David Copperfield

A member of the exclusive club of world-famous magicians, David Copperfield is known for staging whopper illusions, including making the Statue of Liberty disappear before a live audience and millions of TV viewers. A member of the Society of American Magicians since he was a teenager, Copperfield got his start in the entertainment industry singing and performing magic on stage in Chicago. When he was 19 years old he was tapped to host a television show, and from there his career took off. His Emmy-winning television specials have been popular events since the late 1970s, and Copperfield has pulled off some amazing stunts over the years, including levitating across the Grand Canyon and walking through the Great Wall of China. In addition to performing worldwide, he has had a hit on Broadway (1997's Dreams and Nightmares), founded an organization to help rehabilitate disabled people (Project Magic), published books (Beyond Imagination and David Copperfield's Tales of the Impossible) and dated a supermodel (Claudia Schiffer, 1994-99).

David Copperfield has been hailed by audiences the world over as the greatest magician of our time. After years of successful network specials and extensive touring, David Copperfield has been seen worldwide by more people than any other magician in history, including Houdini. His critically acclaimed Broadway show "Dreams & Nightmares" broke all box office records during it's run in New York. Such international magazines as Vanity Fair, Esquire, Architectural Digest, Paris Match, Hello! and Germany's Bunte have graced their covers with his image and story.

His

magic crosses cultural lines. Currently, Forbes magazine has increased his ranking from eighth to the sixth highest grossing entertainer in the world, ahead of Madonna, Kevin Costner, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

David Copperfield has elevated the art of magic to new heights --redefining this ancient art along the way. Where others think "it can't be done," David's approach is: "Yes it can!" Vanish the Statue of Liberty. Walk through the Great Wall of China. Soar through space with the greatest of ease. To David Copperfield, his passion for magic is everything." The secret," says David, "is to consider nothing impossible, then start treating possibilities as probabilities. If I am in the impossible business, and I am, then I want to go beyond impossible."

He has broken the mold of the master magician: soft spoken, witty, engaging, and supremely entertaining, his modern approach to a very old art has transformed the way the world looks at magic. He celebrated feats and sense of theater have won The Magic of David Copperfield dozens of Emmys, and have led him to be twice named Entertainer of the Year. His tour has set countless box office records across Europe, North and South America and Asia. Recently, London's Madame Tussaud's honored David Copperfield with a flying likeness in wax. He is the only living magician to receive his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In France, he was knighted by the French government, receiving the Chevalier of Arts and Letters, the first ever for a magician.

Born September 16, 1956, young David Kotkin was performing professionally in his hometown of Metuchen, New Jersey, at the age or twelve. Soon thereafter, he became the youngest person ever to be admitted to the Society of American Magicians. By sixteen, he was teaching magic at New York University.
While in college, he was cast as lead in the Chicago musical, The Magic Man. Under the name David Copperfield, he sang, danced, acted, and created all the magic in the show that became the longest running musical in Chicago history.

As a result, he was chosen to host, The Magic of ABC, starring David Copperfield. The show was well received, introducing David Copperfield to the world. So successful was his performance, that CBS signed David for a series of specials, beginning the series: The Magic of David Copperfield. With each new special, David introduces more mind-boggling feats of magic, always performing before a live audience without the aid of any camera tricks or video effects.

More than any other magician before him, David Copperfield understands his craft. "Before there can be wonders, there must be wonder. In my show, I try to transport people on a journey of the imagination, much in the same way as a great film director does." In The Magic of David Copperfield, the wonder is real; the miracles are happening live before real witnesses.

Yet for all his accomplishments, David Copperfield insists that his greatest work to date is Project Magic. David developed this rehabilitative program over a decade ago to strengthen dexterity and motor use in disabled patients by using simple sleight-of-hand magic. "It motivates a patient's therapy and helps to build self esteem." Copperfield says, "There is nothing I do that is more important." Project Magic is currently implemented in 1,000 hospitals and 30 countries around the world, from Belgium to New Zealand, Iceland to Singapore.

David Copperfield also has a secret passion: preserving the history of the art of magic for present and future generations by providing a safe, permanent home for antiquarian props, books, and other historical ephemera related to conjuring. His vast collection, known as the International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts, is housed in Nevada. David's goal is to build a monument to the history of magic as a performing art, an ongoing museum that will survive us all.

The International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts is the world's premiere collection of historical documentation and artifacts regarding or pertaining to magic, illusion, and the allied arts. "Every contemporary magician stands on the shoulders of giants." says Copperfield, "and this museum is eloquent proof of the rich mosaic of contributions by men and women throughout the ages to this most compelling of all art forms.

In 1996, David Copperfield announce plans for an Interactive magic-themed restaurant, Copperfield Magic Underground to be located on Times Square in New York and at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Unlike passive themed restaurants of the 90's, Magic Underground will take patrons on a magic adventure where they will actually experience the magic as they dine.

