Well the author is saying that Muhammad Ali has changed in so many major ways but in the small ways he is the same. I guess that is like the world.  We try to change it in major ways but in the small ways it is exactly the same.  No matter how much we try to change the world it will always stay the same.  When you look at the bigger picture it is different but if you took a closer look at it, the world is the same.  Muhammad tried to gain success and make his life better but ended up with more problems, just as the world tries to be at peace but ends up getting into more wars because of it.