Muhammad Ali: rejected soldier Muhammad Ali is a former American boxer who was three times world heavyweight champion. He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. Once he joined the Nation of Islam he changed his name to Muhammad Ali. Later in life he was stripped of his heavyweight title for refusing to serve in the military and serving in the Vietnam War. On April 28, 1967, Muhammad Ali refused to be drafted into the Army in Houston, Texas. that's when the New York boxing commission suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his title. On this day he said, "Why would they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on black people in Vietnam while the so-called niggers in Louisville? I learned so much about him and standing for what you believe even if you have to lose everything. I also learned that your religion is very important and to never put anything before I thought of him as a man who bragged about how good he was, like Floyd "Money" Mayweather .Muhammad Ali is a much deeper person than I ever imagined. I now know that he is a true pioneer who opened many doors for African Americans and anyone with a religious belief against killing their followers http://www.findingdulcinea .com/news/on-this-day/May-June-08/On-this-Day--Muhammad-Ali-Convicted-of-Draft-Evasion.html has lectured at universities and Muslim rallies in the United States and obtained support as anti-war sentiment grew. Lacking the ability to work beyond what he knew best, he began speaking at colleges and universities to pay the bills. Sometimes (as you'll see near the end of the clip below), he was approached at lectures by angry white students who thought he should go fight in Vietnam. Ali did something that no sports professional has ever done before or since: he refused to go to war when he was at war. He remained out of prison as his case was appealed and returned to the ring on October 26, 1970, knocking out Jerry Quarry in Atlanta in the third round. On March 8, 1971, Ali fought Joe Frazier in the "Fight of the Century" and lost after 15 rounds, the first defeat of his professional boxing career. On June 28 of that year, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction for tax evasion