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- Muhammad won the
- heavyweight championship
- with a technical knockout
- in the seventh round and
- then proclaimed himself
- ΓÇ£The Greatest."
-
- Muhammad took a deep interest in the
- Muslim religion and changed his name from
- Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali. After nine
- successful title defenses, he was drafted
- into the U.S. military in 1967. There was a
- strong chance that he would have to serve
- in the Vietnam war. But Muhammad refused
- to enter the military on the grounds that he
- was a Muslim minister. The U.S. govern-
- ment didnΓÇÖt agree. He was sent to prison
- briefly, and boxing organizations took
- away his title. He was 25 years old.