Comeback from exile

With his case still in appeal, Ali returned to the ring after winning a boxing license in Atlanta on August 12, 1970, thanks to State Senator Leroy R. Johnson, where he was granted a license to box by the City of Atlanta Athletic Commission.^[27] Ali's first return bout was against Jerry Quarry on October 26, resulting in a win after three rounds. Following this, the New York State Boxing Commission reinstated Ali's license to fight there and Ali fought against Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in December 1970, knocking him out technically during the 15th round, leaving him as a top contender against heavyweight champion Joe Frazier.

Ali and Frazier's first fight, held at the Garden on May 8, 1971, was nicknamed the "Fight of the Century", due to the hyped antics in their pre-fight. After being knocked down during the 15th round, Ali eventually suffered his first professional boxing loss afterwards from the fight. The boxer then returned with bouts against Quarry, a second bout with Floyd Patterson and Bob Foster in 1972, winning a total of six fights that year. In 1973, Ali suffered another loss at the hands of Ken Norton, who broke Ali's jaw during the fight, though it's contested which round he broke it, with Angelo Dundee later claiming Ali broke it in the second round, while others, including Norton, stated Ali broke it much later in the fight. After initially seeking retirement, Ali won against Norton in their second bout, leading to his second fight with Frazier, with Ali this time winning on points in their January 12, 1974 rematch.

Heavyweight Champion (second tenure)

Main articles: The Rumble in the Jungle and Thrilla in Manila

Ali faced off against heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman in Kinshasa on October 30, 1974 in a bout nicknamed "The Rumble in the Jungle". Going into the fight, Ali was not favored to win it, judging from Foreman's hard punches. During the fight, beginning in the second round, Ali began laying on the ropes, allowing Foreman to hit him with body punches, while avoiding Ali's head. Midway through, when Foreman began tiring, Ali would then counter with punches and some flurries. By the fifth round, Ali began to hit more effectively to Foreman, who was weakening. This practice would later become known as the "Rope-A-Dope". Midway through the eighth round, Ali hit Foreman with a flurry of punches that sent Foreman to the canvas, later resulting in him being counted out and Ali winning back the championship for the second time in his career.

Ali's next opponents included Chuck Wepner, who stunned Ali with a knockdown in the ninth round - Ali would later said he tripped on Wepner's foot; Ron Lyle and Joe Bugner. Ali agreed to a third match with Joe Frazier in Manila. The bout, titled "The Thrilla in Manila", was held on October 1, 1975.^[13] The fight lasted for fourteen rounds and was considered a brutal fight due to the sweltering heat with temperatures reaching 100 °F (38 °C) and both fighters' punches towards each other. Ali won by technical knockout after Frazier's corner refused to allow Frazier, who was technically blind during the fight, to answer for the fifteenth round. An ailing Ali said afterwards that the last Frazier fight "was the closest thing to dying that I know". Ali cited Frazier as "the greatest fighter of all times next to me" after their bout ended.