}} | Colspan="2" style="font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | Muhammad Ali

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|- ! Stance | Orthodox |- ! colspan="2" style="background:#d0d0d0; text-align:center;" | Boxing record |- ! Total fights | 61 |- ! Wins | 56 |- ! Wins by KO | 37 |- ! Losses | 5 |- ! Draws | 0 |- ! No contests | 0 |}

Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.) is a retired American boxer and three-time World Heavyweight Champion. As an amateur, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics. As a professional, he became the first man to win the lineal heavyweight championship three times.

In 1999, Ali was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century" by the BBC.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., Ali changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964, subsequently converting to Sunni Islam in 1975 and later Sufism. In 1967 Ali refused to fight in the Vietnam war due to his religious beliefs. He was subsequently stripped of his championship title and his boxing license was suspended. He did not fight again for nearly four years.

Ali was well known for his fighting style, which he described as "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee". Throughout his career Ali made a name for himself with great handspeed, as well as swift feet and taunting tactics. While Ali was renowned for his fast, sharp out-fighting style, he also had a great chin, and displayed great courage and an ability to take a punch throughout his career. Ali was also involved in several historic boxing matches with his rivals Joe Frazier and George Foreman.

Amateur career; Olympic gold

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., was born on January 17, 1942. He was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., who was named for the 19th century abolitionist and politician of the same name. His father painted billboards and signs, and his mother, Odessa Grady Clay, was a household domestic. Although Cassius Sr. was a Methodist, he allowed Odessa to bring up both Clay boys as Baptists.

Clay was first directed toward boxing by the white Louisville police officer and boxing coach Joe E. Martin, who encountered the then twelve-year-old Cassius Clay fuming over the fact that his bicycle had been stolen.

Clay's last amateur loss was to Kent Green of Chicago, who could say he was the last person to defeat the champion until Ali lost to Joe Frazier in 1971 as a pro.Fact: date=May 2009 Under Stoner's guidance, Cassius Clay went on to win six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles, two national Golden Gloves titles, an Amateur Athletic Union National Title, and the Light Heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Clay's record was 100 wins, with five losses, when he ended his amateur career.