"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses -- behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am."
-- Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was the heavyweight boxing world champion at various points in the 1960s and 1970s. Many people think he is one of the greatest boxers of all time.
But he is famous for more than just boxing -- he had his world championship taken away by the authorities because he refused to become a soldier in the war in Vietnam, a very controversial conflict of the period.
He became a hero to many people who opposed the war because he was willing to give up his championship rather than do something he did not believe in. He was also popular for less serious reasons -- including his liking for making up rhymes to boast about himself or to diss his opponents. Here he is talking to reporters before a fight against George Foreman:
We probably won't have time to watch this in class, but those of you are interested can watch him fighting here:
Some things to think about if you want to comment on this...Most people seem to like him a lot. Do you, and why? How important do you think him believing in himself was to his victories? The things he says about hating training but never quitting, and about how the fight is won or lost by what he does before he gets into the ring -- do those just apply to boxing, or could the same ideas mean something in parts of your own life, either in school or outside?
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