Mohammed Ali Clay and African Americans Research Paper

Introduction

In my paper, I will discuss Ali Mohammed’s life, religious journey, boxing work and his role as a statesman. I understand Ali Mohammed was an American boxer who was born on January seventeen, nineteen forty-two, in Kentucky, Louisville Town. He was the first child of Marcellus Clay Cassius and Grady Odessa. Marcellus Clay Cassius was a painter who loved also acting, singing, and dancing; his mother used to work as a cleaning lady when his father was not getting enough money to feed the family. At the age of twelve, Mohammed Ali started boxing work. His calling begun one day when his bicycle got lost, then, when he went to the police station to report about the stolen bicycle, martin who was a policeman invited Mohammed to try boxing classes in a local center. After a period of time, Martin learned that Ali had the ability in boxing¹.

I can say that through his boxing ability and hard work Martin started showing Ali Mohammed on his local television channel shows Champions; furthermore, Martin started Mohammed working and training at Columbia Louisville’s Gym. Stoner Fred, who was African American black teacher, taught Ali Mohammed the art and science of boxing. At Louisville’s Columbia gym Mohammed learned boxing skills and moving with grace. Ali Mohammed spent most of his time in the boxing job hence leading to poor work at his school.

Now at teenage, I can add that Ali Mohammed won the Golden Glove championships and national Amateur Union. Ali Mohammed won a gold medal in the Olympics in the light heavyweight boxing match in Rome Italy during 1960 Olympic games competition when he was eighteen years. These great works catch the attention of the Louisville group; hence leading to marking a deal with this millionaires group. This was so far, the first biggest deal to be agreed by a capable boxer. Ali Mohammed used to work his way out in the path of a chain of skilled successes, using ways that include great application of energy with speed. One of Ali’s was interviewed and said that Ali had the capability of floating like a butterfly and stinging the way bees do.

In addition, I can say that Ali’s unique way of expressing confidence, rhyming and pride made him earn public and celebrity interest, especially in the media. The media always took an interest in covering him as he participated in various boxing events which he mostly won. Ali also had a liking for poetry and always wrote poems that were all about victory in the championships the poems played an important role in foreseeing the victory of the various fights. It was due to his interest in poetry that he was known as Louisville Lip. This uniqueness and the extraordinary skills he possessed really made Ali win a fortune out of everything he did.

Furthermore, I can add that when Ali was only 21 in February nineteen sixty-four, he won the heavyweight championship in the world by fighting and beating Sonny Liston. Mohammed in his boxing career used to apply boxing skills such as speed, use of foot to fight the opponent and use of a hit to knock out when the opponent was not aware and hence eliminating them through knockouts. In addition, Ali Mohammed was a very courageous boxer, who through his courage defeated many opponents and the application of other boxing skills made him a great fighter in the world making him the heavyweight champion.

Finally, Mohammed’s boxing work was brought to an end by physical disability in the later years of his fighting career. His brain was spoiled by regular head blows that caused poor delivery of the speech, body movements were also slowed, and Ali Mohammed was also affected by other signs caused by Parkinson’s syndrome. Nevertheless, his diseases condition is very different from other complications which are caused by very serious encephalopathy diseases condition caused by effects of boxing career for instance head blows.

Ali Mohammed’s personal life

The first topic I will discuss is Mohammed‘s personal life. Ali Mohammed so far has been in a marriage relationship 4 times and has been blessed with two sons and seven daughters. first of all Ali Mohammed got married to his first wife Roi Sonji who was a cocktail waitress on August 14, 1964. Sonji’s doubts to accept Muslim cultures in relation to dressing way for Muslim women played a part in the breaking up of their marriage and hence resulted in their separation on January tenth, nineteen sixty-six.

Secondly, Mohammed Ali then got married to Boyd Belinda On August seventeen, nineteen sixty-seven, when he was twenty-five and Belinda seventeen. Belinda changed her name to Ali Khalilah after changing to the Muslim religion and culture after their wedding. Allah blessed them with four children: Maryum, Jamillah, Liban and finally Mohammed Ali who was born in 1972.

Thirdly, Mohammed Ali got married to his third wife Veronica Porsche in 1977 who was a model and an actress, after breaking up with Belinda. Allah blessed the marriage with two daughters Hana, and Laila who was born in1977 December. Ali Mohammed marriage to Veronica did not last for so long, they separated in nineteen eighty-six.

Finally, Ali Mohammed got married to his fourth and lovely wife Yolanda Ali on nineteen November nineteen eighty-six. Mohammed Ali and Yolanda Ali had been in a long friendship relationship in Louisville. In addition, their mothers were also very close friends, even though Lonnie has in public refused that Ali Mohammed was her babysitter once. Ali Mohammed and Yolanda Ali have one adopted child, Asaad who is a son. Furthermore, Ali Mohammed has other two out marriage daughters named Miya and Khaliah.

