The Muslim world was also gripped by upheaval, stemming from the withdrawal of the colonial powers and the onset of the Cold War. "Muslims wanted a hero to represent them, and Clay was the only Muslim champion... No other Muslim athlete managed to achieve what Clay did ... For the newly crowned heavyweight champion, being received by one of America's chief enemies announced his arrival on the global stage as a powerful voice of change. Mohammed Assem Faheem, a three-time youth heavyweight champion in Egypt, mainly saw Ali as a boxing role model. "My generation liked Muhammed Ali because he was very good at boxing and because his name was Muhammed Ali and he was a Muslim."

Source: ABC News June 05, 2016 06:22 UTC