MUHAMMAD ALI THE ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY
Christine Kidney
Format: Hardback
Pages: 224 pages
Author: Christine Kidney
Illustration Source: The Daily Mail
Dimensions: 254 x 254 x 26mm
Weight: 1,260.98g
Publication Date: 31 Aug 2009
Out of Print Date: 8 October 2013
Publisher: Atlantic Publishing, Croxley Green
Imprint: Transatlantic Press
Publication City/Country: Croxley Green, United Kingdom
Language: English
Illustrations: 220
ISBN10: 0955794900
ISBN13: 9780955794902
Subject Biography: Sport
MUHAMMAD ALI THE ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) was an American Heavyweight champion boxer and one of the greatest sporting figures of the 20th century. An Olympic gold medalist and the first fighter to capture the heavyweight title three times, Ali won 56 fights in his 21-year professional career.
Ali’s outspokenness on issues of race, religion and politics made him a controversial figure during his career, and the heavyweight’s quips and taunts were as quick as his fists. Born Cassius Clay Jr., Ali changed his name in 1964 after joining the Nation of Islam. Citing his religious beliefs, he refused military induction and was stripped of his heavyweight championship and banned from boxing for three years during the prime of his career.
Parkinson’s syndrome severely impaired Ali’s motor skills and speech and he passed away from Respiratory Failure on the 4th of June, 2016.
Contemporary American Boxer Floyd Mayweather — who has dominated boxing in the modern era to boast a stunning 49-0 record — credited Ali with paving the way for boxers like him to chase their dreams.
“Words can’t explain what Muhammad Ali (has) done for the sport of boxing, He’s one of the guys that paved the way for me to be where I am today. We lost a legend, a hero and a great man.”
Muhammad Ali first came into the public eye when, as Cassius Clay, he won a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960.
Muhammad Ali went on to become the greatest boxer the world has ever seen and a political firebrand who would come to symbolise a criticial turning point in American History.
In 1964 he stunned the boxing community with his defeat of the heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston, taking the title for the first of three times. Only those closest to Clay knew that he had the speed and ability to outfox even the greatest punch in the history of boxing, which is precisely what he did. Throughout his extraordinary career, his influence on the world of boxing would change the sport forever.
Much has been written about the man however, Muhammad Ali, The Illustrated Biograhy charts the life of this fascinating and complex man through a series of amazing action photographs, as well as powerful and intimate images at rest or on the public stage. While the photograhs shot during the fights show the raw power, athleticism and skill of the fighter, they are balanced by portrayals of his humanity and wit.
The superb photographs, drawn from the comprehensive archives of the Daily Mail, are accompanied by detailed captions which add context and depth to deliver a rounded and comprehensive portrait of the man who was truly “The Greatest”.
