As Cassius Clay, Ali travelled to the 1960 Rome Games to compete in the light heavyweight division.

Despite being only 18, he won all four of his fights easily. In the final he defeated three-time European champion Zbigniew Pietrzykowski to win the gold medal.

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Clay turned professional and won the heavyweight World Championship for the first time in 1964, beating Sonny Liston in a legendary fight. Over the next four years he defended his