All language subtitles for whats.my.name.muhammad.ali.2019.part.1.480p.webrip.x264

Ali:
A life story should be...

It should be...
Everything should be in it.

Why I joined Elijah Muhammad,
and what turned me too...

What experiences
I had racially.

I mean, see these things
I don't wanna just give away.

People have offered me
a lot of money for books.

Interviewer: Yeah,
but you know, everything
that's written about you

makes people wanna read
more about you.

And they keep sayin',
"Well, wait'll we read
his story by him."

Ali: I was nervous.
That's a bad feeling.

When you're in the dressing
room, and the man says,

"Well, Champ,
you got five more minutes,"

you get up and you warm up

and then you look
into the monitor,

you see all the people,
and you think about

all the cities
in all the world watchin',

how much is involved
and the investments

you have gone if you lose.

That's gonna destroy you
and everything you planned

and everything's involved,
and the man's a good opponent.

Ali: You walk
into the ring, you hear
all these people rootin'

and hollerin', and then you see
the cameras, the lights--

I'm really frightened,
until the first
two, three punches.

Announcer: ...gonna be
a great evening for boxing
fans all over the world.

Man: For the first time
in heavyweight
championship history,

we have two undefeated
fighters in there.

Announcer:
Here is Muhammad Ali!

His opponent, from
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

the heavyweight champion
of the world, Joe Frazier!

Referee:
Good evening,
Joe and Muhammad.

Since this contest is
for the final determination

of the heavyweight
championship of the world,

we ask you to pay
particular attention
to the rules

of the New York State
Athletic Commission.

Shake hands now, men.

Return to your corners.

( spirited musical intro
plays )

♪ Hey, hey,
we're movin' on up ♪

♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ Lord have mercy,
we're movin' on up ♪

♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ Just keep on pushin' ♪

♪ You're a winner ♪

♪ Hey, we're movin' on up ♪

♪ Movin' on up ♪

♪ Oh, baby ♪

♪ Everybody, hey, you know
we're movin' on up ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

I'm Cassius Marcellus
Clay the Sixth,

and my great-great grandfather
was a Kentucky slave,

and he was named
after some great Kentuckian.

Cassius Marcellus Clay
is a great name in Kentucky.

And, uh, really,
where he was from,

where it was all originated,
I couldn't tell you,

but since I've reached
a little fame in boxing,

most people want to know
where am I from and where
did I get that name,

but really I haven't
really checked on it,

so I see that I'm gonna
have to go lookin'--

Interviewer:
You'll have to look it up.

See what it's
all about, now that
I'm getting interviews.

Odessa Clay:
Ali was always a large baby,
and when he was 18 months old,

he was very strong,
and had big, muscular arms.

One day he was swinging
his arms, and he hit me

in the mouth
and knocked a tooth out.

Ali: Twelve years old,
I went to a home show

where they displayed
cars and Fridgidaires
and everything,

and left my bicycle
outside and came out,

it was a drizzling rain
that night.

The bicycle was gone,

I just got it for Christmas.

I asked for the nearest
police officer.

And they said in the basement
of the same building

I had just came out.

Fellow named Joe Martin
was training amateur boxers

in a room about this size.

He asked me to take out
an application and learn
how to fight

so I could beat the fella up
who stole my bicycle.

Man: I had a show
on television every week.

Amateur boxing,
"Tomorrow's Champions."

Wasn't but a short time,
I put him on that show,

and that was his first boxing
match, was on television.

Ali: And I had about
45 fights on that show.

Every Saturday at 6:00.

Three bouts,
and two-minute
round bouts.

Ali: One night when
I heard Rocky Marciano...

The world heavyweight champion,
Rocky Marciano!

Ali: He had beaten Walcott.

Ali: And I heard the fella say,

"And still
World Heavyweight Champion,

Rocky Marciano!"

Ring Announcer: Marciano!

Commentator: Rocky Marciano
wins by a knockout.

Ali: So I rode off
in the rain on my bicycle.

I could just hear
the man say it.

"And still the heavyweight
champion of the whole world:

Cassius Clay."

Ali:
And I said to myself,

"The champion
of the whole world

can whup every man in Russia,

- every man in America,

every man in China,

every man in Japan,
every man in Europe.

Every man in America.

The champion
of the whole world.

That sounded big, then.

