Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. January 17, 1942 – 3 June 2016. Muhammad Ali was an Olympic and World Champion boxer, who also had a unique personality, based on self-belief and strong religious and political convictions. In 1999, Ali was crowned “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated. He won the World Heavyweight Boxing championship three times and won the North American Boxing Federation championship as well as an Olympic gold medal.