At the age of 12 Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) took up boxing after a kid stole his bicycle. Cassius wanted to make the kid pay by beating him up. A police officer and boxing coach named Joe E. Martin told him had better learn to box first. Well he did and went on to become the greatest boxer of all time. This painting represents the start of a dream to it's fulfillment when Ali beat Liston for the heavy weight championship of the world.