweight title fight in Manila, Philippines.
Clay, however, had a plan. Misreading Clay's exuberance as nervousness, Liston was over-confident, and unprepared for any result but a quick stoppage. In the opening rounds, Clay's speed, greater even than his idols, Sugar Ray Robinson and Archie Moore, kept him away from Liston's powerful head and body shots, as he used his height and reach advantage to effectively counter-punch with the jab. As early as the third round, Liston began to visibly tire, and Clay took full advantage, landing several heavy punches. By the third, Clay was clearly on top, and had opened a large cut under Liston's eye. Liston regained some ground in the fourth, as Clay was blinded by a foreign substance.
It is unknown whether this was something used to close Liston's cuts, or applied to Liston's gloves for a nefarious purpose. Partially-sighted, Clay was able to keep out of range, and by the fifth and into the sixth, he was looking for a finish. That came before the seventh, when Liston retired on his stool, later claiming his shoulder had become dislocated. Clay leapt out of his corner, proclaiming himself "King of the World", and demanding the writers eat their words.Clay was duly crowned the heavyweight champion of the world. He would reconfirm his abilities when he knocked out Liston in the first round of their rematch in Lewiston, Maine on May 25, 1965, albeit controversially; as few observers saw the "phantom punch" that floored Liston. That November, Clay met and defeated former champion Floyd Patterson. The referee stopped the fight in Round 12, after Patterson had taken a horrible beating.