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1 Legends inour Time So, You Think You re Funny? Best 3 Minute Video wins a contract with a Hollywood agency PRESENTS Muhammad Ali The Greatest of all Time An Exclusive Interview Green Tips What you can and should be doing to help combat Global Warming Graduating and Relocating? Explore a new city on us

2 Legends inour Time became Clayʼs first coach, coaching him through 108 bouts, two National AAU Light-heavyweight titles and Six Kentucky Golden Gloves before he was 18, which led him to the 1960 Olympics in Rome where he won a Gold Medal for the United States. The young athlete, after returning with the Olympic Gold Medal, signed a deal to start his professional career with the Louisville Sponsoring Group made up of 10 local businessmen. His professional career took off, with Clay winning 19 professional fights. One of those signature fights was with Henry Cooper, the European heavyweight champion in London. Cooper knocked Ali down with a left Presents Muhammad Ali The Greatest by John Carrieri Welcome to the third edition of ʻLegends In Our Timeʼ, a series dedicated to celebrating extraordinary individuals during their lifetimes and ours, who have excelled in their fields and left a unique, exceptional and distinctive mark that forever changed their discipline and our lives. Muhammad Ali is certainly such a Legend. He is the only man to win the Heavyweight World Title three times and is considered the greatest boxer of all time. With his charisma, with his principles, and with his actions he transcended the sport to become not only Sportsman of the Century, but one of the greatest humans of all time. Young Clay at 12 AP Photo Muhammad Ali was born to Cassius and Odessa Clay in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17th, He was named after his father Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., but would later take on a new name - Muhammad Ali. At the age 12 in October of 1954, young Cassius and a friend rode their bicycles to the Columbia Auditorium that was hosting the Louisville Home Show. Cassiusʼ red and white Schwinn bicycle was stolen while the boys were inside enjoying the show. A tearful Cassius sought help from a policeman named Joe Martin. As he was walking away from Martin, he declared When I find out who stole my bike, I m going to whoop him. Joe, who coached a boxing program for youths said if he wanted to ʻwhoopʼ someone he better come to the gym and learn how. Martin hook. Although dazed, Ali got up and made it to the bell. As his coach tried to bring him out of the daze, he noticed Aliʼs gloves were a bit torn and called for replacements, which gave Ali extra time to recuperate. Ali went on to win the fight because Cooperʼs eye was bleeding so badly the referee stopped the fight in the 5th round. After the fight, Sonny Liston, the reigning champion, had his manager Jack Nilon come up to Clayʼs camp and say, I've flown three thousand miles to tell you we're ready. Clay finally had a chance to fulfill his destiny, a shot at the Heavyweight Title. I Shook up the World Olympic Village, Rome 1960 AP 8 April / May 2007 U. The National College Magazine Aint he ugly? He s too ugly to be the world champ. The world champ should be pretty like me. - Ali Young Clay with trainer Angelo Dundee. AP Photo - Dan Grossi On February 25th, 1964, Clay, the 8 to 1 underdog challenger took on a purportedly ʻinvincibleʼ Sonny Liston. In the build up to the fight, Clay became famous for his unrelenting big mouth. People thought he was crazy, but he had his own strategy and it worked. Clay even went to the big ugly bearʼs den (as he liked to call Liston) calling him a coward and a bum through a bullhorn from his bus. Clay went on with his taunts, I m going to haunt you until you fight me. The heat between the two escalated even further when Ali approached Liston while playing craps at a casino and started taunting him again. Liston drew a gun, (though it wasnʼt actually real) which temporarily relieved him of his tormentor, at least for that night. A crazy eyed Clay recited his predictions to the press: For those of you who won t be able to see the Clay / Liston Fight. Here s the eighth round exactly as it will happen: Clay comes out to meet Liston, and Liston starts to retreat. If Liston goes back an inch farther, he'll end up in a ringside seat. Clay swings with his left and Clay swings with his right, Look at young Cassius carry the fight. Liston keeps backing, but there's not enough room. It's a matter of time 'till Clay lowers the boom. Now Liston disappears