Muhammad Ali died on June 3 at the age of 74. Throughout history, the famed boxer has made headlines, including his stance on the Vietnam War. Muhammad wanted people to know why he refused to serve, even when it could’ve landed him in prison as well as cost him millions of dollars.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. He Refused to Serve in Vietnam & Was Stripped of His Heavyweight Title
On April 28, 1967, Ali refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army and was stripped of his hard-earned heavyweight title. Risking nearly everything, he stood firm on his stance to stay out of the Vietnam War. Ali proclaimed:
My conscience won’t let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn’t put no dogs on me, they didn’t rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father… Shoot them for what? How am I going to shoot them? Poor little black people, little babies, and children, women. How can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail.
2. He Was Convicted of Draft Evasion
On June 20, 1967, Ali was convicted of draft evasion. He was fined $10,000 and sentenced to five years in prison. He was also banned from boxing for three years, reported history.com.
