Sixteen of twenty professional players invited for Gambia’s World Cup and African Nations Cup qualifier match against Liberia have arrived.

The stars, who have been joined by three local based players in defender Ousman Koli and goalkeepers Joseph Gomez and Christopher Allen, have been training hard with their Belgian coach, Paul Put, ahead of Saturday’s do-or-die cracker at the Independence Stadium.

Paul Put is still expecting the Finland based midfielder, Dawda Bah, while Abdoule Paco Corr and Yankuba Ceesay, who were also invited, are likely to miss out.

The European coach will however be without the services of England based striker Edrissa Sonko and Abdoulie Ken Mansally of MLS giants.

Sonko’s League One club, Tranmere Rovers, refused to release him simply because they didn’t receive the player’s release request early enough, while New Revolution’s Ken Mansally is reported to be nursing an injury.

The pictorial shows the players who are currently in camp with the exception of Joseph Gomez  and Christoper Allen whose photos were not available at the time of going to press last night.

The role of modern day armed and security services goes far beyond combat activities, contrary to how we, in this part of the world, tend to perceive it.

Understandably, this general misconception owes its root to the prevailing destabilising situation in the African continent, as has been the case throughout the post-independence era. However, the army, like any other fraternity, is supposed to be as instrumental in nation building as all the other sectors of society. This means that it is just as important to have the men and women in the force as equipped in terms of expertise, as it is among the civilian core.

If, as it is often said, the primary role of the armed forces is to safeguard the territorial integrity of a nation, it might as well be argued that such an uphill mission goes beyond positioning men and women in guard posts around the country. It also requires trainings on rescue missions, in the field of medicine, construction, engineering, and so on and so forth. Wherever the civil population encounters difficult times, the security apparatus of such a society would be sure to step in; this is exactly what happens in other parts of the world.

The fact that the military core of this country, prior to the July 22nd Revolution, had been seen as a pool for dropouts and people desperately seeking employment opportunities, explains the attitude of the people towards the force. And this, in a way, has reflected in the performance of some of its men and women. However, the present trend of improvement in the army is a cause for jubilation. The announcement made by the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, during last Friday’s landmark passing out ceremony of the 29th intake, strongly expresses this.  

Many of the landmark scientific achievements we enjoy today are the result of researches sanctioned by military institutions; institutions that have received the required expertise they rightly needed to get where they are.

This is something President Jammeh has always envisaged for the security services of this nation. Of course, the professional status of the armed forces of this country today, which has been a cause for pride for the people of this country, demonstrates how far the government has gone in changing the status quo in the army.

If further development plans raised by the Gambian leader are implemented, it will certainly further boost the performance of our men and women all the more, in terms of their already celebrated performance in regional and international peacekeeping missions.
    
For the men and women of the security services though, the ball is now in your court. This government is unique on the African continent, in terms of its encouragement for the security services. It is up to you to take advantage of the numerous opportunities being offered.

Particulars

Name: Michael Ballack

DoB: 26 September 1976, Görlitz, DDR

Height: 188cm (6'2")

Weight: 85kg (13st 5lbs)

Position: Midfielder

Little Kaiser

The man dubbed “Little Kaiser” as an 18 year old has always been in the spotlight, even before his teenage years. As early as age 7 he joined local club Chemnitzer in East Germany and began to shine. His talent was obvious early on as young Ballack was showing equal ability with both feet.

He continued to excel and rise through the system and made his professional debut in 1995 in the Bundesliga 2 with his beloved Chemnitz.

One professional season was enough for the youngster to make his mark, and despite his side's being relegated to the country's third division Ballack was selected for the German U-21 side. The season 1996-1997 saw Ballack run out with Chemnitz in a huge bid to regain promotion. Now a first team regular, playing every game and amassing 10 goals in total, and as valiant as his efforts were, Chemnitz were unable to gain promotion and as a result Ballack was forced to move on to ultimately recognize his true potential.

Early Years

It was in the summer of 1997 when now Greek legend Otto Rehhagel signed the “Little Kaiser” to his newly promoted Kaiserslautern. His transition to the Bundesliga was gradual and he was warranted his first starting appearance against a Leverkusen club that he was later to make his name with.

His Kaiserslautern season was one of dreams and one of the most historic and memorable in German Bundesliga history as the Red Devils went on to become the first newly-promoted team to win the championship in their return season. Ballack made a total of 30 appearances the following year and would help guide Kaiserslautern to the Champions League quarter-finals where they were truly punching above their weight: they came up against Bayern Munich and went out 6-0 on aggregate.

Neverkusen

Realising that Kaiserslautern couldn't hold him. In 1999 Michael Ballack agreed personal terms with Bayer Leverkusen and it is here where his potential, and big break through as one of the world’s leading players came to fruition. At Leverkusen Michael Ballack was at the heart of everything, and over his 3 years he bossed the midfield, scored almost 30 goals, and led his team to the 2002 Champions League final before they where undone by the brilliance of Zidane and some spectacular play from Iker Casillas.