from view, the crowd is getting frantic, but our radar stations have picked him up, he is somewheres over the Atlantic! Liston's still rising, the ref wears a frown. For he can't start counting 'til Sonny comes down. Who would have thought, when they came to the fight, that they'd witness the launching, of a human satellite? Ali, the consummate promoter, could talk the talk like no other before or after, he rapped before there was rap. If you like to lose your money, then be a fool and bet on Sonny but if you want to have a good day then put it on Clay. The ʻSports Press Godsʼ didnʼt give Clay a chance with 43 of 46 predicting Clay would lose. Clay didnʼt even put his arms up to block like a ʻgoodʼ fighter should. Instead he swayed his torso back and to the side to avoid punches. They predicted an easy defeat for Liston, which seemed to fuel Clay who thrived on proving them wrong. As the fight progressed Clay began to emerge as the winner but suddenly in the fourth round Clay became mysteriously blinded by a toxic substance. After the round, Angelo Dundee, Clayʼs manager put his pinky in the corner of his boxerʼs eye and touched it to his own. Sure enough there was something very caustic in his eye, which Dundee feverishly tried to flood out with water and towels. It turns out that two of Listonʼs previous opponents also had been subject to this underhanded trick. Dundee, the seasoned coach, made sure the referee didnʼt stop the fight and sent Clay back in for the next round. Dundee said, The last instructions I gave him was - Run! Clay kept his distance until his eyes recovered. Liston continued to throw his mighty left hook in vain as he could never seem to connect with the young fighter. Clay took him down with all of the style of his famous phrase, Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

3 Clayʼs handlers hold him back as he reacts after the announcment of his win over Liston. AP Photo A New Name By the end of the sixth round, puffy-eyed with a broken will, Sonny had had enough. At the beginning of the 7th round, he refused to get back up out of his corner, and Clay became the Champion of the World with a TKO. The jubilant Champion ran to the ropes to confront his nay-sayers Eat your words! Eat your words! Later as the press tried to interview him, the ecstatic and uncontrollable Champ professed to the world, I must be the greatest! I shook up the world! I m the King of the World! I m Pretty! I m a baaaad man! I shook up the World! I shook up the world! I shook up the world! After the fight, the new Champ continued to reveal more surprises as he changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to the Nation of Islam also known as the Black Muslims. Cassius Clay was my slave name. I m no longer a slave. Many, including his parents, were alarmed by this group. They were preaching there should be segregation between blacks and whites, that whites were ʻdevilsʼ and many other tenuous teachings. Along with the inventor of the group, Elijah Muhammad, the group had other charismatic leaders such as Malcolm X, who became great friends with Ali. It might be understandable that Ali embraced this group because of his disgust with continued segregation and poor treatment of blacks, but many felt the Black Muslims were preaching hate and their own brand of racism, which was a huge blow to Aliʼs popularity. The Ali vs. Liston rematch was held in Lewiston, Maine on May 25th, The fight was attended by only a few thousand fans as promoters stayed away due to the controversy surrounding Ali. Ali knocked out Liston in the first round with a fast punch that became known as the Phantom punch. A famous photo was taken of Ali standing over Liston as he yelled - Get up you bum, no one s going to believe this! (see cover) Six months later Ali took on the former champ Floyd Patterson. Ali punished him for 12 rounds before the referee stopped the fight in Aliʼs favor. Uncompromising Principles With the Vietnam War underway, the draft board classified Ali as 1Y because he did not pass the aptitude test, which meant he would not be drafted. I said I was the prettiest, not the smartest remarked Ali. However, on February 14, 1966, the Army reclassified his draft status "Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change." - Ali as 1A making him eligible for draft service. Ali first heard this from the media who were gathering around his home soliciting his political beliefs about the Vietnam War. Surrounded by media inquires, he popped out a statement from his heart - I got no quarrel with those Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me nigger. This statement was picked up and widely circulated in the press and he was vilified for his position. He was called a draft dodger even before he officially refused to enter the service and became forced to have his next four fights outside the U.S. including a rematch with Henry Cooper which he won in a similar fashion as the first fight but in the sixth round. Ali left Europe somewhat of a folk hero, as for five decades Title fights had only been held in the U.S. His global appeal continued to grow. Ali went on to defend his title three more times after the Cooper fight through March 22, 1967 when he beat Zora Foley. His next challenger would prove to be his toughest opponent yet, the United States of America. On April 28th, 1967 Muhammad Ali showed up as required to the Houston Induction Center for the U.S. Armed Forces. When his name was called for him to be accepted into the armed services, Ali stood quietly and refused to step forward. Ali refused to enter the war. He refused as a conscientious objector, one who will not participate in military service out of religious or moral beliefs. He felt the war was morally wrong and vowed to stand behind his convictions. Iʼm just letting you know that Iʼm gonna stick 1000% to my religious beliefs. Even if it means dying. Ali knew that if he were drafted, he would be treated with celebrity status and probably never see combat, but that mattered little to him; he would not compromise his beliefs. Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 All boxers would sell their soul to become heavyweight champion of the world. What did Ali do? He regained his soul by giving it up. He gave up the title! - Richard Harris, Actor & Friend miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while socalled negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? For that reason, he later threw his Olympic Gold medal into the Ohio River in disgust at the continued poor treatment of blacks in the United States. The matter then moved to the U.S. Attorneyʼs office. The same day it was announced, the New York State Athletic Commission stripped Ali of his World Heavyweight Title, which was followed by the rest of the state commissions, effectively barring him from boxing. To add salt to the wound, the U.S. Government also stripped him of his passport so he could not work abroad. Ali had to scrape for a living. The Anti-war sentiment was rampant at colleges across the nation and various groups beseeched him to speak at their campus. The legal battle went on in the courts for over 3 years and finally wound up in the U.S. Supreme Court. Ali all along said he was going to fight the case within the rules - I said Iʼm going to be a man and fight it legally. If I lose it Iʼm just going to jail. Finally on June 28th, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling was announced - a unanimous decision in Aliʼs favor and all charges were dropped. He had taken on the establishment and won. By him standing up as he did. It gave men of us much more courage than we had; it gave us much more hope than we ever had before. - BB King Ali jogging 1972 AP Photo Ali toys with his friend, television sports commentator Howard Cosell. AP Photo U. The National College Magazine April / May

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5 The Comeback Sports promoter don King stands between Muhammad Ali, left, the heavyweight champion and Joe Frazier in New York. AP Photo Ali had actually been able to fight eight months before the decision, in the state of Georgia, which had no state commission. In his comeback fight, he billed himself as the ʻPeopleʼs Champion.ʼ He fought Jerry Quarry on Oct 26th, 1970, knocking him out in the 3rd round. He then took on Oscar Bonevena, who had called Ali a chicken and by his birth name Clay. The fight lasted 15 rounds and Ali won. Next came ʻThe Fight of the Centuryʼ as it was billed, on "I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest." - Muhammad Ali March 8th, 1971 against Smoking Joe Frazier. The fight was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Both Ali and Frazier were undefeated Champions; however Frazier had won the Title during Aliʼs long 3 ½ year absence. The build-up to the fight was crazed and the night of the fight, the roar of the crowd was deafening. All of a sudden the limo crowd is there. Heʼs their hero now. Why? He beat ʻthe man.