David Copperfield has rewritten the book on magic. He has brought it to heights of artistry and imagination undreamed by wizards or audiences in the past. The illusions are both spectacular mysteries and entertaining theater. He blends mystery and romance into sensual illusions, which dazzle the mind and move the heart. The real magic, however, is the man. David Copperfield has changed the view of what magic is and will continue to be for all time

Born: 16 September 1956
Birthplace: Metuchen, New Jersey
Best known as: The magician who made the Statue of Liberty disappear
Name at birth: David Seth Kotkin

Criss Angel

Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos (born December 19, 1967, East Meadow, New York, U.S.), better known by his stage name Criss Angel, is an American magician, illusionist, musician, escapologist, and stunt performer. He is best known for starring in his own television show, Criss Angel Mindfreak.Years active 1997–present. He's the Illusionist, musician, hypnotist, stunt performer, actor, escapologist
"Angeldust (band)" redirects here. For the German power metal band, see Angel Dust (band).


Early life

Angel was born to John and Dimitra Sarantakos and raised in East Meadow, Long Island, New York along with two brothers, Costa and J.D. His father owned a restaurant and doughnut shop and was devoted to personal fitness before dying of cancer in 1998.[1] He is of Greek descent.

Angel was first introduced to magic at age 7, after his aunt taught him a card trick. His interest grew and, by the time he graduated from East Meadow High School, he was not interested in attending university and instead aimed at becoming a professional magician.[1]
Criss Angel Mindfreak
Main article: Criss Angel Mindfreak

Criss Angel is the star and creator of the A&E Network show Criss Angel Mindfreak. Seasons 1 and 2 were filmed at The Aladdin in Las Vegas, with Season 3 at the Luxor Hotel. Premiering on July 20, 2005, the illusions have included walking on water, levitating above the Luxor Hotel (in the light of 39 lightbulbs that can be seen from space[2]), floating between two buildings, causing a Lamborghini to disappear, surviving in an exploding C4 Crate, cutting himself in half in full view of an audience and getting run over by a steamroller while lying stomach down on a bed of glass. Also in season 3 he was known for jumping out of a moving car. Angel was injured and stopped production for 3 weeks.[3]
Criss Angel Believe
Main article: Criss Angel Believe

Criss Angel collaborated with Cirque du Soleil to create Criss Angel Believe, a live show at the Luxor hotel in Las Vegas, which stars Angel, who is billed as "co-writer, illusions creator and designer, original concept creator and star."[4]

Angel originally tried to develop the show for a Broadway run, as well as other casinos. Eventually, what became Believe came together when he entered a partnership with Cirque du Soleil and the Luxor's parent company, MGM Mirage Resorts, financed the show with $100 million.[4]

After several delays, the show was set for a Gala opening on October 31, 2008, with preview shows in late September.[5][6][7] The initial preview was not well received, with thoroughly negative audience reactions.[8][9] The show opened to equally harsh reviews which cited a lack of the magic Angel is known for, as well as a confusing and uninteresting theme. Reviewers felt neither Angel nor Cirque du Soleil were able to perform to their capabilities.[10][11][12][13]

In April 2009, Angel ended a performance of Believe by "hurling obscene insults" at Perez Hilton, who was an audience member. Hilton reportedly had Tweeted to his fans during the performance that the show was "unbelievably BAD" and that he'd "rather be getting a root canal", and word had gotten back to Angel by the end of the performance. [14][15] Cirque du Soleil later apologized to Hilton for Angel's remarks [16]
Phenomenon
Main article: Phenomenon (TV series)

Starting in October 2007 he appeared as a judge on Phenomenon, with Uri Geller and in a CNN interview about the show he told Larry King "no one has the ability, that I'm aware of, to do anything supernatural, psychic, talk to the dead. And that was what I said I was going to do with Phenomenon. If somebody goes on that show and claims to have supernatural psychic ability, I'm going to bust [him] live and on television."[17]

Harry HOUDINI "The Genius of Escape Who Will Startle and Amaze"

The future "Genius of Escape Who Will Startle and Amaze" ran away from home when he was twelve. A postcard from "Your truant son, Ehrich Weiss," to the mother he adored is the earliest example of Houdini's handwriting in the collections of the Library of Congress, relic of the early evasion by the young man who had been born Erik Weisz in Budapest, Hungary, on March 24, 1874. When this postcard was written, Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weiss was father and husband to the impoverished immigrant family struggling to become established in America while communicating primarily in German, Hungarian, and Yiddish. Their name had been changed from Weisz to Weiss by immigration officials upon their arrival in the United States c. 1878. Mayer Weiss was to serve as rabbi of the German-speaking Zion Reform Jewish Congregation in Appleton, Wisconsin. His tenure proved short, however, and after a life of hardship he died on October 5, 1892. Having lost his father at an early age, Houdini sustained an exceptionally strong relationship with his mother, Cecilia Steiner Weiss, both as a child and as an adult.

