What’s My Name? Ali!

When Muhammad Ali asked Ernie Terrell “What’s my name?” during their fight in 1967, it was a moment that revealed the depths of Ali’s frustration and anger at being disrespected and misunderstood. At the time, Ali was in the midst of a battle with the US government over his refusal to be drafted into the Vietnam War, and he was facing increasing criticism and condemnation for his outspoken opposition to the war.

Ernie Terrell, a fellow boxer and opponent, had refused to acknowledge Ali’s chosen name and continued to refer to him as Cassius Clay, his birth name. For Ali, this was not just a matter of semantics or personal preference – it was a fundamental issue of identity and pride.

As the fight went on, Ali became increasingly agitated and enraged by Terrell’s refusal to call him by his chosen name. He began taunting Terrell with jabs and hooks, all the while repeating the phrase “What’s my name?” over and over again. It was a cry of frustration and defiance, a way of demanding respect and recognition for who he was and what he stood for.

For Ali, the fight with Terrell was not just about boxing – it was a microcosm of the larger struggle he was facing in his life. He was fighting against a system that sought to suppress his voice and his beliefs, and he was determined to emerge victorious, no matter the cost.

In the end, Ali won the fight, but the moment when he asked Terrell “What’s my name?” remains one of the most poignant and emotional moments in his career. It was a moment of raw, unfiltered emotion, a moment when Ali showed the world that he would not be silenced or diminished, no matter the odds against him.