( audience laughter
and applause )

♪ I'm going to Kansas City ♪

♪ Kansas City here I come ♪

♪ I'm going to Kansas City ♪

♪ Kansas City here I come ♪

Announcer:
Winner by a TKO:
Cassius Clay!

♪ Gonna get me one ♪

♪ Gonna be standing
on the corner ♪

Announcer: The winner,
by a TKO,

Cassius Clay!

♪ Gonna be standing
on the corner ♪

♪ Twelfth Street and Vine ♪

♪ With my Kansas City baby ♪

♪ And a bottle
of Kansas City wine ♪

Commentator:
Hudson wants to continue,

but the referee awards
the victory to Cassius Clay.

♪ They got crazy
little women there ♪

♪ And I'm gonna get me one ♪

Man: I was convinced that
he would be Olympic champion,

and, uh, he was
very scared of airplanes.

He told me that
he wasn't going to Rome

unless I could
get him on a boat.

Ali: Well, I worry more about
airplanes than I do boxing.

I mean, I never worry
about the fight.

I worry about the flight.

Man: And, uh,
I said there's no way.

You're gonna have to fly.

Man: Muhammad is this
training hard work,

to force yourself to do it?

Ali: You know, I mean,
the average person

has gotta get up
and go to work every day.

But you're lookin'
for things I wanna do
for the future,

then you could
make your mind up, too,
that it's worth it.

Announcer: Wilbert McClure,
light middleweight,
Toledo, Ohio.

Eddie Crook,
Detroit, Michigan.
165 pounds.

Cassius Marcellus Clay.
Light heavyweight,
Louisville, Kentucky.

Announcer: The 1960 Olympics:
American Cassius Clay

takes on Polish boxer
Ziggy Pietrzykowski

for the Olympic
light heavyweight
boxing championship.

Man: Cassius, were you worried
before any of the fights?

Ali: Well, yes,
truthfully, I was worried
before all of my fights

because it's really
a big thing to win

a world's amateur championship,

and each fight is a big fight,

so before every fight,
I was real nervous.

Announcer:
This southpaw, Pietrzykowski,

has proven
extremely challenging

in all his other
bouts to date.

No opponent has broken
through without being stung

by his quick right jab
and staggering left cross.

Ali: People really don't know
how tough this is.

Just get up tomorrow
and jump around
for three minutes

and watch how tired
you can get.

Announcer: It's round two,
and Clay

is outscoring his opponent.

Pietrzykowski
lands a solid left.

Cassius must be cautious
with this powerful leftie.

- And there's the end
of the round.

Ali: Champion is one
who can rally to the cause

when you're under pressure

and have just a little more
than the other guy.

Announcer:
We start the third.

Clay comes out looking lively
for the final round.

Ali: First two rounds,
I was pretty slow
gettin' started.

In the third round,
he tired out.

He couldn't hold
such a fast pace.

So the third round,
he was mine.

Announcer: Clay taking
control of the fight here
at the end of round three.

- And there's the final bell.

Both men left it all
in the ring during these
punishing three rounds

of gold-medal boxing.

And the winner by
unanimous decision is Clay!

Ali: I won the Olympic
gold medal in Rome, Italy.

I'm defeatin' America's
so-called threats and enemies.

Olympic Champion. The Russian's
standing right here,

and the Pole right here.

And the flag is going...

( hums "The Star-Spangled
Banner" )

And I done whupped
the world for America.

I said, "Man, I know I'm gonna
get my people freedom now."

I'm the champion
of the whole world.

Olympic champion.
I know I can eat downtown now.

And I went downtown that day,

had my big 'ol medal on
and went in the restaurants,

And I said, "Hm,
a cup of coffee. A hot dog."

Lady said,
"We don't serve Negroes."

I was so mad, I said,
"I don't eat 'em either.

Just give me a couple
of hot dogs and a hamburger."

( audience laughs
and applauds )

I said three days ago, I fought
for this country in Rome,

I won the gold medal,
and I'm gonna eat.

And she says, "Well, I'm not
the man. Now, he's gotta go."

And I had to leave
that restaurant

in my hometown,
where I went to church,

and served in their
Christianity, and fought--

Daddy fought in all the wars.

Just won the gold medal,
and couldn't eat downtown.

I said, "Something's wrong."

Reporter: Any of you boys
plan to turn pro?

- Cassius?
- I was thinkin'
about turning pro.