ʼ He knocked the government on its ass. Jerry Izenberg, Journalist. Everyone wanted to be at this fight. Frank Sinatra, who couldnʼt get ringside seats, got credentialed as a photographer for Life magazine so he could be front and center. The epic battle went all the way to the 15th round. Ali started to get the edge in the beginning of the 15th round, but Frazier clocked him with a huge left, sending him to the canvas. Ali almost immediately got up, which is incredible considering the force of Frazierʼs punch, but the fight ended with Frazier winning by unanimous decision. This was Aliʼs first professional loss and would be the start of a lifelong rivalry with Joe Frazier. Aliʼs fan base continued to grow with both the courage he demonstrated in the fight and in his grace in defeat. Ali was fired up and took on twelve challengers to get another shot at Frazier. One of those challengers, Ken Norton, broke Aliʼs jaw early in the fight. Ali went on to fight for 10 rounds with the broken jaw. Nothing else needs to be said about that. Although Ali ended up losing that fight, he fought Norton again after his jaw healed and beat him on September 30th, By the time Ali got another match with Frazier, George Foreman had won the Heavyweight Title but Ali still needed to beat Frazier to get to the Title fight. The second fight dubbed ʻHeavyweight Grudge Matchʼ was on January 28th, 1974, at Madison Square Garden. Ali was all business and determined to beat Frazier. Ali continued to shine in the pre-match and executed in the ring. The fight went all 15 rounds with Ali winning by unanimous decision. Rumble in the Jungle Ali finally had the opportunity to take back the Title, whch was unfairly stolen from him by the authorities. The fight would be dubbed Rumble in the Jungle and would take place on September 25th, 1974 at 3am in Zaire, Africa. George Foreman was an undefeated, colossal fighter who had won 37 of his 40 fights by knockout, all within the first two rounds. Foreman also knocked out Joe Frazier (which is when he won the title) and Ken Norton, both fighters with whom Ali had a hard time fighting. The sentiments and press were again against Ali with 7 to 1 odds that he would not only lose, but be crushed. Spray flies from the head of challenger Joe Frazier as heavyweight champion Ali connects with a right in the 9th round in their title fight in Manila, Philippines, Oct. 1, AP Photo Mitsunori Chigita As usual, Ali, the consummate promoter, hyped the fight and won the hearts of the people. Ali joked that Foreman was a ʻmummyʼ with his big powerful slow lunges. As for the people of Zaire, they loved him. From the time he stepped off the plane, they continually chanted - Ali, bomaye Ali, bomaye! - Swahili for Ali, Kill him! Just 30 seconds into round two, Ali started to put up his arms to defend himself, which was never his style. He leaned back against the ropes as Foreman hammered him with lefts and rights. One, two, three, four, five, six left hooks to Aliʼs body, as if Foreman was trying to chop down a tree. It appeared Ali was in big trouble as he absorbed the onslaught, but it was all part of Aliʼs strategy which he called ʻRope-a-Dopeʼ and his attacker continued to tire. Beat him up the first round, beat him up the second, third, fourth, but heʼs still there talking to me in the fifth. ʻ(Ali) Thatʼs all you got? I said what in the world have I ran into? George Foreman Former Heavyweight Champion. At the end of round seven, Ali told Foreman, Now itʼs my turn. In the eighth round Ali hit the tired champion with a one-two combination and knocked him out for his second win of the Heavyweight Title. Challenger Muhammad Ali raises his arms in victory after defending champion George Foreman is counted out by referee. Kinshasa, Zaire. Oct. 30, AP Photo U. The National College Magazine April / May

6 An Inspiration After defeating George Foreman, Ali fought a relatively unknown Chuck Wepner. Chuck put up a good fight and lasted until the 15th round when Ali won by TKO. Sylvester Stallone saw the match in person which is when he came up with the idea for Rocky, which went on to win the Academy Award for best picture of The main characters, Rocky and ʻThe Champʼ were loosely based on Wepner and Ali respectively. Thrilla in Manila In 1975, it was time for Joe Frazier to try to take back the Title from Ali. The fight, promoted by Don King was dubbed Thrilla in Manila. There was a great deal of anticipation for the final fight between the rival champions. As usual, Ali was out front promoting with his mouth - "It'll be a killa, a chilla, a thrilla, when I get the gorilla in Manila." The two fighters gave it everything they had as they pummeled each other for 14 rounds. Ali was announced the winner when Eddie Futch, Frazierʼs trainer stopped it between rounds, deciding it wasnʼt worth his fighterʼs life. Ali, who had absorbed a torrential 444 blows, later said this was the closest he ever came to death. It was a brutal battle, and is now known as the ʻgreatest fight of all time.