Furthermore, I can say that Ali Mohammed’s life was of a humble class of life in Berrien Springs, on an older farm, in a home at the finish of the road. Mohammed in addition to his home, has a pond, pool and a security gate that has an intercom. He usually spent some of his time playing with the kids. Mohammed Ali through his life work has met with important people in the world, for instance, former American President Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II and Queen Elizabeth II. Ali usually travels a lot every year about two hundred and seventy-five days, which gives him a lot of money to feed his family life, charging approximately two thousand dollars per public appearance. Mohammed’s best time in life is when spending with his lovely wife Yolanda and their adopted child Amin Asaad at their hometown in Berrien Springs, even though he likes his public appearances and missionary work².

Religious Journey

The second topic I will discuss is a religious journey. Ali became a follower of the black African Muslim faith after being encouraged by Malcolm X who was a Muslim spokesperson during the time between, 1925 to1965. Ali then pronounced that he had changed his real name to Cassius X. At this particular time fight for civil and human rights was at a high point and the black African Muslims had come up as a controversial but differing significant force in the African black American people. Afterward, Elijah Mohammed who was the Muslim leader during that time named him Mohammed Ali. In May 1965 Mohammed Ali beat Liston Sonny, through a knockout at the first round of the match, and hence this was his first defense in his boxing career. However, Mohammed successfully held his title eight times more³.

Now I add that when War was in Vietnam in April 1967 Mohammed was forced to join the military service. As a follower of the Black African Muslim religion, he argued that he was not given permission to work in the military service. Due to the above reasons, the Athletic Commission of New York State and the Boxing world Association stop his boxing career license, furthermore his heavy-weight title was taken away and on the other hand, the press, in general, criticized his thinking has to be disloyal. Mohammed Ali was afterward imprisoned for a term not less than three years but was later set free on appeal. Three years after being jailed the United States Court throw away his conviction case⁴.

Back to his boxing career

Now the third topic I am going to discuss is Ali’s boxing career. When Ali Mohammed was back to his boxing work he fought and defeated Quarry Jerry in 1970. Joe Frazier, who took over then heavyweight champion title, when Ali’s title had been taken away, defeated him. Later Mohammed Ali was able to fight back for his heavyweight championship title after defeating Foreman George who had won the title after beating Frazier in Zaire in 1974 fight. Ali fought with Joe Frazier numerous times for instance: a fight that took place in the City of New York in nineteen seventy-four and another fight were held in 1975 in the Philippines. Ali Mohammed was the winner in both championship competitions hence regaining his world championship heavyweight. Ali Mohammed was named Sportsman of the Year after winning these titles⁵.

I can also say that Ali Mohammed moving forward in his skilled boxing work, come up with new boxing styles, for example, rope-a-dope, which he made his challengers wear down themselves while Ali rested on the other side, frequently against the ropes; Ali Mohammed in following rounds would come to find back after being strong enough to beat the opponent. Through these special skills and techniques, Ali Mohammed successfully held his heavyweight championship title ten times more. Ali Mohammed was the heavy title championship holder till when he was beaten by Spinks Leon in Las Vegas, Nevada in February nineteen seventy-eight. After a period of 7 months, Ali Mohammed fought back his heavyweight title championship by beating Spinks in Louisiana, hence being honored as the first best-skilled boxer for retaining the win of heavyweight thrice in the world boxing history. Ali Mohammed’s skilled boxing work ended after being attacked by Parkinson’s disease a condition disturbing the nervous system. Ali Mohammed permanently retired with a boxing record work of five losses, fifty-six wins of which thirty-seven were by knockout in 1981⁶.

Ali’s Statesmanship Role

The final topic is going to discuss is the statesman role of Ali Mohammed. When Mohammed’s left the boxing work, he was interested in politics and took part in social work. In politics Ali was a very important follower of the Democratic political party USA, for this above reason, Ali took part in the movement for Jimmy Carter a democratic runner and helped other democrats’ supporters. Furthermore, Ali took an active task in promoting a multiplicity of political causes attending to the needs of children and poverty. In addition in 1985, Ali fought for the freeing of four Americans taken hostage in Lebanon. Mohammed Ali’s picture was changed and he was loved as a statesman as a result. During the world’s 1996 Olympic Games summer competition in Atlanta, Georgia, Ali was honored by the world and his state at the opening function to glow the Olympic torch.

