Muhammad Ali
Ali’s opposition against the Vietnam War not only cost him the Heavyweight title, it almost lost his freedom in 1967. At 25 years old, Ali rejected his enlistment in the U.S. Army. He converted to Islam three years prior and cited religious beliefs for his decision.
“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,” Ali said at the time. “And shoot them for what? They never called me n****r, 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 can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail.”
Ali was convicted of draft evasion and sentenced to five years behind bars. He avoided jail time through appeals, but had to wait three years before being allowed to box again.
