Ali truly took a moral stance and paid with his title, his career, millions of dollars in future gates, and he was even willing to go to prison. The Army would have never sent him to Vietnam as a world champ, they would have used him in special services to raise morale and do boxing exhibitions. I have only deep admiration for Ali.
Ironically, I was in Vietnam fighting while all this was going on, and I knew Ali took the right stand. He was speaking for me as well. On the other hand, I am sure that he would have never supported Hamas and their methods.