Muhammed Ali lifted the torch to the Olympic ceremony while everyone in the stadium chanted his name. That moment is one of the most significant experiences known today. Ali’s real name was Cassius Clay, born in Louisville, Kentucky, January 17, 1942. Growing up, Ali (Cassius), and his family grew up in a primarily black neighborhood. At an early age, Ali struggled with school which resulted in him finding love for the sport of boxing. He started to box at the age of twelve and by the time he was sixteen, Ali had won two Golden Glove Titles which made him well known nationally. By the time Cassius was twenty-two years old in 1960, he was offered an opportunity to participate on the Olympic team in Rome. He not only participated, but he actually won the Olympic gold medal. After returning back home from the Olympics, just like any other individual who wins a gold medal in the Olympics, …show more content…
If it already has not been recognized, Ali had an exceptional career inside the ring and remarkably outside of the ring as well. Ali gave young blacks hope to have a successful life no matter what circumstances they were in. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease and did a lot for charities to help others dealing with the same disease that he was fighting. Ali became one of the greatest individuals in sports of all time while helping young black people believe that they can accomplish whatever they set their mind to. From the words of Evander Holyfield stated in the article “The Greatest,” written by Gordon Morino, “In my neighborhood, when I was just a boy, everyone was always telling me, ‘You ain’t gonna be nothing.’ Then one day I heard Ali on television boasting about how he was the greatest and telling people ‘you can do anything.’ I was amazed. How could he talk that way? But then I thought, if he can do it, I can do it. He changed my