[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 20 (Thursday, February 1, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING MUHAMMAD ALI

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 31, 2007

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support House Resolution 
58 in honor of Muhammad Ali--born Cassius Marcellus Clay, on the 
occasion of his 65th birthday. Internationally known as the ``greatest 
of all time,'' he single-handedly revolutionized the sport of boxing.
  Born on this day in 1942 in Louisville, KY, by the age of 18, Clay 
had already become the 1960 light-heavyweight Olympic Gold Medalist. It 
was then that he evolved into a professional fighter, and by 1963, he 
had won all 19 of his first professional fights. The following year, 
1964, Clay won the world heavyweight title against Sonny Liston. Two 
days later, he announced his acceptance of the teachings of the Nation 
of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali shortly after.
  Ali defended his championship title nine times between 1965 and 1967, 
more than most heavyweight fighters in such a short period. Citing his 
Islamic faith, Ali refused to serve in the U.S. military during the war 
in Vietnam. As a result, his title was revoked, his fighting license 
was suspended, and he was sentenced to 5 years in prison for draft 
evasion. He was barred from fighting from March 22, 1967 to October 26, 
1970, which many feel were his peak years. Finally, in 1971, the 
Supreme Court unanimously reversed Ali's conviction, and his boxing 
privileges were restored.
  Ali quickly set about regaining the heavyweight title, which was now 
held by the indomitable Joe Frazier. In the first of three bouts with 
Frazier, Ali lost what was dubbed ``the fight of the century.'' In a 
rematch with Frazier in 1974, Ali was victorious in redeeming his 
championship title. In October of that same year, the fight considered 
to be his most anticipated and promoted of his career, was the ``rumble 
in the jungle'' against a younger and vibrant George Foreman. The fight 
took place in Kinshasa, Zaire, and there were many who doubted that Ali 
would emerge the victor. In this fight, Ali introduced what he called 
the ``rope-a-dope,'' which he used to tire Foreman and eventually 
sustain his position as the No. 1 heavyweight champion of the world.
  In 1975, his third and final bout with Joe Frazier, labeled the ``the 
thrilla in Manila'' by Ali, proved to be one of the toughest and 
greatest fights of his career. Ali was victorious once more. Sadly, in 
1978, Ali lost the title to Leon Spinks. That same year, in a rematch 
with Spinks, Ali won the championship title for the third time. In his 
final fight, ``the drama in Bahamas,'' against Trevor Berbick in 1981, 
his loss signaled the decline of the fighter's reign, and on December 
12, 1981, Muhammad Ali said goodbye to boxing at the age of 39. There 
were also reports of his deteriorating health, and in 1982, the world 
knew that he was suffering from Parkinson's disease.
  Ali remains a beloved and active public figure. He has enjoyed 
countless honors, such as becoming No. 13 of the Forbes Celebrity 100, 
receiving the Spirit of America Award which named him the most 
recognized American in the world, named ``Kentucky Athlete of the 
Century,'' and lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 2005, 
Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the $60 million 
Muhammad Ali Center was opened in his honor in Louisville, KY. He is a 
United Nations Messenger of Peace and the first sportsman to receive an 
Otto Hahn Peace Medal. He is also the namesake of the Muhammad Ali 
Boxing Reform Act.

  More than a superior in the boxing world, Ali took a stand against 
injustice. He was a champion of the civil rights movement, and an 
involved activist who used his power and fame to push noble social 
change. His refusal to fight in a war that he didn't believe in made a 
statement to not only the African-American community, but to the world. 
Ali sacrificed boxing, the one thing he loved the most, to stand up for 
that which he believed. His practice of Islam and civil disobedience 
propelled him to larger than life status. Muhammad Ali has inspired 
millions throughout the world. He has given people hope and proved that 
anyone can overcome insurmountable odds. He has given people courage 
and shown us all that with spirit and determination, a simple person 
can make a difference. There will never be another Muhammad Ali.
  So Madam Speaker, it is with great distinction that I stand here 
today to wish the champ, the living legend, ``The Greatest,'' Muhammad 
Ali, a happy birthday.




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