Born on January 17, 1942 our mystery birthday celebrity is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist.
Originally known as Cassius Clay, he changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964.
In the late 60’s he spoke out against the Vietnam War and his words served as a touchstone for the racial and antiwar upheavals that would rock the 1960s. His example inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to voice his own opposition to the war for the first time.
He was arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges; he was stripped of his boxing title, and his boxing license was suspended. He was not imprisoned, but did not fight again for nearly four years while his appeal worked its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was eventually successful.
He went on to become the first and only three-time World Heavyweight Champion.
Nicknamed "The Greatest," he was involved in several historic boxing matches. Notable among these were three with rival Joe Frazier, which are considered among the greatest in boxing history, and one with George Foreman, where he finally regained his stripped titles seven years later.
He was well known for his unorthodox fighting style, which he described as "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", and employing techniques such as the Ali Shuffle and the rope-a-dope.
He brought beauty and grace to the most uncompromising of sports and through the wonderful excesses of skill and character, he had become the most famous athlete in the world. He was also known for his pre-match hype, where he would "trash talk" opponents, often with rhymes.
In 1999, he was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century" by the BBC.
You’ve probably guessed by now - Happy 70th. Birthday, Muhammad Ali.