Portraits and candid shots reveal the early years of Muhammad Ali’s career in Miami between 1961 and 1964, capturing the emergence of a sporting icon. The images document Ali in moments both inside and outside the boxing ring, highlighting his evolving physicality and charisma during this formative period.

Shot by Flip Schulke, the photographs balance action with intimacy, showing not only Ali’s prowess as a boxer but also his personality and presence offstage. The work explores themes of ambition, identity, and the birth of legend through visual storytelling concentrated within these critical early years.

Published by St. Martin’s Press in 2001, Muhammad Ali: The Birth of a Legend, Miami, 1961–1964 offers 128 pages of focused documentary photography that situates Ali’s rise within a specific cultural and historical moment.