Muhammad Ali: Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee

Muhammad Ali “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” (Muhammad Ali). These are the famous words of Muhammad Ali, a famous African American boxer from 1960 to 1981. Ali was introduced to boxing when his bike was stolen. At only 12 years old he started sparring with a local police officer to get revenge on the thief. It was there that he discovered his talent and went on to become one of the greatest boxers of all time. Ali was popular for his outspoken and rebellious personality, as well as his unorthodox fighting style; hands hanging low and leaning away from punches instead of blocking them. He was loved by most but was not always on the public's good side. Ali was no rebel, but he was never afraid to give his own opinions and stand up for what he believed in. Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay didn’t have the easiest childhood. Growing up in a segregated America, Clay did his best to stay out of trouble. It was one incident of a stolen bike that sent young Clay on his long journey to becoming the world champion of boxing. When he reported his bike stolen to a local police officer, Joe Elsby …show more content…
This was also when he decided to change his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali. It came as a huge shock to the world and fans of boxing everywhere were outraged. It even caused other boxers to dislike him. Frazier said “I hated Ali. God might not like me talking that way, but it's in my heart. I hated that man.... He tried to make me a white man. Then he tried to make me a nigger... I'd like to fight that Ali-Clay-whatever-his name-is again tomorrow... I still want to take him apart piece by piece and send him back to Jesus.” (Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times). He was stripped of all his achievements and accolades but Ali kept his cool. It didn't matter what they did to him, because eventually Ali would always prevail and rise to the