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Muhammad Ali, a life in pictures
1960: Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) stands on the winners' podium to receive his gold medal for light heavyweight boxing at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. He is flanked by Zbigniew Pietrzykowski of Poland, silver; and Giulio Saraudi of Italy and Anthony Madigan of Australia, joint bronze.
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1963: Supremely confident American boxer Cassius Clay holds up five fingers in a prediction of how many rounds it will take him to knock out British boxer Henry Cooper.
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Kent Gavin/Getty Images
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1963: American boxer Cassius Clay weighs in before his world heavyweight title fight against British boxer Henry Cooper.
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1964: Heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Cassius Clay, who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
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Harry Benson/Getty Images
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1966: Muhammad Ali in trains for a match against Brian London in August 1966.
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1966: World heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali meets eight-month-old Maria Morin during a training session at the Territorial Army Gymnasium at White City, London. Ali was training for his fight against British champion Henry Cooper at Arsenal's Highbury Stadium, London on May 2.
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1970: Muhammad Ali weighs in before his heavyweight bout with Jerry Quarry on Oct. 20, 1970, in Atlanta.
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1971: Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) on the mat during his bout with Joe Fazier for the heavyweight boxing world championship title in New York's Madison Square Garden. At the end of the fight, Frazier kept his title.
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October 19, 1974: US boxing heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali 11 days before the "Rumble in the Jungle" in Kinshasa. On October 30, 1974 Ali would knock out George Foreman in a fight watched by 60 000 people in the stadium and millions elsewhere.
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1974: World Heavyweight Champion boxer Muhammad Ali addresses an audience at the New Victoria Theatre in London.
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1974: World Heavyweight Champion boxer Muhammad Ali addresses a Nation of Islam meeting at the New Victoria Theatre in London.
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Tim Graham/Evening Standard/Getty Images
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1974: American heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali with British champion John Conteh.
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1975: Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay, fights Hungarian-born British boxer Joe Bugner, in their title match at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. Ali won the fight, keeping his World Heavyweight title.
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1977: American heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali is greeted by two police officers in Hyde Park, London, during the boxer's early morning run.
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Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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1978: Heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali with his daughters Laila (9 months) and Hanna (2 years, 5 months) at Grosvenor House.
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1992: Muhammad Ali sits ringside during the Terry Norris vs. Carl Daniels fight in San Diego, California.
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2005: Muhammad Ali attends the Otto-Hahn-Peace-Medal Award Presentation in Berlin, Germany. Ali is receiving the award for his involvement in the American peace movement.
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2009: As part of his UK charity tour, Muhammad Ali arrives at Ricky Hatton's gym in Manchester, England. He was greeted with chants of "Ali" by the crowd. Although frail, Ali managed to wave to the crowd.
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2009: Muhammad Ali sits on the stage ahead of the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in Washington, DC.
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2011: Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali attended a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC along with other prominent American Muslims and clergy appealed to Iran's Supreme Leader for the release Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, the two U.S. hikers detained in Iran since July 31, 2009.
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2011: Muhammad Ali attends a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to appeal to Iran's Supreme Leader for the release Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, two U.S. hikers detained in Iran since 2009.
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2012: Olympic flag bearer Muhammad Ali looks on during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.
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2012: Muhammad Ali attends the Sports For Peace Fundraising Ball at The V&A in London, England.
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2012: Muhammad Ali attends the U.S. Olympic Committee Benefit Gala at USA House at the Royal College of Art in London, England.
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2013: Muhammad Ali and his wife Lonnie Ali ride a golf cart onto the field to represent the Louisville Cardinals for the coin toss against the Florida Gators prior to the start of the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Muhammad Ali with his granddaughter Sydney, daughter of Laila Ali, in an undated photo.
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Photo courtesy of Laila Ali via Facebook
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"It was this quality of Ali’s that I have always admired the most: his unique ability to summon extraordinary strength and courage in the face of adversity, to navigate the storm and never lose his way."
That's Barack Obama reflecting on what Muhammad Ali has meant to him in a 2010 essay for USA Today. The President has a copy of the iconic 1964 photo of a triumphant Ali standing after his first-round knockout of Sonny Liston hanging on his wall.
Obama also writes of his admiration for the boxer's gentleness and commitment to peace:
Asked why he is so universally beloved, he holds up a shaking hand, fingers spread wide, and says, “It’s because of this. I’m more human now. It’s the God in people that connects them to me.”
This is the Muhammad Ali who inspires us today — the man who believes real success comes when we rise after we fall; who has shown us that through undying faith and steadfast love, each of us can make this world a better place. He is, and always will be, the champ.
He truly floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee — and these pictures of Ali through the years give a glimpse of those eras.
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