MA
Muhammad Ali
Actor, Writer
Born January 17, 1942Died June 3, 2016 (74 years)
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer and philanthropist. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time.
Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He became a Muslim after 1961. He won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. On March 6, 1964, he announced that he no longer would be known as Cassius Clay but as Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, citing his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War. He was found guilty of draft evasion so he faced 5 years in prison and was stripped of his boxing titles. He stayed out of prison as he appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971, but he had not fought for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. Ali's actions as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War made him an icon for the larger counterculture generation, and he was a very high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement and throughout his career. As a Muslim, Ali was initially affiliated with Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam (NOI). He later disavowed the NOI, adhering to Sunni Islam, and supporting racial integration like his former mentor Malcolm X.
Ali was a leading heavyweight boxer of the 20th century, and he remains the only three-time lineal champion of that division. His joint records of beating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight title and winning 14 unified title bouts stood for 35 years. He is the only fighter to have been ranked as the world's best heavyweight by BoxRec twelve times. He has been ranked among BoxRec's ten best heavyweights seventeen times, the third most in history. He won 8 fights that were rated by BoxRec as 5-Star, the third most in the history of the heavyweight division. Ali is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He has been ranked the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, and as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC, and the third greatest athlete of the 20th century by ESPN SportsCentury. He was involved in several historic boxing matches and feuds, most notably his fights with Joe Frazier, such as the Fight of the Century and the Thrilla in Manila, and his fight with George Foreman, known as The Rumble in the Jungle, which has been called "arguably the greatest sporting event of the 20th century" and was watched by a record estimated television audience of 1 billion viewers worldwide, becoming the world's most-watched live television broadcast at the time. Ali thrived in the spotlight at a time when many fighters let their managers do the talking, and he was often provocative and outlandish. He was known for trash-talking, and often free-styled with rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, anticipating elements of hip hop.
Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He became a Muslim after 1961. He won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. On March 6, 1964, he announced that he no longer would be known as Cassius Clay but as Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, citing his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War. He was found guilty of draft evasion so he faced 5 years in prison and was stripped of his boxing titles. He stayed out of prison as he appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971, but he had not fought for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. Ali's actions as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War made him an icon for the larger counterculture generation, and he was a very high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement and throughout his career. As a Muslim, Ali was initially affiliated with Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam (NOI). He later disavowed the NOI, adhering to Sunni Islam, and supporting racial integration like his former mentor Malcolm X.
Ali was a leading heavyweight boxer of the 20th century, and he remains the only three-time lineal champion of that division. His joint records of beating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight title and winning 14 unified title bouts stood for 35 years. He is the only fighter to have been ranked as the world's best heavyweight by BoxRec twelve times. He has been ranked among BoxRec's ten best heavyweights seventeen times, the third most in history. He won 8 fights that were rated by BoxRec as 5-Star, the third most in the history of the heavyweight division. Ali is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He has been ranked the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, and as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC, and the third greatest athlete of the 20th century by ESPN SportsCentury. He was involved in several historic boxing matches and feuds, most notably his fights with Joe Frazier, such as the Fight of the Century and the Thrilla in Manila, and his fight with George Foreman, known as The Rumble in the Jungle, which has been called "arguably the greatest sporting event of the 20th century" and was watched by a record estimated television audience of 1 billion viewers worldwide, becoming the world's most-watched live television broadcast at the time. Ali thrived in the spotlight at a time when many fighters let their managers do the talking, and he was often provocative and outlandish. He was known for trash-talking, and often free-styled with rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, anticipating elements of hip hop.
