Some may know him as the people's champion, others know him as the greatest. Born as Cassius Marcellus Ray Jr., Muhammad Ali is recognized as the world's greatest boxer. He is a prestigious member of the black community and the Islamic community. A passionate speaker, his once booming voice is now silenced by Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder that causes tremors and violent shaking in the body. Whatever may be said about him, no one in America can deny his influence on people. Muhammad Ali was one of the most influential men of the 20th century because of his political stance on the war against Vietnam and as a symbol of Black Power, his record as a boxer thanks to his unique style and thanks to the large number of charitable organizations. he notably supports the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center and the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Muhammad Ali went from a simple lower-class boy from Louisville, Kentucky, to one of the greatest, if not the greatest, boxers of all time and one of the biggest faces of numerous civil rights movements. Whether he was speaking on Black Power or Anti-Vietnam, every word he spoke resonated throughout America, his influence almost hypnotic (Gorsevski). Muhammad Ali never backed down from his beliefs, he spoke his mind and stood his ground, regardless of the consequences. When the war with Vietnam broke out, Ali had just won his fight against the current heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston, and was crowned the new champion. The public expected movie and sports stars like Joe DiMaggio and Joe Louis to be on the front lines defending our country against our new Vietnamese enemies. (Woods) Ali, however, chose otherwise. He refused to go to Vietnam and invade their country. When reporters asked him why he refused to go, his response was "I have nothing against these Viet Cong", which eventually evolved into the famous saying "No Viet Cong has ever called Nigger.” Ali was widely criticized, praised and questioned for his decision. His former doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, criticized him for his decision, saying he was being used by the Nation of Islam. “He could have done what Joe Louis did: go and fight a few exhibition fights, then come home... The Muslims used him. When it came to politics, Ali had no politics. He didn't think much of anything. What happened was pure chance. (The Woods). As a result of his decision, he was stripped of his heavyweight belt, banned from major boxing leagues and sentenced to five years in prison. Ali's conviction was rightly revoked in June 1970 and he was allowed to return to boxing. where he would eventually claim his rightful place on the throne from George Foreman. Ali's reasons for fighting for civil rights justice extend further than his protest against Vietnam as he fought for black equality with his fights in the ring. After winning his fight against Sonny Liston, Ali made his conversion to the Nation of Islam public. He did not believe that forced segregation between whites and blacks was a viable solution to the oppressions of African Americans. In 1965, his fight with Floyd Patterson extended beyond the ring, as they debated the proper way to handle the civil rights movement. Patterson believed that the Nation of Islam was nothing more than a black version of the Ku Klux Klan. InIn response to this, Ali, in his usual pre-fight chatter manner, wrote a rap about Patterson, claiming that he had forced his way into a white neighborhood and that Patterson should start "acting black" (Pierre ). Ali was a pillar of strength for the black community. Living proof that the black community can function as well as the white community, that the black community can survive on its own, without the interference of a white oppressor, and that the black community will be equal to its white counterparts. Muhammad Ali was able to advance civil rights while also advancing the world of boxing through his unique style and reforms. The Greatest, The People's Champion, and The Louisville Lip, all nicknames Muhammad Ali earned throughout his heavyweight boxing career. In boxing, “manual style” is the highest level of boxing technique, and Ali looked like he was straight out of the book (Slack). He had everything a good heavyweight boxer needed: reach, footwork, power and speed. Ali would have been an incredible boxer if he had chosen to fight with a normal heavyweight style, but his strange style is what made Ali the greatest boxer. Ali broke the rules with his style, leaving his hands dangling to the side and baiting punches with his head. “Instead of using his arms to block, he leaned back to avoid the punches. He threw a variety of looping punches from ridiculous angles. (Black-smith). Ali used his tilt to create a combo with his inside slip and vicious counter punch that he called "The Anchor Punch." (Soft). By leaning back with his face as bait, he forced his opponent to overcommit to his punches, leaving his weak spots exposed and ready for Ali to jab. Ali said his anchor punch was influenced by Jack Johnson, but according to Slack, Johnson never used a punch similar to Ali's. “You are fighting