The legendary Muhammad Ali was an influential public figure. He not only made an impression on America but also left his mark on the world. Here are some frequently asked questions about Muhammad Ali: What disease did he suffer from? What is his net worth? When did he die? Is there a movie about Muhammad Ali? Know The Fact is here to answer all these intriguing questions frequently asked on the internet.
Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942. His birth name was Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. Ali was a professional American boxer and a social activist. He is one of the most significant and loved sports figures of the last century. In 1999, Muhammad Ali was named the sportsman of the century by Sports Illustrated and the BBC.

Early Boxing Years
When Ali was 12 years old, he started taking boxing lessons under Louisville policeman Joe Martin. In 1960, he won a gold medal in the 175-pound division at the Olympic Games held in Rome. His career as a professional boxer began under the guidance of the Louisville Sponsoring Group. This syndicate was controlled by 11 wealthy white men. In his early days as a professional boxer, he was not applauded for his boxing skills but rather for his charismatic personality.

Muhammad Ali raised public interest by delivering phrases such as “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” The attitude that critics had towards him was oxymoronic. They were impressed and infuriated by him at the same time. Ali was criticised for keeping his hands unconventionally low. He backed away from punches. Critics believed he lacked true knockout power. The opponents he beat were mostly veterans past their prime and mediocre fighters. People were actually shocked when he finally knocked out his opponent.

A Turning Point
On February 25, 1964, Muhammad Ali challenged Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world. Sonny Liston was known as the most powerful fighter of his era. Ali looked like a loser in front of him. In one of the most remarkable incidents in sports history, Liston lost to Ali after six rounds. Ali was crowned the undisputed new champion. On May 25, 1965, there was a rematch between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston.

Ali emerged victorious with a first-round knockout victory. Ali also triumphed over Floyd Patterson, George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Brian London, and Karl Mildenberger. On November 14, 1966, Cleveland Williams fought Muhammad Ali. Ali punched Williams more than a hundred times. He also scored four knockdowns. This all occurred over the course of three rounds. Astonishingly, Ali was hit only three times. In the end, he was victorious over Cleveland Williams. He was also victorious over Ernie Terrell and Zora Folley.

The U.S. Army’s Controversy and Ban
On April 28, 1967, Ali refused to join the U.S. Army at the height of the Vietnam War. Many Americans condemned his stance. Ali had converted to the Nation of Islam, a fringe religious movement. Ali called himself a Muslim. The Nation of Islam, contrary to the teachings of Islam, was openly hostile towards white people.

Later, he became a Sunni Muslim and left the Nation of Islam in 1975. As a consequence of his refusal, Ali was banned from fighting by every state athletic commission in the United States for three and a half years. He was also criminally indicted. On June 20, 1967, he was sentenced to five years in prison for refusing induction into the U.S. armed forces. Ali remained free on bail and, after four years, his conviction was unanimously overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court on a narrow procedural ground.

Return to the Ring
In October 1970, Ali finally returned to boxing. In his first two comeback fights, Ali defeated Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena. On March 8, 1971, he fought Joe Frazier, who was titled heavyweight champion during Ali’s fighting ban. This fight was labelled the “Fight of the Century.” Frazier won against Ali in this fight. After that fight, Ali won 10 fights in a row. On March 31, 1973, Ken Norton broke Ali’s jaw. In a rematch, Ali beat Norton. He again fought Joe Frazier but won this time. On October 30, 1974, Ali defeated George Foreman and regained the heavyweight title.

The Setting Sun
In 1978, Ali lost his title to Leon Spinks. Seven months later, Ali was victorious over Spinks. Ali then retired from boxing. Two years later, he made a comeback. He suffered a terrible defeat by Larry Holmes. In his final match in 1981, Ali lost to Trevor Berbick.

Disease and Decline.
Ali suffered a physical decline in his later years. Damage to his brain due to blows to the head slurred his speech, slowed his movement, and other symptoms of Parkinson’s syndrome started to appear. Muhammad Ali passed away on June 3, 2016. He was 74 years old. His net worth was estimated at $80 million.

Depiction in the media
Will Smith starred as a boxer in the film Ali (2001). A documentary film on his life story. I Am Ali was released in 2014. A number of documentaries on his life have been released, including What’s My Name (2019) and Muhammad Ali (2021). Ali wrote several best-sellers, including The Greatest: My Own Story and The Soul of a Butterfly.

Honours
Ali became a member of the inaugural class of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1996, Ali lit the Olympic flame in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2005, he was honoured with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And the list goes on.