He was the first person to win the heavyweight title three times. He has been known to be the greatest champion of all time and the greatest athlete of the 20th century. He was a worldwide entertainer, and millions of people enjoyed watching him. In some people's eyes Muhammad Ali is the greatest boxer. While life inside the ropes was great for Ali, life outside the ring was controversial because of his religious beliefs, his name change, and his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War.
             Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He lived a normal life until the age of twelve when his bicycle was stolen during a local convention. Clay wanted to report the crime and found Joe Martin, a police officer that taught young boys how to box. Pledging to never be victimized again, young Clay spent his teen years at the gym, constructing both his mind and body into a champion caliber. During his high school days, Clay became two time Golden Gloves champion, won six Kentucky champion, and two-time Amateur Athletic Union Champion. Clay had fought and won thirty-six consecutive fights by May 1, 1959, before his winning steak was broken when Amos Johnson beat him at the Pan-American Games trials. Clay proceeded to the Rome Olympics at the age of 18 and won the light-heavyweight gold medal. While his amateur career came to an end with 100 wins and 8 losses, his professional career was just beginning.
             Clay's professional career began at age 18 and with a victory over Tunney Hunsaker on October 29, 1960 and would end some twenty-one years later with a loss to Trevor Berbick on December 11, 1981, only his 5th loss in more than two decades of professional boxing. Clay went through nineteen opponents, before getting a chance to challenge Sonny Liston for the heavyweight title. Clay was considered the underdog of the match but when the two men got into the ring Clay battered the older fighter wi...