Muhammad Ali, R.I.P.

Muhammad Ali, R.I.P.

June 4, 2016 |

Muhammad Ali, R.I.P.

“The service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth”

Cassius Clay, aka Muhammad Ali, died today. He was a champion boxer and a brave man.
He refused conscription into the Vietnam War, was framed up on false draft evasion charges and stripped of his world heavyweight boxing championship. In 1971 the US Supreme Court overturned his false conviction.

Stripped of four years of athletic prime by a corrupt US government, Ali returned to the ring and re-won the championship. He won the championship three times and is considered the best boxer of all time, even eclipsing Joe Lewis.

http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2016/06/04/muhammad-ali-r-i-p/

I didn't like his personality, but there wasn't anyone who could hook an jab with him, flow like a butterfly, string like a bee lol

the way i remember it is different than what's stated here. the way i remember it was; he was born sonny liston, when the vietnam war started he converted to islam and changed his name to muhammed ali and refused to serve in the military, citing religion. so to me he changed religion in order to dodge the draft. everytime i think of the 86,000 who lost their life and then think of ali, i hate him even more!he was one hell of a boxer and seemed to not fear anyone, which begs the question, why was he afraid to go to war? the same people and country he supposedly loved, he betrayed.i have not one ounce of sympathy for him. even elvis pressly served his country.

good riddence Cassius Clay!

Well, I was never much of a boxing fan - but my dad told me stories of his dad taking him (when 
he was a young boy) to boxing fights in the US.  (just across the border).

When my dad was 94 he remembered these fights and told me 'in detail' about them.
At that time I thought if he was interested in this sport - I should 'at his age' find out more info on my computer and tell him about the boxers he knew. (I learned stuff I didn't know before)  LOL!!!

Sorry to disappoint you fonz ...but Sonny Liston is not Mohammid Ali's name.  But it's right that 
Mohammid Ali changed his name and converted to ialam for a reason.

Sonny Liston is a different boxer .... and Mohammid Ali beat him.
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Charles L. "Sonny" Liston (died December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer known for his toughness, punching power and intimidating appearance. A long-avoided contender, he became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round, repeating the knockout in a defense of the title.

Although widely regarded as unbeatable, Liston lost the title in 1964 to 7–1 underdog Muhammad Ali. 

A

Research:  Mohammid Ali.


On April 28, 1967, boxing champion Muhammad Ali refuses to be inducted into the U.S. Army and is immediately stripped of his heavyweight title. Ali, a Muslim, cited religious reasons for his decision to forgo military service.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., in Louisville, Kentucky, on January 14, 1942, the future three-time world champ changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964 after converting to Islam. He scored a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and made his professional boxing debut against Tunney Husaker on October 29, 1960, winning the bout in six rounds. On February 25, 1964, he defeated the heavily favored bruiser Sonny Liston in six rounds to become heavyweight champ.

On April 28, 1967, with the United States at war in Vietnam, Ali refused to be inducted into the armed forces, saying “I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong.” On June 20, 1967, Ali was convicted of draft evasion, sentenced to five years in prison, fined $10,000 and banned from boxing for three years. He stayed out of prison as his case was appealed and returned to the ring on October 26, 1970, knocking out Jerry Quarry in Atlanta in the third round. On March 8, 1971, Ali fought Joe Frazier in the “Fight of the Century” and lost after 15 rounds, the first loss of his professional boxing career. On June 28 of that same year, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction for evading the draft.

At a January 24, 1974, rematch at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Ali defeated Frazier by decision in 12 rounds. On October 30 of that same year, an underdog Ali bested George Forman and reclaimed his heavyweight champion belt at the hugely hyped “Rumble in the Jungle” in Kinshasa, Zaire, with a knockout in the eighth round. On October 1, 1975, Ali met Joe Frazier for a third time at the “Thrilla in Manila” in the Philippines and defeated him in 14 rounds.

On February 15, 1978, Ali lost the title to Leon Spinks in a 15-round split decision. However, seven months later, on September 15, Ali won it back. In June 1979, Ali announced he was retiring from boxing. He returned to the ring on October 2, 1980, and fought heavyweight champ Larry Holmes, who knocked him out in the 11th round. After losing to Trevor Berbick on December 11, 1981, Ali left the ring for the final time, with a 56-5 record. 
He is the only fighter to be heavyweight champion three times. In 1984, it was revealed Ali had Parkinson’s disease.

A

Research:  Remember this is '1967' ... nearly 40 years ago ... times were different then.
This is Ali's original reason for not joining the war.
(don't shoot the messinger)
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Ali outlined his - opposition to the war in a statement that he released in March 1967, one month before he went to the Military Entrance Processing Station. He didn't mince words as he outlined his opposition to the war on the basis of racial inequality and his faith:

Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?

No, I am not going ten thousand miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would put my prestige in jeopardy and could cause me to lose millions of dollars which should accrue to me as the champion.

But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is right here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality. …

 If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. But I either have to obey the laws of the land or the laws of Allah. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail. We’ve been in jail for four hundred years. 
.

Ali's outspoken refusal to submit to the draft was not only bold, but set a precedent for both black and Muslim Americans to stay true to their beliefs.

and thoise SAME black muslims you hold up for there beleifs have killed americans! HMM

he was a traitor too his country! when your country calls you answer