That this small club had come so close, yet fallen at the last hurdle, was all but impossible to take. The 2002 season was enough to scar any professional player, even more so the driven and ambitious Ballack, and the events of that year would earn Bayer the title of “Neverkusen”.

Despite playing an attractive quick brand of football that saw Leverkusen reach the heights of Europe and Germany, with players like Oliver Neuville, Carsten Ramelow, Bernd Schneider, Lucio and Ze Roberto, Leverkusen would blow a five point lead in the last 3 games of the season to give Dortmund the title, lose the aforementioned Champions League to Madrid and then fall in the German Cup to Schalke. And, if this, were not enough a Michael Ballack-led Germany would lose to Brazil in the World Cup in Asia.

From Bavaria To London

That year Michael Ballack would sign a contract with Bayern Munich as his thirst for silverware went unquenched. He spent a total of four years with the Bavarian giants and along the way would finally once again get his hands on the Bundesliga title. He won a total of 3 league and cup doubles and would score 47 goals for Bayern in 135 matches.

But after his four seasons, Ballack yearned to test himself abroad and despite interests from Europe’s elite he finally signed for Chelsea on a free transfer after the World Cup in 2006. At Chelsea, Ballack has yet to achieve the one true club trophy that has eluded him over the years: he joined the Blues solely with the Champions League in mind and in his first season in London, Chelsea would fall at the semi-final stage in a penalty shoot out with Liverpool.

This season Chelsea powered through the knock out rounds on the back of some impressive displays from the German and went one further than the previous year, but still came up short as John Terry’s miss in the final kick of the penalty shoot out against Man United handed the initiative back to United and they went on to complete a Premiership and Champions League double over the London club.

Big In (Korea And) Japan

With Germany, Michael Ballack has without doubt been the banner player. Since his debut for the national team against Scotland in 1999 Ballack has since earned 85 caps and has scored 38 goals up to the quarter final in the 2008 Euros over Portugal. Under Erich Ribeck in 2000, Ballack was a bit part player at the Euros, where Germany lost to England and Portugal and where held by Romania. This result signaled the emergence of former great Rudi Voller, who Ballack would flourish under. It was a tough qualifying campaign for Germany to reach the 2002 World Cup, as they fell quite embarrassingly at home to a Michael Owen inspired England 5-1.

This result helped to condemn the Germans into a play-off with Ukraine with the winner over two legs advancing to the Finals. It was Ballack’s stage, he would score in the first leg in Kiev to take a 1-1 back home to Dortmund, here he would score a further 2 goals to give Germany their tickets to the World Cup.

At the 2002 World Cup Ballack would lead his team by example to the finals, later scoring the winning goal in the Semi-final against Korea but would miss the big show itself as a result of a brave challenge to prevent a Korean goal scoring opportunity, he would receive a yellow card and thus earn a suspension for amassing two many yellow cards and would go on to miss the final against the favourites Brazil. Germany would fall 2-0 to Brazil.

Klinsmann Influence

Germany would qualify reasonably well for the Euros in Portugal, but again its short comings were easily exposed and despite scoring a spectacular goal against the Czechs they where to ultimately fall 2-1, combined with a 0-0 against Latvia and a 1-1 with Holland, Germany would timidly limp out of the Euro 2004. This result was in retrospect seen as a blessing as it heralded the appointment of one Jurgen Klinsmann as the new German coach, tasked with leading the national team to success in the World Cup on German soil.

Under the Klinsmann era, Ballack was made National Team captain and thrived in his new role. He would score in every game in the 2005 Confederations Cup as they fell short in the semis against Brazil. But the National team’s new confidence echoed the drive and ambition being displayed by Ballack as he thrived in the new attacking style of football being played by Klinsmann. In the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Ballack would led his team to the Semi-finals once again but will fall at the feet of the wily Italians in the second period of extra time 2-0.

After easily negotiating the qualifying phase to reach the 2008 Euros in Austria and Switzerland Germany came in as heavy favourties to win it all. A poor display in their second game saw the doubters and critics come running to the forefront, but it was Ballack’s goal-scoring captains display against Austria that sent the Germans into a Quarterfinal against new favourties Portugal. Here once again at their time of need, Michael Ballack delivered. He scores the third German and game-winning goal to send the Portuguese packing and Germany into a Semi-final against the Turks.

His rise to stardom has been hard and difficult but as is often the case with Germans, Michael Ballack has thrived under these circumstances. He remains the only player to reach a Champions League quarterfinal with 4 different teams. His drive and ambition have led him to one international final and various semis, and he is more driven than ever before as he is undoubtedly playing the best football of his life to finally land international honours in the white and black of Germany.

Editor,

Allow me space to use this medium to help my brother to take the force to higher heights. I want to congratulate you for the appointment and trust you have earned yourself - thanks to your good family. My advice to you is forget infighting.

