Some may know him as the people's champion, others as the greatest. Born Cassius Marcellus Ray Jr., Muhammad Ali is known as the greatest boxer in the world. He is a prestigious member of both the black and Islamic communities. An avid public speaker, his once booming voice is now silenced by Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder that causes tremors and violent tremors in the body. Whatever one may say about him, there is no one in America who can deny his influence on the people. Muhammad Ali was one of the most influential men of the 20th century due to his political position in the war against Vietnam and as a symbol of Black Power, his record as a boxer through his unique style and large amount of charities. supports the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center and the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Muhammad Ali went from being a simple lower-class boy in Louisville, Kentucky, to one of the greatest, if not the best, boxers of all time and one of the most prominent faces of multiple movements for civil rights. Whether he spoke about Black Power or Anti-Vietnam, every word he spoke had volume across America, his influence was almost hypnotic (Gorsevski). Muhammad Ali never backed down from what he believed in, he spoke his mind and stood his ground no matter the consequences. When the war with Vietnam broke out, Ali had just won his bout with the current heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston, and was crowned the new champion. The public expected movie and sports stars like Joe DiMaggio and Joe Louis to be on the front lines defending our country from our new Vietnamese enemies. (Woods) Ali, however, chose differently. He refused to go to Vietnam and invade their country. When reporters asked him why he refused to go, his response was "I have nothing against those Vietcong", which was eventually transformed into the famous saying "No Vietcong ever called me Negro". Ali was widely criticized, praised and questioned for his decision. His former doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, criticized him for his decision, saying he was being used by the Nation of Islam. “He could have gone and done what Joe Louis did: go there and fight a couple of exhibition matches, then go home… The Muslims used him. When it came to politics, Ali had no politics. He didn't think much about anything. What happened was pure serendipity. (Woods). As a result of his decision, he was stripped of his heavyweight belt, banned from major league boxing, and sentenced to five years in prison. Ali's sentence was rightly repealed in June 1970 and he was allowed to return to boxing. where he would eventually reclaim his rightful place on the throne from George Foreman. Ali's reasons for fighting for civil rights extend beyond his protest against Vietnam as he fought for black equality with his fights in the ring. After winning his fight against Sonny Liston, Ali made public his conversion to the Nation of Islam. He did not believe that forced segregation between blacks and whites was a viable solution to the oppressions of African Americans. In 1965, his fight with Floyd Patterson extended beyond the ring, as they argued about the correct way to handle the civil rights movement. Patterson believed that the Nation of Islam was nothing more than a black version of the Ku Klux Klan. In response to this, Ali, in his usual way of speaking bluntly before a fight, wrote araps about Patterson, claiming that he had made his way into a white neighborhood and that Patterson should start "acting black" (Pierre). Ali stood as a pillar of strength for the black community. Living, breathing proof that the black community can function just as well as the white one, that the black community can survive on its own, without the interference of a white oppressor, and that the black community will be equal to its white counterparts. Muhammad Ali managed to promote civil rights and, at the same time, advance the world of boxing with his unique style and reforms. The Greatest, The People's Champion and The Louisville Lip, all nicknames Muhammad Ali earned during his career as a heavyweight boxer. In boxing, “textbook style” is the highest level of boxing technique, and Ali looked like he came straight out of a book (Slack). He had everything a good heavyweight boxer needed: reach, footwork, power and speed. Ali would have been an amazing boxer if he had chosen to fight the normal heavyweight style, but his strange style is what made Ali the greatest boxer. Ali broke the rules with his style, leaving his hands dangling at his sides and throwing punches with his head. “ Instead of using his arms to block, he leaned back to avoid punches. He threw a series of repetitive punches from ridiculous angles. (Blacksmith). Ali used his angle to create a combo with his inside slide and ferocious counter punch which he called "The Anchor Punch". (Slow). Leaning back with his face as bait, he forced his opponent to overcommit with his punches, leaving their weak spots exposed and ready to be pricked by Ali. Ali said his anchor punch was influenced by Jack Johnson, but according to Slack, Johnson never used a punch similar to what Ali did. “You're fighting a person who is taller AND faster than you. When