Muhammad Ali: 10 lesser known stories about the boxing legend

#3 The boxer refused to serve in the forces during the Vietnam War

A young Ali surrounded by media became a common sight as his career grew

During the Vietnam War of 1967, Ali like most Americans was asked to join the army. But as a member of Nation of Islam, Ali refused to serve in the army. Ali, then known as Cassius Clay issued a statement saying: "It is in the light of my consciousness as a Muslim minister and my own personal convictions that I take my stand in rejecting the call to be inducted. I do so with the full realisation of its implications. I have searched my conscience.”