For an example, right now,
I'm the world's amateur
light heavyweight champion,

and I'm broke.

Bill Faversham: I'd seen him
quite a lot as a kid,

so I got ahold of,
um, a black man,

I guess is the word
I have to use now,

um, who worked for me.

Very bright young fellow,
and I said,

"Do you know Cassius,
by any chance?"

And he said, yes, he did,

and I said, "Well,
I'd like you to arrange

a meeting
between Cassius and me."

♪ ...gonna move it slow ♪

Man: Any ideas now as to whom
you might sign with?

Ali: Well, yes, it's best
to be with somebody you know

and from your own town,
if possible.

Nice, honest crowd,
nice clean people,

and with the right backing,
I believe I have a nice chance

to become the world's
heavyweight champion.

♪ Now listen to the beat ♪

Bill Faversham:
He got 400 dollars a month.

Enough so that he could eat,

and then he got
50 percent of the gate.

♪ 'Cause it's all right ♪

♪ Whoa, it's all right ♪

♪ Everybody clap your hands ♪

Ali: Angelo Dundee
was comin' through Louisville

with a fighter
named Willie Pastrano.

So I called him up,
I said, "I'm the world's
greatest fighter.

I'm gonna be the world's
greatest champion.

I'm now the Olympic champion.

I'm the Golden Gloves champion,
the AAU champion,

and I wanna talk to you.

Angelo: ...hand over
the receiver,

and I says, There's some sort
of a nut downstairs

who wants to talk to us.
He sounds like a nice
kid, though.

Ali: He said,
"Aw, come on up."

Angelo: The conversation
went on for about three hours.

Ali:
And then, after I signed up,

I went to Florida
and started training with him.

Angelo: When he walks
into the gymnasium
in Miami Beach,

you'll see it's
a happy air about it.

This is his place
where he can train

and relax and be himself.

The Cubans gave him
the pet name "Boca Grande,"

Big Mouth,
because he imitates--
he's speaking Spanish,

saying nothing
for about ten minutes
with these fellas,

and they get a kick out of it.

But they dubbed him
"Big Mouth" before anyone.

This is no usual fighter.
This kid just had that style.

This quickness,
reflex action.

He was hungry for,
uh, knowledge,

for information.

He kept asking questions
about road work

and how many times
a day do you eat.

I was very impressed the way
he worked. He worked hard.

How many fights you had?

Uh, about 180
amateur fights, lost three.

That was my first three,
by the way.

- Yeah.
- Um--

Have you ever
been knocked out?

Have you ever been
knocked out?

Never dreamed
of being knocked out.

Commentator: Cassius Clay,

an 18-year-old amateur
boxing champion

with a charming smile,
took a physical examination

for his first
professional fight.

All Louisville
boxing fans turned out

to see their young
Olympic gold medal winner.

He did not disappoint anyone,

easily winning
his professional debut

with a flashing
unanimous decision.

Ring Announcer:
And the winner...

Cassius Clay!

Ali: If you ask
the average white person,

who's the greatest
two fighters ever lived,

he'll say Jack Dempsey
or Marciano.

If you ask an Italian,
he'll say Benvenuti,

which is nature.

If you ask the average
black man on the streets,

he'll say Jack Johnson.

You may hate to admit it
because he's black,

but he was one of the greatest.

And after Jack Johnson,
every kid all over the world,

every player knows
the name Joe Louis.

The name Joe Louis
is boxing.

I always wondered when
I went to church on Sundays,

I always asked my mother,
I said,

"Mother, how come
is everything white?"

I said, "Why is Jesus white
with blond hair and blue eyes?

Why is the Lord's Supper
all white men?

Angels are white.

I said, "Mother, when we die,
do we go to heaven?"

She said, "Naturally
we go to heaven."

I said, "Well, what happened
to all the black angels

when they took the pictures?"

Announcer: At 188 pounds,
Clay is lightning fast.

Ali: I said, "Oh, I know.

If the white folks
was in heaven, too,

then the black angels
were in the kitchen

preparing the milk and honey."

I always wondered why,
you know,

Tarzan is the king
of the jungle in Africa.

He was white.
Everything was white.

And the angel food cake
was the white cake,

and the devil's food cake
was the chocolate cake!

Announcer: Young Cassius Clay
takes another large step

up the heavyweight ladder.

Ali: And everything bad
was black.

