Muhammad Ali was known as "The Greatest", and many boxing experts agree with that appellation, considering him the greatest heavyweight in history. Born as Cassius Clay, the Kentucky native began boxing at 12 years old, and he won the Light Heavyweight Gold Medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics. He took his first World Heavyweight Championship on Feb. 25, 1964, when he defeated Sonny Liston in a major upset when Liston failed to answer the bell in Round 7 for a TKO victory. In the rematch with Liston, held in Lewiston, Maine in March 1965, Ali again defeated Liston, this time in Round 1 on a knockout by what some called a "phantom punch, implying that Liston went down on purpose. During the Vietnam War, Ali claimed conscientious objector status, refusing to be drafted. He was convicted of draft evasion, and after almost a four-year ban from boxing, Ali resumed boxing in 1971 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction. Ali fought the World Heavyweight Champion, Joe Frazier, in what was termed "The Fight of the Century" on March 8, 1971, and Ali lost by a unanimous decision, the first loss of his professional career. After a defeat of Frazier in a rematch, in 1974, Ali took back the World Heavyweight Championship with a defeat of George Foreman. In 1975, the year when the offered boxing trunks were used, Ali defeated Joe Frazier in their third fight by a TKO, but the fight "The Thrilla in Manila", took a great physical toll on Ali, and he was never the same after this epic battle with Frazier. The color of the satin white trunks has faded because of age. These shorts were possibly worn in training. The trunks are not tagged, and they do not have a listed size, but the waist measures 36 inches. The trunks show good use, with stains on the right, middle and left front, and a few stains on the left and right back sections of the shorts. There are a few loose threads. The Ali signature is on the front left, and Ali signed and inscribed "Muhammad Ali 75" in light, but still legible, ballpoint pen. The shorts come with a signed Letter of Authenticity for the signature from PSA/DNA. The offering shows value as the boxing trunks of a fighter who in 1999, was deemed by Sports Illustrated as the Sportsman of the Century.