Muhammad Ali Research Paper

Muhammad Ali: An Enduring Legacy The greatest weapon we have, as humans, is our grit and it is this that brings change to our lives. Muhammad Ali was one of the few with enduring perseverance who not only brought change to his life but also to the world. He was a three-time world heavyweight boxing champion, a philanthropist, and a social activist known for his unique boxing style and for his efforts during the civil rights movement, the movement for equal rights for blacks (“Muhammad Ali Dead”). Unlike other boxers, what he did and what he stood for made people remember him more than what they would have if he was just a boxer. As a result, Muhammad Ali was an iconic model unwavering in his opposition against white supremacy and demonstrated

Before his reign in the ring, many of his predecessors had to play the black role model in which they were required to set an example of proper behavior on and off the ring for the rest of the population. They were to show respect to the whites in order to compete and win against; they were never to smile when they beat a white man and never to be caught alone with a white woman. As a result, it was this that qualified or denigrated their success and became the paradigm of personal success that can only be achieved by obeying the white man’s customs (redflag). However, Muhammad Ali upturned all of this after his fight with Sonny Liston by stating his affiliation with the Nation of Islam saying “I don’t have to be what you want to be, I’m free to be what I want” (“Sport and Stereotype”). By doing so, he redefined the role model that he was binded to and transcended above the role of complying to the white man. His defiance against the system shook America but also shed light on the oppressive realities of the lives of African-Americans. However, he did not stop here: he changed his “slave name” to “Muhammad Ali, a free

Blacks were more likely to be drafted into the war and more so into the frontline and because of this, the war was hugely opposed (redflag). Still standing by his beliefs, he refused to be conscripted when it was his turn questioning why they ask him to “drop bombs and bullets on people in Vietnam while so-called negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs” (“sport 18). Reaction from boxing associations was brutal: those who praised him condemned him, called off his scheduled fights, arrested him, sentenced him to a $10,000 fine and stripped him of his championship title all of which transpired in his prime years. Being banned from boxing, he took part in lectures and won support which made him an icon of black resistance and injustice and due to the risks he took, he encouraged others to stand for equal rights as well (Sports). Ali lost everything but still returned to the ring to not only make up for his years lost but also to acquire money since he had to pay for the fines and lawsuits against his arrest and ban from boxing. Allies and foes alike expected him to be unsuccessful especially after his fight with Joe Frazier; however, he was later able to beat not only him but also the champion, George Foreman, who Frazier lost his championship title to.