A biographical novel tells the story of Cassius Clay, the determined boy who would one day become Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time.

"Based on more than 500 interviews, including Muhammad Ali's closest associates, and enhanced by access to thousands of pages of newly released FBI records, this is a thrilling story of a man who became one of the great figures of the twentieth century."--

The bestselling biography of Muhammad Ali—with an Introduction by Salman Rushdie
On the night in 1964 that Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) stepped into the ring with Sonny Liston, he was widely regarded as an irritating freak who danced and talked way too much. Six rounds later Ali was not only the new world heavyweight boxing champion: He was "a new kind of black man" who would shortly transform America's racial politics, its...

Dramatic biography of boxing great Muhammad Ali, which focuses on the ten-year period of 1964-1974. In that time, the brash, motor-mouthed athlete quickly dominates his sport, meets and marries his first wife, converts to Islam (changing his name from Cassius Clay), and defies the United States government by refusing to submit to military conscription for duty in Vietnam. His world heavyweight champion title thus stripped from him entirely for political...

Presents the life of the legendary boxer who began his career as Cassius Clay, discussing his prowess in the ring, his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War, and his life after boxing.

"It's time to enter the ring and meet the greatest boxers of all time! Readers will learn about the sport and look at exciting facts and stats presented in an engaging top-10 format"--

When Cassius Clay joined the Nation of Islam, changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and refused military service for religious reasons, he was stripped of his boxing license, and stood at the center of an incendiary legal case that gripped the nation. Montville presents an intimate portrait of a pivotal five-year span-- 1966 to 1971-- during which Ali evolved into a politically aware, bombastic public figure who would forge a complicated relationship...

"Ali defiantly proclaimed his refusal to go to war with the assertion that it violated his beliefs as a Black Muslim. The struggle that followed Ali's principled stand, one of the pivotal moments of the Sixties, reverberated across lines demarcated by generation, class, race, and religion". -- Jacket.

It's one of the most famous sports images of all time. Former heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston is sprawled on his back in the boxing rim. Muhammad Ali stands over Liston, holding his right hand as if ready to throw another punch. The reigning world champion had just thrown a short, right-handed punch to the side of Liston's head. In a flash, Liston had gone down. The photo of the angry Ali standing over the fallen challenger was taken in an...

Advance Praise



"The Fight of the Century brings back memories of a different and troubled time both in sports and in our country. It is vividly reported and a perfect example of the old saying that the genius is in the details."



--John Feinstein



"The Fight of the Century just floats like a butterfly and sings like a canary. Arkush recaptures the period of the late '60s when America

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