Who Is Muhammad Ali? Net Worth, Lifestyle, Age, Height, Weight, Family, Wiki, Measurements, Favorites, Biography, Facts & More

Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer, activist and philanthropist. He is nicknamed “The Greatest” and is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He converted to Islam and became a Muslim after 1961 & eventually took the name “Muhammad Ali”. In 1964, Ali won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston in a major upset at age 22.

Birth Name

James Edward Harden, Jr

Nickname

The Louisville Lip, The Greatest, The People’s Champion

Profession

Boxer, Actor, Writer

Weight Category

Heavyweight

Reach

78 in or 198 cm

Stance

Orthodox

Nationality 

American

Personal Life

Birthday / Date of Birth

Muhammad Ali was born on the 17th of January 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, United States.

Died

Ali died at the age of 74 on June 3, 2016 in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States due to a septic shock.

Sun Sign

Capricorn

Ethnicity

Multiracial

He had African-American ancestry with some English and Irish roots.

Religion

Muhammad gradually developed his religious and spiritual views throughout his life. In 1962, Ali became a member of the Nation of Islam after his first fight with Liston. In 1975, he became a follower of Sunni Islam after the death of the Nation’s leader, Elijah Muhammad.

Education

Ali attended Central High School in his hometown Louisville. After graduation, he started working with trainer Fred Stoner. According to Ali, Fred was the one who gave him “real training” and molded his style, stamina and system. Then, he was trained by boxing cutman Chuck Bodak.

Family Details

• Father – Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. (Painter, Musician)
• Mother – Odessa O’Grady Clay (Domestic Helper)
• Siblings – Rahman Ali (Younger Brother) (Boxer), 3 Brothers (Unknown), Sister (Unknown)
• Relatives – Herman Heaton (Paternal Grandfather), Edith Edean Greathouse (Paternal Grandmother), John Lewis/Louis Grady (Maternal Grandfather), Birdie Bell Morehead (Maternal Grandmother), Abe Grady (Great-Grandfather)

Marital Status

Married

Girlfriend / Spouse

Muhammad Ali has dated –

• Sonji Roi (1964-1966) – Businessman Herbert Muhammad first introduced Ali to a cocktail waitress named Sonji Roi and they got married just after their first date on August 14, 1964, in Gary, Indiana. But their marriage didn’t last very long. They fought regularly because Sonji couldn’t follow strict Islamic rules while Ali was a strict follower of Islam. So, after 2 years of disagreements and incompatibility, they divorced on January 10, 1966.
• Khalilah Belinda Ali (1966-1976) – Ali and actress Khalilah Belinda married on August 17, 1967. Her name was Belinda Boyd before marriage. But she converted to Islam after the marriage and changed her name. The couple had 4 children together, named, Maryum “May May” (b. 1968), twins Jamillah and Rasheda (b. 1970) and Muhammad Ali Jr. (b. 1972). Eventually, they divorced on December 29, 1976.
• Wanda Bolton (1974) – In 1974, Ali got involved in an extramarital affair with 16-year-old Wanda Bolton. She changed her name to Aaisha Ali after their illegal Islamic ceremony while Ali was still married to Belinda. The couple had a daughter, Khaliah, in 1974.
• Patricia Harvell (1972) – Ali is also reported to have a daughter named Miya with Patricia Harvell in 1972.

• Veronica Porché (1975-1986) – Ali and actress Veronica Porché started dating in 1975 while he was in the Philippines for his boxing match “Thrilla in Manila” bout vs. Joe Frazier. After ending his second marriage, Ali married Veronica in June 1977. The couple had 2 daughters together, Hana and Laila Ali. They were both born in 1977. The duo separated in July 1986 and got officially divorced in December 1986.
• Yolanda Williams (1986-2016) – Ali and Yolanda first met in 1964 in Louisville. They got married on November 19, 1986. The couple adopted a son named Asaad Amin.

Physical Statistics

Height

• In feet – 6 feet 3 inches
• In centimeters – 191 cm
• In meters – 1.91 m

Weight

• In Kilograms – 105 kg
• In Pounds – 232 lbs

Body Measurements

• Measurements – 44-16-34.5
• Chest – 44 in or 112 cm
• Arms / Biceps – 16 in or 41 cm
• Waist – 34.5 in or 88 cm

Body Build

Athletic

Eye Color

Dark Brown

Hair Color

Black (Natural)

Shoe Size

He wears a size 12 (US) shoe.

