Mohammed Ali - le meilleur - 2 - cours

Le 25 février 1964, à Miami, Floride, aux Etats-Unis, Cassius Clay a vaincu  son adversaire le champion du monde Sonny Liston dans l'un des plus remarquables combats de boxe et il est devenu le nouveau champion du monde poids lourds. Cassius Marcellus Clay a changé son nom en Mohammed Ali après sa conversion à l'islam en 1964. Le nouveau champion est devenu très connu pour ses convictions antiguerre après avoir refusé de rejoindre l'armée américaine pendant la guerre du Vietnam dans les années soixante. Son opposition à la guerre lui avait causé beaucoup de problèmes; son permis de boxe avait été suspendu et il a également été condamné à cinq ans de prison.

After his tremendous victory over Liston, Cassius Clay, who was only twenty-two, became the first boxer to assume such a title at an early age. The new champion was also popular for his trash-talk poetry, expressing confidence and self-importance. Clay started to write short poems predicting his future victories in different fights and used those poems and sayings before or sometimes during his fights as an attempt to intimidate his opponents, also to make fun of them and of course to pump himself up. The newly crowned champion was very proud of his achievements and victories; he often used to refer to himself as "The Greatest". 

Yet, in 1964, Clay shocked the boxing community as well as the entire world when he declared publicly that he had converted to the religion of Islam. Shortly afterwards, he first changed his name from Cassius Marcellus Clay to "Cassius X", then on March 6th, 1964 he officially took the name Muhammad Ali which, in fact, was given to him by Elijah Muhammad  who used to be his spiritual leader. From this day forward, Clay would be known worldwide as Muhammad Ali.

Following his conversion, Ali proudly defended his first title in a rematch against Liston on May 25th, 1965. He beat his opponent in the first round by knockout. More surprisingly, the fight had just lasted for only two minutes. For the coming three years, Muhammad Ali challenged and defeated several professional boxers like Floyd Patterson, Brian London and Cleveland Williams. Ali's incredible triumph over Williams was shortly followed by his exceptional and impressive victory over Ernie Terrell in an unforgettable fight which took place in Houston on February 6th, 1967. In a pre-fight press conference, Terrell, who absolutely remained the undefeated fighter for almost five years, kept calling Ali by his former name "Clay". As a consequence, Ali promised that he would torture his opponent and beat him up. During the fight, Muhammad Ali, who was extremely excited, brutally hit Terrell several times in the eyes and forced him to fight half-blind. He also kept yelling angrily: "What is my name, Uncle Tom?". After fifteen lusty rounds, Ali was declared winner. 

On April 28th, 1967 Muhammad Ali refused to join the U.S Army during the Vietnam War. Furthermore, he strongly opposed the war and declared that he was not obliged to serve under any circumstances. His press statements as an objector to the war had brought him considerable media attention. As a result, the boxing authorities stripped the champion of all his titles; even his boxing license was suspended.  Moreover, Ali was sentenced to five years in jail, but fortunately, he was released on appeal. This, somehow, had had some negative impact on the champion's boxing career.  Regrettably, the champion lost precious time as he was not allowed to fight for nearly four years. 

It was only in the early 1970s when Muhammad Ali was finally given the permission to box again. His first fight took place in Atlanta, on October 26th, 1970 against Jerry Quarry. The returning hero easily won the fight in the third round by knockout. On March 8th of the following year, Ali challenged Joe Frazier who became the World Heavyweight champion during Ali's absence from the ring. Unfortunately, Ali lost the fight after fifteen rounds. This, in fact, was Ali's first loss as a professional boxer. Following his failure, Ali defeated several boxers and then on January 28th, 1974 he won in a rematch against  Frazier.

On October 30th, 1974 one of the unforgettable boxing fights took place in Kinshasa, Zaire between George Foreman, who in 1973 became the new heavyweight champion of the world and Muhammad Ali. This incredible fight was referred to as the "Rumble in the Jungle". Ali won this fight in the eighth round and recaptured his heavyweight title. Over the next few years, Ali, who was at the peak of his fame, defeated numerous well-known boxers and won a second victory over Joe Frazier on October 1st, 1975 in what would later be known as the "greatest heavyweight fight of all time". But in 1978, the undefeated champion lost his title out to Leon Spinks. Several months later, Ali beat him and regained the championship for the third and the last time. Muhammad Ali retired from boxing at the age of thirty-nine, with a record of 56 wins including 37 knockouts and 5 losses after he failed to defeat Trevor Berbick on December 11th, 1981.

Muhammad Ali's later years were a little difficult as his health condition went from bad to worse. Despite being diagnosed in 1984 with Parkinson's disease, the retired hero remained in the public spotlight for several years to come. The three-time World Heavyweight champion was seen in different TV shows and was interviewed by a lot of famous sports reporters. Actually, he was named the "Fighter of the Year" for five times. Ali was also given the honour to light the Olympic Cauldron during the ceremonial opening of the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 2005, he was reverentially awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

The most-beloved sports figure in the world and one of the greatest humanitarians of modern history passed away on June 3rd, 2016 at the age of 74.

The end | La fin

Boxing referee: generally a male. A person who directs the fight.  He also makes sure that all the rules are followed and respected by both boxers.

Arbitre de boxe: généralement un homme. Une personne qui dirige le combat. Il s'assure également que toutes les règles sont suivies et respectées par les deux boxeurs.

Boxing ring: it is a raised square platform where the boxing match or the fight takes place.

Ring de boxe: un espace carré dans lequel ont lieu les combats de boxe.

Boxing judge: a person who is responsible for judging the results of a boxing  fight. Generally there are three judges in a boxing match, but at a World Championship or at an Olympic competition there are always five judges.

Juge: une personne qui est responsable pour juger les résultats d'un combat de boxe. En règle générale, il y a trois juges dans un match de boxe, mais lors d'un championnat du monde ou d'une compétition olympique, il y a toujours cinq juges.

Southpaw: a boxing style used by a left-handed boxer.

Fausse patte: un style de boxe utilisé par un boxeur gaucher.

Orthodox: a boxing style used by a right-handed boxer.

Orthodox: un style de boxe utilisé par un boxeur droitier.

Punch: it is a blow with the fist.

Coup de poing: c'est un coup de poing avec une main fermée.

Cross: a powerful straight punch thrown directly towards the opponent. 

Croisé: un coup de poing direct et puissant lancé directement à l'adversaire. 

Hook: a circular punch with a semi-flexed arm.

Crochet: un coup de poing circulaire avec un bras semi-fléchi. 

Jab: a short and a quick hit or strike with a closed hand. 

Jab: un coup court et rapide avec une main fermée.

Combination: series of quick and powerful punches thrown in sequence.

Enchaîner: série de coups de poing rapides et puissants lancés en séquence.

Blocking: the boxer uses both his hands in front of his face as well as his arms and the shoulder in order to defend himself, also to stop and block punches of his opponent.

Blocage: le boxeur utilise ses deux mains devant son visage, ainsi que ses bras et son épaule pour se défendre, de même que pour arrêter et bloquer les coups de poing de son adversaire.

Knockout: a strong and powerful punch which renders the opponent unconscious. 

Knockout: un coup de poing fort et puissant qui rend l'adversaire inconscient.

Technical knockout: if one of the two boxers is seriously injured or unable to continue the fight, or when he decides to abandon the fight, his opponent will be declared the winner.

KO technique: si l'un des deux boxeurs est gravement blessé ou incapable de poursuivre le combat, ou s'il décide d'abandonner le combat, son adversaire sera déclaré vainqueur.