Images from the early years show a determined young man adapting to a country radically different from his parents' homeland. They depict him working to develop the physical stamina, dexterity, showmanship and persona that would take him from the bottom of performance venues to the top of the vaudeville stage. At his side emerges a figure of intelligence, spirit and resolve: his wife, Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner Houdini. Among Houdini's siblings one brother would follow him into magic. This was Theodore Hardeen, born Ferencz Deszo Weisz on March 4, 1876. The lives of these three young people would be devoted to the illusion arts. Always engaged intellectually with ancestor figures, Ehrich Weiss looked to the past for inspiration. By taking the name "Houdini," he likened himself to Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin, the father of modern magic. Techniques and deceptions of fraudulent spiritualism that would influence Houdini's entire life emerge also in the images of these early years.


Watch Houdini Video



1899-1907: Vaudeville and Fame
The year 1899 was a watershed in Houdini's life. The great impresario Martin Beck advised the struggling performer to shed traditional magic and to concentrate upon escapes. Beck then booked Houdini on vaudeville's Orpheum Circuit. The dime museum days were over; the King of Handcuffs came to the fore. The Houdinis were on the brink of prosperity. In 1900, Houdini left for Europe, emerging as a star and carefully promoting his persona through letterhead, photographs, and early film. His brother Theodore Hardeen joined him abroad. A vibrant poster from the Berlin Wintergarten documents the international context within which a triumphant Houdini now performed.

In 1904, Houdini bought a brownstone home in the German section of Harlem, New York. In 1905, he returned to America, flourishing his chains. His brother Hardeen continued to perform. When, on January 7, 1906, Houdini escaped from the Washington, D.C. jail cell of Charles Guiteau--the assassin of President Garfield--the magician's reputation as both a jail breaker and handcuff king was assured. Now an established performer, he could reflect in depth upon the history of magic and undertake his own publications. The happiness of this period is manifest in family photographs.

1908-1918: The World Stage
In 1908, Houdini published The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin, a sweeping history of the art of magic. It included references to spiritualism that he subsequently developed in A Magician Among the Spirits. Houdini began the year in Indianapolis. On January 27, 1908, he introduced the milk can escape in St. Louis. Then, later in the year, he took it on tour in Europe, where he appeared, in Germany, as the star of Circus Busch. From March 30 to April 4 of 1908, Houdini performed at Hammerstein's Theatre in New York in the famous Weed Tire Grip Chain Escape. Later in April he made one of his stunning manacled jumps from Boston's Harvard Bridge.

In 1910, positioning himself as a pioneer aviator, Houdini was proclaimed the first person to sustain flight over Australia. In 1913, he introduced his celebrated Upside-Down Water Torture Cell, and soon undertook upside-down straitjacket escapes. Photographs now captured the image of a hero on the world stage who had also become a mature statesman of magic. In 1913, however, even the magician's letterhead reflected his intense grief at his mother's death. The Weiss gravesite gained new importance for him, as did the family that remained.

In 1914, the Houdinis met Theodore Roosevelt when they sailed aboard the Hamburg-American Line from Europe to New York. It was another year of great escapes. The year 1915 brought classic magic, reunions, and participation in the community of magic, preoccupations that shaped 1916 and 1917 also. In 1918, Houdini performed his largest stage illusion, vanishing Jenny the elephant at New York's Hippodrome . Always ready to enhance a sensation, he claimed that she weighed ten thousand pounds.

1919-1922: Silent Film
Beatrice and Harry Houdini celebrated their silver anniversary in 1919. One year later, Funk and Wagnall's dictionary turned their surname into a verb. The couple was as involved as ever in new adventures: Houdini began to star in silent films. First there was The Master Mystery. Then, The Grim Game. In 1921, the magician founded The Houdini Picture Corporation. Its first film was The Man From Beyond.

1920-1926: Mediums and Magic
Houdini's formal education was slight; his self education, immense. "My mind," he is often quoted as having said, "is the key that sets me free." The magician informed and developed that mind through intensive reading; as he did so, he built a formidable library. When, in the 1920s, Houdini strode into the public arena to confront fraudulent mediums, he proceeded from an inner fortress lined with books and manuscripts. His attacks emanated both from shameless self-promotion and sincere commitment to the public good. His exposures covered a rich panoply of psychic fraud, including slate writing, spirit photographs, "finger printing a spirit," and trumpet mediums. His greatest challenge was Mina Crandon, the medium known as Margery. Like Houdini, Margery was brilliant at what she did and what she did was seance magic. A woman who confounded and fooled one established academic mind after another, she found her greatest champion in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a staunch defender of spiritualism. The major battle was between two master tricksters, but it also set Houdini and Sir Arthur at each others' throats. Fallout in the press pumped extra energy into Houdini's career and he took his show to the Hippodrome. He also left a legacy of healthy skepticism to succeeding generations.

Houdini's love of children shines through in photographs. He was capable of combining great empathy with exposes and showmanship. This was apparent in his celebrated 1926 submersion in a sealed coffin. "The Genius of Escape" had become the icon of magic and, within his culture, a seminal creative force.

