Muhammad Ali was so scared of flying that he brought his own parachute on a plane to the Olympics before winning gold for USA
Muhammad Ali is widely considered to be the greatest boxer of all time.
But before he was a fast-talking knockout artist who changed the sport forever, Ali -- then known as Cassius Clay -- was a young boxer trying to prove himself in the Olympics.
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The 2024 Summer Games will be held in Paris and feature Simone Biles, LeBron James and Katie Ledecky trying to win gold medals for the United States.
In 1960, the Olympics were in Rome, Italy and it took an airplane for an 18-year-old Ali to fly across the world.
For most world-class athletes, that wasn't a problem.
For a young Ali, it was a huge personal issue -- and almost prevented him from winning gold in the Olympics.
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Ali had a life-changing experience during a one-hour flight from Louisville to Chicago.
"Some of the seats were torn from their bolts on the floor," he said in a 1975 .
Joe Martin, a former coach, backed up Ali's fear.
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"I really thought it was our last ride," Martin said. "I mean Cassius was praying and hollering! Oh, man, he was scared to death.”
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With a vast ocean separating the USA and Italy, the only way Ali could realistically travel was by air.
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First, he did research that involved the US Air Force.
"What I was afraid of most was the plane crashing," he said.
Ali contacted the US military branch and asked for flight records from America to Rome.
“They said they couldn’t even remember the last time one had crashed," Ali said. "That calmed me down enough to take the flight.”
Still, he wasn't fully at ease.
The next logical step for the king of the rope-a-dope with an eventual 56-5 career record was to support his cross-continent flight with a back-up plan.
Ali bought a parachute and brought it with him on the flight.
It was purchased at an army surplus store and followed Ali on his future air travel.
Once he safely arrived in Rome, he dominated.
He recorded three unanimous decisions and a knockout, which included victories over two medal winners from 1956.
Ali won gold for the US and set up a career that is still known across the world 64 years later as he turned professional shortly after and became the heavyweight champion for the first time in 1964, beating Sonny Liston.
Over the next four years he defended his title nine times, converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. However, he was stripped of his title in 1967, when he refused to be drafted into the US army, citing religious and personal beliefs.
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He didn't fight again for three years but when he did he was involved in some of the most memorable bouts of all time. In addition to beating Liston, he became known for the 1971 'Fight of the Century' and the 'Thrilla in Manilla' in 1975, both against Joe Frazier and 'Rumble in the Jungle' against George Foreman.
In 2024, LeBron James and Coco Gauff will carry the US flag on Friday at the Opening Ceremony in Paris.
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