The Postal Service will release a stamp honoring “The Greatest” — Muhammad Ali — on Thursday, Jan. 15.
Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, KY, Ali (1942-2016) rose from humble beginnings to become a three-time heavyweight boxing champion known around the globe as a powerhouse in and beyond the ring.
He had 56 wins and five losses during his career, which ended in 1981.
Ali’s influence wasn’t limited to boxing. He used his platform to advocate for peace, faith and justice, emerging as a global symbol of courage and compassion.
The stamp design by Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, portrays Ali in an iconic boxing stance — capturing his intensity as a fighter.
The bold typography echoes classic boxing posters and the chant embraced around the world: “Ali! Ali! Ali!”
The picture in the selvage — the area surrounding the stamps — shows a black-and-white 1976 Associated Press photo of Ali smiling in a pinstripe suit, reflecting the humanitarian and cultural icon he became outside of boxing.
“There are many facets to Ali,” Alcalá said. “I felt it was important to represent him on the stamp as a boxer, but also to include a photo showing his non-boxing side.”
The Muhammad Ali stamp will be available in panes of 20 at Post Offices and on usps.com.
A dedication ceremony will be held Jan. 15 at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
