Muhammad Ali rose to prominence at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, where he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division fighting under his birth name of Cassius Clay. He converted to Islam in 1964 and renamed himself Muhammad Ali. The rest is history. Known by nearly everyone as the greatest boxer to ever live, Ali has remained one of the most influential symbols of American history and of the sporting world in general. Not only do people remember him for his epic fights with Joe Frazier and other boxing legends, but for his strong beliefs and wisdom. He was more than a great heavyweight fighter. He was a great entertainer and a true role model (when he wasn’t trash talking everything walking).

Ali has been diagnosed with neurological disorder Parkinson’s syndrome, in which he’s been struggling with since the early 1980s. He makes rare public appearances and rarely talks with the public, but his influence remains legendary and his words will forever remain in our hearts.

Here is an awesome highlight video on his legendary boxing career.