1926 : Change of Venues
Houdini died on October 31, 1926. Reports of his death showed that the man of mystery could never be reduced to fact or captured forever by linear text. He left behind individuals committed to the perpetuation of his memory. Houdini would now perform through the imagination and technologies of the future. He left us a legacy, a legend, and a challenge to continue great escapes.

Joan F. Higbee
Rare Book and Special Collections Division
Library of Congress
October, 1996

Lennox Lewis ultimate knockouts

Lewis won the Olympic superheavyweight title for Canada in Seoul in 1988, but returned to Britain, where he was born, to turn pro. He has won 41 of his 44 pro fights. The 38-year-old Briton has not fought since June last year, when he stopped Vitali Klitschko after a tough fight. He has been under pressure to decide on his future and the World Boxing Council set him a 1 March deadline to confirm a rematch with the Ukrainian.
His decision means that he is the first reigning heavyweight champion to retire since Rocky Marciano in 1956. "This is a special day in my life," said Lewis.


"I would like to announce that 21 June 2003 was my last fight as a professional boxer."
The 38-year-old Lewis has fought just twice in the past 26 months, knocking out former undisputed champion Mike Tyson in eight rounds in Memphis in June 2002 and the stopping of Klitschko.
"When I first started boxing I realised there was no straight road to the world title." he said.

"I realised there were bumps and potholes and curves but there is no straight way to becoming heavyweight champion of the world.
"I learnt on this trip that if you lose that doesn't mean the end of the boxing career.
"It's not easy being heavyweight champion, even harder to keep it and stay at the top.
"If you can't give 110% then you shouldn't do it - I've given 110% in my sport.
"I'm proud to be heavyweight champion."

Lewis said he was excited by the up-and-coming fighters in the heavyweight division.

"I am looking forward to seeing that next era of boxing - fighters like Audley Harrison and the Klitschkos," he said.

"I'm probably going to wish I was in there.

"It's been great honour to be the standard bearer for boxing in the last decade.

"Let the new era begin."
Lewis is to move into management with the SEM promotions agency, with which he had links while still boxing.

Lewis said: "I have got a new life and a new future and there is definitely more to Lennox Lewis than just boxing.

"I am definitely going to miss boxing because it is something which is in my blood and will be for a long time.

"But I've got so much knowledge to give to other boxers and athletes and it would be waste to keep it all to myself."




Lennox Lewis Career Record

Career Record (41 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw)

DATE OPPONENT TITLE RESULT
21/06/03 Vitali Klitschko WBC Heavyweight TKO 6
08/06/02 Mike Tyson WBC/IBF Heavyweight KO 8
17/11/01 Hasim Rahman WBC/IBF Heavyweight KO 4
21/04/01 Hasim Rahman WBC/IBF Heavyweight KO by 5
11/11/00 David Tua WBC/IBF Heavyweight W 12
15/07/00 Frans Botha WBC/IBF Heavyweight TKO 2
29/04/00 Michael Grant WBC/IBF/WBA Heavyweight KO 2
13/11/99 Evander Holyfield WBC/IBF/WBA Heavyweight W 12
13/03/99 Evander Holyfield WBC Heavyweight D 12
26/09/98 Zeljko Mavrovic WBC Heavyweight W 12
28/03/98 Shannon Briggs WBC Heavyweight TKO 5
04/10/97 Andrew Golota WBC Heavyweight KO 1
12/07/97 Henry Akinwande WBC Heavyweight W DSQ 5
07/02/97 Oliver McCall WBC Heavyweight TKO 5
10/05/96 Ray Mercer W 12
07/10/95 Tommy Morrison TKO 6
02/07/95 Justin Fortune TKO 4
13/05/95 Lionell Butler KO 5
24/09/94 Oliver McCall WBC Heavyweight TKO by 2
06/05/94 Phil Jackson WBC Heavyweight KO 8
01/10/93 Frank Bruno WBC Heavyweight TKO 7
08/05/93 Tony Tucker WBC Heavyweight W 12
31/10/92 Razor Ruddock KO 2
11/08/92 Mike Dixon TKO 4
30/04/92 Derek Williams KO 3
01/02/92 Levi Billups W 10
23/11/91 Tyrell Biggs TKO 3
30/09/91 Glenn McCrory KO 2
12/07/91 Mike Weaver KO 6
06/03/91 Gary Mason TKO 6
31/10/90 Jean Chanet TKO 6
11/07/90 Mike Acey TKO 2
27/06/90 Ossie Ocasio W 8
20/05/90 Dan Murphy TKO 6
09/05/90 Jorge Dascola KO 1
14/04/90 Mike Simuwelu KO1
22/03/90 Calvin Jones KO 1
31/01/90 Noel Quarless KO 2
18/12/89 Greg Gorrell TKO 5
05/11/89 Melvin Epps W DSQ 2
10/10/89 Steve Garber KO 2
25/09/89 Andy Gerrard TKO 4
21/07/89 Bruce Johnson TKO 2
27/06/89 Al Malcolm KO 2

Mike Tyson Knockout Collection

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is a retired American boxer. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion and remains the youngest man ever to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles. He won the WBC title at just 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old, after defeating Trevor Berbick by a TKO in the second round. Throughout his career, Tyson became well-known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior both inside and outside the ring.

