Born in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, Cassius Clay had to fight racism in the United States during the 1940s and 50s before becoming a boxer. He learned how to box after his bike was stolen at the age of 12. Young Clay stunned at the age of 18 when he earned the Light Heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, but the best was yet to come. In a highly anticipated and controversial fight that shocked the world, Clay took the heavyweight championship belt from Sonny Liston in 1964 at the age of 22, proclaiming afterward that he is the greatest, a title that stuck with him throughout and after his legendary career. Shortly after, Clay converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

In May of 1965, Ali faced Liston in a rematch that would again become a controversial fight. Liston is speculated to have dropped to the ground purposefully in a match that he lost by knockout, for reasons from Liston facing threats from the Nation of Islam to betting against himself. Despite defending his title multiple times against heavyweight greats like Floyd Patterson, Cleveland Williams, Ernie Terrell, and Zora Folley, Ali was stripped of his title for refusing to serve in the army, which he claims was due to his Islamic faith. Ali was also stripped of his boxing license from the state of New York and was exiled for three years from the sport at which he was the greatest.

Ali had certainly become one of the most controversial and polarizing figures in all of sports, from the part his presence played in the Civil Rights movement to his following of Malcolm X in his conversion to Islam. He was as infamous for the words he spoke before his fights as he was for his actions during his fights. Specifically, his comparison of Liston to a “bear” and his declaration as “the greatest” after his victory against him sparked controversy. His flamboyant personality was merciless against his other opponents too, evidenced by his calling of Patterson “the Rabbit,” and his promise to torture Terrell during their fight, which he delivered on with a punch to the eye of Terrell, blinding Terrell throughout the arduous 15-round match. Still, Ali had become a voice for the African American community to cling to, especially following the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. During his three-year boxing drought, he inspired many in speeches at colleges across the nation in his criticism of the Vietnam War and his advocacy for African American rights. Finally, in 1971, the United States Supreme Court overturned his conviction in a unanimous decision.

On March 8, 1971, in a fight that was undoubtedly the biggest of his career, Ali was set to face Joe Frazier in a battle of undefeated heavyweight champions in what was dubbed the “Fight of the Century.” The fight certainly lived up to its name, and in a crushing and brutal defeat, Ali suffered the first loss of his professional boxing career. Ali’s comments about Frazier leading up to the fight created a heated rivalry between the two that would last until Frazier’s death in 2011.

Following Frazier’s loss to George Foreman in 1973, Ali was set up to challenge Foreman for the title the following year. At 32, Ali was the heavy underdog, especially considering Foreman’s domination of Frazier. In one the most defining moments of his career, Ali defeated Foreman by knockout to reclaim the title, defying all odds. The following year, in 1975, Ali once again fought Frazier, winning by technical knockout and praising his bitter rival, calling him “the greatest fighter of all times next to me.”

Following his last career fight with Frazier, Ali’s boxing abilities sharply declined, causing him to lose the final two fights of his career to Larry Holmes and Berbick. Shortly following his retirement in 1981, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome in 1984. His final two fights were said to have contributed to this syndrome, and was evidenced by his slow reflexes and trembling hands. His retirement from his iconic boxing career consisted of travelling all over the world, from his journeys to Iraq and Afghanistan as a peacemaker and humanitarian to his celebratory honors at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta and 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. His 32-year battle with Parkinson’s syndrome came to an end on June 3, 2016, and he died at the age of 74.

Muhammad Ali’s legacy cannot be overemphasized. He changed the sports world with his proud but honest character, stating “it’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am.” He revolutionized the political landscape with his African American background and Islamic faith, facing a tremendous amount of adversity from the press, who “makes us [Muslims] seem like haters.” He inspired all to dream big, because “he who is not courageous enough to take risks will not succeed in life.” His arrogant yet unapologetic attitude is what makes him criticized in some aspects but admirable in others. To call him “the greatest” is an understatement; Muhammad Ali was so much more than that. In the end, he reminds us all to “float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee”; while Ali’s spirit has floated on to a bigger and better place, the world is more than stung by his devastating loss. The world laments the loss of the man who is, undisputedly, “the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.” Rest in peace, Muhammad Ali (1942-2016).