Muhammad ali how many titles

Ali also defeated Norton in their third meeting in a unanimous round decision. On February 15, , an aging Ali lost his title to Leon Spinks in a round split decision. Seven months later, Ali defeated Spinks in a unanimous round decision to reclaim the heavyweight crown and become the first fighter to win the world heavyweight boxing title three times.

After announcing his retirement in , Ali launched a brief, unsuccessful comeback. However, he was overwhelmed in a technical knockout loss to Larry Holmes in , and he dropped a unanimous round decision to Trevor Berbick on December 11, After the fight, the year-old Ali retired for good with a career record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts.

He met with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in to negotiate the release of American hostages, and in he traveled to Afghanistan as a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Ali had the honor of lighting the cauldron during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Ali has been married four times and has seven daughters and two sons. He married his fourth wife, Yolanda, in Ali died at the age of 74 on June 3, But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. The eight men knew the next step they took would not only change their lives, it could possibly end them as well.

A red-and-white Schwinn bicycle launched his boxing career. Martin, who was also a boxing trainer, Louis, an African American, is perhaps best known for his legendary matchups against German boxer Max The accomplishments of Muhammad Ali are renowned: Olympic gold medalist, heavyweight boxing champion, humanitarian, civil rights activist. But would you believe he also was a Grammy Award nominee in and ?

Trading in his boxing gloves and shorts for black tie and tails, Historically, Black women in sports faced double discrimination due to their gender and race. A number of African American female athletes have emerged as trailblazers in their particular sports over the years, from track and field and tennis to figure skating and basketball.

After being allowed entry to the Clay went on to win the Golden Gloves tournament for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, as well as the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light heavyweight division.

In , Clay won a spot on the U. Olympic boxing team, and traveled to Rome, Italy, to compete. At six feet, three inches tall, Clay was an imposing figure in the ring, but he also became known for his lightning speed and fancy footwork. After winning his first three bouts, Clay defeated Zbigniew Pietrzkowski of Poland to win the light heavyweight Olympic gold medal.

After his Olympic victory, Clay was heralded as an American hero. He soon turned professional with the backing of the Louisville Sponsoring Group and continued overwhelming all opponents in the ring. Clay joined the Black Muslim group Nation of Islam in At first, he called himself Cassius X before settling on the name Muhammad Ali. The boxer eventually converted to orthodox Islam during the s. Ali started a different kind of fight with his outspoken views against the Vietnam War.

Drafted into the military in April , he refused to serve on the grounds that he was a practicing Muslim minister with religious beliefs that prevented him from fighting. He was arrested for committing a felony and almost immediately stripped of his world title and boxing license. The U. Department of Justice pursued a legal case against Ali, denying his claim for conscientious objector status. He was found guilty of violating Selective Service laws and sentenced to five years in prison in June but remained free while appealing his conviction.

Unable to compete professionally in the meantime, Ali missed more than three prime years of his athletic career. Ali returned to the ring in with a win over Jerry Quarry, and the U. Supreme Court eventually overturned the conviction in June Ali had a career record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts before his retirement from boxing in at the age of Often referring to himself as "The Greatest," Ali was not afraid to sing his own praises.

He was known for boasting about his skills before a fight and for his colorful descriptions and phrases. In one of his more famously quoted descriptions, Ali told reporters that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" in the boxing ring.

A few of his more well-known matches include the following:. After winning gold at the Olympics, Ali took out British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in He then knocked out Sonny Liston in to become the heavyweight champion of the world. Ali recovered quickly, but the judges awarded the decision to Frazier, handing Ali his first professional loss after 31 wins. Dubbed the "Thrilla in Manila," the bout nearly went the distance, with both men delivering and absorbing tremendous punishment.

However, Frazier's trainer threw in the towel after the 14th round, giving the hard-fought victory to Ali. Another legendary Ali fight took place in against undefeated heavyweight champion George Foreman. For once, Ali was seen as the underdog to the younger, massive Foreman, but he silenced his critics with a masterful performance. Ali fought one last time, against Trevor Berbick, in the Bahamas, losing a round decision—and his title.

Ali retired after that. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads.

Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Andrew Eisele. Andrew Eisele is a boxing writer who has covered the sport for Time, Inc.