Muhammad Ali: An Icon Who Transcends the Boundaries of Sport.

The Rise of Afro-American Boxers, Culminating in the Legacy of One of the Greatest Athletes of All Time.

By Ludovica Cerci

“I asked my momma, I said, ‘Momma, how come everything is white?’ I said, Why is Jesus white with blonde hair and blue eyes? Why is the Lord’s Supper all white men? Angels are white, Pope, Mary and even the angels., I said, ‘Mother, When we die, do we go to heaven?’ She said, ‘Naturally we go to heaven ’I said, ‘What happened to all the black angels when they took the pictures?’ And the angel food cake was the white cake, and the devil food cake was the chocolate cake. I always wondered ... and the president lived in the White House, And Mary had a little lamb, his feet as white as snow, and Snow White, and everything was white. Santa Claus was white. And everything bad was black. The little ugly duckling was a black duck. And the black cat was the bad luck. And if I threaten you I’m going to blackmail you. I said, ‘Mama, why don’t they call it whitemail, they lie too!’ I was always curious, and this is when I knew something was wrong.”

                                                            (Muhammad Ali, Interview with Micheal Parkinson, 1971)

Trying to describe the greatness of Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., is a difficult task for anyone attempting it. His name and the legacy he left behind resonate through the ages, not just in sports but in society itself. Muhammad Ali was not only the greatest boxer of all time but also an icon of courage, a spokesperson for the Afro-American community, and, after his conversion, for the Muslim community as well. In the following article, we will dive into the extraordinary journey of Muhammad Ali, from his humble beginnings to his legendary fame, examining how he influenced the world of sports and beyond, starting with an analysis of what African American boxing was like before the rise of Cassius Clay.

The evolution of racial laws is closely tied to the role played by African Americans in boxing in America. In 1865, while in Europe the Marquis of Queensberry was outlining the 12 principles that would become the foundation of modern boxing—one of the most significant innovations being the introduction of gloves—in the same year, the Thirteenth Amendment was passed in the United States, abolishing slavery. Before this date, landowners would choose, among their slaves, the two strongest ones, or those they thought would be the most entertaining to watch, and make them fight for pure personal amusement. These matches often ended with the death of one of the fighters. Tom Molineux, the first great Afro-American professional boxer, was one such slave. His abilities led his owner to free him: he would fight in Virginia, New York, and even in the Old Continent, in London, and his redemption would be paid for with the earnings from these matches.

Starting from 1865, Afro-Americans were only allowed to fight against other Afro-Americans. Although there were excellent white champions during this period, the strongest boxer in the United States at the time was undoubtedly Jack Johnson, a black boxer, son of slaves, who boasted an impressive streak of 50 consecutive wins once he turned professional. For this reason, after the heavyweight title amongst the white boxers was won by Tommy Burns, a Canadian, an idea started to grow stronger and stronger: to be universally recognized as the world champion, Burns would have to defeat Jack Johnson. The events took place in 1908, at a time when, despite the abolition of slavery, the United States was still a deeply racist country: when the news of Johnson’s victory in this highly anticipated match against Burns spread, white America was outraged. The idea that a black man could become the heavyweight champion was simply unimaginable.

From that match on, his life became an ordeal filled with false and baseless accusations aimed at discrediting him and let him sink into oblivion. Yet, his impact on the Afro-American community remained unforgettable for generations: he was the first black man able to overturn white supremacy in boxing.

Years later, when a new African American phenomenon emerged on the world boxing scene, his treatment was drastically different from that received by Johnson. Joe Louis (born Joseph Louis Barrow), the grandson of slaves from Alabama, became a boxing icon of his time, with his matches broadcasted on the radio and followed by enormous numbers of fans. In 1938, he became the first African American to represent the United States in a match that Americans defined as: "us," the good, "them," the evil. Which match are we talking about? The rematch against Max Schmeling, a top boxer from Nazi Germany, who two years earlier had managed to knock Joe Louis out in a tense, no-holds-barred match.

In the America of the New Deal, where the Democratic Party was making every effort to unite an increasingly large and diverse group of Americans, the idea that an Afro-Americans could help solidify patriotic pride against an external enemy seemed like a smart move. This was the reason why President Roosevelt, before the revival of the match against Schmeling, invited Joe Louis to the White House, solemnly telling him: "Joe, we need muscles like these to defeat Germany.." The match lasted a total of 124 seconds and ended with Joe Louis' victory, a win that cemented his place among the greatest in the sport.

However, along with Joe Louis' victory came the so-called "Louis Rules," a set of unwritten guidelines that future Black boxing champions were expected to follow: go to war if called upon after the outbreak of a conflict, never be seen or photographed alone with a white woman, and show no sign of satisfaction if a white opponent was knocked out during a match.

