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Muhammmad Ali. I’m sure that everyone here has heard the phrase “float
like a butterfly and sting like a bee”. This was the ...
Submitted by Jargejones on March 13, 2005
Category: American History
Words: 965 | Pages: 4
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I’m sure that everyone here has heard the phrase “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee”. This was the slogan used by the man considered by many to be the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali was born in 1942 with the name Cassius Clay, but later changed it to Muhammad Ali after he became a Muslim. Cassius grew up in Louisville Kentucky and threw one of his first punches when he was only six months old, hitting his mother so hard that she had to have two teeth pulled out. Clay got into boxing at the age of 12. After having his bike stolen, Cassius ran into police officer Joe Martin and told him that he was gonna whoop whoever stole his bike. The police officer happened to run a boxing gym, and suggested that Cassius should learn proper boxing technique first. Clay soon began to excel in boxing and furthermore began his journey down the path of greatness.
Cassius Clay soon had a reputation in the boxing world as a loud mouth with a very unusual boxing style. Clay was constantly bragging about his speed and strength, as well as making rhymes about his opponents. Here’s an example of one of Clay’s rhymes taken from a Muhammad Ali fanpage:
This is the legend of Muhammad Ali,
The greatest fighter that ever will be.
He talks a great deal and brags, indeed,
Of a powerful punch and blinding speed.
Ali fights great, he’s got speed and endurance;
If you sign to fight him, increase your insurance.
Ali’s got a left, Ali’s got a right;
If he hits you once, you’re asleep for the night.
Comments like these made Clay’s opponents eager to get into the ring with him, but they soon realized that he could back up all of his taunts. His fighting style was unique, because unlike most boxers, he held his arms at his sides and swayed backward to dodge punches rather than blocking them with his fists. He was able to get away with this because of his blinding speed. Not only did...
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