Running head: EVALUATIVE 1

Evaluative Essay

ENG117N-61460: English Composition

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Evaluative Essay

As Muhammad Ali towered over his defeated foe, Sonny Liston, Neil Leifer captured an

image that changed the sports industry. This image is very recognizable for how powerful of an

idea it can represent and for the energy spilling out of Ali. I picked this legendary picture due to

its popularity and the messages that can be interpreted from it. The image has been repurposed

for many reasons, whether they be to inspire or to persuade consumers to buy sports-based

clothing and products. Simply adding the tagline “Just Do It” to the picture like Nike has

rebrands the image into something used for consumer profit with a hint of inspiration. Whether it

be Ali himself or the audience surrounding the background of the photo, the significance and

effectiveness of this image can convey a variety of messages to its audience.

Muhammad Ali was nicknamed “The Greatest” for a reason, and this image alone can

convey that idea. I’d like to give a little bit of background to this image and as to why it is so

popular and powerful. This picture was captured just one minute and 44 seconds into the first

round of the fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston. This was the second time the two

had squared off, the first being when Ali claimed the Heavyweight Boxing Champion title from

Liston just one year before. There was much anticipation for this fight, and this moment sealed

Ali into history forever. The photo captured the perfect moment of Ali and his radiant strength

and emotion.

The first criteria I’d like to focus on is the significance of the inspirational message

conveyed by the image. Ali’s prowess and posture alone expresses the emotion that Ali must’ve

been feeling in the moment. A still image of this expression allows to the reader to imagine the

tension in the room as Ali towered over his opponent who he vanquished with ease. Ali’s facial

expression portrays a sense of dominance over Liston and signifies the confidence that Ali had
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going into this fight. Although there is much convoluted history between these two fighters, Ali

reigned supreme as he defeated Liston not once, but two times. Ali was a fighter that faced much

criticism and judgement due to his affiliation with the Nation of Islam, but he overcame much

judgement and proved himself to be one of the greatest sports athletes that has ever lived.

The second criteria I would like to discuss is the effectiveness of the photo. The

effectiveness of this photo can be represented simply by the popularity of this photo. The

widespread use of this photo gives power to its effectiveness. The photo was adopted into a

landmark of inspiration as it grew more and more popular. If you look between the knees of Ali,

you have a stunned audience member that shows just how monumental it must have been to

witness that moment in sports history. As stated before, this image has been repurposed many

times in inspirational ads that aim convey a sense of inspiration in whatever someone might need

support in. It can be interpreted as a statement of “be the best you can be” or “overcome any

obstacle.”

The original image has an excellent sense of logos, pathos, and ethos in the message it

conveys to its audience. For logos, this photo shows that Muhammad Ali was clearly the better

fighter as he was the one still standing. For pathos, one can read his enthusiasm and energy by

simply looking at his mannerism in the photo. For ethos, Ali is historically known as a top-notch

fighter. This image has been replicated and reused for a number of sports ads that, in a way,

convey Ali to be so great because of the products he used made by certain companies. Even the

colors of the photo can express different ideas. The photo was originally captured in black and

white but has since been repurposed in color to capture the photo in another sense. A stoic black

and white allows the reader to experience the emotions of Ali and the audience based solely on

their expressions, regardless of the lack of color.