Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali: Fighting Leon Spinks in 1978.

Muhammd Ali is featured in our Sky Sports TV series called 'Sporting Greats', Click Here to watch online.

Having burst onto the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Rome Olympics, months after his 18th birthday, Muhammad Ali has since been renowned as the greatest boxer of all time.

The 70-year-old endured a career full of highs and lows, both inside and outside the boxing ring.

He faced the formidable heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston, twice, proclaiming himself: "The Greatest," before going on to prove that he was.

There were three classic battles with Joe Frazier, the stunning victory over George Foreman in the 'Rumble in the Jungle' and the dethroning of Leon Spinks to become heavyweight champion for an unprecedented third time.

However outside of the sport, in 1967, with the Vietnam War escalating, Ali was called up for induction into the Armed Services. The sportsman refused induction on the grounds of religious beliefs - he was, in fact, a practicing Muslim minister. The refusal led to the now-famous quote: "I ain't got no quarrel with them Vietcong."

This comment provoked the majority of states in America to cancel Ali's boxing licenses and the boxer had a three-and-a-half year lay-off.

He returned to the ring in 1970, with his first comeback fight against Jerry Quarry in Atlanta, then Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden.

What followed was regarded as "The Fight of the Century" - his first match against undefeated champion, Joe Frazier, at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971. However, Ali lost this battle.

Following this was possibly the biggest match of Ali's career dubbed 'The Rumble in the Jungle' against George Foreman in October 1974.

Ali won by knocking out Foreman in the eighth round, winning back the title he had stripped from him seven years previously.

Then, in 1975, Ali retained the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship after defeating Frazier in their third battle.

After the legendary "Thrilla in Manilla," Ali, who has suffered from Parkinson's disease since 1984, fought but lost to young Olympic champion Leon Spinks.

However, he then regained his title against Spinks and became, at that time, the only man in heavyweight history to win the crown three times.

Ali ended his career with 56 wins (37 by knockout) and 5 defeats and was awarded numerous accolades in recognition of his sporting achievements.

These included Sports Illustrated's 'Sportsman of the Century' and World Sports Award's 'World Sportsman of the Century.'