Muhammad Ali, “The Greatest,” Dies At Age 74

Muhammad Ali, one of the most iconic athletes and activists of all-time has died at the age of 74. While Ali made his name in the ring, as arguably the greatest boxer the sport ever saw–combining power and finesse–it likely was his activities outside of the “sweet science” that defined him.

In the 1960s, rather than go to the Vietnam war, a military action against which he vehemently protested, he served three and a half years in prison for avoiding the draft, during what was perhaps his prime. Additionally, his megawatt charisma and sublime trash talking endeared him to fans while also modeling a strong and confident Black man to a community that was in the midst of an intense Civil Rights struggle.

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To that end, when the boxer born Cassius Clay boldly changed his name to Muhammad Ali, after converting to Islam, he also showed that his fearlessness extended much further than the confines of the squared circle.

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On Thursday, Ali was hospitalized with what was reported as a “respiratory infection.” For years prior, the man who used to “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, severely limiting his public appearances. At the time of his passing, Ali was 74 years old.

Ambrosia For Heads extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and millions of fans of Muhammad Ali.