Muhammad Ali, Thomas Hauser "Muhammad Ali, His Life and Times" Signed Limited Edition No. 3,009 of 3,500

VERY FINE- with a couple of very minor marks to the gilded page edges. Otherwise a new copy without any flaws. No bumped corners and free of any writing, marks, scratches or blemishes. A wonderful bright clean copy. The graphics are clear and not faded. The perfect gift for the collector of rare autographed sports books. A luxurious leather bound collector's edition, published by Easton Press and personally signed by "The Greatest", Muhammad Ali. In the words of the great Muhammad Ali: "Success is not achieved by winning all the time. Real success comes when we rise after we fall. Some mountains are higher than others. Some roads steeper than the next. There are hardships and setbacks but you cannot let them stop you. Even on the steepest road you must not turn back". A gorgeous dark red leather Numbered Limited Edition, also signed by the author, Thomas Hauser. Limited to 3,500 signed & numbered copies. This is number 3,009. Illustrated with numerous historic black & white photographs. Original publication date 1996. Includes extra unattached bookplate for your own personalization. From the Preface- "This book is not an attempt to mythologize Ali. It's an effort to show him as he was and is: a superb human being with good qualities and flaws. In his twenties, he was arguably the greatest fighter of all time. But more importantly, he reflected and shaped the social and political currents of the age in which he reigned. Ali in the 1960s stood for the proposition that principles mattered, that equality among people was just and proper, that the war in Vietnam was wrong." Ali was the first man to win the heavyweight title three times and he revolutionized the sport of heavyweight boxing. In 1990, Muhammad Ali was introduced into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Widely regarded as one, if not THE, best heavyweight fighters who ever lived, Ali's biography is an important book signed by an important world figure. As Cassius Clay, Ali won the light heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 Olympics and began the road to a highly successful heavyweight career. In 1964, Ali surprised the world by beating Sonny Liston and after the fight he changed his name to Ali after adopting Islam. Ali's title was stripped from him in 1967 when Ali refused the draft but he regained it, eventually, in 1974 by beating George Foreman. Ali successfully defended his title several times until the early 80's when his career was over. Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "the Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century and is often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. He held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1970. He was the undisputed champion from 1974 to 1978 and the WBA and Ring heavyweight champion from 1978 to 1979. In 1999, he was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC. Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, he began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics and turned professional later that year. He converted to Islam after 1961. He won the world heavyweight championship, defeating Sonny Liston in a major upset on February 25, 1964, at age 22. During that year, he denounced his birth name as a "slave name" and formally changed his name to Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military owing to his religious beliefs and ethical opposition to the Vietnam War and was found guilty of draft evasion and stripped of his boxing titles. He stayed out of prison while appealing the decision to the Supreme Court, where his conviction was overturned in 1971. He did not fight for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. Ali's actions as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War.…