Nicknamed "Kid Dynamite,"[4] "Iron Mike,"[1] and "The Baddest Man on the Planet,"[2] Tyson won his first 19 professional bouts by knockout, 12 in the first round. He unified the belts in the splintered heavyweight division in the late 1980s to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Tyson lost his title when he lost to 42-to-1 underdog James "Buster" Douglas in February 11, 1990, in Tokyo, by a KO in round 10.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of sexually assaulting Desiree Washington, for which he served three years in prison (during this time he also converted to Islam). After being released from prison in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights. He regained a portion of the heavyweight title, before losing it to Evander Holyfield in a 1996 fight by an 11th round TKO. Their 1997 rematch ended in shocking fashion as Tyson was disqualified for biting off part of Holyfield's ear. He fought for a championship again at 35, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis in 2002. Tyson retired from competitive boxing in 2005 after two consecutive knockout losses to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride. Tyson declared bankruptcy in 2003, despite receiving over US$30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career.

He is ranked #16 on Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.


Mike Tyson Career Record

Apr. 10 -- Trent Singleton, Albany, N.Y., TKO 1
May 23 -- Don Halpern, Albany, N.Y., KO 4
June 20 -- Rick Spain, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
July 11 -- John Alderson, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 2
July 19 -- Larry Sims, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., KO 3
Aug. 15 -- Lorenzo Canady, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 1
Sept. 5 -- Michael Johnson, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
Oct. 9 -- Donnie Long, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
Oct. 25 -- Robert Colay, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
Nov. 1 -- Sterling Benjamin, Latham, N.Y., TKO 1
Nov. 13 -- Eddie Richardson, Houston, KO 1
Nov. 22 -- Conroy Nelson, Latham, N.Y., KO 2
Dec. 6 -- Sammy Scaff, New York, KO 1
Dec. 27 -- Mark Young, Latham, N.Y., KO 1

1986
Jan. 10 -- Dave Jaco, Albany, N.Y., TKO 1
Jan. 24 -- Mike Jamison, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 5
Feb. 16 -- Jesse Ferguson, Troy, N.Y., W DSQ 6
Mar. 10 -- Steve Zouski, Uniondale, N.Y., KO 3
May 3 -- James Tillis, Glen Falls, N.Y., W 10
May 20 -- Mitch Green, New York, W 10
June 13 -- Reggie Gross, New York, TKO 1
June 28 -- William Hosea, Troy, N.Y., KO 1
July 11 -- Lorenzo Boyd, Swan Lake, N.Y., KO 2
July 26 -- Marvis Frazier, Glen Falls, N.Y., KO 1
Aug. 17 -- Jose Ribalta, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 10
Sept. 6 -- Alfonzo Ratliff, Las Vegas, KO 2
Nov. 22 -- Trevor Berbick, Las Vegas, TKO 2
(Won WBC Heavyweight Title)

1987
Mar.7 -- James Smith, Las Vegas, W 12
(Won WBA Heavyweight Title/Retained WBC Heavyweight Title)
May 30 -- Pinklon Thomas, Las Vegas, TKO 6
(Retained WBA/WBC Heavyweight Titles)
Aug. 1 -- Tony Tucker, Las Vegas, W 12
(Won IBF Heavyweight Title/Retained WBA/WBC Heavyweight Titles/Became Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion)
Oct. 16 -- Tyrell Biggs, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 7
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)

1988
Jan. 22 -- Larry Holmes, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 4
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
Mar. 21 -- Tony Tubbs, Tokyo, Japan, TKO 2
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
June 27 -- Michael Spinks, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)

1989
Feb. 25 -- Frank Bruno, Las Vegas, TKO 5
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)
July 21 -- Carl Williams, Atlantic City, N.J., TKO 1
(Retained Undisputed World Heavyweight Title)

1990
Feb. 11 -- James Douglas, Tokyo, Japan, KO by 10
(Lost World Heavyweight Title)
June 16 -- Henry Tillman, Las Vegas, KO 1
Dec. 8 -- Alex Stewart, Atlantic City, N.J., KO 1

1991
Mar. 18 -- Donovan Ruddock, Las Vegas, TKO 7
June 28 -- Donovan Ruddock, Las Vegas, W 12

1995
Aug. 19 -- Peter McNeeley, Las Vegas, W DSQ 1
Dec. 16 -- Buster Mathis, Jr., Philadelphia, KO 3

1996
Mar. 16 -- Frank Bruno, Las Vegas, TKO 3
(Won WBC Heavyweight Title)
Sept. 7 -- Bruce Seldon, Las Vegas, TKO 1
(Won WBA Heavyweight Title)
Nov. 9 -- Evander Holyfield, Las Vegas, TKO by 11
(Lost WBA Heavyweight Title)