ʼ Loss & Redemption Ali went on to defend his Title six more times before he suffered a surprising defeat to Leon Spinks. Leon Spinks had won a gold medal, but his professional experience was limited to seven fights. Ali was gracious in defeat, Weʼre all going to lose in life. Youʼre going to lose your wife; youʼre going to lose your mother youʼre going to lose your father. We all have losses in life. The one who can really overcome their losses and just keep living and try to come back and be successful. You canʼt go die because you lose. I did my best. Six months after their first fight, Ali fought and beat Leon Spinks making him the first man in boxing to win the Heavyweight Championship three times. Ali retired but came back for two more fights, one with Larry Holmes and one with Trevor Berbick, both of which he lost. Thus ended one of the most remarkable boxing careers in history. Muhammad Aliʼs final professional record is 56 wins and 5 losses. The grand sum of the thousands of punches, jabs and blows that he took during his career caused irreparable damage and contributed to the ultimate battle he fights now against Parkinsonʼs disease. This neurological disorder impairs motor skills, balance and sometimes speech. It is also characterized by involuntary tremors, shaking of the hands, arms, legs and face. This new challenger, this disease, would become the greatest challenge of his life, but as a true champion, he would not let it stop him from his new mission. The ceremonies were further touching as Ali was given a replacement Gold Medal for the one he had won 36 years earlier, but had thrown in the Ohio River. No one was more deserving of this honor. A humble and appreciative Ali lifted the medal to his lips and kissed it. This is an incredibly short summary of Muhammad Aliʼs amazing life and achievements. It would take nine lives of an ordinary man to even attempt to come close to the greatness of this lion of a man. He always tried to convince us of his greatness, and today I believe there is no question. Muhammad Ali lights the Olympic flame during the 1996 Summer Olympics. July 19th, AP Photo Michael Probst Muhammad Ali smiles after receiving his gold medal, which replaces the 1960 gold medal he lost. Aug. 3rd AP Photo Susan Regan All his life he has lit the torch. He really is a gift to mankind at large. This man spiritually represents the essence of honor that should exist in all of us. Rod Steiger, Actor A New Mission All my boxing. All my running around. All my publicity was just the start of my life. Now my life is starting. Fighting injustice, fighting racism, fighting crime, fighting illiteracy, fighting poverty. Using this face that the world knows so well and going out and representing truth. Boxing was just the dressing room and the stadium is the world problems. Today, Muhammad Ali travels over 200 days a year, visiting hospitals and orphanages and doing exactly what he said he would do: fighting poverty and disease, and promoting peace and harmony. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, the world was treated to "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth." - Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali lighting the torch, signifying the opening of the Olympic Games. It was an emotional scene for 3 billion people watching, as Muhammad slowly lifted the torch with his shaking hands, defying his affliction, and lit the main Olympic torch. It was the perfect communion of mankind and a great symbol of human spirit. Ali kisses a Liberian orphan. San Pedro, Ivory Coast Aug. 20, AP Photo David Guttenfelder Credits: DVD ʻMuhammad Ali Through the Eyes of the Worldʼ DVD ʻMuhammad Ali: The Greatestʼ Book ʻKing of the Worldʼ David Remnick Playboy Interview April / May 2007 U. The National College Magazine