Filmography
| 2025 | Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything · as Self - Former Boxing Champion |
| 2025 | Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle · as Self |
| 2025 | Muhammad Ali - Thriller in Manilla · as Self |
| 2024 | Beatles '64 · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2024 | Gary · as Self - Boxer |
| 2024 | WWE Hall of Fame · as Muhammad Ali |
| 2023 | Sly · as Self |
| 2023 | Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2023 | Right to Fight · as Self - Boxer |
| 2023 | Reggie · as Self |
| 2023 | Cassius X: Becoming Ali · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2023 | Bill Russell: Legend (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2023 | Stand · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2023 | My Father Muhammad Ali · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Say Hey, Willie Mays! · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2022 | The Old Mongoose · as Self |
| 2022 | Behind the Shield: The Power & Politics of the NFL · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2022 | McEnroe · as Self (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2022 | George Carlin's American Dream (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | Whitney, a Look Back · as Self |
| 2021 | The Super Bob Einstein Movie · as Self |
| 2021 | Ron Lyle · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | Citizen Ashe · as Self |
| 2021 | |
| 2021 | I Am Zlatan · as Self |
| 2021 | The Photograph · as Self |
| 2021 | Muhammad Ali (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali · as Self |
| 2021 | Cleveland Williams · as Self |
| 2021 | Untold: Deal with the Devil · as Self - Professional Boxer (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | Boulevard! A Hollywood Story · as Self |
| 2021 | The One and Only Dick Gregory · as Self |
| 2021 | 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | A Life in Ten Pictures (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | Mister Candid Camera · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | Pelé · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | |
| 2021 | Tuskegee Airmen: Legacy of Courage · as Self |
| 2020 | The Best of WWE: Best of Halloween Havoc · as Self |
| 2020 | Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President · as Self |
| 2020 | Da 5 Bloods · as Self (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2020 | Be Water · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2020 | Ali's Comeback · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2020 | Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story · as Self |
| 2019 | Richard Jewell · as Self |
| 2019 | Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | Hitsville: The Making of Motown · as Self |
| 2019 | Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | The Black Godfather · as Self |
| 2019 | What's My Name: Muhammad Ali · as Self |
| 2019 | What's My Name: Muhammad Ali (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | Icons (2019) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | Milk · as Self |
| 2018 | Shut Up and Dribble (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | |
| 2018 | In Search of Greatness · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | |
| 2018 | Black Is Beltza · as Self (voice) (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | Explained (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | Mr. Soul! · as Self |
| 2018 | Andre the Giant · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | I Am MLK Jr. · as Self |
| 2018 | 1968 · as Self |
| 2017 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2017 | Foreman · as Self - Former Heavyweight Champion |
| 2017 | American Made · as Self (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2017 | Europa: The Last Battle · as Self |
| 2017 | The Summer of Love · as Self |
| 2017 | The 59th Annual Grammy Awards · as Self - In Memoriam |
| 2016 | The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - In Memoriam |
| 2016 | |
| 2016 | O.J.: Made in America (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2016 | Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2016 | Muhammad Ali: The Greatest · as Self - 1942-2016 |
| 2016 | O.J.: Made in America · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2016 | Sticky: A (Self) Love Story · as Self |
| 2015 | Kareem: Minority of One · as Self |
| 2015 | I Believe in Miracles · as Self |
| 2015 | Best of Enemies · as Self - Boxer |
| 2015 | |
| 2015 | The Seventies (2015) (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2015 | The Draft · as Self |
| 2014 | Pawn Sacrifice · as Self |
| 2014 | I Am Ali · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2014 | WWE Hall of Fame · as Self |
| 2013 | Sport in America: Our Defining Stories · as Self |
| 2013 | |
| 2013 | Muhammad Ali: The Greatest · as Self (archival Footage) |
| 2013 | Sir David Frost: That Was the Life That Was · as Self - Interviewee On 'frost On Friday' |
| 2013 | Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight · as Himself (archive Footage) |
| 2013 | Legends of the Mid-South Wrestling · as Himself |
| 2013 | The Trials of Muhammad Ali · as Himself |
| 2013 | Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic · as Self |
| 2013 | |
| 2012 | B.B. King: The Life of Riley · as Self |
| 2012 | Undertaker: The Streak - 20-0 · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2012 | Frost on Interviews · as Self |
| 2012 | I Am Bruce Lee · as Self |
| 2012 | Elvis Found Alive · as Self |
| 2012 | Bizarre Foods America (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2011 | The Real Rocky · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2011 | |
| 2011 | Kill the Irishman · as Self |
| 2010 | Norman Mailer: The American · as Self |
| 2010 | WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time · as Self |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | Muhammad and Larry · as Himself |
| 2009 | The Muhammad Ali Story · as Himself |
| 2009 | Facing Ali · as Self |
| 2009 | The Damned United · as Self |
| 2009 | The 40th NAACP Image Awards · as Self |
| 2008 | Soul Power · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2008 | Thrilla in Manila · as Himself (archive Footage) |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | Superpower · as Self |
| 2008 | Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami · as Himself |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | Tyson · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2008 | The Night James Brown Saved Boston · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2008 | Assault in the Ring · as Self |
| 2008 | Mike Douglas: Moments & Memories · as Self |
| 2008 | Joe Louis: America's Hero... Betrayed · as Self |
| 2007 | 1968 with Tom Brokaw · as Self |
| 2007 | Balls of Fury · as Self |
| 2007 | |
| 2006 | Ali Rap · as Himself |
| 2006 | Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology · as Muhammad Ali |
| 2006 | Forbes Celebrity 100: Who Made Bank? · as Self |
| 2006 | The 78th Annual Academy Awards · as Self |
| 2006 | The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers · as Self |
| 2005 | |
