Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali was born in January 17,1942. His birth place is Louisville, Kentucky, USA. His birth name is Cassius Marcellus Clay jr. His name now is Muhammad Ali. Who Was Muhammad Ali? Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) was a boxer, philanthropist and social activist who is universally regarded as one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. Ali became an Olympic gold medalist in 1960 and the world heavyweight boxing champion in 1964. Following his suspension for refusing military service, Ali reclaimed the heavyweight title two more times during the 1970s, winning famed bouts against Joe Frazier and George Foreman along the way. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984, Ali devoted much of his time to philanthropy, earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. Ali died on June 3, 2016. Muhammad Ali’s Record Muhammad Ali had a career record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts before his retirement from boxing i...