1997
June 28 -- Evander Holyfield, Las Vegas, L DQ 3
(For WBA Heavyweight Title)

1999
Jan. 16 -- Francois Botha, Las Vegas, KO 5
Oct. 23 -- Orlin Norris, Las Vegas, NC 1

2000
Jan. 29 -- Julius Francis, Manchester, England, TKO 2
June 24 -- Lou Savarese, Glasgow, Scotland, TKO 1
Oct. 20 -- Andrew Golota, Detroit, NC 3

2001
Oct. 13 -- Brian Nielsen, Copenhagen, Denmark, TKO 7

2002
June 8 -- Lennox Lewis, Memphis, Tennessee, KO by 8 *RECAP*
(For WBC and IBF heavyweight title)

2003
Feb. 22 -- Clifford Etienne, Memphis, Tennessee, KO 1

2004
July 30 -- Danny Williams, Louisville, KY, KO by 4 *RECAP*

2005
June 11 -- Kevin McBride, Washington, DC, TKO by 6 *RECAP*
Referee Joe Cortez stops the fight when Tyson doesn't come out for Round 7. Tyson announces his retirement after the fight.

Boxing Tribute - Muhammad Ali Highlight Video

* Born: 17 January 1942
* Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky
* Best Known As: Heavyweight boxing champ called "The Greatest"

Name at birth: Cassius Marcellus Clay

Charismatic, outspoken and nicknamed "The Greatest," heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali was the dominant heavyweight fighter of the 1960s and 1970s. A fighter of exceptional speed, cunning and flair, Ali won the world heavyweight title on three separate occasions over a span of 15 years. He was born Cassius Clay, and under that name he won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. After claiming his first title by defeating Sonny Liston in 1964, Clay joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. Citing his Islamic faith, Ali refused to serve in the U.S. military during the war in Vietnam; his title was revoked and he was sentenced to five years in prison for draft evasion. (The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the conviction in 1971.) He had a long-running rivalry with fellow heavyweight Joe Frazier, whom he fought three times: Ali lost the first match in 1971, but won rematches in 1974 and 1975. Ali also defeated George Foreman in the famous 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" held in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali retired from boxing in 1981, but in the decades since has remained one of the world's best-known athletes.

In retirement Ali has suffered from Parkinson's Disease, a motor-skills illness which has slowed his movement and left him mostly unable to speak in public... In 1996 he was selected to light the ceremonial flame at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, bringing him again into the public eye... Ali was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990... He won his three titles by defeating Sonny Liston (1964), George Foreman (1974) and Leon Spinks (1978)... Ali's managers sometimes refer to him as GOAT -- the Greatest Of All Time... Sprinter Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics, the same games at which Ali won his boxing gold.



Committed to Political Ideals

Throughout his career and life, Ali has always professed to want to help other black Americans--and he has, time and time again. When he returned from Italy, having just won an Olympic gold medal, he was so proud of his trophy that he wore it day and night and showed it to everyone, whether they wanted to see it or not. In the Philadelphia Inquirer Ali's first wife remembered him saying "I was young, black Cassius Marcellus Clay, who had won a gold medal for his country. I went to downtown Louisville to a five-and-dime store that had a soda fountain. I sat down at the counter to order a burger and soda pop. The waitress looked at me.... 'Sorry, we don't serve coloreds,' she said. I was furious. I went all the way to Italy to represent my country, won a gold medal, and now I come back to America and can't even get served at a five-and-dime store. I went to a bridge, tore the medal off my neck and threw it into the river. That gold medal didn't mean a thing to me if my black brothers and sisters were treated wrong in a country I was supposed to represent."

While in Miami, at the age of 21, Ali was inspired by human rights activist Malcolm X to become a member of the Muslim faith. The following year Malcolm X said of Ali, as was quoted by Houston Horn in Sports Illustrated, "[He] will mean more to his people than any athlete before him. He is more than [first black major-league baseball player] Jackie Robinson was, because Robinson is the white man's hero. But Cassius is the black man's hero. Do you know why? Because the white press wanted him to lose [his heavyweight championship bout]...because he is a Muslim. You notice nobody cares about the religion of other athletes. But their prejudice against Clay blinded them to his ability." Twelve years later, on Face The Nation, Ali said "We don't have Black Muslims, that's a press word. We have white brothers, we have brown, red, and yellow, all colors can be Muslims.... I'm looking for peace one day with all people." Cassius Clay, Jr., was given the name Muhammad Ali by Muslim patriarch Elijah Muhammad; it was not just a name, but a title meaning "beloved of Allah," deity of the Muslim faith.