you approach, he stands on tiptoe, takes two steps back, and then delivers three powerful blows to your face while retreating. (Blacksmith). Ali's goal wasn't to KO his fighter, he outclassed his opponent, his footwork and stamina were unmatched. Ali's style was imitated by many other boxers, such as Henry Clark, who failed to perform as well as Ali because there is no boxer who was as durable as Ali. (Donelson). His resilience made up for his lack of defense as he endured one brutal punch after another. “His battle with Foreman is proof of this as he took Foreman's club blows” (Donelson). Ali not only beat his opponents physically, but he beat them mentally as well. Ali's heart was unmatched as a boxer. In many of Ali's fights, he would get knocked down only to get back up and win the fight. Even when he was knocked down by Henry Cooper's famous left hook known as "Henry's Hammer" which knocked him down in the fourth round, Ali got back up and won the fight (Smith). Ali won many of his fights through his skill and sheer will, one of the reasons he became a beacon of hope for the black community. Ali often extended his mind games outside of his fights as well. He created raps insulting his opponents, showed up at their training camps, and predicted when his opponent would lose; anything he could do to get into his opponent's head. In every fight he fought, Ali did not just win for himself, every victory for him was a victory for his beliefs and for his people. Ali has transcended the realm of regular athletes. His victories were victories for the people, his triumphs a step forward for his cause.He inspired blacks and civil rights everywhere with his defiant and independent attitude as an African American. “I was determined to be the only Negro that the white man didn't understand” (Ali). Muhammad Ali ushered in a new era in how athletes were perceived around the world; His flamboyant style inspires athletes, such as Reggie Jackson, the first Major League Baseball player to wear a mustache since 1914, to express their individuality (Oates). His eccentric footwork known as the "Ali Shuffle" went so far as to influence dance moves in an era when rap and hip-hop were becoming prominent in urban ethnic venues. His unique sense of style and eye for detail paved the way for other athletes we love and revere today, such as the man many argue was the best player in basketball, Michael Jordan. Some may argue that Ali hasn't had as much progress as people say he has compared to other athletes. But compared to other black athletes, Ali was the most needed. “Compare the modest and limited public personas of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, Jackie Robinson… the black athlete was given to know that his presence was temporary and not a right… that could be revoked at any time” (Oates) . Ali's vigorous spirit and unique style helped black athletes make great strides in their careers. Thanks to Ali, black athletes went from dry, boring characters like Joe Louis to epic, hip figures like Michael Jordan. Thanks to Ali, black athletes transformed from quiet, reserved figures like Jackie Robinson to vocal, influential activists like Richard Sherman. Without the influence of Muhammad Ali, black athletes would have been condemned to remain in the shadow of white athletes. Ali's victories are not just limited to the world of sports, as he has helped support many successful charities. While Muhammad Ali supports a vast number of charities, each with their own unique causes, the two charities that have garnered the champion the most support are the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center and the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation founded by Jimmy Walker in 1994 . The Celebrity Fight Night Foundation raises money for many causes, including the Salvation Army, the Solid Rock Foundation and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center (Welcome to Celebrity Fight Night). The first event since the foundation. including celebrities lining up in the ring with oversized boxing gloves was loved by the public and remained in the public eye thanks to the help of Charles Barkley and Dan Majerle of the Phoenix Suns and boxing champion Michael Carbajal. The foundation's second event continued the boxing tradition and did even better thanks to a stunning performance by award-winning singer Kenny Rogers. The third annual event, however, is what brought the foundation to its prominent status across the nation. After three years, Muhammad Ali finally accepted his invitation to be the guest of honor of the event (Welcome to Celebrity Fight Night). Over the next eighteen years, the foundation would continue to flourish with Muhammad Ali's association with the charity, attracting major artists of a diverse variety to participate in events. “No one knew, after the first Celebrity Fight Night event raised $100,000 in 1994, that it would become one of the highest-grossing charity events in the country, raising nearly $95 million over the years” (Welcome to Celebrity Fight Night). Due to Muhammad Ali's influence, the foundation transformed from a simple charity event into one of the most extravagant and successful charities in the United States. The connection between Muhammad Ali and Celebrity Fight Night.