someone who is bigger AND faster than you. When you approach, he stands on his tiptoes, takes two steps back, then delivers three powerful shots to your face as he retreats. (Black-smith). Ali's goal was not to knock out his fighter, he was outclassing his opponent, his footwork and stamina were second to none. Ali's style was imitated by many other boxers, such as Henry Clark, not all of whom managed to perform as well as Ali because no boxer was as durable as Ali. (Donelson). His resilience made up for his lack of defense as he endured blow after brutal blow. “His battle with Foreman is proof of that since he took Foreman's sledgehammer blows” (Donelson). Ali not only beat his opponents physically, but he also beat them mentally. Ali's heart was unmatched as a boxer. In many of Ali's fights, he was knocked down only to get back up and win the fight. Even when he was knocked down by Henry Cooper's famous left hook known as "Henry's Hammer" that knocked him down in the fourth round, Ali got back up and won the fight (Smith). Ali won many of his fights through talent and willpower, one of the reasons he became a beacon of hope for the black community. Ali often extended his mind games outside of his fights. He would create raps insulting his opponents, show up at their training camps and predict when his opponent would lose; everything he could do to get into his opponent's head. In every fight he fought, Ali not only won for himself, every victory for him was a victory for his beliefs and for his people. Ali has transcended the realm of regular athletes. His victories were victories for the people, histriumphs were a step forward for his causes. He inspired black people and civil rights around the world with his defiant and independent attitude as an African American. “I was determined to be the only Negro that the white man didn’t have” (Ali). Muhammad Ali ushered in a new era in the way athletes were viewed by the world; his flashy style inspired athletes, like Reggie Jackson, the first Major League Baseball player to wear a mustache since 1914, to express their individuality (Oates). His eccentric footwork known as the "Ali Shuffle" went so far as to influence dance moves at a time when rap and hip-hop were becoming prominent in urban ethnic settings. His unique sense of style and detailed skills in his craft paved the way for other athletes we love and revere today, like the man many claim to be the best basketball player, Michael Jordan. Some may say that Ali hasn't had as many breakthroughs as people say, compared to other athletes. But compared to other black athletes, Ali was the one needed the most. “Compare the modest and constrained public persona of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, Jackie Robinson...the black athlete was taught that his presence was temporary and not a right...that could be revoked at any time” (Oates). Ali's vigorous spirit and unique style helped black athletes advance in their careers. Thanks to Ali, black athletes went from dry, boring characters like Joe Louis to epic, cutting-edge figures like Michael Jordan. Thanks to Ali, black athletes went from reserved, quiet figures like Jackie Robinson to loud, influential activists like Richard Sherman. Without the influence of Muhammad Ali, black athletes would have been condemned to remain in the shadow of white athletes. Ali's victories are not limited to the world of sports, as he has helped support many successful charities. While Muhammad Ali supports a large number of charities, each with their own causes, the two charities that have received the most support from the champion are the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center and the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation, founded by Jimmy Walker in 1994. The Night Foundation raises money for many causes, including the Salvation Army, the Solid Rock Foundation, and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center (Welcome to Celebrity Fight Night). The foundation's first event. included celebrities who competed in the ring with huge sized boxing gloves was appreciated by the public and remained in the public eye thanks to the help of Charles Barkley and Dan Majerle of the Phoenix Suns and the boxing champion Michael Carbajal. The foundation's second event continued the boxing tradition and made it even better with an extraordinary performance from award-winning singer Kenny Rogers. However, it was the third annual event that propelled the foundation to its prominent status across the country. After three years, Muhammad Ali finally accepted his invitation to be the guest of honor at the event (Welcome to Celebrity Fight Night). Over the next eighteen years, the foundation would continue to flourish through Muhammad Ali's association with the charity, attracting great artists of different varieties to participate in the events. “No one knew after the first Celebrity Fight Night event that raised $100,000 in 1994, that it would become one of the highest-grossing charity events in the country, raising nearly $95 million over the years” (Welcome to Celebrity Fight Night). Due to the influence of Muhammad Ali, the foundation evolved from just a charitable event.