Ali retained his world heavyweight champion title in June of 1965 by again knocking out Sonny Liston, this time with a stunning right-hand punch to the side of the head. The knock-out blow was thrown with the astounding speed that separated Ali from other heavyweights; it had sufficient force to lift Liston's left foot--upon which most of his weight was resting--clear off the canvas.

As a Muslim and thus a conscientious objector, Muhammad Ali refused to even consider going to Vietnam when he was drafted in 1966. His refusal brought a tremendous public outcry against him. According to Jack Olsen in Sports Illustrated, "The governor of Illinois found Clay 'disgusting,' and the governor of Maine said Clay 'should be held in utter contempt by every patriotic American.' An American Legion post in Miami asked people to 'join in condemnation of this unpatriotic, loudmouthed, bombastic individual.' The Chicago Tribune waged a choleric campaign against holding the next Clay fight in Chicago.... The noise became a din, the drumbeats of a holy war. TV and radio commentators, little old ladies...bookmakers, and parish priests, armchair strategists at the Pentagon and politicians all over the place joined in a crescendo of get-Cassius clamor."

Although Ali had not been charged or arrested for violating the Selective Service Act--much less convicted--the New York State Athletic Commission and World Boxing Association suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his heavyweight title in May of 1967, minutes after he officially announced that he would not submit to induction. Ali said to Sports Illustrated contributor Edwin Shrake, "I'm giving up my title, my wealth, maybe my future. Many great men have been tested for their religious beliefs. If I pass this test, I'll come out stronger than ever." Eventually Ali was sentenced to five years in prison, released on appeal, and his conviction overturned three years later.

Became the Greatest

In November of 1970 Ali fought Jerry Quarry in Atlanta. His victory was a symbol of release and freedom to the 5,000 people watching the fight; Ali had personally survived his vilification by much of the American public, but more, he had reclaimed his professional reputation and prominence. Four months later Ali had the world as his audience when he went up against Joe Frazier in the Philippines city of Manila. There he fell from invincibility; suddenly Frazier reigned as heavyweight champ. "Man, I hit him with punches that'd bring down the walls of a city," Frazier said to Mark Kram in Sports Illustrated. Ali responded, "It was like death. Closest thing to dyin' that I know of." On September 10, 1973, Frazier won a rematch with Ken Norton and continued to reign as heavyweight champion. Returning with a vengeance, however, Ali fought Frazier again in 1974, won the match, and replaced his competitor as the world heavyweight champion. Ali fought Frazier once again in October of 1975, won that match, and secured his title. Taking time to reflect on the tumult of his fifteen-year boxing career, Ali co-wrote his autobiography--characteristically titled The Greatest: My Own Story--in 1975.

In 1982 Dr. Dennis Cope, director of the Medical Ambulatory Care Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, began treating Ali for Parkinson's syndrome. Cope and colleague Dr. Stanley Fahn later theorized in the Chicago Tribune that Ali was suffering, more precisely, from Pugilistic Parkinsonism, brought on by repetitive trauma to the head--and that only an autopsy could confirm their suspicions. After losing a 1980 title bout to Larry Holmes, Ali had exhibited sluggishness and was misdiagnosed as having a thyroid condition; he was given a thyroid hormone. When Dr. Cope made the connection between Ali's decreasing motor skills and Parkinson's disease, he prescribed Sinemet (L-dopa). Ali was shortly restored to his previous level of energy and awareness; as long as he took his medication regularly, he was able to keep the disease in check. In 1988 Ali told New York Times Magazine contributor Peter Tauber: "I've got Parkinson's syndrome. I'm in no pain.... If I was in perfect health--if I had won my last two fights--if I had no problem, people would be afraid of me. Now they feel sorry for me. They thought I was Superman. Now they can say 'He's human, like us. He has problems.'"

In 1984 another of Ali's medical confidantes, Dr. Martin D. Ecker, ventured in the Boston Globe that Ali should have quit boxing long before he finally did--for the second and final time--in 1981 after losing to Trevor Berbick. His bout with Berbick was his 61st and final fight. By then Ali had been showing signs of neurological damage for over a year. Ali's former doctor, Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, told the fighter to quit in 1977 when he first saw signs of Ali's reflexes slowing down. Seven years later, Pacheco, a consultant and boxing commentator for NBC-TV, explained to Betsy Lehman in the Boston Globe why he feels Ali didn't quit boxing in 1977: "The most virulent infection in the human race is the standing ovation. Once you've seen that, you can't get off the stage. Once you feel that recognition...the roar of 50,000 people, you just don't want to give it up." When Ali initially surrendered his title in 1979, he was paid $250,000 to quit, but he eventually returned to his sport, perhaps as Pacheco suggested, because the recognition had become habit-forming.

Elder Statesman of Boxing

Toward the end of Ali's boxing career, and afterward, his ambitions took a decided turn toward statesmanship. In 1980 he cast his lot with the Democratic Party, supporting then-Presidential candidate Jimmy Carter. In August of that year, while in intense training for the Holmes fight, he found time to work the floor of the Democratic National Convention in New York City. He also functioned as something of a diplomat in February of 1985 when he attempted to secure the release of four kidnapped Americans in Lebanon; unfortunately, he and his three advisers were not successful.

