Why did Cassius Clay choose the name Muhammed Ali

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Eye of Timaeus, Oct 8, 2019.



  1. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Ali`s name has everything to do with Islam, he was a sunni muslim and given a muslim name by the nation of Islam.
     
  2. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    but it has nothing to do with who Jewish people think Jesus is, nor a contrast between Jesus and Muhammad. The thread is about the origins of Ali’s name change not the nuances and differences between Judaism Islam and Christianity
     
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  3. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    I'm inclined to believe this as the most simple explanation.

    Muhammed - ephitet of the prophet in reverance

    Ali - apparently means 'champion' in Arabic.
     
  4. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    LOL; now there is a debate!

    Yes he had to be related (son of, son of, son of et al) But for it to happen a lot of things that do not make that much sense had to occur. Call it his first miracle!
     
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  5. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    exactly! His father Joseph was a son of David, yet JC was born by immaculate conception..
    All I know is my mother kept me in line in the ways of the holy trinity. One guy. Three identities. Some dude!
     
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  6. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    So to summarize

    Saad took the best name, Ali had second dibs.
    Mark's religious comparisons put his boxing ones to shame...
    Jesus was a son of David yet as noting to do with Judaism

    And I still don't know why Ali picked his name
     
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  7. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Yeah.Also interesting that all three chose to keep their Christian first names when they converted to Islam.
     
  8. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Muhammad was a prophet.Jesus was the son of God. Big difference.
     
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  9. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Because the name "Captain Kangaroo" was already taken.
     
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  10. GoldenHulk

    GoldenHulk Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Well Bernard Hopkins is a Muslim, and he never changed his name at all, so I guess it's not a requirement.
     
  11. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    Yes, same with MikeTyson. I wonder about that. Ones faith is a private matter. The depth of ones faith is difficult to gage. I don’t know if it is more outwardly devout to change your name or not. I know that with Ali he did not see his birth name as his family name. He regarded it as a slave name. But what is in a name anyway? Each family is different. Many people don’t even take the Father’s surname anyway. Mike Tyson technically is a Fitzpatrick. He was registered under his mother’s married name. I don’t think it was even her maiden name either. So he wound up with a surname that has no link to his ancestry. And I guess a lot of people are like that.
     
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  12. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Didn’t Tyson change his name to Malik Abdul Aziz when he came outta prison? Why does everyone still call him? Mike Tyson
     
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  13. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think he was legally obliged to keep the Mike Tyson name for the comeback fights, and since then I know of no other information to suggest, that at least professionally, he is not happy being called Mike Tyson.
     
  14. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    That’s right! I forgot that.
     
  15. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I’m no legal expert but it’s possible that when he was released from prison that he would had to still be registered as a sex offender under his original name and so maybe had to legally use that name, at least publicly. I can’t remember the last time anyone or even Tyson himself mention his Muslim name.
     
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