Muhammad Ali - The Facts on His Assassination

There are no surprises for you in this HUB. I will not be attempting an explanation of the Muti-Universe or Dark Energy theories. I present only simple elegance. That I am an Ali disciple is incontrovertible.

Sharing in Muhammad Ali's life-story is my destiny, and it brings me pleasure and gratification beyond measure. I am a professionally trained killer, a Marine Corps Veteran of the Vietnam War Era. I fear no man, there was no realm I would not enter. I trained men for battle, taught them to kill in my likeness, even preparing them for their own death. I am an old man now, one who is thankful, fortunate to be given an alternative and Truer Concept of Thought. I have Hero Worship for only a handful of men. This is my belief that there is a lesson for all of us, including future generations, in which we will come to understand how the personal integrity, courage and dignity of this exemplary man brought forth the principled and right-minded consciousness of the modern day American.

Archimedes once said he could move the world if given a lever. Muhammad Ali needed no such lever. So, if you are in need of mental nourishment, or if you want to point your children to an American Icon as a role model, then do a study on the life of Muhammad Ali. This is just a quick snap-shot, rendering some feats, both in and beyond the boxing ring, but this HUB is certainly most worthy of your time...please, read on.

Socrates, Alexander the Great, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Howard Hughes, and Barak Obama. These men, with their Insight and Boldness, have touched the lives of all humanity and changed the course of history.

Muhammad (Worthy of All Praises) Ali (Most High) stands in this Circle of Greatness.

Olympic Gold, The Greatest of All Time, Numero Uno, A #1, King of the Hill, Top of the Heap, Sportsman of the Century (by Sports Illustrated and the BBC), Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (highest award for a USA civilian), the real Man of Steel and Alpha-Male Extraordinaire.

"Alpha-males don't get distracted, they focus on the prey...and then it's over."

- PBS

Compare this statistic to any...Liston, Frazier and Foreman were a combined 105-2 with 90 by KO before they fought and lost to Ali. He was in charge of all men (all HW Champions) from start to finish and KOed all three.

These numbers would be viewed with disbelief, by even the most knowledgeable of pundits, if not documented by historical fact. Where the human mind comes to a standstill is when realizing that Ali achieved these numbers in spite of his "assassination;" losing his Title and boxing license for 3 1/2 years, his prime athletic years, for refusing induction to the U.S. Armed Forces. We were never given the opportunity to see the very "Best Ali" in the ring.

Babe Ruth is Ali's "runner-up." Secretariat is there. RG III will attain like status in due time.

Michael Jordan, Jack Nicholas, Wayne Gretzky, Ty Cobb, Bill Russell, Pele, Jimmy Connors, Peyton Manning, Sandy Koufax and all other athletes of similar ilk...are not even in the picture.

"In comparison to any boxer, or any other athlete for that matter, Ali is a Northrup B-2 Stealth Jet Fighter compared to a single engine open cockpit crop-duster."

- R. W.

1964:

Ali shocked the World as a 7-1 underdog in 1964 when he humbled Liston. It was evident in the first two rounds that Liston was outmatched by Ali's speed and accuracy. So, Liston's corner-men decided to cheat by putting an abrasive substance on his gloves which blinded Clay for more than one round. He came back to his corner and told Angelo Dundee to cut his gloves off because he couldn't see a thing. Dundee would have no part of that. After sponging down both eyes he literally pushed Clay to the center of the ring and told him to "move, dance and stay away from him." This was Angelo's 1st great service to Ali. Thank you Angelo! As we know, Clay recovered and won the HW World Championship.

1971:

Took a left hook from Joe Frazier (1st fight) which snapped Ali's head sideways, buckled his knees and sent him sprawling to the canvas on his back with his feet up in the air...UP BEFORE THE COUNT OF FOUR!

1974:

When the bell rang to begin round one in Zaire the first thing Ali did was rush across the center of the ring to meet Foreman head-on (Big George's last 8 fights were all by KO's and all prior to the end of round 2). Foreman had taken maybe one step away from his corner when Ali immediately faked a right hand lead making "Big George" FLINCH and had him leaning nearly all the way back into his corner. Ali would go on to score the first 11 significant punches of the fight (in the 1st minute of Round 1), all were solid head shots and primarily all from right hand leads. Ali would establish his punishing straight left hand jab lead, followed by multiple combinations, in Round 2. Here Ali began the ever so soft whisper into Foreman's left ear..."George, I am the real Heavyweight Champion of the World."

1980:

Ali was never cut or counted out, and he, himself never quit. In the 12 round fight vs. HW Champ Holmes (age 30 w/7 title defenses all by KO) Ali threw fewer than 25 punches the entire fight. The 38 year old ex-champ (had not fought in over 2 years) resorted to "rope-a dope" tactics which were futile against the "Easton Assassin." After round 10, the punchless Ali went to his corner, took the stool and began to prepare himself mentally for round 11. However, Bundi kept both his hands firmly planted on Ali's shoulders, pushing him down and keeping Ali from standing when the bell rang to begin round 11. Dundee told the ref to stop the fight, but the ref heard Ali say he wanted to continue and the ref initially refused Dundee's request to stop the fight. Dundee turned to the ref with a most menacing and fierce Italian stare and said, "I am his chief second, and I'm telling you to stop the fu...ing fight NOW!" This was Dundee's second great service to Ali. It was Ali's 1st and only TKO. Holmes openly wept in the ring after the fight was stopped and refused to speak to sportswriters until he gained his composure.

