While some Americans applauded Ali’s decision to forgo military service—the anti-war movement was gaining strength at the time—much of the public tagged the 1960 Olympic gold-medalist as a traitor and draft dodger.
On April 28, 1967, boxing icon Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army and was soon stripped of his heavyweight championship title by the government. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. in Louisville, the outspoken pugilist, who converted to Islam in 1964, cited religious reasons for his powerful statement.
“I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong,” Ali added. While some Americans applauded Ali’s decision to forgo military service—the anti-war movement was gaining strength at the time—much of the public tagged the 1960 Olympic gold-medalist as a traitor and draft dodger.
Charged with violating the Selective Service Act and sentenced to five years in jail, Ali went through a marathon court battle, but by 1970 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that he should be allowed to fight.
A March 8, 1971 bout against heavyweight champion Joe Frazier was promptly scheduled and newspapers dubbed it “The Fight Of The Century.”
During the epic battle, Ali was knocked down in the fifteenth round by his nemesis. Yet after Smokin’ Joe lost his title to the imposing George Foreman in 1973, Ali was able to regain the heavyweight championship in October of ’74 in the historic “The Rumble in the Jungle.”
The 32-year-old fighter brilliantly employed his rope-a-dope tactic against Foreman, knocking him out in the eighth round. Ali would meet up with Frazier two more times in ’74 and ’75, winning both grueling yet iconic matches.
Years later, many boxing historians view Ali, who has valiantly battled Parkinson’s disease, as the greatest fighter of all time who went on to transcend his sport. But after all these accomplishments, his decision to resist the draft remains a huge part of his legacy.
Could you imagine an athlete making such polarizing statement today?
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