7 Exclusive Ali Interview by John Carrieri JC: What has been the most challenging thing in your life? Ali: I think Parkinsonʼs has been very challenging to me personally, but I have been able to use my name to raise awareness and money for research so in that sense it has also been rewarding. Parkinsonʼs has given me humility and the ability to be a better listener. JC: What is your greatest strength? Ali: My greatest strength is my ability to forgive. JC: What is your greatest weakness? Ali: Ice Cream anybodyʼs ice cream. JC: You have been known to fight hunger around the world, effectively helping to provide 232 million meals to the worldʼs hungry. Do you have one trip that was especially memorable to you? Ali: Every trip Iʼve taken where I delivered food to children was important and memorable because hopefully it made a difference in the lives of all those children and people I was able to help. I hope I can make more of those trips. JC: Why did you launch your new GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) food line? Ali: A complete answer is too long for this interview. We could do an entire story just on that subject. The long and short of it is I wanted to help offer kids and adults better choices when it came to snacking and nutrition. JC: Whatʼs the real story regarding you losing your Gold Olympic Medal? Ali: What do you mean the real story? Itʼs somewhere in the Ohio River. JC: How did you beat the ʻinvincibleʼ Sonny Liston in your 1st fight with him? Ali: Two things: I psyched him out, and I was a better boxer. JC: When you were harassing Sonny prior to the fight in a Las Vegas casino, did he really pull out a gun? Ali: I wouldnʼt say I was harassing him. Liston was a showman, too. We generated a lot of publicity for that fight. Oh yeah, Liston pulled out a gun a water gun. JC: Who was your toughest competitor? Ali: Joe Frazier. JC: Ali: What is the hardest boiiiiiing you ever took? I donʼt remember taking a boiiiiiing from anyone. I was far too fast for that even on my worst day. Now, if you really want to know who had the hardest punch that would be Ernie Shavers. JC: What do you think of the popular UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) which seems to be eclipsing boxing? Ali: Iʼm not sure what I think about it because I donʼt really watch it. Is it possible that it will eclipse boxing? Anything is possible, but boxing is getting its act together. I predict a big comeback. JC: How did you feel when you heard that in 1971, the Supreme Court ruled in your favor? Ali: Well, I felt vindicated. I knew that I was a conscientious objector. I did not dodge the draft; I worked within the system. It was not a war I was going to fight in. JC: Who do you think was the greatest President in U.S. History and why? Ali: I donʼt think that there was one single greatest president. I think that most presidents have contributed something positive to history. Lincoln, of course, was a great president. I think Clinton was a good president. I liked him when he was President and I still like him a lot because I think he genuinely cares about all people, regardless of who they are, where they come from or how much they have. (cont. next page) Expand Your Horizons! Post your Resume on Employment.com and be entered to win! Visit employment.com/rules for rules. Thinking of relocating after graduation? Southwest Airlines and Employment.com are offering you and a friend roundtrip airfare to explore a new city. Go to

8 President Ford helped us heal from Vietnam, I remember meeting him at the White House with my father. He was a smart guy. JC: What do you think of the Iranian President Ahmadinejad? He seems to be looking for a fight with the West. Ali: I never met him, so I canʼt offer an opinion that would be helpful. I donʼt know if he is looking for a fight with the West but I hope we are not looking for one in Iran either. JC: What did you feel when you lit the torch at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics? Redemption? Solidarity? Or something else? Ali: Pride and humility. I think it is a disgrace that many of our elderly are making these kinds of decisions every day. Given how much we are able to spend on wars, no one in this country should ever go to bed hungry, and every child who wants a college education should have one. JC: What advice would you give to a young person to succeed in their career and in life? Ali: You have to preserve and believe in yourself I always tell that to people. But thatʼs not enough. You have to train and prepare for what ever it is youʼre working on a career, a hobby, or a relationship. Just showing up and wanting it isnʼt enough; youʼve got to do the hard work first. JC: When I first met you in San Diego in 1992, you performed magic tricks for me. What intrigues you about magic? Ali: That people can be so easily deceived by slight of hand. I always show how a trick is done because itʼs wrong to deceive people. I just want to show how easy it is, though so people donʼt put their faith into something that isnʼt real. JC: Ali: What is the single greatest