Muhammad Ali to be memorialized Friday in Louisville
He was born in January 1942 as Cassius Clay. He began boxing as an amateur after his bicycle was stolen and a police officer offered to train him. Clay won a gold medal as a light heavyweight at the 1960 Olympics then turned pro, fighting his bout in his hometown.
In 1964 he became heavyweight champion (the youngest ever at the time) with a surprising knockout of Sonny Liston. That year he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name.
Ali's sparkling career was interrupted for 3½ years in the 1960s when he refused induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was convicted of draft evasion. The Supreme Court overturned the conviction.
Ali was prepared to go to prison, King said.
He stood his ground on who he was," King said. "He'd rather go to jail than break what he believed in."
During his boxing hiatus, Ali spoke frequently about racism in America.
Muhammad Ali, known as "The Louisville Lip" as he began his ascension to boxing greatness, will be celebrated in his Kentucky hometown with ceremonies on Thursday and Friday, a family spokesman said.
A public memorial is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m. ET at the Yum Center, a basketball arena in the city where Ali grew up and began his amateur career as a 12-year-old. Information on tickets will be released later. The Yum Center has just more than 22,000 seats.
Spokesman Bob Gunnell said former President Bill Clinton, longtime sportscaster Bryant Gumbel and comedian and close Ali friend Billy Crystal will be among those delivering eulogies.
The immediate family will have a private gathering Thursday. They released a statement Saturday afternoon.
"Muhammad Ali was truly the people's champion and the celebration will reflect his devotion to people of all races, religions and backgrounds. Muhammad's extraordinary boxing career only encompassed half of his life. The other half was committed to sharing a message of peace and inclusion with the world. Following his wishes, his funeral will reflect those principles, and be a celebration open to everyone."
"Muhammad Ali was truly the people's champion and the celebration will reflect his devotion to people of all races, religions and backgrounds. Muhammad's extraordinary boxing career only encompassed half of his life. The other half was committed to sharing a message of peace and inclusion with the world. Following his wishes, his funeral will reflect those principles, and be a celebration open to everyone."
Before the service, Ali's body will be driven through the streets of Louisville. He will be interred at Cave Hill Cemetery.
Ali, 74, died Friday night at 9:10 MT with Parkinson's disease, the result of septic shock due to unspecified natural causes, Gunnell said.
The three-time heavyweight champion had been at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, with what Gunnell initially had described as a respiratory issue.
網址:http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/04/us/muhammad-ali/
Structure of the Lead：
who: Muhammad Ali
when: Friday night at 9:10 MT.
what: Ali was passed away
why: Parkinson's disease
where:not given
how:The three-time heavyweight champion
keywords:
boxing 拳擊手
amateur 業餘的heavyweight 重量級拳擊手
prison 監獄
Parkinson's disease 帕金森症
funeral 喪禮
How an amazing man we should respect,we will always miss you
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