Muhammad Ali

Born Cassius Clay in 1942, he boxed as an amateur in his teens before turning professional after the 1960 Olympics in which he won a gold medal. As a professional, he was undefeated in 19 fights before he contended for the title, which he won in 1964. Clay converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali later that year. Ali also made headlines by refusing to got Vietnam due to his religious beliefs. He was stripped of his title, but eventually regained his titles after his conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Syndrome in 1984, and since then has focused primarily on philanthropy.