No room for side talks, no groupings, no fans clubs, no revenge - just be a professional. You are the IGP and remember: you cannot be left out from criticism particularly the media in the dispora. Start from where IGP Benedict stopped and continue from there.

He of course did so many good things so it’s from the good things you start and amend his bad ones. Learn how to forget all those whom you think were fighting you. The Police Force is there to stay. Set good precedents. Just take a good example of Tamsir Jasseh. When he was in authority, he arrested people himself, parked vehicles at Bakau longer than required by law, physically assaulted foreigners and even tortured people. Later he became the worse enemy of society!

Follow and respect the Constitution, the Police Act and all other Laws of the Land. Encourage the young ones. Put the relevant people in the relevant places. Don't forget that you alone cannot make it so put everybody on-board, then we will have a professional police force.

With all this advice, you shall never be removed disgracefully but elevated to higher heights. The reason is, when you were enlisted you swore on the Qur’an and said some things so when you do otherwise Allah will punish you.

Long live Jesus-IGP. Long live the Police Force. Long Live the Gambia.

Mariama Jallow

Williams Brown, a South African national currently residing in The Gambia, is another distinguished personality in the modelling and cat-walk industry.

Williams, 22, moved with his family in 1997 to Liberia, where he did his childhood education as a professional cat-walk trainer.

As a certificate holder from the former first lady of Liberian Towar Hawal Taylor International modelling school in 2001, Mr Williams had been a contestant in many competition for males and among them was the master fine time magazine in 1998 and master high school in 2000 respectively in Liberia where he emerged victorious in both competitions.

He became fully initiated in cat-walking in Ghana spending eighteen months and later proceeded to Burkina Fasso

"Cat-walk has become a mesmerising account of my life and this serves as a motivator for me to step on the Gambian soil in 2006.  Since I came here, I have been a trainer for many beauty contestant in the country and most recently is the "Face of The Gambia"  "Miss 22nd July scholarships beauty pageant and "Miss Bakau 2008," he said.

In an interview with What’s On, Williams disclosed that preparations are going on towards the forthcoming Miss Galaxy 2008 to be organised by African Modern Agency.

The young cat-walk  trainer maintained that  the first preliminary will be held on the 21st of June at Jerma Beach Hotel, adding that  already ten contestants will be coming for each of the following  neighbouring countries Ghana, Nigerian, Senegal and The Gambia.

He noted that the final is scheduled for June 27th, a great momemt to be held at the five stars Sheraton  Resorts and Spa located at Brufut heights.

Williams commended the following people for their outstanding support to him in the recent years namely George Gomez, executive director of National Olympics, Sasuna Mbaye of Gomez Promotions, Ebrima Jaw Manneh, Deputy editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer Newspaper, Former Miss Bakau 2006 Maline Jallow, Fatima Jabbi, Amie Gai and Bakary Sanyang Marketing Manager of the Daily Observer.

Williams is soliciting assistance from philanthropists and other Agencies.

At least 360 students last Friday graduated from Charles Fowlis Senior Secondary School (CFSSS) during a ceremony held at the school premises in Jeshwang. The occasion also marked the 5th edition with 360 graduands of the year 2008.

Addressing the gathering, the principal of the school, Mrs E. Betz outlined the significance of knowledge. She reminded the graduands that they have already tasted the well of the knowledge and need to proceed to another academic level, professional and skill training so that they can take their rightful place as useful citizens in the development of their nation.   She further urged the graduands to be determined, patience and faithful, as these are the ingredients of success in life.  

According to her, the turn-out of Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meetings during the academic year. As a result, he called on parents to realise that they need to cooperate and work together with the school for their children’s benefit.  She urged the parents to pay regular visits, in order to check their children’s punctuality, regularity as well as their performance in school.

She further disclosed that the performance of the school in the June 2007 West African Senior Secondary Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is exceptional and outstanding and reiterated that her administration is endeavouring to establish all students in the morning. She disclosed that plan s are in advance to and implement an extra 2-hour re-inforcement lessons for the students and urged all parents to welcome the new venture.Mrs Betz called on well wishers, NGO and other philanthropist to come to aid in completing her school assembly hall which is currently under construction.

In his part, Mr Sullay Davies, the vice-principal of the school described the occasion as historic and unique.  He also adviced graduands to continue their hardworking so as to achieve their aims in life for the benefit of the nation and the world in particular. For her part, Mrs Lucy Safo of Methodist Special School and the guest speaker of the occasion, said that the graduands are still vulnerable and they need the help of their parents so that they will be able to face all the challenges in the world.  

As a teacher, she explained to the graduands that she knows how they feel as life is a school through which there might be so many encounters.  She finally admonished them to be zealous as youths and participate in nation building.

Njogu Demba-Nyrén, a Gambian-Swede was born on June 26, 1979, in Bakau. The pacy and athletic striker currently plays his professional football with the Norwegian giants, Brann FC.

Demba, who only chose to wear the Scorpions shirt in 2007, started his youth football with Falun BC in 1988-1999 season. His dazzling skills earned him a rapid promotion to the senior level, where he signed for BK Häcken in 2000. Demba scored 4 goals in 29 appearances for Häcken before making a switch to PAS Giannina in the following season.

In 2002 season, Demba signed for Aris FC where he scored 5 goals in 12 appearances.

The ever-smiling striker also had a memorable spell with Levski Sofia, Panathinaikos FC, Kerkyra FC (loan) and Esbjerg fB before joining his relative and fellow Gambian international, Tijan Jaiteh, at Brann FC last season.

Njogu Demba earned his first Gambia cap during Scorpions away match against Algeria in the 2008 Nations Cup qualifier fixture in 2007, and since then, the talismanic forward has been a key member of the Scorpions team.


Personal information

Full name:             Njogu Demba-Nyrén

D.O.B:                   26 June, 1979

Place of birth:        Bakau, Gambia

Height    :             1.87 m

position:               Forward

Current club:        SK Brann

Number:              10

London Training Centre, LTC, will tomorrow host high-level guests at the graduation and award giving ceremony, on Saturday, at the Manjai Lodge in Manjai. The occasion will mark the successful completion of professional studies of a numbe of students, at  the centre.

According to reports, the graduation and awards ceremony is expected to be graced by, among others, senior government officials personalities in the insurance and banking industries as well as the media. Reports added that   the graduation ceremony will also enable LTC to give awards to those institutions and personalities that have contributed to the advancement of the education sector, as well as LTC.

Awards, the report added, will also be given to institutions that have contributed immensely towards the educational sector in The Gambia.  The institutions to receive awards include CCF and TAC-Nigeria.  Lectures on Information Technology and the Financial Sector will be delivered by the Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr Yomi Akapo, as part of the graduation ceremony”.

The London Training Centre is a professional training centre that is out to respond to the skills training as well as the labour needs of the country.

Early life

Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942. His father, Clay Sr., painted billboards and signs, and his mother, Odessa Grady Clay, was a household domestic (a maid). Although Clay Sr. was a Methodist, he allowed Odessa to bring up both Clay boys as Baptists.

Early professional career

After his Olympic Gold triumph in 1960, Ali returned to his hometown Louisville, Kentucky, to begin his professional career. There, on October 29, 1960, he won his first professional fight, a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker the police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia.

Standing tall, at 6-ft, 3-in (1.91 m), Ali had a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer. Rather than the normal style of carrying the hands high to defend the face, he instead relied on foot speed and quickness to avoid punches and carried his hands low.

From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19-0, with 15 TKOs. He defeated boxers such as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockouts), Doug Jones and Henry Cooper.

Ali built a reputation by correctly predicting the round in which he would "finish" several opponents, and by boasting before his triumphs. Ali admitted he adopted the latter practice from "Gorgeous" George Wagner, a popular professional wrestling champion in the Los Angeles area who drew thousands of fans. Often referred to as "the man you loved to hate," George could incite the crowd with a few heated remarks, and Ali followed suit.

Ali considered having his idol, Sugar Ray Robinson, as a manager, but instead hired Angello Dundee. Ali first met Dundee when the latter was in Louisville with light heavyweight champ Willie Pastrano. The teen-age Golden Glove winner traveled downtown to the fighter's hotel, called Dundee from the house phone, and was asked up to their room. He took advantage of the opportunity to query Dundee (who was working with, or had, champions Sugar Ramos and Carmen Basilio) about what his fighters ate, how long they slept, how much roadwork (jogging) they did, and how long they sparred.

Following his bout with Moore, Ali won a disputed 10-round decision over Doug Jones in a matchup that was named "Fight of the Year" for 1963. Ali's next fight was against Henry Cooper, who knocked Ali down with a left hook near the end of the fourth round. The fight was stopped in the fifth due to a deep cut on Cooper's face.

Despite these close calls, Ali became the top contender for Sonny Liston's title. Despite his impressive record, however, he was not widely expected to defeat the champ. The fight was scheduled for February 25, 1964 in Miami, Florida, but was nearly canceled when the promoter, Bill Faversham, heard that Ali had been seen around Miami and in other cities with the controversial Malcolm X. At the time, The Nation of Islam — of which Malcolm X was a leading member — was portrayed as a "hate group" by most of the white media.

Because of this, news of this association was perceived as a potential gate-killer to a bout where, given Liston's overwhelming status as the favorite to win (7-1 odds[5]), had Ali's colorful persona and non-stop braggadocio as its sole appeal.

During the weigh-in on the day before the bout, the ever-boastful Ali, who frequently taunted Liston during the buildup by dubbing him "the big ugly bear" (among other things), declared that he would "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee," and, summarizing his strategy for avoiding Liston's assaults, said, "Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see."

Fighting style

Ali was best known for his fighting style which he described as "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee". His movement is often described as a dance; some go so far as to call it beautiful. Throughout his career Ali made a name for himself with great handspeed, as well as fast feet and taunting tactics. While Ali was renowned for his fast, sharp out-fighting style, he also had a great chin, and displayed a great heart and ability to take a punch in his 1974 fight against George Foreman in Zaire, called the Rumble in the Jungle.

First title fight: Muhammad Ali versus Sonny Liston

Ali (still known as Cassius Clay until after the bout), however, had a plan for the fight. At the pre-fight weigh-in, Ali's pulse rate was around 120, more that double his norm of 54. Liston, along with others, misread this as nervousness, and as such, was typically over-confident and unprepared for any result other than a quick knockout victory in his favor. In the opening rounds, Ali's speed kept him away from Liston's powerful head and body shots, as he used his height advantage to beat Liston to the punch with his own lightning-quick jab.

By the third round, Ali was ahead on points and had opened a cut under Liston's eye. Liston regained some ground in the fourth, as Ali was blinded by a substance in his eyes. It is unconfirmed whether this was something used to close Liston's cuts, or deliberately applied to Liston's gloves for a nefarious purpose; however, Bert Sugar (author, boxing historian and insider) has recalled at least two other Liston fights in which a similar situation occurred, suggesting the possibility that the Liston corner deliberately attempted to cheat.

Whatever the case, Liston came into the fourth round aggressively looking to put away the challenger. As Ali struggled to recover his vision, he sought to escape Liston's offensive. He was able to keep out of range until his sweat and tears rinsed the substance from his eyes, responding with a flurry of combinations near the end of the fifth round. By the sixth, he was looking for a finish and dominated Liston. Then, Liston shocked the boxing world when he failed to answer the bell for the seventh round, later claiming a shoulder injury as the reason. Muhammad Ali had indeed "Shook up the world!" just as he had promised.

In the rematch, which was held in May 1965 in relatively-remote Lewiston, Maine, Ali won by knockout in the first round as a result of what came to be called the "phantom punch." Many believe that Liston, possibly as a result of threats from Nation of Islam extremists, or in an attempt to "throw" the fight to pay off debts, just wanted to call it a day and waited to be counted out (see Muhammad Ali versus Sonny Liston). Others, however, discount both scenarios and insist that it was a quick, chopping Ali punch to the side of the head that legitimately felled Liston.

Black Power Politics and Religion

Ali at an addressed by Elijah MuhammadAfter winning the championship from Liston in 1964, Clay revealed that he was a member of the Nation of Islam (often called the Black Muslims at the time) and the Nation gave Clay the name Cassius X, discarding his surname as a symbol of his ancestors' enslavement, as had been done by other Nation members.

On Friday, March 6, 1964, Malcolm X took Clay on a guided tour of the United Nations building (for a second time). Malcolm X announced that Clay would be granted his "X." That same night, Elijah Muhammad recorded a statement over the phone to be played over the radio that Clay would be renamed Muhammad (one who is worthy of praise) Ali (fourth rightly guided caliph). Only a few journalists (most notably Howard Cosell) accepted it at that time. Venerable boxing announcer Don Dunphy addressed the champion by his adopted name, as did British reporters. The adoption of this name symbolized his new identity as a member of the Nation of Islam.

Clay had discovered the Nation during a Golden Gloves tournament in Chicago in 1959, even writing a high school report on the organization. His school teachers at Louisville Central High were alarmed that a youngster with that much potential expressed interest in the nationalist faith. They dissuaded him from becoming involved. Many sportswriters of the early 1960s reported that it was Ali's brother, Rudy Clay, who converted to Islam first (estimating the date as 1962).

 Others wrote that Clay had been seen at Muslim rallies two years before he fought Liston. Ali's own version is that he did buy a copy of the "Muhammad Speaks" newspaper from a Muslim in Chicago, and a 45 rpm record by Minister Louis X (later Farrakhan) called "A White Man's Heaven is a Black Man's Hell."

Aligning himself with the Nation of Islam made him a lightning rod for controversy, turning the outspoken but popular champion into one of that era's most recognizable and controversial figures. Appearing at rallies with Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad and declaring his allegiance to him at a time when mainstream America viewed them with suspicion — if not outright hostility — made Ali a target of outrage, as well as suspicion.

Ali seemed at times to provoke such reactions, with viewpoints that wavered from support for civil rights to outright support of separatism. For example, Ali once stated, in relation to integration: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man; that's all."[6] And in relation to inter-racial marriage:

"No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters."[6] Indeed, Ali's religious beliefs at the time included the notion that the white man was "the devil" and that white people were not "righteous." Ali claimed that white people hated black people.

Ali converted from the Nation of Islam sect to mainstream Sunni Islam in 1975. In a 2004 autobiography, written with daughter Hana Yasmeen Ali, Muhammad Ali attributes his conversion to the shift toward Sunni Islam made by W.D. Muhammad after he gained control of the Nation of Islam upon the death of Elijah Muhammad in 1975.


Vietnam War

In 1964, Ali failed the U.S. Armed Forces qualifying test because his writing and spelling skills were sub par. However, in early 1966, the tests were revised and Ali was reclassified as 1A. This classification meant he was now eligible for the draft and induction into the U.S. Army. This was especially important because the United States was engaged in the Vietnam War.

When notified of this status, he declared that he would refuse to serve in the United States Army and publicly considered himself a conscientious objector. Ali stated that "War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are not supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger.

We don't take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers." Ali also famously said in 1966: "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger."[7][8]

From his rematch with Liston in May 1965, to his final defense against Zora Folley in March 1967, he successfully defended his title nine times, an active schedule for that period. Ali was scheduled to fight WBA champion Ernie Terrell in a unification bout in Toronto on March 29, but Terrell backed out and Ali won a 15-round decision against substitute opponent George Chuvalo.

He then went to England and defeated Henry Cooper and Brian London by stoppage on cuts. Ali's next defense was against German southpaw Karl Mildenberger, the first German to fight for the title since Max Schmeling. In one of the tougher fights of his life, Ali stopped his opponent in round 12.

Ali returned to the United States in November 1966 to fight Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams in the Houston Astrodome. A year and a half before the fight, Williams had been shot in the stomach at point-blank range by a Texas policeman. As a result, Williams went into the fight missing one kidney and 10 feet of his small intestine, and with a shriveled left leg from nerve damage from the bullet. Ali beat Williams in three rounds.

On February 6, 1967, Ali returned to a Houston boxing ring to fight Terrell in what became one of the uglier fights in boxing. Terrell had angered Ali by calling him Clay, and the champion vowed to punish him for this insult. During the fight, Ali kept shouting at his opponent, "What's my name, Uncle Tom ... What's my name?" Terrell suffered 15 rounds of brutal punishment, losing 13 rounds on two judges' scorecards, but Ali did not knock him out.

Analysts, including several who spoke to ESPN on the sports channel's "Ali Rap" special, speculated that the fight continued only because Ali wanted to thoroughly punish and humiliate Terrell. After the fight, Tex Maule wrote, "It was a wonderful demonstration of boxing skill and a barbarous display of cruelty."

Ali's last fight in his first reign as world heavyweight champion was on March 22, 1967 against the 35-year old Zora Folley who was seen as something of a journeymen fighter coming into this bout. Folley was knocked out in the 7th round.

Appearing for his scheduled induction into the U.S. Armed Forces on April 28, 1967 in Houston, he refused three times to step forward at the call of his name. An officer warned him he was committing a felony punishable by five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Once more, Ali refused to budge when his name was called.

As a result, on that same day, the New York State Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his title. Other boxing commissions followed suit.

At the trial two months later, the jury, after only 21 minutes of deliberation, found Ali guilty. The judge imposed the maximum sentence. After a court of appeals upheld the conviction, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. During this time, people turned against the war, and support for Ali grew. Ali financially supported himself by opening a restaurant chain called "Champburger" and visiting many college universities to give speeches across the country. Joe Frazier, who had become champion during Ali's absence from the ring, often gave financial assistance to Ali during this time.

The Fight of the 20th Century

In 1970, Ali was allowed to fight again. With the help of a state senator, he was granted a license to box in Georgia because it was the only state in America without a boxing commission. In October 1970, he stopped Jerry Quarry on a cut after three rounds. Shortly after the Quarry fight, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali had been unjustly denied a boxing license. Once again able to fight in New York, he fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in December 1970. After a tough 14 rounds, Ali stopped Bonavena in the 15th, paving the way for a title fight against Joe Frazier, who was himself undefeated.

Ali and Frazier met in the ring on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. The fight, known as '"The Fight of the Century," was one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of all time and remains one of the most famous. It featured two skilled, undefeated fighters, both of whom had legitimate claims to the heavyweight crown. The fight lived up to the hype, and Frazier punctuated his victory by flooring Ali with a hard left hook in the 15th and final round. Frank Sinatra — unable to acquire a ringside seat — took photos of the match for Life magazine. Legendary boxing announcer Don Dunphy and actor and boxing aficionado Burt Lancaster called the action for the broadcast, which reached millions of people.

Frazier retained the title on a unanimous decision, dealing Ali his first professional loss. However, Ali won a more important victory on June 28, 1971, when the Supreme Court reversed his conviction for refusing induction by unanimous decision in Clay v. United States.

In 1973, after a string of victories over top heavyweight opposition in a campaign to force a rematch with Frazier, Ali split two bouts with Ken Norton (in the bout that Ali lost to Norton, Ali suffered a broken jaw), before beating Frazier (who had lost the title to George Foreman) on points in their 1974 rematch. This victory earned him another title shot — but this time against a seemingly-invincible Foreman.

The Rumble in the Jungle

Main article: The Rumble in the Jungle
In one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, Ali regained his title on October 30, 1974 by defeating champion George Foreman in their bout in Kinshasa, Zaire. Hyped as "The Rumble In The Jungle," the fight was promoted by Don King.

Almost no one, not even Ali's long-time supporter Howard Cosell, gave the former champion a chance of winning. Analysts pointed out that Joe Frazier and Ken Norton had given Ali four tough battles in the ring and won two of them, while Foreman had knocked out both of them in the second round. As a matter of fact, so total was the domination that, in their bout, Foreman had knocked down Frazier an incredible six times in only four minutes and 25 seconds.

During the bout, Ali employed an unexpected strategy. Leading up to the fight, he had declared he was going to "dance" and use his speed to keep away from Foreman and outbox him. However, in the first round, Ali headed straight for the champion and began scoring with a right hand lead, clearly surprising Foreman.

Ali caught Foreman nine times in the first round with this technique but failed to knock him out. He then decided to take advantage of the young champion's weakness: staying power. Foreman had won 37 of his 40 bouts by knockout, mostly within three rounds. Eight of his previous bouts didn't go past the second round. Ali saw an opportunity to outlast Foreman, and capitalized on it.

In the second round, the challenger retreated to the ropes - inviting Foreman to hit him, while counterpunching and verbally taunting the younger man. Ali's plan was to enrage Foreman and absorb his best blows to exhaust him mentally and physically. While Foreman threw wide shots to Ali's body, Ali countered with stinging straight punches to Foreman's head. Foreman threw hundreds of punches in seven rounds, but with decreasing technique and potency. Ali's tactic of leaning on the ropes, covering up, and absorbing ineffective body shots was later termed "The Rope-A-Dope."

By the end of the seventh round, Foreman was exhausted. In the eighth round, Ali dropped Foreman with a combination at center ring and Foreman failed to make the count. Against the odds, Ali had regained the title. Many years later, Foreman would become champ again at age 45. Muhammad Ali (Foreman's best friend at the time) did not attend the title bout. When asked why, he said "I would deviate attention from George. It was his moment, not mine."

The "Rumble in the Jungle" was the subject of a 1996 Academy Award winning documentary film, When We Were Kings. The match was ranked seventh in the British television program The 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.

Second reign

After beating Foreman, Ali would have a successful string of title defenses. In March 1975, Ali faced Chuck Wepner in a bout that inspired the original Rocky. While it was largely thought that Ali would dominate, Wepner surprised everyone by not only knocking Ali down in the ninth round, but nearly going the distance.

Ali eventually stopped Wepner in the fading minutes of the 15th round, but Wepner's display of courage and resilience gave Sylvester Stallone, then an aspiring writer, actor and director, the basis of the plot for the first of the Rocky franchise, which led to five sequels that have endured for 30 years. In May 1975, Ali faced Ron Lyle, who lost by technical knockout in the 11th round after a barrage of punches by Ali. Two months later, in July 1975, Ali won a 15-round decision against Joe Bugner who was criticized by the press for resorting to defensive tactics rather than mounting an attack.

Thrilla in Manila

In October 1975, Ali fought Joe Frazier for the third time. The bout was promoted as the Thrilla in Manila by Don King, who had ascended to prominence following the Ali-Foreman fight. The anticipation was enormous for this final clash between two great heavyweights. Ali believed Frazier was "over the hill" by that point, and his overconfidence may have caused him to train less than he could have.

Ali's frequent insults, slurs and demeaning poems increased the anticipation and excitement for the fight, but also enraged a determined Frazier. Regarding the fight, Ali famously remarked, "It will be a killa... and a chilla... and a thrilla... when I get the gorilla in Manila."

The fight lasted 14 grueling rounds in temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Ali won many of the early rounds, but Frazier staged a comeback in the middle rounds.

By the late rounds, however, Ali had reasserted control and the fight was stopped when Frazier was unable to answer the bell for the 15th and final round (his eyes were swollen closed). Frazier's trainer, Eddie Futch, refused to allow Frazier to continue. Ali, in one of the toughest fights of his entire career, was quoted as saying, "It was the closest thing to death that I could feel." Another version had Ali saying, "It was like death. Closest thing to dyin' that I know of."

Late career

In early 1976, Ali would go on to face journeymen fighters such as Jean-Pierre Coopman and Richard Dunn (Ali's last knockout of his career), winning easily inside the distance against both. In April 1976, an out-of-shape Ali out pointed the tough, young brawler Jimmy Young, who went on to defeat George Foreman by decision and made Ali appear slow and immobile.

