Muhammad Ali
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 17, 1942
- Died
- June 3, 2016 (aged 74)
- Birthplace
- Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Biography
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer and philanthropist. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time. Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He became a Muslim after 1961. He won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. On March 6, 1964, he announced that he no longer would be known as Cassius Clay but as Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, citing his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War. He was found guilty of draft evasion so he faced 5 years in prison and was stripped of his boxing titles. He stayed out of prison as he appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971, but he had not fought for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. Ali's actions as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War made him an icon for the larger counterculture generation, and he was a very high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement and throughout his career. As a Muslim, Ali was initially affiliated with Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam (NOI). He later disavowed the NOI, adhering to Sunni Islam, and supporting racial integration like his former mentor Malcolm X. Ali was a leading heavyweight boxer of the 20th century, and he remains the only three-time lineal champion of that division. His joint records of beating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight title and winning 14 unified title bouts stood for 35 years. He is the only fighter to have been ranked as the world's best heavyweight by BoxRec twelve times. He has been ranked among BoxRec's ten best heavyweights seventeen times, the third most in history. He won 8 fights that were rated by BoxRec as 5-Star, the third most in the history of the heavyweight division. Ali is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He has been ranked the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, and as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC, and the third greatest athlete of the 20th century by ESPN SportsCentury. He was involved in several historic boxing matches and feuds, most notably his fights with Joe Frazier, such as the Fight of the Century and the Thrilla in Manila, and his fight with George Foreman, known as The Rumble in the Jungle, which has been called "arguably the greatest sporting event of the 20th century" and was watched by a record estimated television audience of 1 billion viewers worldwide, becoming the world's most-watched live television broadcast at the time. Ali thrived in the spotlight at a time when many fighters let their managers do the talking, and he was often provocative and outlandish. He was known for trash-talking, and often free-styled with rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, anticipating elements of hip hop.
Known For
Filmography
Jerry West: The Logo
Movie · as Self (Archive Footage)
Untold Mr. T: I Pity the Fool
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
9/11: United We Stand -- 25 Years Later
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
David Frost Vs
TV · as self (archive footage) · 1 ep
WWE Hall of Fame 2024
Movie · as Muhammad Ali
Beatles '64
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Stand
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Cassius X: Becoming Ali
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Franz Klammer - The Ski "Kaiser" Will Be 70
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
70 Jahre Annemarie Moser-Pröll – Ein Leben als Wintermärchen
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
My Father Muhammad Ali
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Bill Russell: Legend
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
The King of Miami Beach
Movie
Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Say Hey, Willie Mays!
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
McEnroe
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Century of Icons
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
City of Ali
Movie
Ron Lyle
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Earnie Shavers
Movie
Untold: Deal with the Devil
Movie · as Self - Professional Boxer (archive footage)
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Parkinson at 50
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Pelé
Movie · as Self (archive Footage)
Mister Candid Camera
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 4 eps
A Life in Ten Pictures
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Ali's Comeback: The Untold Story
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Da 5 Bloods
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
70 Years of Youth Revolt
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Thrilla in Manila
Movie · as Self
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Africa Rising
Movie · as Self - Boxer (archive footage)
What's My Name | Muhammad Ali
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 2 eps
In Search of Greatness
Movie · as Self (archive footage) - Boxer
Andre the Giant
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Champ and the King
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Black Is Beltza
Movie · as Self (voice) (archive footage)
United We Stand: The Ali Summit
Movie · as archival footage
Shut Up and Dribble
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Explained
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
American Made
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Summer of Love
Movie
Europa: The Last Battle
TV · 5 eps
O.J.: Made in America
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Sticky: A (Self) Love Story
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
O.J.: Made in America
TV · as Self (archive footage)
Les vendredis d'Apostrophes
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Best of Enemies
Movie · as Self (archival)
The Seventies
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
I Am Ali
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
Movie · as Self (Archival Footage)
Robbed
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
Movie · as Himself (archive footage)
The Trials of Muhammad Ali
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
Movie · as Himself
Ali: The Mission
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Norman Mailer: The American
Movie · as Self
WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
When Ali Came to Britain
Movie
The Real Rocky
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Soul Power
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad and Larry
Movie · as Himself
Rumble in the Jungle
Movie · as Self
When Ali Met Cathal
Movie · as Muhammad Ali
Facing Ali
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali: Fighting Spirit
Movie · as himself
The Damned United
Movie · as archival footage
Black Power Salute
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Thrilla in Manila
Movie · as Himself (archive footage)
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Tyson
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami
Movie · as Himself
James Brown - The Night James Brown Saved Boston
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Ali's 65
TV · 1 ep
Ali Rap
Movie · as Himself
Out From Ali's Shadow: The Larry Holmes Story
Movie · as Self (Archival Footage)
Darts Tarts – Welcome to my World
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
Movie · as Muhammad Ali
Legends Never Die
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Ali's Dozen
Movie · as Self
If You Can Dream
Movie · as Himself (Archival Footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Pelé Forever
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Parkinson
TV · as Self - Guest (archive footage) · 1 ep
The Last Round: Chuvalo vs. Ali
Movie · as Himself
Jack Paar: Smart Television
Movie · as Self
The Documented Life and Times of Muhammad Ali - The Greatest
Movie
Monday Night Mayhem
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World
Movie · as Himself
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali, the Greatest
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
When Boxing Ruled The World
Movie · as Self
The Making of 'Ali'
Movie · as Self
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
Movie · as Himself
Champions Forever - World Heavyweight Champs!