The little ugly duck
was the black duck,

and the black cat
was the bad luck,

and if I threaten you,
I'm gonna blackmail you--

I said, "Mama, why don't
they call it whitemail?

- They lie, too."

Gorgeous George,
a famous American wrestler,

he was talkin' about,

"I am the prettiest wrestler,
I am great.

Look at my beautiful
blond hair."

Real conceited and arrogant.

He says, "George,
what if you lose?"

"If I lose, I'm catchin'
the next jet out to Russia."

I looked at him,
I said, "Boy,

he needs a good whuppin'."

When I saw all of
those people come to see

Gorgeous George get beat,
and they all paid to get in.

That's the thing--
they paid to get in!

And I said,
"This is a good idea."

And right away,
I start talking.

I am the greatest.

I won't return
to the United States
for 90 days.

I'm too fast.

If you talk jive,
you'll fall in fire.

If Doug Jones beats me,

I'll crawl across
the ring on my knees,

kiss his feet, tell him
he's the greatest,

go to Idlewild Airport,

and catch the next jet
out of the country.

With me, it was
a little different.

They said, "The nigga
talks too much."

Ali: "He talks too damn much!

Put your fist in his mouth!"

I heard it ringside.

"Knock that nigger out!

That nigger needs
a good whuppin'!

Ring Announcer:
Winner by unanimous decision,

Cassius Clay!

Man: Cassius Clay is
stomaching some of the people

who are booing the decision.

Debris is coming
into the ring now.

Ali: Boo, yell, scream,
throw peanuts,

but whatever you do,
pay to get in!

Man: You came in the ring
with a crown on your head.

- Is that--?
- Ali: Because I am the king.

I understand you
have a queen of England,
but you don't have a king.

Man: Were you shocked
when you were booed

into the ring
by the British public?

Ali: No, I was not shocked.
I'm always booed.

Everywhere I go, I'm booed.
I like to be booed.

That's why I fight hard.

Ali: In 1963, when that
Henry Cooper hit me...

He hit me with a left hook.

That nick was so hard,

it jarred my colored friends
in America.

Announcer:
...knock on the bell.

The bell has sounded,

and he's up in about three,

Clay, and he still

doesn't know where he is.

He's still half out,
Clay.

They're working furiously
on him in the corner.

Angelo Dundee, his trainer,

he really is giving him
a talking-to.

Cooper's left hook
finally scores,

and Clay was down

two seconds from the end
of the fourth round.

Man: And out they come
for round five,

the round in which Clay
said he would beat Cooper.

It's round five.

And now he's stepping in,
and I think this is it.

The cor-- the towel has
come in from Cooper's corner,

and Tommy Little's
looking at it,

and he's had
to stop the fight.

And Clay is getting
bombarded with programs

from angry ringsiders.

Ali: 55,000 to witness,

and this "Lord of the Lip"
come over here

and call the exact
round again.

We don't believe it.
The fifth round came.

I said...

I hit him. I said,
"Come on, sucker."

Man said, "break it up."

I said there he is.

There he is, and walked
on out of the joint.

Ali: Come here, Sam.
I got the British Press here.

This is Sam Cooke.
As you can see, like me,
he's awful pretty.

- And we are here now
workin' on the record

called,
"The Gang's All Here."

Would you like to give us
a preview of this disc?

- Well, let's give 'em a sample.
- Come on, let's give 'em--

We'll do a lot better if we
have the music here with us.

All right, be we gonna
do it without the music.

♪ Hey, hey,
the gang's all here ♪

♪ Join in the fun ♪

♪ Hey, hey,
the gang's all here ♪

♪ We gonna swing as one ♪

♪ Do it again now ♪

♪ Hey, hey,
the gang's all here ♪

♪ We gonna swing as one ♪

- I'll see you guys later.
- All right, Sam. Yes, sir.

♪ Are you ready? ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Am I the greatest? ♪

Ali: Now I'm driving long,
beautiful Cadillacs,

living in beautiful homes.

I'm colorful, I talk a lot,
I'm just different.

I'm something new on the scene,
and I'm not only a fighter,

I'm a good showman.

I just cut an album
for Columbia Records.

I might retire
from the fight game

and go into
the recording business.

This thing will sell
about four million copies.

It will outsell
"My Fair Lady"

and "The First Family"
combined.

Interviewer:
Do you find it a lot easier

punching holes in records
than opponents?

