History UsefulNotes / MuhammadAli

There have been numerous books, movies, magazine articles, advertisements and video games that have featured Muhammad Ali or depicted him. He was even the star of a SaturdayMorningCartoon in the 1970s, and had [[Pinball/{{Ali}} his own pinball machine]] in the 80s. In one of his most famous pop culture appearances, he literally gave [[BoxingLessonsForSuperman Boxing Lessons]] to '''''Superman'''''! The most prominent work to feature Ali was an Creator/{{ESPN}} documentary about the buildup for his fight with Larry Holmes in the twilight of his career. Ali's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the only one to be on the wall out of deference to his namesake, UsefulNotes/TheProphetMuhammad.[[note]]As it is a cultural taboo in Islam to have the Prophet's name be desecrated by being stepped upon among other things.[[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:320:Get up and ''fight'', sucka!]]

Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, generally regarded as the most significant heavyweight in the history of the sport (or at least tied with the great Joe Louis). In his career, Ali was known for combining strength, skill, brilliant tactics, and elegant but incredible braggadocio. He was named "Sportsman of the Century" by ''Magazine/SportsIllustrated'' in 1999. He took up boxing as a teenager after a police officer and boxing coach advised the 12-year-old Clay to learn how to box before he tried to "whup" the guy who stole his bike. Fighting for several years as an amateur, he won gold at the 1960 Summer UsefulNotes/OlympicGames in UsefulNotes/{{Rome}} at the age of 18; he decided to leverage that medal into a professional career. He fought professionally for 18 years (with a three-year sabbatical when his license was suspended due to draft resistance. The U.S. Supreme Court would overturn his conviction) in 61 bouts, retiring with 56 wins, 37 by way of knockout. Three of his five losses came in the last three years of his career, when he was well past his prime and starting to show early symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

With his appeal still ongoing, Ali finally regained his licence to box in 1970 and returned to the ring with comeback victories over contenders Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena before facing off against new champion Joe Frazier in an event billed as the "Fight of the Century". The epic fight lived up to its billing and Frazier won a hard-fought 15 round decision, handing Ali his first loss. On the comeback trail, Ali suffered a setback when he lost to the previously unheralded Ken Norton in 1973, but he beat Norton in a tough rematch to get another chance to reclaim the title in 1974. This time his opponent was [[TheDreaded George Foreman]], who had easily dispatched Frazier and Norton in two rounds apiece, in a bout staged in Zaire that Ali nicknamed "The Rumble in the Jungle." In that fight, depicted in the [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]]-winning documentary, ''Film/WhenWeWereKings'', showed that although Ali had slowed down, he was able to outwit the younger challenger with his famous rope-a-dope strategy to wear Foreman until Ali downed him like a oak tree. A year later Ali faced his old rival Frazier for a third time, the so-called "Thrilla in Manila". Fought in tropical conditions, the fight was among the most brutal in boxing history. The action went back and forth, and Ali would later say he felt as if he was close to death. He eventually won when Frazier's corner refused to let their man come out for the final round.

* The Will Power stage play ''Theatre/FetchClayMakeMan'' explores Muhammad Ali's friendship with Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry, better known as "Stepin Fetchit". Creator/RayFisher notably performed the play as Ali in 2013.

Ali was also quite TheCasanova with a [[AnythingThatMoves legendary appetite]] for women. He was married four times: to Sonji Roi (1964-66), Belinda Boyd (1967-77), Veronica Porché (1977-86) and Lonnie Williams (1986-2016) and also had countless extra-marital affairs. He once notoriously introduced his mistress (and future wife) Veronica as his wife to UsefulNotes/FerdinandMarcos, prompting a very public row with his actual wife Belinda. His marriages and affairs produced at least eight children (seven daughters and one son).[[note]]Belinda suspected there were more[[/note]] He later adopted another son with Lonnie. His daughter, Laila Ali, also became a professional boxer (against her father's wishes) and once fought Joe Frazier's daughter Jackie.

* A 1978 comic book by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams, ''Superman vs. Muhammad Ali'' has him be TheRival of Franchise/{{Superman}}. They part ways as friends and Superman even reveals his secret identity after they both stop an alien invasion. Has become HarsherInHindsight as both men died in 2016 (''twice'' in [[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Superman's]] [[ComicBook/TheNew52 case]]).

--> ''Beautiful angels calling''
--> ''We got every re-run of Muhammad Ali''