Cassius ClayCassius Clay

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Cassius Clay burst on to the sportingCassius Clay burst on to the sporting

scene in the early 1960s.scene in the early 1960s.

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Young, brash, and black, Clay won the Young, brash, and black, Clay won the OlympicOlympic

gold medal in boxing as an amateur and gold medal in boxing as an amateur and quicklyquickly

made a mark as a potent professional made a mark as a potent professional heavyweight boxer.heavyweight boxer.

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His rise in boxing circles coincided His rise in boxing circles coincided with the extraordinary attention he with the extraordinary attention he

was able to cast upon himself.was able to cast upon himself.

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Boasting of exploits, often in rhyme, Boasting of exploits, often in rhyme, Clay was a different kind of athlete.Clay was a different kind of athlete.

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He did not fit the stereotype of an He did not fit the stereotype of an unassuming Negro applied to the unassuming Negro applied to the former champion Joe Louis or the former champion Joe Louis or the brutish, scary current heavyweight brutish, scary current heavyweight champion Sonny Liston.champion Sonny Liston.

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Champion Joe Louis

Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston

Clay was his own man with his own Clay was his own man with his own opinions, unafraid to say them to a opinions, unafraid to say them to a

disapproving audience.disapproving audience.

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He represented the newfound He represented the newfound confidence of American blacks and confidence of American blacks and

the ascending spirit of youthful the ascending spirit of youthful rebellion.rebellion.

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The Beatles visit Cassius Clay

In 1964, as he started to flirt with In 1964, as he started to flirt with converting to Islam, Clay was slated converting to Islam, Clay was slated

to fight Liston in a championship to fight Liston in a championship fight.fight.

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http://www.fighttoys.com/Clay-Liston.htm

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The odds were 7-1 against Clay.The odds were 7-1 against Clay.

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Many of the boxing press corps Many of the boxing press corps chose to skip the fight, disgusted chose to skip the fight, disgusted with Clay’s antics and convinced with Clay’s antics and convinced that Clay would be demolished.that Clay would be demolished.

http://www.fighttoys.com/Clay-Liston.htm

Undaunted, Clay wrote the Undaunted, Clay wrote the following poem predicting his following poem predicting his

victory.victory.

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““Clay comes out to meet ListonClay comes out to meet Liston

And Liston starts to retreatAnd Liston starts to retreat

If Liston goes back any furtherIf Liston goes back any further

He’ll end up in a ringside seat.”He’ll end up in a ringside seat.”

““Clay swings with a left,Clay swings with a left,

Clay swings with a right,Clay swings with a right,

Look at young CassiusLook at young Cassius

Carry the fight.”Carry the fight.”

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““Liston keeps backingListon keeps backing

But there’s not enough room.But there’s not enough room.

It’s a matter of time.It’s a matter of time.

There Clay lowers the boom.”There Clay lowers the boom.”

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““Now Clay swings with a right, Now Clay swings with a right,

What a beautiful swing,What a beautiful swing,

And the punch raised the bearAnd the punch raised the bear

Clear out of the ring.”Clear out of the ring.”

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““Liston is still rising Liston is still rising

And the ref wears a frown, And the ref wears a frown,

For he can’t start countingFor he can’t start counting

Till Sonny comes down.”Till Sonny comes down.”

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““Now Liston disappears from view.Now Liston disappears from view.

The crowd is getting frantic,The crowd is getting frantic,

But our radar stations have picked But our radar stations have picked him up,him up,

He’s somewhere over the He’s somewhere over the Atlantic.”Atlantic.”

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““Who would have thoughtWho would have thought

When they came to the fightWhen they came to the fight

That they’d witness the That they’d witness the launching of a human launching of a human

satellite?”satellite?”

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““Yes, the crowd did not dreamYes, the crowd did not dream

When they laid down their When they laid down their moneymoney

That they would seeThat they would see

A total eclipse of the Sonny!”A total eclipse of the Sonny!”

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True to form, Clay won.True to form, Clay won.

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He soon converted to Islam and He soon converted to Islam and became Muhammad Ali. became Muhammad Ali.

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His hard-fought championship was His hard-fought championship was taken away a few years later when taken away a few years later when

he refused to join the Army in he refused to join the Army in protest, saying “No Viet Cong ever protest, saying “No Viet Cong ever

called me ‘nigger.’”called me ‘nigger.’”

http://www.aavw.org/protest/ali_alivus_abstract03.html

Ali ultimately won back his title and Ali ultimately won back his title and became one of the most admired became one of the most admired and recognized men in the world for and recognized men in the world for his athletic and humanitarian his athletic and humanitarian accomplishments.accomplishments.

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