Movie · as Himself
Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Collection
Movie
Sugar Ray Robinson: The Bright Lights and Dark Shadows of a Champion
Movie · as Himself
B.B. King: Live In Africa '74
Movie · as Self
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Movie · as Self - Roastee (archive footage)
Boxing Crazy
Movie
Storyville
TV · 2 eps
When We Were Kings
Movie · as Self
The Journey of the African-American Athlete
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Atlanta 1996: Games of the XXVI Olympiad - Opening Ceremony
Movie · as Self
Boxing Barmy
Movie
Die Muhammad Ali Story
TV · as Muhammad Ali · 6 eps
Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing
Movie · as Himself
Kings of The Ring - History of Heavyweight Boxing 1919-1990
Movie · as Himself (Archival Footage)
Boxing's Greatest Champions
Movie · as Self
WCW Halloween Havoc 1994
Movie · as Himself (Ringside)
Touched by an Angel
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Naked Sport: Welcome to the Sewer
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
Movie
The Best of ABC's Wide World of Sports: The 60's
Movie · as Self
Night of 100 Stars III
Movie · as Self
Champions Forever
Movie · as Self
Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes
Movie · as Self
Mike Tyson Presents: The Heavyweights
Movie
Boxing's Greatest Knockouts
Movie
Mike Tyson vs Trevor Berbick
Movie · as Self
Doin' Time
Movie · as Muhammad Ali
WrestleMania
Movie · as Muhammad Ali (Enforcer)
James Bond: The First 21 Years
Movie · as Self
Wogan
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick
Movie · as Self
Body and Soul
Movie · as Himself
Diana
Movie · as Self
Mid-South Wrestling
TV · as Muhammad Ali (Fan - Archive Footage) · 1 ep
Muhammad and Larry
Movie
Freedom Road
Movie · as Gideon Jackson
Leon Spinks vs Muhammad Ali II
Movie
Kings of the Square Ring
Movie
The Greatest
Movie · as Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali
The Captain and Tennille
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
Movie · as Self
Funny Girl to Funny Lady
Movie · as Self
Apostrophes
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Black Soul
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali, the Greatest
Movie · as Self
The Fighters
Movie · as Self
The Rumble in the Jungle: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II
Movie · as Self
The Fight
Movie · as Himself
Malcolm X
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson II
Movie · as Self
Black Rodeo
Movie · as Self
Money Talks
Movie · as Self
Wake Up and Apologise
Movie · as Self
Fight of the Century
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I
Movie · as Self
a.k.a. Cassius Clay
Movie · as Self
The Super Fight
Movie · as Himself
The Dick Cavett Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 8 eps
Something's Happening
Movie
Goal!
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Henry Cooper II
Movie
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson I
Movie · as Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II
Movie · as Self
Cassius le grand
Movie
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston I
Movie · as Self
Cassius Clay vs. Doug Jones
Movie · as Self
Der Sport-Spiegel
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Movie · as Himself (as Cassius Clay)
The Merv Griffin Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 9 eps
Cassius Clay vs. Alonzo Johnson
Movie · as Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 6 eps
What's My Line?
TV · as Self - Mystery Guest · 1 ep
Bambi
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep