Muhammad Ali turned 70 (28 photos)

19 January 2012

On Tuesday, January 17, boxer Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay) turned 70 years old. Here are a few episodes from his long sports career.

1. Cassius Clay in 1954. (Associated Press)

2. Rome Cassius Clay, second from right, on the podium, winner of light heavyweight gold at the 1960 Summer Olympics. (IOC/Allsport)

3. Louisville, Kentucky, home where Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, grew up. (BRIAN BOHANNON / Associated Press)

4. Cassius Clay with trainer, Angelo Dundee in New York, February 8, 1962. (DAN GROSSI / Associated Press)

5. Los Angeles, November 15, 1962. Cassius Clay predicts his knockout win over Archie Moore. The prediction was confirmed: Clay knocked out Moore in the fourth round. Afterwards, Clay said he would win by knockout over Sonny Liston in the eighth round. Won in the seventh. (Harold P. Matosian/Associated Press)

6. Louisville, Kentucky, Clay is going to take his mother Odessa Grady Clay for a ride in a new Cadillac, April 4, 1963. (H.B. LITTELL/Associated Press)

7. Clay and his first wife, Sonji, 1964 This year he converted to Islam and took the name Mohammed Ali. (Associated Press)

8. Miami Beach, Florida, February 18, 1964. From left to right: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison with Muhammad Ali. (Associated Press)

9. New York, Ali and the head of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, after showing a film about Ali’s fight with Sonny Liston. (Associated Press)

10. Lagos, Nigeria, June 1, 1964. Ali in national Nigerian costume. (Associated Press)

11. Lewiston, Maine, May 25, 1965, Muhammad Ali overpowered by a right hand to the jaw from Sonny Liston. (John Rooney/Associated Press)

12. Houston - Muhammad Ali blows out the candles on a cake baked for his 25th birthday, January 17, 1967. The three-time heavyweight champion celebrated his 70th birthday on Tuesday. (ED KOLENOVSKY / Associated Press)

13. Houston. Muhammad Ali and his lawyer Hayden Covington, June 19, 1967 in federal court in Houston. Ali was summoned to court on charges of evading military service. Then he said his famous phrase: “I didn’t quarrel with the Viet Cong.” (ED KOLENOVSKY / Associated Press)

14. Muhammad Ali training for his fight with Ernie Terrell, Houston, February 1967. (Associated Press)

15. Chicago, February 26, 1967. Muhammad Ali at a meeting of the Nation of Islam. The abbreviation on his headdress signifies that he belongs to the exclusively male branch of the organization. (Paul Cannon/Associated Press)

16. New York, March 8, 1967. Joe Frazier stands next to the defeated Muhammad Ali and referee Art Mercante. In fact, Frazier was the champion, but the fans still called Ali the champion, who was stripped of the title due to charges of evading military service. (Paul Cannon/Associated Press)

17. New York, March 1971, Joe Frazier (right) smiles at Muhammad Ali's miss. (Associated Press)

18. West Point, New York, August 7, 1972. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali pulls commentator Howard Cosell's hair before qualifying for the Olympic team. (Associated Press)

19. New York, August 29, 1974, Muhammad Ali at an official luncheon promoting the broadcast of his future October fight with George Foreman at Madison Square Garden. (Ron Frehm/Associated Press)

20. Manila, Philippines, October 1, 1975. Ninth round of the fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Ali won the match. (Mitsunori Chigita/Associated Press)

21. Kinshasa, Zaire, October 29, 1974. Muhammad Ali raises his arms in victory as referee Zach Clayton counts George Foreman knocked down in the eighth round. (Associated Press)

22. Chicago, November 11, 1977, Muhammad Ali and commentator Howard Cosell stage a fight at the "Eminent Chicagoans of Our Time" dinner. (CHICAGO TRIBUNE)

23. New Orleans, September 14, 1978, Muhammad Ali prepares to fight Leon Spinks for his third championship. (Associated Press)

24. San Pedro, Ivory Coast, August 20, 1997. Muhammad Ali at a shelter for Liberian refugees. The champion brought food, wheelchairs and medicine with him, having received a letter from the organizer of the charity mission Sponsa Beltran. (David Guttenfelder/Associated Press)

25. Atlanta. Muhammad Ali lights the Olympic flame to open the relay for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. (CURTIS COMPTON / Agence France-Presse)