Muhammad Ali: The Man, the Myth and the LegendMuhammad Ali is one of the most decorated athletes in American history. For decades, he dominated the boxing world, taking on all the opposition that came before him. His endurance and charisma have not yet been matched by any athlete since him. The Vietnam War pushed many Americans into fierce battle. Many served faithfully, but Muhammad Ali refused to serve his country in this way. His career was in jeopardy and he was on the verge of being named one of the great villains of American history simply because he refused to fight in a war that his religion did not believe in and that most Americans would find it distasteful a few years later. Muhammad Ali started out as Cassius Clay from Louisville who goes to a local store looking for merchandise and leaves his bike unleashed outside the store. When he returns, the bike is missing and Clay is furious. He searches for the nearest policeman hoping to get his bike back somehow, but the policeman was unable to help him and Clays vows to beat the culprit (Ezra 7). Ironically, Clay took up boxing several months after the Brown v. United States court decision. Board of Education. The story of Clay meeting Joe Martin is one of the defining moments of the man who would become Ali's (Ezra 7) boxing career. Without this moment in history, you can validly argue that Muhammad Ali may never have become the legend we know today. Clay was born to Odessa Grady Clay and Cassius Clay Sr. on January 17, 1942. His mother had roots dating back to an Irishman. named Abe Grady while his father claimed to be related to Henry Clay, a major American Whig Party politician (Edmonds 13-14). Cassius Clay was protected from type... middle of paper ......r communism" (Edmonds 82). Ali was convicted for refusing to join the armed forces and was able to be released on bail for a total of $5,000 During this time, the court decided to revoke Muhammad Ali's boxing license and without it he was unable to support himself financially Ali began to find work any way he could. , he worked in stores, spoke at universities and made money By the 1970s, the American public had begun to understand why Ali refused to go to Vietnam Although he had become the. One of the most hated Americans in the country, he managed to revive his career by fighting in smaller venues and getting more buzz around his name. He was able to become a great icon of peace and courage in which the. young people can believe To this day, Ali still retains the same courage and convictions he had when he was a world champion...