I Am the Greatest

An astrological look at the life of Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali was officially diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984, three years after he retired from boxing in 1981 and at the age of 42. Why start with this? Because I had a chance encounter with Ali while walking through the terminal at Cleveland Hopkins Airport several years after this devastating diagnosis. In my youth, I remembered him as this brash, confident, world champion heavyweight boxer who had boldly proclaimed to the world, "I am the greatest," after defeating Sonny Liston on February 25, 1964. He indeed went on to become just that.

But here we were years later, him not knowing I had been a childhood fan, and me observing a man who had been reduced to an unseemly shuffle and an empty stare as he navigated the airport alone, with no cheering crowd, no flashes from a gallery of photographers. My impulse was to say I am so sorry as we passed by each other, but I couldn't bring myself to say it. The contrast between what I was seeing that day and what I observed earlier in my life created a moment of despair. As I drove home from the airport, I found myself reflecting on how dramatic the changes can be that occur on our individual journeys.

Here is Muhammad Ali's Birth Chart:

Howard Cosell was inextricably entangled with Muhammad Ali. Heralding from very different backgrounds, Ali was a young, Black boxing champion from Kentucky, and Cosell was a Jewish broadcaster from Brooklyn, yet they formed an unlikely friendship that was highly visible through their frequent TV interviews and public appearances. What I can still hear to this day was the way Cosell would address Ali, always calling him simply "Champ". This led me to muse, I wonder if there is an asteroid named Champion and if so, where would it fall in Ali's birth chart? Yes, there is...

At the moment Ali was born, the asteroid Champion was domiciled in the sign of Leo at 28 degrees and 13 minutes in his first house. To add to this auspicious placement, it was in conjunction with the royal star Regulus, which fell at 29 degrees and 2 minutes of Leo. Regulus, often known as the "Royal Star," represents themes of royalty, leadership, success, ambition, courage, and honor in astrology. As the brightest star in Leo and one of the four ancient “Royal Stars” of Persia, Regulus is said to bestow a desire for distinction, a drive for achievement and recognition, and an inherent sense of nobility or dignity. Leo is the zodiacal sign associated with passion, arrogance, crowns, entertainers, sports, stadiums, boldness, audience loving, and taking center stage. These attributions can all be connected to the persona who was known as "The Greatest," Muhammad Ali.

It was as if the universe had decisively marked his first house, with Champion and Regulus standing there, arms crossed and tongues out, striking a confident pose to highlight this point.

Here is that placement:

The unusual partnership that Ali seemed to forge with Howard Cosell is also very apparent in his chart as the house of close personal relationships and partnerships, the seventh house, has the sign of Aquarius on its cusp. This points to Ali forging different and unique partnerships throughout his lifetime. No one would dispute a Jewish broadcaster from Brooklyn and a Black boxer from Louisville an unlikely pairing. But this was a relationship that spanned over 30 years, characterized by playful banter, mutual respect, and public support. Muhammad Ali's birth name was Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., and he later changed it to Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam in 1964. This was what distinguished Howard from so many others, and he was one of the first journalists to address Ali by his chosen name after converting to Islam, showing respect when many refused to do so. He also supported Ali's right to refuse the draft during the Vietnam War, and that support persisted even when it was controversial.

This demonstrates the qualities of the Aquarius archetype loudly. Aquarius embraces the non-traditional, rebelling against the man, being disruptive, and acting uniquely. These two seemed to need each other and from the outside looking in one could conclude that the connection bordered on familial marked by genuine respect, affection, and even elements of playful banter that resembled the dynamic found in close families. Their interactions displayed a mix of gentle teasing, honesty, and unwavering support, with both men acknowledging and accepting each other's imperfections. Ali trusted Cosell, who in turn showed loyalty and understanding, leading many observers and even Cosell's family to describe their relationship as having real depth and mutual faith, reminiscent of a family connection. This brings up the question of whether there is an asteroid Howard?

There is an asteroid Howard and right on cue it falls into Ali's fourth house of family, the most private part of the self, and one's sense of belonging. The asteroid Howard was domiciled in the sign of Sagittarius at 7 degrees and 10 minutes at his birth. Remarkably when one dives into some of the more nuanced attributions to Sagittarius, we learn that it is associated with radio and television announcers, and even satire which was often seen in their interactions as they would often stage mock arguments. It also has to do with long-distance travel which Cosell had to do to cover Ali’s fights in several countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe, but not all of them. This is a sign of enthusiasm and belief, and Howard seemed to possess these feelings about Ali, supporting him and talking him up regularly. The placement supports the facts of this relationship.