| 2005 | The World's Most Photographed (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Dancing with the Stars (TV Series) · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2005 | Soul Deep (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | |
| 2004 | Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show · as Self - Intro |
| 2004 | TV in Black: The First Fifty Years · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | A Century of Black Cinema · as Self |
| 2003 | Sam Cooke: Legend · as Self |
| 2003 | The Last Round: Chuvalo vs Ali · as Himself |
| 2003 | Love at Times Square · as Self |
| 2002 | Solino · as Self |
| 2002 | The Best of Bert Newton · as Self |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | Monday Night Mayhem · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2002 | 2nd Annual BET Awards · as Self |
| 2001 | Sports Illustrated Night of Champions · as Self |
| 2001 | Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World · as Himself |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | Piñero · as Self |
| 2001 | America: A Tribute to Heroes · as Self |
| 2001 | Democracy Now! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | Breaking the Silence: The Making of 'Hannibal' · as Self - N.y. Premiere |
| 2001 | Fidel · as Self |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | Muhammad Ali: The Greatest · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2001 | The Making of 'Ali' · as Self |
| 2000 | Hendrix · as Self (with Reporters) |
| 2000 | Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible · as Self |
| 2000 | Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme · as Himself |
| 2000 | |
| 1999 | ABC 2000: The Millennium · as Self |
| 1999 | |
| 1999 | Howard Cosell: Telling It Like It Is · as Self |
| 1999 | The Hurricane · as Self |
| 1999 | Independent Lens (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1999 | Life · as Self |
| 1999 | SportsCentury (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1999 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1998 | The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts · as Self - Roastee (archive Footage) |
| 1997 | The 69th Annual Academy Awards · as Self |
| 1996 | When We Were Kings · as Self |
| 1996 | Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story · as Self |
| 1996 | Die Muhammad Ali Story (TV Series) · as Muhammad Ali |
| 1995 | Tyson · as Self |
| 1995 | |
| 1994 | Halloween Havoc · as Himself (ringside) |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | The Best of the Don Lane Show · as Self |
| 1993 | |
| 1993 | Fame in the 20th Century (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | Malcolm X · as Self - Handshake With Malcolm |
| 1992 | HBO First Look (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | Dateline NBC (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | Muhammad Ali's 50th Birthday Celebration · as Self |
| 1991 | Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman · as Self |
| 1990 | Night of 100 Stars III · as Self |
| 1990 | Outside the Lines (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | Champions Forever · as Self |
| 1989 | The Arsenio Hall Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | WWF: Wrestlemania's Greatest Matches · as Self - Special Guest Refree |
| 1988 | Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes · as Self |
| 1986 | Our World (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1985 | Doin' Time · as Himself |
| 1983 | James Bond: The First 21 Years · as Self |
| 1983 | Frontline (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Wogan (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Late Night With David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1981 | Body and Soul · as Himself |
| 1980 | Kings of the Square Ring · as Self |
| 1980 | Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1978 | Diff'rent Strokes (TV Series) · as Muhammad Ali |
| 1978 | Vega$ (TV Series) · as Muhammad Ali |
| 1977 | Muhammad Ali vs. Earnie Shavers · as Self - Defending Champion |
| 1977 | I Am the Greatest!: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1977 | The 49th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1977 | Jimmy Carter's Inaugural Gala · as Self |
| 1976 | |
| 1976 | The Captain and Tennille (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1976 | Cos (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1976 | The Jacksons (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1976 | Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Dean Martin · as Self |
| 1976 | |
| 1976 | The Sonny & Cher Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | |
| 1975 | Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III · as Self |
| 1975 | |
| 1975 | Funny Girl to Funny Lady · as Self |
| 1975 | Apostrophes (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1974 | B.B. King: Live in Africa · as Self |
| 1974 | The Rumble in the Jungle · as Self |
| 1974 | Dinah! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1974 | The Frost Interview (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1974 | Am laufenden Band (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1974 | Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II · as Self |
| 1973 | Ali the Fighter · as Self |
| 1973 | Tomorrow with Tom Snyder (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1973 | WWF on MSG Network (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1972 | Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson II · as Self |
| 1972 | Money Talks · as Self |
| 1972 | Malcolm X · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 1972 | WWF Championship Wrestling (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1972 | Black Rodeo · as Self |
| 1972 | The ABC comedy hour (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | Parkinson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I · as Self |
| 1971 | Fight of the Century · as Self |
| 1970 | a.k.a. Cassius Clay · as Self |
| 1970 | The Flip Wilson Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1970 | The Super Fight · as Himself |
| 1969 | Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee · as Self |
| 1968 | 60 Minutes (TV Series) · as Self - Former Heavyweight Champion (segment "the Greatest") |
| 1968 | |
| 1968 | The Dick Cavett Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1967 | The Phil Donahue Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1967 | |
| 1966 | The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1966 | Firing Line (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1965 | Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II · as Self |
| 1964 | Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston I · as Self |
| 1963 | The Jerry Lewis Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1963 | Das aktuelle Sportstudio (TV Series) · as Self - Guest In Studio |
| 1962 | Requiem for a Heavyweight · as Himself (as Cassius Clay) |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1961 | The New Steve Allen Show (TV Series) · as Self - As Cassius Clay |
| 1955 | This is Your Life (UK) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1950 | The Bob Hope Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1950 | What's My Line? (TV Series) · as Self - Mystery Guest |
| 1948 | The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) · as Self - Dramatic Speaker |