He's still the most recognizable man on earth. The self-proclaimed "Greatest of All Time," Ali had a pretty good idea of what he was talking about. He became the first man to win the heavyweight title three times and revolutionized the sport by introducing a style that went against many of the game's sacred teachings. Ali was both arrogant and charismatic and generated a wide range of emotions from those who loved him and hated him. He often predicted the round in which he would win and wrote poetry describing how he would defeat opponents. So talented and so fast was Ali, that he was able to box while holding his left hand by his side and often pulled straight back to avoid punches, two of the game's cardinal sins. Nonetheless, he employed the best jab in boxing and had handspeed comparable to a welterweight. Ali had the honor of lighting the Olympic torch to open the 1996 Games in Atlanta. In 2005, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Over forty years after he burst onto the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Muhammad Ali remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world.

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