In addition, I can add that Ali, despite the fact that he was sick of Parkinson’s disease still remained accepted in the people’s eyes. Ali was the first skilled boxer to show up on a Wheaties cereal box in 1999. That year later, Ali supported a new rule to clear out the boxing side of the business. Following the terrorist attack to the United States, on September eleven in the year two thousand and one, Ali Mohammed was contacted and he agreed to stand up boldly and announce on the media for sixty seconds that the United States of America was still a development partner and a friend to the Muslim countries and the Muslim faithful believers all over the world and that the United States had no evil intentions for Islam⁷.

I understand that Mohammed Ali is still honored for his great achievements in his ability to fight for African black American’s rights through the civil Rights group during the nineteen sixties. Mohammed Ali’s work added greatly to the black Civil Rights movement, for example, Mohammed Ali made the black individuals have a second look at the roles they play in the civil rights movements. In addition, Ali had the ability to sense right and wrong which might involve the group of people in the Civil Rights movement. Mohammed Ali’s presence in the movement improved the awareness that the black Civil Rights movement had to do and everything that was set out to be done for the movement to be strong and to overcome the problems and challenges. Furthermore, Ali’s message to the civil rights supporters and the black society was that the movement willfully to bring back the birthright of the black society in the United States of American⁸.

I can also say that the German people working for the United Nations On seventeen of Decembers, two thousand and five honored Mohammed Ali with the top medal of Otto Hahn freedom when he was sixty-three, for the great loyalty help to the people he could not let the Parkinson’s disease to bring his promises to the end. In addition, Mohammed Ali was honored by AAI President Zogby James, for his Lifetime success in giving funds for the needy in the United States approved in Iraq, and playing a big role on the advice-giving board of the Human Rights Palestine Campaign movement, and his anti-war manner that caused him to be held in jail for a period not less than to years during the time of War in Vietnam⁹.

Conclusion

In my conclusion, I can say Ali Mohammed’s life victory was for all Americans. Ali Mohammed was a very successful man, through the application of smartness and hard work. because Ali Mohammed is the only skilled boxer to held the heavy-weight world championships thrice. Mohammed Ali also was a leader for both black African American women and men around the globe with his religious and political look. Throughout his skilled work in boxing, Ali Mohammed has earned over fifty million USA dollars, of which two-thirds went to taxes and managerial expenses, and some used to help the need for instance Children’s Foundation¹⁰. Finally’ Ali Mohammed was a great American skilled boxer and on the other hand a very social human rights socialist. Ali is remembered for being the first boxer in the world to win the heavyweight world championship on 3 different incidents, and furthermore defending the title successfully nineteen times.

Bibliography

1. Eric, C. Ali Mohammed’s contributions to the black society, New York City: Oxford University press, 2000.
2. Harris, G. Ali’s personal life, New York: Mouth Press, 2004.
3. Jack, Newton. Ali Mohammed world record achievement, New York: Stone press, 2006.
4. Joe, L. Ali Mohammed a black Hero in America, New York: Row printing press, 2005.
5. José, Simon. Mohammed Ali’s contributions to the civil rights movement, New York: Transnational publishers Inc, 1983.
6. Noel, K. The life of Ali Mohammed, New York: Basic Books, 2004.
7. Paul, M. Ali Mohammed’s boxing career, Cambridge: Harvard Press, 2002.
8. Robert, N. Muslims religion practices. USA: McGraw Hill, 1988.
9. Thomas, G. Ali Mohammed’s life History, New York: Stone press, 1999.
10. Wilfred, Moor. Mohammed Ali’s contributions as statesman, USA: McGraw Hill, 2001.

Footnotes

1. G. Thomas. Ali Mohammed Life History, (New York: Stone press, 1999), p. 44
2. G. Harris. Ali’s personal life, (New York: Mouth Press, 2004), p. 101
3. L. Joe. Ali Mohammed a black Hero in America, (New York: Row printing press, 2005), p. 67
4. N. Robert. Muslims religion practices, (USA: McGraw Hill, 1988), p. 99
5. M. Paul. Ali Mohammed’s boxing career, (Cambridge: Harvard Press, 2002), p. 56
6. Newton, Jack. Ali Mohammed world record achievement, (New York: Stone press, 2006), p. 89
7. Moor, Wilfred. Mohammed Ali’s contributions as statesman, (USA: McGraw Hill, 2001), p. 99
8. Simon, José. Mohammed Ali’s contributions to the civil rights movement, (New York: Transnational publishers Inc, 1983), p. 20
9. C. Eric. Ali Mohammed’s contributions to the black society, (New York City: Oxford University press, 2000), p. 55
10. K. Noel. The life of Ali Mohammed, (New York: Basic Books, 2004), p. 98