Muhammad Ali became the world’s greatest boxer, and in doing so, transcended the sport itself to become the most famous man on earth.
As Cassius Clay, Ali won the Olympic gold medal and the Heavyweight Championship before being stripped of his title for protesting the war in Vietnam.
He eventually returned to boxing a hero, after becoming a key figure in the anti-war and civil rights movements, and has gone down as one of the greatest Heavyweight boxers of all time.
Here is everything you need to know about Muhammad Ali.
Who is Muhammad Ali?
Muhammad Ali is arguably the greatest boxer of all time. He originally fought as Cassius Clay, but he denounced it as a “slave name” after becoming world champion for the first time. He joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
Why is Muhammad Ali nicknamed “The Greatest”?
Ali bestowed upon himself the nickname “The Greatest” as part of his trash-talking, arrogant persona during his boxing career. However, his achievements in the ring soon became so great that the rest of the boxing world began to truly consider him “The Greatest”.
He also had a number of other nicknames, including “The People’s Champion”, which he later approved The Rock to use as his own in the WWE.
How old is Muhammad Ali?
Ali was born on January 17, 1942. If he were alive today, Ali would be 83 years old. However, he died at the age of 74 on June 3, 2016.
How did Muhammad Ali die?
Ali died on June 3, 2016, with the cause of death being listed as septic shock. However, the exact details were not made public, although Ali struggled with Parkinson’s disease for the final 30 years of his life.
Who is Muhammad Ali’s grandson?
Ali’s grandson is stepping into his grandfather’s shoes as he embarks on his own career in boxing. Nico Ali Walsh made his debut in August 2021, wearing his grandfather’s personal Everlast shorts.
Nico Ali Walsh has a record of 12 wins and 2 losses as of July 2025.
How much money did Muhammad Ali make?
Ali earned an estimated $57 million during his career (not altered due to inflation), making him one of the highest-paid fighters of all time. However, he reportedly spent or lost a large portion of his fortune.
Muhammad Ali’s boxing record
| Record (W-L-D) | (T)KO |
| 56-5-0 | 37-1 |
Muhammad Ali’s world titles
Ali was a three-time world champion throughout his career, with his reigns spanning between 1964 and 1979.
He won his first belt from Sonny Liston in 1964. His second was from George Foreman in 1978, and his final one was against Leon Spinks in 1978, becoming the first man to hold the title three separate times.
Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston
Ali was the huge underdog going into his fight with Sonny Liston in 1964. He forced the then-heavyweight champion to give up in the seventh round, handing Ali (then called Cassius Clay) his first world title in boxing.
However, the second fight is one of the most controversial in boxing history. Ali knocked out Liston in the first round with a “Phantom Punch” that had people raising suspicion of a fix, something that is debated to this very day.
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier
Some of Ali’s best fights were his trilogy of bouts with “Smokin'” Joe Frazier. Frazier upset Ali in Madison Square Garden to hand him his first-ever loss, becoming a worldwide star overnight by beating “The Greatest”.
The hard-hitting fighter then lost the rematch, before the “Thrilla in Manila” ended their trilogy when Ali knocked out Frazier in the Philippines.
Muhammad Ali vs Larry Holmes
Ali’s worst defeat came near the end of his career. He challenged Larry Holmes to a fight after coming out of retirement, aiming to become the first four-time Heavyweight champion in history.
Sadly, Ali was thoroughly beaten by Holmes, who picked apart the former champion before the referee ended the bout in the tenth round.