thing you want to be remembered for? In the end, thatʼs not really up to me to decide. I have lived my life in such a way, and had so many experiences, that there will be many different ways that people remember me. I donʼt think about it a lot but I am sure it wonʼt just be a single thing Iʼm sure it will be many things. JC: Can you bust out a poem for me? And I mean a good one! Ali: I will give you a short one. You will be an ordinary writer, but I will do down in history as the greatest fighter. JC: Ouch, I see you still have your mean jab. JC: If God told you to never again say Iʼm so pretty would you, could you abide? Ali: Of course I would and of course I could. But do you think God has a direct line to me? JC: Do you think God will judge each individual based on their actions completely independent of race or color? Ali: I would never try to anticipate Godʼs decisions, but I believe that God created us so why would race and color matter to Him? JC: Are you color blind? Ali: It depends on what you mean by that. I am not a racist, but it is clear that race is still a big issue in America today. I think itʼs sort of sad that people make assumptions and discriminate since there is absolutely nothing a person can do about their skin color. The color of a person is really God given so if you donʼt like someoneʼs color, then what you have is a problem with Godʼs decisions. Frankly, Iʼm not that bold. JC: Do you still carry a box of matches with you? Ali: No. JC: In 1975, at the age of 33, in your interview with Playboy you said: The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life. How do you feel your thinking was diferent at age 50 than it was when you gave that interview, and how do you think today on your 65th birthday? Ali: When I was 30 I was at the height of my boxing career. At 50, Iʼd been out of the ring for about ten years. My last professional bout was 25 years ago. My thinking has changed a lot, as everyoneʼs does over a lifespan. If youʼre thinking doesnʼt change then you havenʼt learned anything on your journey. I think Iʼm more patient now, more content. Iʼm definitely wiser. JC: In 1975, you said that you were trying to make the United States your home, but due to the state of civil liberties, it wasnʼt. How do you feel now and are you happy with the progress that has been made? Ali: I think we have made progress in many areas, but I think there are many more areas that need improvement. We ought to be taking care of all of our people, especially poor people. Everyone should be able to go to the doctor when theyʼre sick, have the surgeries they need, and not worry about going bankrupt. And they shouldnʼt have to decide whether to buy their medication for the month or buy food. Athletic Achievements Heavyweight Championship Title February 25, 1964 defeated Sonny Liston October 30, 1974 defeated George Foreman September 15, 1978 defeated Leon Spinks Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Century December 3, 1999 BBC Sportsman of the Century London, England December 12, 1999 International Boxing Hall of Fame, Canastoga, NY 1990 Humanitarian Awards Amnesty International s Lifetime Achievement Award, 1992 United Nations Messenger of Peace, New York, 1998 International Ambassador of Jubilee April / May 2007 U. The National College Magazine For more information about Muhammad Ali or Legends in our Time Awards AAU Title Light Heavyweight 1959 National Golden Gloves Title, Middleweight 1960 Olympic Gold Medal for Light Heavyweight division, Rome, Italy, 1960 Presidential Citizens Medal awarded by President Clinton January 8, 2001 Washington DC United Cerebral Palsy Humanitarian Award, March 14, 2001 New York Highest honor presented by Ntnl. Assoc. of Broadcasters Education Foundation for lifelong commitment to world peace, tolerance & human rights. June 2001 Kahlil Gibran Award for efforts to combat poverty and hunger throughout the world. Washington DC, May 4, 2004 Otto-Hahn Peace Medal for involvement in U.S. civil rights and peace efforts - Berlin, Germany 2005 Presidential Medal of Freedom, America s highest civil award. Awarded by President George W. Bush Nov. 9th 2005 Washington DC Legends in our Time Award April 2007 San Diego Other Accomplishments Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Louisville, KY GQ s Men of Year Courage Award - October 21, 1998 Honorary Law degree from Columbia University Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, KY Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame Mayor Hahn of Los Angeles proclaims January 17 Muhammad Ali Day - Jan. 02