Sexuality

Straight

Professional Statistics

Famous For

Defeating heavyweight kings Sonny Liston (twice), Floyd Patterson (twice), Ernie Terrell, Jimmy Ellis, Ken Norton (twice), Joe Frazier (twice), George Foreman and Leon Spinks, and also defeating light-heavyweight champions Archie Moore and Bob Foster, and also defeating European heavyweight champions Henry Cooper, Karl Mildenberger, Jürgen Blin, Joe Bugner, Richard Dunn, Jean-Pierre Coopman and Alfredo Evangelista.

Boxing Match Debut

In 1954, Ali made his amateur boxing debut with local amateur boxer Ronnie O’Keefe.

Film Debut

In 1962, Muhammad made his theatrical film debut as himself (Cassius Clay) in the sports drama film, Requiem for a Heavyweight.

Television Debut

In 1962, Ali made his first TV show appearance in the talk show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Brand Endorsements

He had appeared in these TV commercials like as Wickes Furniture (2000), IBM Linux (2003), Equitable Life Insurance Co., America’s Dairy Farmers & Milk Producers (“Got milk?” milk mustache campaign) with daughter Laila Ali (2001), Pizza Hut with Angelo Dundee and David Bortolucci (1997), Vitalis hair care product with Joe Frazier (1971), D Con Four/Gone Roach spray (1980), D-Con Roach Traps, Anti-Drug Use PSA TV spot “Get High on Yourself” – Himself (United States) (September 27, 1981) & “Louis Vuitton” luxury travel baggage (2012).

Muhammad Ali Net worth

Muhammad Ali has an estimated net worth of $80 million dollars as of 2023.

Social Media Portfolio

• Facebook – Muhammad Ali
• Instagram – muhammadali
• Twitter – Muhammad Ali

Some Lesser Known Facts About James Harden

• Ali was the first man ever who defeated the world champions, Sonny Liston and George Foreman.
• After he got bullied and his bike got stolen by the neighborhood bullies, he decided to take boxing lessons in order to get back at the bullies.
• Ali was the only boxer who knocked out (KO) George Foreman and Oscar Bonnavena.
• He has a record of 56-5 with 37 KOs (Knockouts) and was also a four-time World Heavyweight Champion.
• In 1960 Olympics, he got a gold medal in light heavyweight boxing championship.
• His name is mentioned in the song “Powder Blue” by Ween and The Verve’s songs “Muhammad Ali” and “Noise Epic”.
• He has appeared as himself in a total of 4 motion pictures.
• Ali was voted sports personality of the century in England.
• He had to take a break from boxing for 3 and a half years while he was fighting his draft evasion case in court.
• Ali was trained by Joe Martin (1953-1959) as an amateur, Archie Moore (1960-1961) and Angelo Dundee (1961-1980).
• He is one among many personalities mentioned in the song “Jesus Numa Moto” by Sá e Guarabyra.
• Initially, he was refused entry to the Nation of Islam due to his boxing career, but after he won the championship from Liston in 1964, he got the membership.
• On June 20, 1967, he was convicted of draft evasion and got sentenced to 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He paid the fine but never served time in prison.
• Ali was good friends with Jimmy Ellis, Floyd Patterson, Mike Tyson, Teddy Pendergrass, and Barry White (II).
• He was one of the world’s most famous celebrities of all time. His fans would want to get punched by Ali rather than take a picture or autograph so that they could brag that they got hit by the greatest.
• In 1976, Ali wanted to play the role of Bilal in French adventure drama film The Message. But the film director didn’t approve of the idea.
• On July 27, 1979, he initially announced his retirement from boxing. But shortly after that, he announced his comeback to fight Larry Holmes for the WBC belt. His main motive for this fight was money.
• In 1981, after retiring from boxing at 39, his main focus was religion and charity.
• Ali became a philanthropist after his retirement from boxing. He started various campaigns and donated millions of dollars to various charity organizations.
• In 1986, he won the Ellis Island Medal of Honor by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation.
• He was named after his father Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr.
• Ali grew up during the period of racial segregation and he was once denied a drink of water at a store because of his color. That really affected him to his core.
• Ali left Moore’s training camp in 1960 because of his [Ali’s] refusal to do chores such as washing dishes and sweeping.
• His boxing license was suspended by the state of New York after he was convicted in the draft evasion case.
• Ali had absorbed 200,000 hits during his entire boxing career.
• He fought his last fight on December 11, 1981 in Nassau, Bahamas, against Jamaican-Canadian boxer Trevor Berbick.
• On June 8, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump, who was probably unaware of Ali’s overturned conviction said that he might grant him a posthumous pardon.