Ali: A life in the ring

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay on Jan. 17, 1942, in Louisville, Ky.

At age 18, won the light heavyweight Olympic gold medal at the Rome Games.

Made his professional boxing debut, defeating Tunney Hunsaker in six rounds in Louisville.

In his last fight as Cassius Clay, became heavyweight champion for the first time when Sonny Liston quit on his stool after the sixth round before a stunned crowd in Miami Beach. "I'm king of the world! I'm pretty! I'm a bad man! I shook up the world! I shook up the world! I shook up the world!" Ali said.

Some of the observers in Lewiston, Maine, contended Liston went down from a perfect punch midway through the first round; others called it a phantom punch. In any case, the result was an Ali victory that produced one of the most famous photographs in sports history. The fight's official paid attendance was 2,434 — the lowest for a heavyweight title fight in modern history.

"What's my name?" Ali demanded as he repeatedly punched Ernie Terrell in the face. "What's my name?" Terrell had refused to call Ali by his new name, insisting he was still Cassius Clay. It was a mistake he would come to regret through 15 long rounds.

With the United States at war in Vietnam, Ali refused to be inducted into the armed forces, saying, "I ain't got no quarrel with those Vietcong."

Returning to the ring after 3½ years, stopped Jerry Quarry in three rounds in Atlanta despite efforts by Georgia Gov. Lester Maddox to block the bout.

In a classic 15-round battle, lost to Joe Frazier at New York's Madison Square Garden in what was labeled "The Fight of the Century." It was the first defeat for Ali.

The Supreme Court reversed the 1967 conviction for refusing Army induction.

At age 32, Ali was heavyweight champion for the second time, stopping George Foreman in the eighth round in the "Rumble in the Jungle" in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Absorbing Foreman's blows until the young champion was spent, the "rope-a-dope" stratagem was born.

Most in boxing agree that the "Thrilla in Manila" was Ali's last great performance. Ali won his third meeting with Frazier but took a terrific beating. "What you saw," he said slowly, "was next to death."

In his final fight lost a 10-round decision to Trevor Berbick in the Bahamas. "Father Time caught up to me," he said. Over three decades, he finished with a record of 56-5 with 37 knockouts and was the first man to win heavyweight titles three times.

With his hands trembling so uncontrollably that the world held its breath, he lit the Olympic torch for the Atlanta Games in a performance as riveting as some of his fights.

Died at age 74 after being hospitalized in the Phoenix area with respiratory problems earlier in the week.