No one had seen a heavyweight fighter with such speed and grace, nor heard one that spoke like a poet. And no one expected him to fly in the face of authority and risk everything for his beliefs. These are the stories of the people closest to Ali, those who witnessed his life and who, in turn, were inspired to take bold action in their own.
VIDEOS
THE RISE OF A YOUNG BOXER Cassius Clay, otherwise known as Muhammad Ali, heckles his opponents outside the ring and delivers on the inside.
