Why Muhammad Ali is a Hero

In this essay I want  to present a man whose life is full of struggle and hardships and how he overcame these hardships and became a successful person. The person who I’m talking about is none other than the greatest boxer, a fighter and a legend. Muhammad Ali, I consider a hero someone that has done great things and accomplished hard goals and standing up for their own rights and doing things that are extraordinary, Muhammad Ali is someone that fills my standards of a hero. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942. Muhammad Ali who first came into the public eye as Cassius Clay when he won a gold medal at the Olympic games. Muhammad Ali shocked the world by defeating Heavyweight champions and becoming a famous boxer. He has achieved things in his life which are very hard to accomplish. His hard work and dedication make him a hero.

At first, he had no intention for boxing, but after someone had stolen his bike, when he was twelve his whole life was set. Muhammad Ali’s public conversion to Islam, in 1964 was among the most defining moment of his remarkable life. He shocked the world yet again when he changed his name to Muhammad Ali after the fight.

During the Vietnam war, Muhammad Ali was ordered to go fight in Vietnam, but he refused on religious belief and he was one of the first people to speak out against it “My intention in doing is to win a clean fight. But in war, the intention is to kill, kill, kill and continue killing innocent people” He declared that it was not tolerable for a muslim to kill, this declaration resulted into backlash, everyone like media and government claimed him as a coward and a traitor. He was stripped off his title and was banned from boxing, and sentenced to five years in jail. At this point, most people may have given up, but Muhammad Ali choose peace instead of violence. After a long five years legal battle, Muhammad Ali had won his case for refusing the draft. He exhibited acts of bravery, courage and compassion during his legal fight, and stands up for the oppressed people of Vietnam.

Muhammad Ali was a hero as he cared for the oppressed, and brave enough to express his beliefs. He spoke out against the tyranny that was segregation. In the end, I would like to finish my speech by quoting this beautiful quote Muhammad Ali “Floated like a butterfly” with his compassion and “Stung like a bee” in his words against discrimination. He is no more among us but his bravery, courage and compassion always be there to make the world a better place. 

Works Cited

1. Ali, M. (1975). The Greatest: My Own Story. Random House.
2. Eig, J. (2017). Ali: A Life. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
3. Hoffer, E. (2001). Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. Simon & Schuster.
4. Lewis, F. (2008). King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero. Harper Perennial.
5. Marqusee, M. (2005). Redemption Song: Muhammad Ali and the Spirit of the Sixties. Verso Books.
6. Montville, L. (1996). Sting Like a Bee: The Muhammad Ali Story. Doubleday.
7. Remnick, D. (1999). King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero. Vintage.
8. Schaap, J. (2017). Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. Ballantine Books.
9. Smith, G. (2002). Muhammad Ali: The People's Champ. Sport Media Publishing.
10. Wakeman, B. (2015). The World of Muhammad Ali: Tribute to the Greatest. TASCHEN.