During his career in the ring Ali made more than $50 million, two thirds of which went to managerial expenses and taxes. He said to New York Times Magazine contributor Tauber in 1988, "I never talk about boxing. It just served its purpose. I was only about 11 or 12 years old when I said 'I'm gonna get famous so I can help my people.'" Indicating his continuing desire to help people, in 1990 Ali visited Our Children's Foundation, Inc., on Manhattan's 125th Street. According to Bill Gallo in the New York Daily News, he addressed the children there, saying, "The sun has a purpose. The moon has a purpose. The snow has a purpose. Cows have a purpose. You were born for a purpose. You have to find your purpose. Go to school. Learn to read and write.... What is your purpose, your occupation? Find your purpose.... What do you have to find?" "Purpose!," they shouted gleefully in unison. True to form, one of Ali's favored inscriptions when signing autographs is "Love is the net where hearts are caught like fish."

Although Parkinson's syndrome has slowed Ali down, he still remains active--raising money for the Muhammad Ali Foundation and frequently appearing at sports tributes and fund-raisers. Muhammad's wife Lonnie believes "Muhammad knows he has this illness for a reason. It's not by chance. Parkinson's disease has made him a more spiritual person. Muhammad believes God gave it to him to bring him to another level, to create another destiny," she stated in People.

During the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, 3.5 billion people watched on television as three-time heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali slowly ascended the stadium steps with trembling hands to ignite the Olympic Flame. Everyone was deeply touched, though no one more so than Ali himself. "He kept turning it [the torch] in his hands and looking at it. He knows now that people won't slight his message because of his impairment." said his wife Lonnie in People.

Ali has been blessed to meet with important dignitaries over the years, including with President Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, and the late Pope John Paul II. His travels are his main source of income, as he charges as much as $200,000 for appearances. He usually travels 275 days out of the year. Although he enjoys his missionary work and public appearances, Ali's greatest pleasure is when he is at home in Berrien Springs, Michigan, with his family--wife Yolanda and his adopted son Asaad Amin.

In Berrien Springs, he lives a modest life in a house at the end of the road on an old farm. He has a pool and a pond and a security gate with an intercom. According to Kim Forburger, Ali's assistant, "He's the only man I know where the kids come to the gate and say 'Can Muhammad come out and play?'" When asked if he has any regrets, Ali responds, "My children, I never got to raise them because I was always boxing and because of divorce," he said in People. When asked whether he is sorry he ever got into the ring, he responded, "If I wasn't a boxer, I wouldn't be famous. If I wasn't famous, I wouldn't be able to do what I'm doing now."

Even into the 2000s, Ali's legacy lives on in a number of ways. In November, 2005, after years of preparation, the Muhammad Ali Center was opened in Louisville, Kentucky. The MAC is both a museum celebrating Ali's life and career and--at Ali's request--a forum for sharing his ideals and beliefs, and for promoting respect, hope, and understanding. Ali has been the subject of numerous books and film tributes over the years, including the 1997 documentary When We Were Kings, but none were more spectacular than the 2003 publication GOAT: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali, a giant (20-inches square, weighing 75 pounds, and costing $3,000) tribute to Ali's entire career; the title GOAT stands for "Greatest of All Time." The work that is closest to Ali's own heart is his memoir The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflection's on Life's Journey, which he wrote with the help of his daughter, Hana Yasmeen Ali.

Career

Boxer, 1960-81; humanitarian. Began professional boxing career, 1960; first became heavyweight champ, 1964; boxing record: 56 wins, 5 losses, with 37 knockouts.

Awards

Olympic Gold Medal in boxing, 1960; six Kentucky Golden Gloves titles; National Golden Gloves titles, 1959-60; World Heavyweight Championship, 1964-67, 1974-78, 1978-79; U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, inductee, 1983; named the greatest heavyweight champion of all time, Ring Magazine, 1987; International Boxing Hall of Fame, inductee, 1990; Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Award, Lifetime Achievement, 1992; Muhammad Ali Museum, Louisville Galleria, opened 1995; Essence Award, 1997; Arthur Ashe Award for Courage to All, ESPN (Espy) Award, 1997; Service to America Leadership Award, National Association of Broadcasters Foundation, 2001.
Life's Work

Three-time world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, known for his lyrical charm and boasts as much as for his powerful fists, has moved far beyond the boxing ring in both influence and purpose. Ali won an Olympic gold medal in 1960 and later tossed it into a river because he was disgusted by racism in America. As a young man he was recruited by Malcolm X to join the Nation of Islam. He refused to serve in Vietnam--a professional fighter willing to serve time in jail for his pacifist ideals. He has contributed to countless, diverse charities and causes. And his later years have found him interested in world politics as he has battled to keep Parkinson's disease at bay.