Muhammad Ali
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.
Acted in
WWE Hall of Fame 2024
2024
as Muhammad Ali
Franz Klammer - The Ski "Kaiser" Will Be 70
2023
as Self (archive footage)
70 Jahre Annemarie Moser-Pröll – Ein Leben als Wintermärchen
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Cassius X: Becoming Ali
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Tribute to Chuck Wepner: The Legacy and Retirement of the Real Rocky Balboa
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Bill Russell: Legend
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Stand
2023
as Self (archive footage)
STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie
2023
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
My Father Muhammad Ali
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Le Siècle des icônes
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Say Hey, Willie Mays!
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
2022
as Self (archive footage)
McEnroe
2022
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The King of Miami Beach
2022
Muhammad Ali
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali
2021
as Self
Parkinson at 50
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Untold: Deal with the Devil
2021
as Self - Professional Boxer (archive footage)
City of Ali
2021
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Biography: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
2021
as (archive footage)
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
2021
as Self (archive footage)
A Life in Ten Pictures
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Mister Candid Camera
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Pelé
2021
as Self (archive Footage)
Ron Lyle
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Earnie Shavers
2021
70 Years of Youth Revolt
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Da 5 Bloods
2020
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Be Water
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Ali's Comeback: The Untold Story
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Africa Rising
2019
as Self - Boxer (archive footage)
Thrilla in Manila
2019
as Self
What's My Name | Muhammad Ali
2019
as Self (archive footage)
The Kennedy Who Changed The World
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Shut Up and Dribble
2018
as Self (archive footage)
In Search of Greatness
2018
as Self (archive footage)
The Champ and the King
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Black Is Beltza
2018
as Self (voice) (archive footage)
Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Explained
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Andre the Giant
2018
as Self (archive footage)
O.J.: Made in America
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle
2016
as Self (archive footage)
O.J.: Made in America
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Sticky: A (Self) Love Story
2016
as Self
Les vendredis d'Apostrophes
2015
as Self (archive footage)
I Am Ali
2014
as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
2014
as Self (Archival Footage)
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
2013
as Himself (archive footage)
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
2013
as Himself
The Trials of Muhammad Ali
2013
as Himself
WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
2012
as Self (archive footage)
Norman Mailer: The American
2012
as Self
The Real Rocky
2011
as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad and Larry
2009
as Himself
Muhammad Ali: Fighting Spirit
2009
as himself
Rumble in the Jungle
2009
as Self
Soul Power
2009
as Self (archive footage)
Facing Ali
2009
as Self
When Ali Met Cathal
2009
as Muhammad Ali
Thrilla in Manila
2008
as Himself (archive footage)
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
2008
as Self
Black Power Salute
2008
as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami
2008
as Himself
Tyson
2008
as Self (archive footage)
James Brown - The Night James Brown Saved Boston
2008
as Self (archive footage)
Ali's 65
2007
Ali's Dozen
2006
as Self
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006
as Muhammad Ali
Darts Tarts – Welcome to my World
2006
as Self (archive footage)
Ali Rap
2006
as Himself
Legends Never Die
2006
as Self (archive footage)
Out From Ali's Shadow: The Larry Holmes Story
2006
as Self (Archival Footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004
as Self (archive footage)
Jack Paar: Smart Television
2003
as Self
The Last Round: Chuvalo vs. Ali
2003
as Himself
The Documented Life and Times of Muhammad Ali - The Greatest
2002
Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World
2001
as Himself
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
2001
as Self
Muhammad Ali, the Greatest
2001
as Self (archive footage)
Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible
2000
as Self
Champions Forever - World Heavyweight Champs!
2000
as Himself
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
2000
as Himself
Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Collection
1999
Sugar Ray Robinson: The Bright Lights and Dark Shadows of a Champion
1998
as Himself
B.B. King: Live In Africa '74
1998
as Self
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1998
as Self - Roastee (archive footage)
When We Were Kings
1996
as Self
Muhammad Ali The Whole Story
1996
as Self
The Journey of the African-American Athlete
1996
as Self (archive footage)
Die Muhammad Ali Story
1996
as Muhammad Ali
Boxing's Greatest Champions
1995
as Self
Kings of The Ring - History of Heavyweight Boxing 1919-1990
1995
as Himself (Archival Footage)
Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing
1995
as Himself
WCW Halloween Havoc 1994
1994
as Himself (Ringside)
Touched by an Angel
1994
as Self
Naked Sport: Welcome to the Sewer
1993
as Self
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
1991
Night of 100 Stars III
1990
as Self
The Best of ABC's Wide World of Sports: The 60's
1990
as Self
Champions Forever
1989
as Self
Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes
1988
as Self
Mike Tyson vs Trevor Berbick
1986
as Self
Doin' Time
1985
as Himself
WrestleMania
1985
as Muhammad Ali (Enforcer)
Larry Holmes vs. David Bey
1985
as (Archive Footage)
James Bond: The First 21 Years
1983
as Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick
1981
as Self
Body and Soul
1981
as Himself
Diana
1981
as Self
Larry Holmes vs. Muhammad Ali
1980
as Self
Muhammad and Larry
1980
Freedom Road
1979
as Gideon Jackson
Leon Spinks vs Muhammad Ali II
1978
The Greatest
1977
as Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
1975
as Self
Ali the Man: Ali the Fighter
1975
as Self
Funny Girl to Funny Lady
1975
as Self
The rumble in the jungle: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
1974
as Self
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
1974
as Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II
1974
as Self
Black Soul
1974
as Self
The Fighters
1974
as Self
The Fight
1974
as Himself
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson II
1972
as Self
Money Talks
1972
as Self
Malcolm X
1972
as Self (archive footage)
Black Rodeo
1972
as Self
Fight of the Century
1971
as Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I
1971
as Self
a.k.a. Cassius Clay
1970
as Himself
The Super Fight
1970
as Himself
Something's Happening
1967
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson I
1965
as Self
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II
1965
as Self
Cassius le grand
1964
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston I
1964
as Self
Cassius Clay vs. Doug Jones
1963
as Self
Requiem for a Heavyweight
1962
as Himself (as Cassius Clay)
Cassius Clay vs. Alonzo Johnson
1961
as Self
What's My Line?
1950
as Self - Mystery Guest
Bambi Awards
1948
as Self (archive footage)