At age 22, the youngest boxer to unseat Sonny Liston (who was the reigning heavyweight world champion) was none other than Muhammad Ali. After becoming the best professional boxer that the world has witnessed, Muhammad Ali was nicknamed “The Greatest.” A descendant of pre-Civil War era American slaves, Ali grew up in Louisville, Kentucky in the southern United States, where he experienced prejudice and discrimination firsthand. His sheer motivation and determination to achieve excellence in life can be seen by the innumerable awards tied to his name. Ali had 56 wins throughout his career, of which 37 came by way of knockout, and only five losses. He is unarguably the most iconic and recognized figure in the past 100 years of boxing.
Swift punches, calculated use of his legs, and being vocal to his opponents was his style in the ring. One of his iconic quotes is, “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” His actions were true to his words. He died at the age of 74, leaving behind his legacy of being the best in what he did: boxing.
