Sunday, September 5, 2010

Cassius Clay - Olympic Gold

September 5, 1960  Rome, Italy


18 year old Cassius Clay defeated Poland's Ziggy Pietrzykowski to win the Olympic Gold Medal in the Light-Heavyweight division.   The Gold Medal win would mark the end of Clay's amateur boxing career and the beginning of his pro career.

In 1964 Clay defeated Sonny Liston, becoming the World Heavyweight Champion.  The next day he changed his name to Muhammad Ali signifying his relationship with the Nation of Islam.  In 1966 Ali refused the Draft and became an outspoken critic of the War in Vietnam. 

"The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 
has wasted 30 years of his life."
Muhammad Ali

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TTFN... Rob