Ali's next match after Dunn was a June 25th exhibition against the Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki. [9]Although widely perceived as a publicity stunt, the match would have a long-term detrimental affect on Ali's mobility. Inoki spent much of the fight on the ground trying to damage Ali’s legs, while Ali spent most of the fight dodging the kicks or staying on the ropes.[10] At the end of 15 rounds, the bout was called a draw. Ali's legs, however, were bleeding, leading to an infection. He suffered two blood clots in his legs as well.[9]

Nevertheless, in September, at Yankee Stadium, Ali faced Ken Norton in their third fight, with Ali winning a close 15-round decision.

In 1977, Ali faced only two opponents, defeating both by decision: the undistinguished Alfredo Evangelista, who gave Ali another 15-round challenge, and the devastating puncher Earnie Shavers, who nearly knocked him out in the second round. Shavers would be Ali's final successful defense of his heavyweight title. Following the fight, Ali's corner doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, left Ali's entourage when it became clear to him that boxing was taking a significant toll on Ali, both physically and mentally. He made his decision when his warnings to Ali to retire went unheeded.

Olympic champion Leon Spinks finally dethroned Ali by decision in February 1978. The fight was criticized by many fans, since Spinks was a relative rookie with only seven professional bouts in his career. However, Ali reclaimed his title for an unprecedented third time in their September 1978 rematch and then retired at age 37.

He returned, however, to face new champion Larry Holmes in 1980. Despite Ali's claim that Holmes would be "mine in nine" it soon became clear he had nothing left and was given a sound beating by Holmes. Angelo Dundee refused to let his man come out for the 11th round, in what became Ali's first and only loss by anything other than a decision. Ali's final fight, a loss by unanimous decision after 10 rounds, was to up-and-coming challenger Trevor Berbick in 1981.

Ali's legacy

The torch Ali used to light the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics Muhammad Ali defeated almost every top heavyweight in his era, which has been called the golden age of heavyweight boxing. Ali was named "Fighter of the Year" by Ring Magazine more times than any other fighter, and was involved in more Ring Magazine "Fight of the Year" bouts than any other fighter.

He is an inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and holds wins over seven other Hall of Fame inductees. He is also one of only three boxers to be named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated. He is regarded as one of the best pound for pound boxers in history. He was a masterful self-promoter, and his psychological tactics before, during, and after fights became legendary.

It was his athleticism and boxing skill, however, that enabled him to scale the heights and sustain his position for so many years.

In 1978, three years before Ali's permanent retirement, the Board of Aldermen in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky voted 6–5 to rename Walnut Street to Muhammad Ali Boulevard. This was controversial at the time, as within a week 12 of the 70 street signs were stolen. Earlier that year, a committee of the Jefferson County Public Schools considered renaming Central High School in his honor, but the motion failed to pass. At any rate, in time, Muhammad Ali Boulevard—and Ali himself—came to be well accepted in his hometown.[11]

He was the recipient of the 1997 Arthur Ashe Courage Award.


In retirement

In 1984, Ali discovered he had Parkinson's disease, a neurological syndrome characterized by tremors, rigidity of muscles and slowness of speech and movement, following which his motor functions began a slow decline. Although Ali's doctors disagreed about whether his symptoms were caused by boxing and whether or not his condition was degenerative, he was ultimately diagnosed with Pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome.[12] According to the documentary When We Were Kings, when Ali was asked about whether he has any regrets about boxing due to his disability, he responded that if he didn't box he would still be a painter in Louisville, Kentucky.

A recent photograph of AliDespite the disability, he remains a beloved and active public figure. Recently he was voted into Forbes Celebrity 100 coming in at number 13 behind Donald Trump. In 1985, he served as a guest referee at the inaugural WrestleMania event. In 1987 he was selected by the California Bicentennial Foundation for the U.S.
Constitution to personify the vitality of the U.S.

Constitution and Bill of Rights in various high profile activities. Ali rode on a float at the 1988 Tournament of Roses Parade, launching the U.S. Constitution's 200th birthday commemoration. He also published an oral history, Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times by Thomas Hauser, in 1991. Ali received a Spirit of America Award calling him the most recognized American in the world. In 1996, he had the honor of lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Muhammad Ali Center, alongside Interstate 64 on Louisville's riverfrontHe has appeared at the 1998 AFL (Australian Football League) Grand Final, where Anthony Pratt invited him to watch the game. He also greets runners at the start line of the Los Angeles Marathon every year.

In 1999, Ali received a special one-off award from the BBC at its annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony, namely the BBC Sports Personality of the Century Award in which he received more votes than the other four contenders combined. His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999, despite her father's earlier comments against female boxing in 1978: "Women are not made to be hit in the breast, and face like that... the body's not made to be punched right here [patting his chest]. Get hit in the breast... hard... and all that."

On September 13, 1999, Ali was named "Kentucky Athlete of the Century" by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in ceremonies at the Galt House East.[13]

Ali's Presidential Medal of Freedom on display at the Ali CenterIn 2001, a biographical film, entitled Ali, was made, with Will Smith starring as Ali.