Every sport has its great legends: soccer has Pele, basketball has Michael Jordan, and tennis, Steffi Graf. Is
there one athlete who people consider to be the best ever? Many would say that person is boxer Muhammad Ali,
known to his many fans as "the greatest".
Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942. At the age of twelve, after his bike was stolen, young Ali began
boxing; by the time he reached high school, he was a great amateur(业余) boxer. After winning six state and
two national boxing championships, he competed in the 1960 Olympic, where he won a gold medal. That same
year, at the age of eighteen, he became a professional boxer.
From the start of his career it was clear that Ali was different from other athletes. He was outspoken,
confident, strong-willed and talked publicly about himself and his beliefs (信仰). The man who called himself
"the greatest" still faced many challenges, though. After winning his Olympic gold medal, he returned home to
the United States. He was not allowed to stay in certain hotels or eat in certain restaurants because of the color
of his skin. Ali was disgusted (反感) with racism in the U.S., so he threw his Olympic medal into a river.
In 1964, Ali beat Sonny Liston to become the world heavyweight champion. Ali surprised the world again in
1966, not for his boxing skills, but for his political beliefs. He disagreed with the U.S. war in Vietnam and
refused to join the army, which all young men in the U.S. had to do at the same time. As a result, Ali's
heavyweight title was taken away, and he was sent to prison for five years.
Ali retired (退休) from boxing in 1981, ending a career of sixty-one fights, of which he won fifty-six. In
1996, he was recognized as a sporting hero at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Atlanta. The
crowd at the Game cheered as Ali, now suffering from Parkinson's disease, lit the Olympic flame-no longer the
strongest, but still the greatest.
The Greatest -Muhammad Ali | Personal details |
| Date of birth: | January 17,1942 | | (1) of birth: | Louisville, Kentucky | | Characteristics: | outspoken, strong-willed and (2) | | Sporting Career | In (3) , he started boxing after his bike was stolen.
When he was a (4) school student , he was a good amateur boxer.
In the 1960 Olympics, he won his (5) gold medal.
At the age of 22, he (6) the world heavyweight champion.
In 1981, he (7) boxing as a professional player. | | Other Information: | Racism made Ali feel so (8) that he threw his Olympic medal into a river.
He was sent to prison because he didn't (9) to join the army.
In 1996 , he was recognized as a sporting (10) at the opening ceremony
of the Olympic Games in Atlanta. |
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