WASHINGTON
Two years after his passing, boxing legend Muhammad Ali is being remembered not only for his prowess in the ring but also his fierce efforts to knock out racism.
Beyond his astonishing boxing talents, he was also a prominent activist against the U.S.’ “Jim Crow” racial segregation.
On the second anniversary of his death Sunday, people are gathered at Ali’s gravesite in the state of Kentucky to recall and honor his life.
Ali, born Cassius Clay, was born on Jan. 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city.
When he was 12, he started sparring in amateur clubs and won 161 out of 167 matches.
As a professional, Olympic gold medalist Ali won 56 out of 61 boxing bouts, including an astonishing 37 knockouts.
Ali changed his name at age 22, when he converted to Islam, and was also a close friend of Malcolm X, the famed civil rights activist.
After a long struggle with Parkinson's disease, Ali died on June 3, 2016, in a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.
Reporting by Hakan Copur:Writing by Sadık Kedir Abdu
