The Greatest found guilty

The People's Champion was initially found guilty of breaking the Selective Service statutes by refusing to be drafted by the court on June 20, 1967. After only 21 minutes of deliberation, Ali received his punishment without delay. The champion asked for a quick investigation. Ali quickly gained a negative reputation after being praised by people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. but despised by millions of people. Unlike the majority of conscientious objectors, "The Greatest" stood up for his convictions rather than emigrating to Canada. The former Olympic hero traveled to universities around the nation to share his opinions on Vietnam and raise money to pay off his $10,000 debt as well as to educate future Americans. His "Black is Best" speech was Ali's most well-liked address. Ali had his prime years taken away from him and yet still left behind a legacy like no other. Ali’s trainer Angelo Dundee said: “One thing must be taken into account when talking about Ali – he was robbed of his best years, his prime years”.

Ali was dethroned of his titles and suspended from boxing by the New York State Commission on April 28, 1967, as a result of his complaint. For those who supported Vietnam, Ali's decision and the impact it had on black people represented a risky turn for the worse. Even the most influential members of the black community wanted to make sure Ali was opposed to war for the right reasons. A week later, a historic "Muhammad Ali Summit" was held in Cleveland at the "Negro Industrial Economic Union" with a number of prominent African American athletes in attendance. The purpose of the conference was to decide whether or not Ali's opinions would be endorsed. The group, led by NFL veteran Jim Brown, eventually came to the conclusion that Ali had a solid case against the government and gave him their entire support.