Photo courtesy Graceland
As if Elvis Presley isn’t icon enough. The brand-new Graceland Exhibition Center has opened adjacent to Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex (across the street from the King of Rock-and-Roll’s mansion). And one of the first exhibits showcases another king of sorts, “The Greatest” himself, Muhammad Ali.
Presented by Muhammad Ali Enterprises, the exhibit features more than 100 artifacts, including championship belts from Ali’s legendary boxing career and ticket stubs and programs dating back to the fighter’s rise (first as Cassius Clay) in the 1960s.
Should you need a quick refresher on Ali — perhaps the most recognizable human being on the planet before his death in 2016 — here’s one man’s countdown of his five greatest victories in the ring.
5) Leon Spinks (September 15, 1978) — This was Ali’s last hurrah, avenging the huge upset he suffered at the hands of Spinks seven months earlier and becoming the first man to win the heavyweight championship three times. More than 70,000 people packed the Superdome in New Orleans to witness the 36-year-old Ali regain some semblance of the glory he’d come to represent around the world.
4) Ken Norton (September 10, 1973) — Norton had broken Ali’s jaw in handing him his second defeat in March 1973. The two fought closely in the rematch, Ali rallying with a flurry of punches in the final round to win a split decision. The two fought once more, at Yankee Stadium in New York in 1976. Ali won by a unanimous decision to take their series, two matches to one.
3) Sonny Liston (February 25, 1964) — Ali (then still going by Clay) “shook up the world” with his upset of menacing heavyweight champion Sonny Liston in Miami Beach. Only 22 years old, the 1960 Olympic gold medalist (as a light heavyweight) seized every camera and spotlight in proximity for the next two decades. Liston didn’t survive the first round in their rematch in Maine a year later.
2) George Foreman (October 30, 1974) — The gigantic Foreman — as heavy a puncher as boxing had seen — dominated two men (Joe Frazier and Ken Norton) who had taken Ali to the limit. He entered the bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, as the betting favorite, but a dramatic underdog throughout the African continent, where Ali’s status was that of an actual king. With a rainstorm closing in (the fight was held outdoors), Ali unveiled his “rope-a-dope” strategy, absorbing blows from Foreman throughout the early rounds in hopes of exhausting his younger foe. Ali dropped Foreman with a combination in the 8th round to regain the heavyweight crown.
1) Joe Frazier (October 1, 1975) — Forever known as the “Thrilla in Manilla,” this was the third — and greatest — bout between arguably the greatest pair of rivals in boxing history. Frazier handed Ali his first loss as a pro in 1971 and Ali won a unanimous decision in 1974. In the rubber match, Ali rallied late, dominating the 13th and 14th rounds, forcing Frazier — his eyes swollen almost shut — to remain on his stool when the bell rung for the final round. Ali described the fight as “the closest thing to dying that I know.”
The Graceland Exhibition Center is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the center or online at graceland.com. Prices are $16 for adults, $14.40 for seniors/students, $8 for children ages 7-12, and $5 for children ages 3-6.
Greatest of All Time: Muhammad Ali will be showing through September 15th.
