The Courage of Conviction

Little could the world have known that a stolen bicycle on the streets of Louisville, Kentucky would fatefully lead a twelve year old boy named Cassius Clay to become a boxer and the international phenomenon known as Muhammad Ali. Over the years, Muhammad’s journey down destiny road was a double edged sword hitting incredible highs and cruel lows. Remarkably, Muhammad Ali evolved beyond the brash and brilliant fighter who thundered into the spotlight, only to become scorned as a draft dodger, and emerged as a world treasure. His body limited by Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali remains one of the most beloved, extraordinary people of our lifetime.

The power of Muhammad Ali is found in the courage of his convictions: “I am The Greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.” From an early age, this unshakable, indomitable spirit was with Muhammad. “I knew my purpose when I was 12 years old—I was to be World Heavyweight Champion. I didn’t care what happened; there were obstacles in the back, in front, to the left of me and right of me. When you know that purpose, nothing stops you.”

Ali single-handedly revitalized the sport of boxing in a period when interest had waned. His astonishingly accurate poetic prophesies on knockout rounds captured the public’s imagination—there has never been anyone like Muhammad Ali before or since. In the ring, opponents found out that Muhammad Ali could back up all his outrageous boasts. Quickly the world discovered the fastest hand and foot speed that had never been seen before in a heavyweight fighter. Ali brought an exciting new style to boxing, circling with a lightning fast jab and effortlessly dancing around opponents while they plodded flat-footed straight ahead.

Controversy seemed to find a way into Muhammad Ali’s life, making him the world’s most recognized person while being met with scathing rejection. At 22 years old, then Cassius Clay had earned a fight with the Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston, whom Clay had dubbed, “the big, ugly bear.” Clay was a serious 7-1 underdog which didn’t stop the confident young boxer from declaring to the world press, “I’m young, I’m pretty, I’m fast and can’t possibly be beat.” Against all odds, Clay shocked the world with his remarkable upset victory over Liston to win the Heavyweight Championship.

The next day Clay confirmed he had joined the Nation of Islam and changed his named to Muhammad Ali. At that time, Muhammad’s association with the Islam religion and briefly with Malcolm X represented a radical departure from mainstream public opinion and the newly crowned champion was bitterly rejected. As Ali embraced his new religion with the same intensity he brought to boxing, his popularity vanished.

In 1967, at the height of the Viet Nam War, Muhammad Ali was drafted for military service but refused induction based on his religious beliefs. He filed as a conscientious objector and said, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong.” The government proved to be Ali’s greatest fight and the most devastating loss. Ali courageously refused to back down from the draft based on his principled religious convictions but it came at a great cost. Ali was banned from boxing, sacrificing his lifelong dream, and stripped of his Heavyweight title. The ban lasted for three and a half years, denying Ali the prime years for a heavyweight fighter.

As Angelo Dundee, Ali’s Manager, said, “We never saw Muhammad Ali at his best.” Ali said, “I spent the time driving around in my little Volkswagon giving lectures to college kids.” Muhammad stood strong for the principles that guided him, but the damage was done and the price had been paid. Muhammad Ali began an incredible journey back to regain his lost glory, and along the way the world would find the spirit of a champion.

THE MAN

There is a quiet strength about Muhammad Ali and why he will always be known as “The Greatest of All Time.” The heart of a champion, the soul of a saint.

Champ had finished his morning workout at Angelo Dundee’s Fifth Street Gym in Miami when I asked him to run on the beach. Ali agreed and told me it would be good training for his leg strength running on the sand in combat boots. He told me he always ran in heavy combat boots so his boxing shoes would feel lighter when he was in the ring. I thought of something Muhammad had said years before:“The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses—behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” MUHAMMAD ALI

JANUARY, 1978While in Miami Beach, Veronica and Muhammad gave birth to their second child, Laila. I asked to make pictures of his newborn daughter who was just 2 1/2 weeks old. He agreed, and we went to their apartment where he lay on the floor and held his child in his hands for this rare, tender moment of father and daughter.

Most of the time, there were crowds of people surrounding the world’s most famous person. This is one of those rare times I was alone with the Champ in Madison Square Garden, as he worked on his hand and foot speed hours before the Earnie Shavers fight. It was fascinating to see this master boxer, so completely focused on his fight plan. Ali floated effortlessly in circles, gracefully dancing while grunting to power each snapping punch in the air. He always made it look so easy…elegance in motion.