Going a step further, given that Ali's house of partnerships, the seventh house, has Aquarius on its cusp, when we look to its modern ruler, Uranus, we gain even more confirmation of the above analysis. Ali was born with Uranus in Taurus in his tenth house of public image and profession. His Uranus was also in conjunction with Saturn, also in Taurus. What is striking about this is that it connects his seventh house of partnerships with his tenth house of career through the individualistic, freedom-seeking, and disruptive energies of Uranus. The conjunction with Saturn is indicative of the battle that Ali waged against the man, the rules, and the restrictions, as Uranus and Saturn's collision played out in the public arena.

There is no greater example of this than when Muhammad Ali refused to go to Vietnam and serve in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War due to his religious and political convictions. He applied for conscientious objector status, citing the teachings of Islam and his opposition to war, but his request was denied in 1967. Ali famously stated, "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong," highlighting his belief that he should not fight people who had not wronged him.

This famously, as a result of his refusal, caused Ali to be stripped of his heavyweight boxing title, banned from boxing, sentenced to five years in prison, and faced public vilification. He appealed his conviction, and during the appeal years, supported himself through speaking engagements at anti-war events. In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously overturned his conviction, allowing him to return to boxing. This couldn't be a more on-point example of the influence of Uranian energy of rebellion colliding with the disciplinary energies of Saturn.

Additionally, aligning with the positioning of the asteroid Howard in Ali's house of family and emotional foundation, Cosell supported Ali's decision to refuse the draft based on legal, moral, and constitutional principles. He articulated his justification both on air and in interviews, even when Ali faced widespread condemnation and was stripped of his boxing title.

On a more visionary and metaphorical level, one can picture Uranus and Saturn, two powerful forces in the fixed earth sign of Taurus, locking horns like two bulls (Taurus) in combat. The imaginary zodiacal symbols create can sometimes be breathtaking.

Also, in Ali's tenth house, we find yet a third planet, Jupiter in the sign of Gemini. This places Jupiter in a condition known as detriment. This helps in understanding the love/hate relationship the public seemed to have with this brash and confident persona known as Muhammad Ali. Gemini is directly related to the mind, its communicative skills, and its energy is connected with being lighthearted as well as clever. When a planet such as Jupiter, that often waxes philosophical and can be blunt, finds itself wearing the Archetype of Gemini, heavy scrutinization often occurs. Others don't always understand the communication they are experiencing. Here is an example of the quick-witted, clever Ali speaking publicly. It's easy to conclude that for some people, they found this entertaining and humorous, while for others, they reacted by being put off by it or muttering not-so-nice things in response.

Listen Here: https://youtu.be/1LSewbS5eQI?si=X54UsGl4KYInW2QS

This ability at improvisation is supported in Ali's chart further by the conjunction of his Moon and Mercury in the genius sign of Aquarius. Literally his emotions and intellect are joined in the airy realm of Aquarius where rebels thrive, brilliance is common, and disruption is a way of life. Further, Mercury is the ruler of Gemini, the place Ali's Jupiter resides. What this does is create a man filled with rebellious feelings and thoughts, who wants the world to hear him!

Reflecting on my unexpected meeting with "The Champ" at the airport, I felt an urge to express my sympathy. This feeling stemmed from seeing someone once so famous and celebrated now in a frail and declining state. What I didn't reveal was that I briefly made eye contact with Ali and nodded in recognition of his identity. His return gaze conveyed everything, as if he was saying, "It's okay, I've had a good run." And indeed, he had.

Muhammad Ali died on June 3, 2016, at the age of 74 in Scottsdale, Arizona. His official cause of death was septic shock due to unspecified natural causes. Ali had lived with Parkinson's disease for more than thirty years, and his declining health was further complicated by a respiratory illness that led to hospitalization shortly before his death. Despite widespread belief that Parkinson's disease was the main cause, it was specifically septic shock, resulting from an infection, that caused his passing.