By Gillian West

Former world heavyweight boxing champion and one of the world’s most influential sports stars, Muhammad Ali, has died aged 74.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, Clay made his competitive debut in 1954 in a three-minute amateur clash. His amateur career progressed steadily winning a number of awards including the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in 1959.

In 1960 he was selected to be part of Team USA at the Rome Olympics beating Poland’s Zbigniew Pietrzykowski to become Olympic light-heavyweight champion.

A steady succession of victories followed bringing Ali fame and notoriety. October 1974 saw Ali’s greatest moment, defeating George Forman in Read full story ›

Source: The Drum