Cassius Clay Research Paper

“I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong” were the words of the famous boxer Cassius Clay after refusing to participate in the Vietnam War. Ali was a controversial figure even from the start of his boxing career. To know the story of Cassius Clay, you must start with his early years of life that led up to his boxing career, his short time as an activist, and how boxing eventually took his life.

Equally important was Cassius Clay’s early life that brought great experiences and tragedies. Cassius Clay was born Cassius Clay named after his father and a slave owner, Cassius Clay and his mother, Odessa Clay on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, and was the oldest of four siblings. One sister and three brothers. Like most black children

After that it just seemed that Cassius Clay had found the one thing he was really good at was boxing. Cassius Clay went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves tournament at age fourteen. Cassius Clay was eighteen in 1960 when he won the Olympic heavyweight gold medal. Sadly when Cassius Clay went home an Olympic champion racism was still raising its ugly head. He went to a restaurant to eat and was denied service because he was African American. He left the restaurant very upset for the way he was treated just because of the color of his skin. Cassius Clay took out the gold medal that he carried in his pocket and threw it in the Ohio river. Even though frustrated with racism Cassius Clay continued his career in

Near the end of 1963 Cassius Clay was one of the top contenders for the heavyweight belt held by champion Sonny Liston. At the same time frustrated because of racism in the United States Muhammed Ali became interested in the religion of Islam. Before the fight Islam wouldn’t Let Cassius Clay become a member due to his boxing career.The fight was scheduled for February 25, 1964. Cassius Clay before the fight spoke these words, “After I beat him I will donate him to the zoo”. At the end of the fight Muhammad Ali won by a TKO (Technical Knockout).Thus becoming the new Heavyweight boxing champion. At that time Muhammad Ali became the youngest boxer to take the belt from a reigning champion.

Along with winning the heavyweight belt in 1964 Muhammad Ali married Sonji Roi. He proposed to her the first night they met. They divorced on January 10, 1966. The divorce was a result of Sonji's refusal to adhere to strict Islamic dress and behavior codes, and her questioning of the teachings of Elijah Muhammad. It is said they divorced do with his belief in Islam. He remarried in the year of 1967 to Belinda Boyd, who also converted to Islam and changed her name to Khalilah Ali. Cassius Clay then divorced and remarried; Cassius Clay divorced three times and married four