On 6 March 1964, mere weeks after stunning the world by dethroning Sonny Liston to become the heavyweight champion, Cassius Clay announced his conversion to Islam and his new name: Muhammad Ali.
Declaring that "Cassius Clay" was a "slave name" imposed upon his ancestors, he embraced his faith and the teachings of the Nation of Islam, aligning himself with a movement that sought racial justice and self-determination.
His transformation was met with resistance from many quarters, including the media and the boxing establishment, yet Ali remained resolute, forging an identity that would come to symbolise not just athletic excellence but also defiant resistance against oppression.