The Rustorian

Issue date: 2/28/09 Section: News

Vincent Cook as Muhammad Ali.

With the Doxey-Morehouse auditorium filled to capacity, alumna Rhonda Wilson opened the much anticipated show, Ali: The Greatest, with the song, "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

Portraying the greatest boxer of all time was Vincent Cook, a native of Washington, D.C. Cook talked about Ali's childhood, referring back to the days with his friend Ronnie King. On television, Cassius Clay at that time, saw people boxing and wanted to do the same, even though his mom, Odessa, did not want him to box. However at age 13, he was already boxing in the gym.

"Every time I threw them punches I ran out of gas," stated Cook, of Clay. He got up everyday and ran. He got the attention of girls too. Clay spent eight to 12 hours in one gym before going to workout at another. Clay eventually joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He had more fellowship with the Nation of Islam than his own church. He was named by Elijah Muhammad, the Nation's spiritual leader.

Futhermore, he had become the peoples' champion. Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title for his refusal to serve in the United States Army. Ali, a man of great widsom and determination, told the media he did not want to serve in the army, because the people in Vietnam have not done anything to harm him.

Ali boxed against some of the greatest boxers of all time such as Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Leon Spinks. The man responsible for Ali's style of boxing is Fred Stoner. "Everytime I won a fight, I lost a wife," said Ali. He has been married four times to Sonji, Belinda, Veronica, and Yolanda.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools