Muhammad Ali was a renowned American professional boxer who excelled in his sport and later used his status to herald changes. His original name was Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. and he was named after a slavery abolitionist. Here are a few interesting piece of trivia from the life of this famous boxer.
The story of how Muhammad Ali trod on the path of becoming a boxer is quite intriguing. Ali had parked his red-and-white Schwinn bike outside an auditorium when it was stolen. Upon realizing the truth, Ali was enraged and he reported the matter to a police official. He said he wanted to 'whup' the thief. The cop Joe Martin was also a boxing trainer and he realized the potential in Ali and decided to train him. Rest as we know is history.
The boxer would ask his friends and family to throw stones at him which he would use as means to increase his agility and speed by dodging them. The boxer's brother recollects, “No matter how many I threw, I could never hit him.”
Muhammad Ali rose to the status of one of the most influential Muslims across the globe. He used his stature to negotiate with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein who had held 2,000 foreigners as captive. Upon Ali's insistence Hussein agreed to free 15 American hostages.
In the section below you can read some of the best inspirational quotes by the famous boxer Muhammad Ali.