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On January 17, 1942 - at about six thirty p.m. - the biggest sporting legend of the twentieth century was born in Louisville, Kentucky.
When Odessa Clay and her husband Cassius Marcellus looked proudly at their tiny son they didn\'t dare to dream that the baby they held in their arms would one day be the heavyweight champion and one of the most popular men of the world.
At a closer look, one can date the first boxing activity of Cassius Marcellus junior to the same year. His mother used to tell people that his first K.o.-punch was aimed at her face when the six-month-old hit her so hard that she had to have two teeth pulled out.
Cassius grew up in West End Louisville, a black area, together with his younger brother Rudolph who later changed his name into Rahaman. Their father painted religious and commercial plates while Odessa Clay worked as a cleaning woman and cook in white upper-class families. Although the Clays were not wealthy, young Cassius and Rudolph always had something to eat and to wear. Contrary to most of his later opponents, Ali had a carefree childhood.
At the age of twelve, Cassius got into boxing rather by chance. His new bike had been stolen and so he met police officer Joe Martin who besides ran a boxing gym. The furious boy told Martin that he would whip the thief if he found him. Martin suggested to Cassius that he teach him first how to box. Cassius agreed and attended Martin\'s gym regularly from then on.
In his first years as a boxer, Cassius Clay held some features that he would keep during his whole career: He bragged all the time how strong he was and that no one could beat him. Because of this the audience who could watch him didn't like him. His style was very unusual. Back then Cassius was already faster than most of his opponents. So he used his hands not as guard but held them at waist height while avoiding the punches of his opponent just with his reflexes and footwork.
Young Cassius was successful with his unorthodox style. In 1960, eighteen-year-old Cassius had won all amateur titles available (amongst others the National Golden Gloves in Chicago) and qualified for the Olympic trials. After he had been knocked down in the first round of the final by a black army champion named Allen Hudson, Clay countered and won by technical knockout in the third round. He had earned the right to travel to Rome with the US Olympic team in 1960:
One problem that had to be solved before the departure to Rome: Clays great fear of flying. Joe Martin, his coach at that time had to be persuade Clay for hours to get on the plane. Finally Cassius agreed and entered the plane to Italy - equipped with a parachute he had bought personally and wouldn\'t take off the whole flight.
Hardly arrived at the Olympic village he started to brag about his glorious future which was destined to him. With his behavior he attracted many athletes and journalists and soon was considered \"Mayor of the Olympic village\". But Clay also annoyed some athletes of his team because they felt neglected by the media.
He was also successful as athlete. After victories over the Belgian, Russian and Australian participant Clay finally faced the Pole Zbiginiew Piertrzkowski, a veteran with a fight record of over two hundred fights. The beginning of the final saw Clay in trouble.
As the bout went on, he became stronger and after the last round Piertrzkowski\'s and Clay\'s shorts were covered with the Pole\'s blood.
When returning to the USA, the gold medal winner - it hung around his neck - was welcomed enthusiastically. Some well-known trainers offered to train Clay who wanted to turn Heavyweight pro. Ex-fighters Archie Moore and Sugar Ray Robinson and also Cus D\'Amato were prospects. Before looking for a coach, Clay signed a contract with eleven millionaires from Louisville, the so called Louisville Sponsoring Group, that guaranteed the young boxer $ 10,000 instantly and fifty percent of his future ring income. This group also arranged Clay\'s first professional bout against Tunney Huntsinger. Clay won a split decision.
After his non-convincing first victory, Clay and his managers looked for a new coach. Joe Martin had not been accepted by Clay senior. Clay jr. refuged from Archie Moore\'s camp after a short stay because Moore tried to change Clay\'s style and made him also participate in the housework, what he did not want to do. Clay went back to Louisville for christmas and then to Miami Beach to meet Angelo Dundee who he had known for two years. Dundee didn\'t try to change Clay\'s style like Moore but helped him to improve it. In Miami, Clay fought his next four bouts which he won by knockout.
The first interesting opponent in Clay\'s professional career was his ex-trainer, former light heavyweight champion Archie Moore whom he faced in his 16th bout on November 16, 1962 in Louisville. Moore was 48 years old and wanted to succeed over the youth. He had no chance and stood four rounds just as Clay had predicted. It was one of Clay\'s features to predict the round in which his opponent would fall. He usually wrote a short humorous poem. Moore was the eleventh prediction the \"loudmouth\" (as many journalists called Clay) had fulfilled.
In March of 1963, Clay\'s prediction record broke when he failed to knock Doug Jones out. The audience at Madison Square Garden booed Clay down when the result was announced: A close decision in Clay\'s favor.
In 1963 Clay also met Drew \"Bundini\" Brown who became his motivator and court jester.
Together they invented the slogan \"Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee!\" that perfectly described Clay\'s style.
At the end of 1963 Clay had an impressive record: He had won all of his nineteen professional bouts and only three not by knockout. The \"Louisville Lip\" was ready to achieve the goal for that he had lived almost all of his life:
The Heavyweight Championship of the world.
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