| Years |
Age |
Events |
| 1942 |
0 |
Born on January 17 in Louisville, Kentucky |
| 1954 |
12 |
Starts boxing training after his bike is stolen |
| 1956-1960 |
14 |
Wins multiple amateur championships |
| 1960 |
18 |
Wins Olympic gold medal in light heavyweight division on September 5 in Rome |
| 1960 |
18 |
Turns professional, wins first fight against Tunney Hunsaker on October 29 |
| 1964 |
22 |
Defeats Sonny Liston to become world heavyweight champion on February 25 |
| 1964 |
22 |
Changes name to Muhammad Ali on March 6 |
| 1964 |
22 |
Marries Sonji Roy |
| 1965 |
23 |
Divorces Sonji Roy |
| 1967 |
25 |
Refuses military induction on April 28, stripped of title and suspended from boxing |
| 1967 |
25 |
Marries Belinda Boyd |
| 1970 |
28 |
Suspension lifted, returns to boxing, defeats Jerry Quarry on October 26 |
| 1971 |
29 |
Loses to Joe Frazier in the “Fight of the Century” on March 8 |
| 1974 |
32 |
Defeats George Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle” on October 30 to regain the heavyweight title |
| 1975 |
33 |
Defeats Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manilla” on October 1 |
| 1977 |
35 |
Divorces Belinda Boyd |
| 1977 |
35 |
Marries Veronica Porche |
| 1978 |
36 |
Loses to Leon Spinks on February 15 |
| 1978 |
36 |
Defeats Leon Spinks on September 15 to regain the title |
| 1979 |
37 |
Loses to Larry Holmes on October 2 |
| 1981 |
39 |
Loses to Trevor Berbick on December 11, retires from boxing |
| 1986 |
44 |
Divorces Veronica Porche |
| 1986 |
44 |
Marries Yolanda Williams |
| 1984 |
42 |
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease |
| 1990 |
48 |
Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame |
| 1996 |
54 |
Lights the Olympic torch at the Atlanta Olympics on July 19 |
| 2005 |
63 |
Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom |
| 2016 |
74 |
Dies on June 3 in Phoenix, Arizona |