What the white establishment hadn't accounted for, however, was that the next Black champion would be "one of a kind"—unique, one in a million—determined not only to fight opponents in the ring but also to challenge every injustice he encountered along the way. That child born in Louisville, Kentucky, on January 17, 1942, would revolutionize not only the world of boxing but society itself. For the African American sports movement, there would always be a "Before Muhammad Ali" and an "After Muhammad Ali." He would teach an entire community to take pride in the color of their skin, question the deeply ingrained societal message that people of color are not meant for the same great things as white people, and speak up for civil rights—doing all of this without ever being afraid of anything or anyone.

Before discussing Muhammad Ali as a political activist, it's important to highlight the sporting achievements that have made him universally regarded as one of the greatest of all time—those successes that earned him an unshakable place in the “Hall of Fame” of all sports.

Among his most significant matches, beyond the gold medal he won at the 1960 Rome Olympics, the first fight against Sonny Liston in Miami on February 25, 1964, stands out. At the time, Liston was the reigning heavyweight champion, considered one of the most feared boxers of the era, while Clay was merely a young emerging talent, already displaying remarkable skill and charisma. Muhammad Ali’s unexpected victory earned him his first world title at just 22 years old, marking the beginning of his legendary career.

Unforgettable in the history of boxing are undoubtedly the three iconic bouts with his eternal rival, Joe Frazier, fought between 1971 and 1975. After a first victory by Frazier, Ali triumphed in the two subsequent encounters. However, perhaps the most iconic match ever fought by Ali was his showdown with George Foreman for the heavyweight world title, held in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) on October 30, 1974, and forever etched in history as the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Foreman was the champion, a powerhouse of strength and aggression in the ring. Ali, on the other hand, was considered by many to be past his prime, but still full of cunning and strategy in his fights. The "Rumble in the Jungle" is not only famous for Ali's victory but also for its cultural and political impact. It was a moment of immense pride for the people of Zaire, with a huge resonance across Africa and around the world, serving as an example of how sports could bring people together beyond cultural and political differences.

While his victories in the ring earned him the status of legend—so much so that he was named "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century"—during those years filled with great professional successes, he never stopped fighting for his personal political and social causes, always putting himself on the front lines, even at the risk of jeopardizing his career.

From a young age, growing up in a racist state like Kentucky, he experienced firsthand the pain of racial segregation and the daily discrimination that people of color were forced to endure without knowing how to defend themselves. In his words, quoted at the beginning of the article, in a 1971 interview, Ali was able to explain, using simple yet incredibly insightful examples, how the world seemed unfair and not inclusive through the eyes of an Afro-American child raised in the racist America of the 1950s.

A supporter of the ideals led by Martin Luther King and especially Malcolm X, in 1964, with his conversion to Islam and the decision to change his name—publicly revealed only after winning his first world title in the heavyweight category in that famous match against Liston—he shocked the world and divided American public opinion. "Cassius Clay is a slave name. I didn't choose it, and I don't want it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free name. It means 'beloved by God,'" were his first words commenting on the news.

Every statement he made acted as a megaphone for those parts of society that had been silenced until then: with his voice, they regained their dignity.

Despite the controversy generated by his decision to change his name, the greatest political case in which Cassius Clay was involved in his life remains, without a doubt, his decision to refuse the draft to fight against the Viet Cong in Vietnam. "If I’m gonna die I’ll die now right here fighting you, if I’m gonna die.  You my enemy. My enemies are white people, not Viet Cong or Chinese or Japanese. You’re my opposer when I want freedom. You’re my opposer when I want justice. You’re my opposer when I want equality. You won’t even stand up for me in America for my religious beliefs. And you want me to go somewhere and fight, but you won’t even stand up for me here at home.," he declared bluntly when asked about the reason behind this choice. It took immense courage to declare himself a conscientious objector at the time, but courage was never something Ali lacked, inside or outside the ring.

For his refusal to be drafted to fight the war, he lost the world title he had won, and a jury of all white members sentenced him to 5 years in prison. Yet, he never once reconsidered his decision. When he was released, the boxer was subjected to strict restrictions on his personal freedom and boxing career. He was required to stay in the United States and was banned from participating in any ring matches. He returned to the ring only in 1971, after being acquitted due to an irregularity in the investigation. However, it was undeniable that during those years, between 25 and 28—prime years for a boxer—he lost the chance to win many more prestigious fights and the opportunity for millions in earnings.

“I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want.” he declared.

This encapsulates who was Muhammad Ali. Stubborn, relentless, willing to sacrifice sporting victories to achieve those victories that were the most precious to him: making his people proud and defending the civil rights of the Black community in which he had proudly grown up. In an interview, he once said, “How would I like to be remembered? As a man who never sold out his people. But if that's too much, then just a good boxer.”

He did it his way: fighting for his causes with strength, “stinging like a bee,” but at the same time with great humanity, “floating like a butterfly.”

Muhammad Ali was, is, and will always be a legend—inside and outside the ring, inside and outside the world of sports.

Forever.