Died boxing genius Mohammed Ali

The sad news of the death of Mohammed Ali flew around the world on June 3. He was the idol of millions of people, and not just because he boxed the best in the world. Attracted the extraordinary personality, his courage not only in the ring, but also in everyday life, directness and sincerity - all those qualities that are appreciated by decent people of the whole planet. Ali was a real man, fighter, so tearful sentiment and dreary obituaries are now out of place. It must be remembered differently.

Childhood

Cassius Marcellus Clay (Jr.) was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on January 17, 1942, and his childhood was in the post-war years. At the end of the forties and the early fifties, there was an economic upswing in the United States, the country was rapidly becoming richer, capturing world markets and flooding the whole world with goods. This money the Americans earned on real production, and not speculating, the dollar was provided with a full-fledged gold content, but despite these unconditional successes, a significant part of the population lived very poorly, especially in the southern states. Perhaps this circumstance caused the desire of many talented young people to achieve fame. The Kleev family did not belong to the poorest sections of society, they were rather middle peasants, the father (also Cassius, only the elder, named his son after him) drew posters and signs, and Odessa's mother (that's really Odessa-mother) was a housewife. Papa-artist, obviously, tried very hard, and by the mid-fifties he managed to save up for a small house in the Louisville area where black people lived, and Cassius the younger worked part-time for pocket expenses, in America it was always considered the norm. It was not necessary to get a full-time job, unlike many peers.

Sense of justice

In the southern states in the fifties, racial segregation was common, everyone was used to it as a given, and Cassius's mother was even proud of the white blood flowing in her veins. But only the future boxer himself, then a young man, had such an inherent trait of character as an acute sense of justice. It was completely incomprehensible to him why the color of a man's skin so influences fate and opportunities in the most democratic country in the world. The guy at one time even doubted, but they let blacks into paradise after death, and asked about this mom. Once they were refused in a glass of water by the employees of the cafe, when they had to wait a long time for the bus. Quite often there were stories of glaring application of double standards in courts. And who knows, what would happen to the fate of a strong black kid from the state of Kentucky, perhaps he would first be a hooligan, and then a real criminal, if not for one policeman, incidentally, white.

Stolen bike and cop Martin

His name was Joe Martin, he served in the police of Kentucky, and at the same time coached the local boxing team. The meeting with the 12-year-old Cassius took place under rather dramatic circumstances: the boy was stolen by a bicycle, a beautiful, red Schwinn, bought for honestly earned dollars. There was no limit to the indignation, the owner of this glittering miracle left for a minute, to eat free ice cream, which was treated at the fair, and everything was taken away. Cassius said to the cop that if he caught the thief, he would not find it enough. And then Joe asked him a simple question: "Can you do it?" After all, you also need to be able to fight. And Martin invited the guy to his gym. And he did not go.

How to appear future champions

But fate can not be fooled. After a couple of weeks Cassius watched TV and saw the program "Future Champions", which made a huge impression on him. It was beautiful: the ring, fenced with ropes, the referee in white, the gong and the winners, shining with joyful pride. It was a triumph of strength, and justice too. The guy wanted to be shown on television. And they went to the boxing hall together with their brother. It was here that the character manifested itself. Cassius was a real bully, he was constantly in conflict with other guys, claimed that he was the best, and there were no reasons for that yet. He was even sometimes expelled from training, though not for long. By the way, in his sports future coaches did not really believe, it was painful ruffer was a guy, just wanted to. Only Fred Stoner saw in him something that he had not seen in others.

First success

Coach Stoner taught Cassius the correct "jab", and just a month and a half after the beginning of the training he released his pupil for the first fight. The opponent, Ronnie O'Keefe, also in the "mosquito weight", was strong, strong and experienced, but the victory was awarded to Clay, who immediately in his manner started shouting about what would be the best in the world. Such arrogance, generally speaking, is possible and superfluous, but in this case it turned out to be prophetic. The first success inspired the young boxer, he began to train harder, every day. He ran to school, and did not go by bus, he was not interested in alcoholic beverages, much less drugs, and he began to follow the diet carefully.

A fool or a wise man?

Then there was everything, the glory, the numerous victories, the innovative and unusual technique of fighting with the hands down, as if provoking the match for a blow, in fact, it is a trap. But, for all the purposefulness of the boxer, he once admitted that he needed to become a champion in order to be able to say whatever he thought. It was not a goal, but a means. He wanted to encourage all people to live with dignity and freedom, to inspire them to do so. And he had something to say, although evil tongues and argued that the thinking abilities of the boxer somehow not very much. Yes, and he sometimes joked that the greatest - does not mean the smartest. The Army Medical Commission even once recognized him as unfit for service because of low intelligence, but in the light of his statements and actions, rather, one can assume a simulation. Painfully wise things can sometimes be heard from the mouth of Mohammed Ali.

Oddities of the genius

The greatest boxer of the modern era was afraid to fly on an airplane, and even his participation in the Rome Olympics in 1960 was a big question for that reason. In the end, he boarded the ship, but for certainty he bought a parachute, which he took aboard. An Olympic medal won so hard, Cassius Clay valued very highly, with a childlike spontaneity he never took it off and even slept with her, but he himself threw it into the river when he was not served in his home town in a restaurant where the entrance was banned color. He refused to serve in the Army and went to Vietnam (1967), saying that he had not quarreled with the Vietcong, and therefore had nothing against him. For some reason, in this case, the "slope" with low AI did not work, and the great athlete was fined $ 10,000, and even gave five years of disqualification. Is it worth mentioning that the judges were white? By the way, he also condemned the entry of the Soviet Army into Afghanistan. In 1964, Clay changed his name, becoming Mohammed, and converted to Islam. He, in general, loved and knew how to surprise everyone.

The last gong

There were many things in his life, both victories and defeats. In the city where Cassius did not want to serve in a restaurant, now stands the six-story Center of Mohammed Ali, worth $ 80 million. He became a famous and rich man, he was awarded the Freedom Medal, and many more honors were paid. He lit the Olympic flame. And 32 years courageously struggled with terrible illness of Parkinson. This battle ended in defeat for him. Death came on June 3, although doctors in advance, in a few days, advised to prepare for the worst. He was 74 years old. His daughter Khan said that her father is now free. However, probably he was always free. Peace be upon him, and we will remember Muhammad Ali beautiful and strong, at the zenith of his glory.