At 1:06 pm on April 28, 1967, a swearing in officer asked Muhammed Ali to step forward and be inducted into the U.S. Armed Forces; but Ali refused. Seemingly unruffled, Ali said he would take his case to the courts. He believed that as a Black Muslim Minister, he should be deferred; that the "Texas draft board was racially imbalanced"; and that his religous beliefs would not allow him to accept military service. According to his lawyer, Hayden Covington, Ali's chances of neither serving in the army nor spending time in jail were good.

On June 20, 1967, after trials were held in Houston, Muhammad Ali was found guilty of draft evasion and sentenced to a maximum of 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. After the first appeal, $5,000 bond was posted, and Ali was released. The New York State Athletic Commission, as well as every other major boxing association, dethroned him from his world heavyweight title. On April 5, 1969, Ali's Muslim status was suspended for a period of one year, the Muslims also took away his name, "Muhammed Ali," "until he proves himself worthy of that name."

A protracted series of courtroom battles culminated on January 11, 1971, in a US Supreme Court decision wherein the US highest court agreed to review the 1967 conviction. Finally on June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court cleared Ali of the charges by an 8-0 vote. It was declared that he was "improperly drafted in the first place."

Subsequently, Muhammed Ali resumed his professional boxing career and was reinstated with his Muslim status and name.