Here are a few amazing facts about the greatest that will inspire and intrigue you.

Muhammad Ali was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay who is considered as one of the most iconic athletes of the 20th century and the greatest boxer ever. Popularly known as ‘The Greatest’ or the ‘G.O.A.T.’ (Greatest Of All Time) for his achievements, Ali also advocated for racial justice in America outside of the ring.

He was best remembered for his boxing and anti-war activism, later suffered from a disease known as Parkinson's disease, and he later campaigned for rights for those suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

His Birth Name was Inspired by Anti-Slavery Activist Cassius Marcellus Clay

Before converting to Islam, his name was Cassius Marcellus Clay which was taken from a famous anti-slavery activist of the same name. 

Muhammad Ali was born into a very poor family who suffered a lot because, at that time, racial discrimination was quite rampant all over the USA his birth name was Cassius M. Clay which was also the name of a famous anti-slavery activist Cassius Marcellus Clay. His father also had the same name and Ali was called Cassius Marcellus Clay Junior. The original Cassius Marcellus Clay was a white man who fought for the rights of black people and who liberated 40 people who were previously enslaved by his father and it was a brave thing to do in that era.

He Learned Boxing After his Bike was Stolen

Once Ali’s bike was stolen and he went to the police station to complain and the officer-in-charge who was a boxer himself inspired Ali towards boxing. 

Ali belonged to a lower middle-class family who had to struggle a lot to sustain themself, and becoming a boxer was something he can’t even dream of but destiny had other plans for him. When he was in his teens, his bike got stolen and he went to a nearby police station to complain. The officer who was at the police station at that time was a boxing trainer also and when he noticed Ali’s well-built physique he suggested he try his hands at boxing. Muhammad Ali started practicing boxing and joined a gym also. Merely after 6 weeks, he won his first boxing match and from then the journey of the greatest started.

He Threw His First Olympic Gold Medal in the Ohio River

Muhammad Ali was born to become a legend and he won his first gold medal at the Olympics when he was just 60 but he threw it away into the Ohio river.

In 1960 Ali represented the USA in the boxing category at the Rome Olympics and won the gold medal at the age of mere 18. After that when he came back to the USA, he was being declined to have dinner wearing his medal because of racial discrimination. It broke his heart and threw his gold medal into the Ohio River and decided to fight against racial discrimination all his life.