His ferocious skill inside the ring made him a champion, his gentle spirit outside made him a hero, and his courage in life made him a legend. Like David taking on Goliath, he fought against the biggest and the strongest and managed to come out on top. Like a modern-day Robin Hood, he gave his wealth to the poor. He had the good looks of a movie star and the words of a poet, and left his fans and critics absolutely spellbound every time. He soon became the champion of the world, but gave it all up by standing for what he believed in. Refusing to abandon his Muslim faith, and refusing to fight in the Vietnam War, cost him the best years of his career, and nearly stripped him of his freedom. But Muhammad Ali survived it all, and fought his way back to the top all over again.less