The Louisville Lip.

The Greatest.

The People’s Champion.

Muhammad Ali had many nicknames. He earned them through his success in the boxing ring and his courage outside of it. But before he became one of the most recognizable faces in the world. Before the nicknames, and the championships. Before he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, he was twelve-year-old Cassius Clay riding a brand-new red-and-white bicycle through the streets of Louisville, Kentucky. One fateful day, this proud and bold young boy had that bike stolen, his prized possession, and he wouldn’t let it go. Not without a fight.

This would be the day he discovered boxing. Cassius’s path became clear, and a champion was born in the basement gym run by a local police officer.

Author Gene Barretta and illustrator Frank Morrison deliver the knockout story of how Muhammad Ali began his ride to greatness through lively text and stunning illustrations. It is a tale about the triumphs of one man’s resilience and determination-and the lasting legacy he left behind.