Muhammad Ali
was originally known as Cassius Clay. He changed his name after joining the
Nation of Islam in 1964 and he is Sufi. He was publicly vilified for his
refusal to be conscripted into the U.S military, based on his religious beliefs
and opposition to the Vietnam War. He also fought champions Joe Frazier, Sonny
Liston, Floyd Patterson and Ken Norton. His fighting style was described as “float
like a butterfly, sting like a bee”. In 1999, Ali was crowned “Sportsman of the
Century” by Sports Illustrated and “Sports Personality of the Century”. Ali
brought beauty and grace to the most uncompromising of sports through the
wonderful excesses of skill and character.
