In 1999, Muhammad Ali was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated. Born as Cassius Marcellus Clay on 17 January, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, is passion for boxing began when he was twelve years His bicycle had been stolen and he declared he wanted to punish the person who had done it. A policeman who heard his complaint told him he should learn to fight first if he wanted to whip anybody. So the very next day in 1954, he began training at Louisville's Columbia Gym. Before he beached the of eighteen, he won several age (nghampionships including six Kentucky Golden Gloves, two National Golden Gloves and two National Amateur Athletic Union titles. He won a light heavyweight gold medal from the 1960 Olympics in Rome a few months after turning eighteen. He won his first professional fight in October 1960 and went on to hold a with 15 knock-outs until 1963.He retired from professional boxing in December 1980