"Champions are made of something they have deep inside them. A dream, a vision, a desire. They must have the skill and the will. But the will must be greater than the skill."

- Muhammad Ali

The Intangible Strengths

1. Overcome Adversity
2. Superior Knowledge/Tactics and Strategies
3. Superior Passion
4. Superior Work Ethic
5. Superior Preparation
6. Superior Belief in Yourself

There is no greater competitive advantage. Opponents have no counter strategy to defend against them.

Possession of the Intangible Strengths are the only dimensions which can authorize True Greatness.

Authorship of the Intangible Strengths belongs to R.W., as taught to him by the words and actions of Muhammad Ali.

At 22 years of age, in 1964 and just prior to the Liston (I) fight, Ali (he was born Cassius Marcellus Clay) chose to join the Nation of Islam. He was given the name of Cassius X. When he informed the fight promoters of his conversion to Islam they insisted he renounce his new affiliation, threatening him with a cancellation of the fight. Ali chose to follow the advice of the Nation of Islam leaders in understanding that the "white man's God was money." He did agreed to keep quiet on the issue, but would not renounce his religion. After he KO'ed Liston and became the new Heavyweight Champion he was given the name of Muhammad (Worthy of All Praises) Ali (Most High) by Elijah Muhammad, the Nation of Islam's controversial leader. Ali's conversion to Islam and his new title as the World's Heavyweight Champion made Ali front page news.

However, Ali was considered to be brash and arrogant, not only by the white media in the United States, but he was also held in isolation by the Black Community leaders of the emerging Civil Rights Movement. Although Ali fully embraced the Civil Rights cause and Black Freedom Struggle, it was thought best to keep him at a distance. Ali was considered too provocative at the time, and the feeling was that any alliance with him would negate the gains that had been made with the Johnson Administration.

To this day Ali has trouble reading and writing. In spite of his linguistic and athletic genius, he failed the Army Aptitude Test and was declared ineligible, in any capacity, to serve in the United States Armed Forces.

There would be further conditions to this issue however, and these would lead to his virtual "assassination."

Contrary to the Johnson Administration's military intelligence, the North Vietnam war-machine proved to be a brave, fierce, strategic and cohesive adversary which gave the USA all they could.handle. The American leadership had placed their soldiers in the middle of a "bloodbath."

To win the Vietnam War more "boots on the ground" were needed. Thus, being short on manpower, the Aptitude Test scores for acceptance into military duty were lowered. Ali's deferment was rescinded. Ali was now eligible and received notification to report for induction in early 1966..

Ali refused to step forward three times when his name was called at the induction site. He cited his Islamic religious beliefs and declared himself a conscientious objector. He was convicted for draft evasion, then fined $10,000 and sentenced to a 5 year prison term. He would appeal his conviction to the US Supreme Court.

Once convicted, he then was virtually "assassinated" in the US news media; vilified to no small degree. He was openly called, among other things, an "anarchist, felon, coward, a pawn of the Nation of Islam, and a draft dogging Nig..r." The conviction also cost Ali his Title and boxing license. He gave up his Fame and Fortune for his beliefs; it would be an exile of 3 1/2 years before Ali was able to fight again.

Banned from making a living inside the ring, he supported himself by taking the lectern at major universities across the country. College administrators and intellectuals saw him as the impetus to the Antiwar Movement (it was not until April of '67 that MLK came out against the war).

Ali spoke eloquently and gave sound minded reasoning for his positions on both the Antiwar Movement and Black Freedom struggle. It was indeed Muhammad Ali who gave breath to young Americans on both issues. Protests against racial inequality and the Vietnam War had now become mainstream issues for the remainder of the turbulent '60's and beyond.

Ali would receive an honorary doctorate of humanities from Princeton University in 2007.

George W. Bush awarded Ali the Presidential Medal of Freedom (seen below) which is the highest award given to a United States civilian.

His greatest achievement was his victory over the US Government when our Supreme Court overturned his conviction as unconstitutional. The vote was 8-0 (Thurgood Marshall had recused himself as he worked as counsel for the NAACP). In no uncertain terms, Ali was fully prepared for jail time, and even death, had the decision gone the other way.

He is indeed Worthy of All Praises and Most High....Ali has taught us, and more than just one generation, how to "Fight" how to "Think" and how to "Live."

May God bless his magnificent Black ass for all eternity.

LINKS

The Muhammad Ali Institute/University of Louisville

http://louisville.edu/aliinstitute

The Muhammad Ali Center

http://alicenter.org/