Muhammed Ali, the Evolution of a Man

June 12, 2016

As a young boy, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier were about to fight and what would be the first of three matches. I didn't really know much about him except for the fact my father disliked him and wanted Frazier to knock him out. Well, my dad got his wish when Frazier won the epic fight and put Ali on the canvass. I remember listening to the match on the radio with my father and brothers only being given round by round descriptions by an announcer. The days before closed-circuit television and pay per view were harsh for the fans.

After the big fight, I wanted to learn about Ali and his past. At the age of ten, I didn't understand why my father disliked him so. But I asked him anyway, and he said Ali refused to serve his country. He strongly believed that because he had to go in the service and into World War II and with his two oldest sons eligible for the draft, he couldn't root for him. For many years I didn't understand Ali's motives for sitting in jail while others served. The sixties put every young person to the test with Vietnam, the cultural changes, and how to communicate with the older generation. He signified not just the cause of African Americans but all young people of that era who felt indifferent about the war. He protested based on his beliefs, and he paid the price both professionally and personally.

My father wasn't the only person who didn't understand Ali, the list became long and would take years for many to come around. Because of my early exposure to the hate machine for Ali, years passed before I found myself rooting for him. Even Ali's sense of humor and mastery of his public persona took a long time to wear down the most cynical minds. By my high school years he was at the peak of his career and had beaten Joe Frazier twice, George Foreman, Ken Norton two out of three times and I rooted against him every time.

After I finished high school, Ali's career began winding down, and only fought a couple of more matches. I finally found myself pulling for him against Larry Holmes which was the worst fight ever. What looked like a money grab by many but in reality, Ali wanted to go out on his own terms. Holmes easily beat him making the match difficult to watch. For the first time, I saw his vulnerability and his mighty powers diminished. One of the saddest things in sports is when older athletes have to prove it to themselves that it is time to move on.

For me, the reason I didn't like Ali in the seventies was what I perceived as brashness and overconfidence. He appeared to never show humility and respect for opponents. Years later, I began to understand his story as a whole and able to put his behavior in context. Over time, the public learned more of his generosity, social activism, and struggles with Parkinson's disease. He will always be considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, but he transcended the ring and became a bigger force for inspiration to anybody who wants to live their life true to their beliefs.