Becoming Muhammad Ali

Being friends with Cassius has made Lucky feel like he was part of history too.

Lucky explains that after losing in 1958 to Kent Green, Cassius went on to win two Golden Gloves championships and then a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics. Cassius then turned pro, and his first professional fight was in Louisville. Lucky, Rudy, and many of their friends from the neighborhood were all there.

In 1964, Cassius fought Sonny Liston, the heavyweight champion. Cassius’ plan, he told everyone, was “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!” (299-300). After seven rounds, Cassius won.

Lucky explains that Cassius never stopped thinking about the injustice in the world. After the fight with Sonny Liston, he joined the Nation of Islam, “a movement that was founded to give black people a new sense of pride” (300). He changed his name to Muhammad Ali. Lucky never called him Cassius again.

In 1965, Ali defeated Sonny Liston again and then Floyd Patterson. Two years later, Muhammad Ali received his draft notice ordering him into the army, but he refused to fight, having “no quarrel” with those the US Army wanted him to fight (302). His refusal to enlist stirred controversy, leading to the loss of his boxing titles and license.