Sports Illustrated "Athlete of the Century," Muhammad Ali is considered the most recognizable man on the earth. Forty Years after he burst Upon the scene as a gold-medal winner at the Olympics in Rome, Ali remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world.
As a boxer, he brought unprecedented speed and grace to his sport while his charm and wit changed forever what we expect a champion to be. His accomplishments in the ring were the stuff of a legend - two fights with Sonny Liston, where he proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and proved he was; three epic fights wars with Joe Frazier; the stunning victory over George Forman in Zaire; and dethroning Leon Spinks to become heavyweight champion for an unprecedented third time.