Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, and began boxing at the age of 12. He won the Olympic gold medal in 1960 and turned professional the following year. Ali's boxing style was characterized by his quick reflexes, powerful punches, and footwork. He was known for his trash-talking and his charismatic personality, and he was a prominent civil rights activist. Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984 and passed away in 2016.