The Champ relaxes in the locker room before the Shavers fight. He was calm, cool and confident because he had put in three months of sparring, training and road work. He knew he was ready.“I’m as confident as I say, and I’m better than I say I am.” MUHAMMAD ALI

“I am America. I am the past you won’t recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident and cocky. My name not yours. My religion not yours. My goal my own. Get used to me.” MUHAMMAD ALI

“Those of you who won’t be able to see the Sonny Liston fight, here is the eighth round, exactly as it will happen.Clay comes out to meet Liston,Liston starts to retreat.If Liston goes back an inch furtherHe’ll end up in a ring side seat.Clay swings with his left,Clay swings with his right.Look like young Cassius will carry the fight.

Liston keeps backing up but there’s not enough room,It’s a matter of time till Clay lowers the boom.Now Liston disappears from view.The crowd is getting frantic,But our radar stations have picked him up,He is somewhere over the Atlantic.Liston is still rising and the ref has foundHe can’t start counting till Sonny comes down.Who would have thought when they came to the fightThey’d witness the launching of a human satellite.Yes the crowd didn’t dreamWhen they put down their moneyThat they would see a full eclipse of the Sonny.”

MUHAMMAD ALI

RECORDED AT A DETROIT PRESS CONFERENCE, 1977“I am the Greatest of All Times…I’m pretty. ‘He isn’t supposed to be cocky…that nigga needs a whooping.’ They come back to see me beat. ‘That cocky nigga.’ I’m beautiful, I’m pretty. Because that’s not the order of the day, see we look at Jesus Christ, we see hair like yours and skin like yours. We were given a white Jesus, we look at the Last Supper, we see all white people. We look at the angels in Heaven, we see all white people, no Chinese, no Mexicans, no Blacks. We look at Miss America, we see white. We look at Tarzan, King of the Jungle, ruler of Africa, we see white. Angel food cake is white, devil food cake is chocolate. Black is always bad, the Black has the bad luck. Threaten you, I’m gonna blackmail you. Put you out of the fraternity, you get blackballed. See black was always bad. Therefore, here comes a little something out here in society—‘I am the Greatest of all Times.’ ‘That ain’t right,’ little children say, ‘Mommy, why did he say that?’ So that cockiness is just to make my people see and feel just like somebody and have something to look up to.” MUHAMMAD ALI

“I’ve always been a rebel. Look at my lifestyle, look at the way I’ve been talking since the Viet Nam war. All my life I’ve been cocky, rebelistic and different from most black people. It’s always been in me. Check way back when I was Cassius Clay. ‘I am the Greatest, I’ll destroy, I’m pretty.’ I always wanted to be different, cocky, arrogant and proud.” MUHAMMAD ALI

It is a little known fact that, for someone who flies a million miles a year, Muhammad was afraid of flying. He found a way to calm himself by reading the Holy Quran, gathering ideas and spending hours writing lectures. Muhammad believed his true calling was to be an ambassador for peace and understanding. His real joy was giving his lectures on: The Purpose of Life, The Meaning of Friendship, The Qualities of the Heart, The Real Cause of Man’s Distress, The Intoxications of Life, The Art of Personality, The Power of Suggestion, The Attitude, and The Education of the Infant. Each lecture was 45 minutes, and remarkably, he would use no notes, memorizing each lecture and never missing a word.

Champ playfully relaxes with his daughter Hana, two years old, and his wife Veronica in a New York City hotel the night before the Shavers fight.

Muhammad cherished family time as celebrity demands on his personal time was excessive. Here they are in the Ali RV heading from Deer Lake, PA to Washington, DC for a special White House visit to see President Jimmy Carter.

Wrestling with his son Muhammad Ali Jr., with his daughter Jamilah.

Muhammad with four of his nine children with his wife Khaliah “Belinda” Ali, Jamilah: Muhammad Ali Jr., Maryum and Rasheda at the Chicago Hilton where he was being honored by the Chicago Institute for Developmental Disabilities.

“I know where I’m going and I know the truth. And I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.” MUHAMMAD ALI

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