Muhammad Ali Celebrates 70th Birthday in Las Vegas

The legendary heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali celebrated his 70th birthday at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on Feb. 18, 2012. US President Barack Obama, top celebrities and businessmen paid tribute to the retired boxer at his 70th birthday.

Ali was honored by over 2,000 people, including dozens of famous figures in sports, television, music and movies such as David Beckham, Anthony Hopkins and Manny Pacquiao, who paid the cover charge starting at $1,500 per plate to attend the event.

Also present at the five-hour-long dinner and gala were model Cindy Crawford, as well as actor Samuel L. Jackson.

The gathering aimed at raising money for charitable causes was a complete success and, for instance, the gloves Ali used to defend his world boxing title for the first time in Las Vegas, were auctioned for more than $1 million and were bought by hotel and casino businessman Lorenzo Fertitta.

Also included were original posters used to promote the fight, which bore both the name selected by Ali when he converted to Islam - Muhammad Ali - and his birth name of Cassius Clay.

Organizers of the gala benefit dinner and the auction held on Feb. 18 in the MGM Grand Hotel never thought that they would get $1.1 million for the gloves Ali used in his 1965 defeat by knockout of Floyd Patterson.

The gala was organized to raise fund for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky., a cultural attraction that celebrates Ali's life and pushes educational goals on a wide range of topics for adults and children.

During his career, Ali won 56 fights, 37 of them by knockouts, was defeated 5 times and became the most famous athlete in history because of his personality and his willingness to publicly defend the causes in which he believed.

Obama, the first African American president of the US, called Ali, who turned 70 last month, an "icon."

"Happy birthday, champ," Obama told Ali by taped video message. "As a fighter, you were something spectacular. You shocked the world, and you inspired it, too. And even after all the titles and legendary bouts, you're still doing it."