Some of the Lesser Known Unique Achievements of Muhammad Ali

By siliconindia | Tuesday, 07 June 2016, 05:54 Hrs

BENGALURU: Muhammad Ali was the greatest sportsman of all time, whose achievements are still in this generation a farfetched dream for anyone. He was more than a sportsman, who inspired millions of people by his struggle and he defeated his opponents with his punches along with his popular punchlines. As written by The Economic Times website he was the most famous personality over the planet and in that time popularity didn’t come through PR but after years of struggle and social ostracism. He had the sheer impact on the sociopolitical scenario that he belonged to the tribunals like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Che Guevara and Malcolm X.

Ali was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., named after a 19th-century planter and anti-slavery crusader of Kentucky, best known for emancipating 40 slaves from his father’s inheritance. He later changed his religion, joined the nation of Islam, and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. In 1964, Ali featured on the cover page of Sports Illustrated magazine posing as handling cash in hand inside the bank Vault. After the 50 years of his Liston bout, the gloves used in that fight were sold at $836,000 and the amazing fact is that Ali only earned $630,000 after winning that fight.

In spite of his amazing boxing skills, he was a gifted poet also and his quotes have livened up in training sessions and press conferences. He is also known as writing the shortest English poem “Me We”, it is also said that the poem was called “Me? Whee!”

In the year 1967, Ali was banned from professional boxing because he refused to draft in army service, the ban was later lifted in 1971. During the 43-month exile from boxing, in the year 1969, he took the stage as the title character for the musical “Buck White” in New York. Ali played the character of the militant black lecturer and his performance was widely appreciated.

One thing that keeps Muhammad Ali ahead from all other personalities is that there are about 2,500 celebrities featured in Hollywood Walk of Fame, but he is the only person who is featured on Wall of Fame. Initially, Ali dropped the offer by saying that he does not want to see people walking on his name. He said that I bear Prophet Mohammad’s name and will not allow people to trample over my name.