Ali: You all right.
It's a lot easier,

there's a lot more
dough in it.

These records sell
for $3.98 apiece,

and already,
it's done sold 175,000
in the last two days.

Great fight, kid.
You were great.

Interviewer:
Let's talk about opponents.

Ali: I won't fight nobody under
one million dollars guarantee.

If it wasn't for me,
the game would be dead.

Announcer: Liston is
known in the fight game

as a man who likes
to end fights early.

Sonny Liston wins going away,

knocking out Wayne Bethea
in the first round.

Announcer: In round one,
Liston is at top mast
and is all business.

Announcer 2: A stunning left
sends Joiner

crashing to the canvas
here in round six.

This Sonny Liston
at his explosive best,

throwing bombs
with both hands.

Announcer 3:
A left, a breezy right,

and a solid left
to the cheekbone

drop the champion.

Ring Announcer: The winner,

the new world heavyweight
boxing champion,

Sonny Liston!

Interviewer: Do you
really think you can
beat Sonny Liston?

I don't think I can beat him,
I know I can beat him.

Man: As soon as
the contracts are signed,

the principals
in the this all-time,

all-great heavyweight bout

that will soon be staged
and probably has the earmarks

of shattering
every existing record--

this is the fight that everyone
has been clamoring for,

and as of this minute,
it is now official.

Well, Cassius, you've
just signed that contract.

Oh, yeah, I've just signed,
and my dream--

my dream has came true,
and I'm ready to war.

And I've been talkin',
talkin' and talkin',
and predictin'.

and Liston-Cassius Clay,
that's all I've been hearing.

The Bear's
gonna knock you out,

and now I'm ready to go.

Sonny, I know you're eating,
and I hate to interrupt you,

but would you like
to make a prediction

on what's gonna happen
in February

to your friend on the right?

If they put
a mouthpiece in his mouth

where he can't talk,
I'm gonna kill him.

Ali: They ain't gon'--
I'm not gonna get knocked out!

There ain't a heavyweight
in the world on two feet--

there's not a heavyweight
who can even keep up with me.

I hit a man so fast,

slow motion cameras
can't detect the speed.

Man: Have you made
your reservations yet?

Ali: I ain't
scared of nobody.

It's gonna take
a good man to whup me.

You can look at me,
I'm loaded with confidence.
I can't be beat.

I done had
108 amateur fights,

22 professional fights,
and I'm pretty as a girl!

I don't get hit!
I don't get hit I'm so pretty!

And I'm tired of talking.

Steve Allen: There seems
to be a relative lack

these days
of colorful individuals.

It's a great pleasure when
the occasional rare ones
do come along.

Such a man is the gentleman
you're gonna meet right now:

Number one contender
for the heavyweight crown,
Mr. Cassius Clay.

Here he is.

Boy: Cassius,
when you beat Sonny,

are you gonna
give him a rematch?

After I beat Sonny Liston,

you couldn't melt him
and pour him on me again.

How about reciting one
of your poems, Cassius?

If you like to lose your money,
be a fool and bet on Sonny.

Do you plan to retire
after Liston beats you?

Aw, no.

Ali:
I'm tired of hearing Liston.

Everywhere I go, they're
talking about Liston.

And he sent this
in the mail-- a button.

He's gonna button my lips,
and all of this.

And I want him,
I can't wait for him,

and he's gonna fall in eight.

Man: Yesterday he said,

when Liston fights
Cassius the Great,

everyone will
compliment him for
falling in eight.

Do you have anything
to say about that?

Liston: The only thing
I can say,

don't get
your tickets later.

They waitin'--
only in the first round,
they might miss it.

Well, do you think
it'll end in two?

Well, you can bet your life,
it ain't going four.

They shouldn't let him
in the ring with me.

No, seriously. This is
gonna be the biggest upset

in the century of all boxing.

He's an old man,
he's 40 years old.

That man don't belong
in no ring with no
21-year-old man like me.

- Is Sonny 40?
- Goin' on 40.

He's shaving.

I ain't even shaved.

Both: Float like a butterfly,
sting like a bee!

Rumble, young man, rumble.

Where's he at?!

Announcer: 218 pounds.

You tell Joe Louis
and Sonny Liston that
I'm here with Sugar Ray!

Joe Lewis is flat-footed,
and Sonny Liston is flat-footed.

Sugar Ray and I
are two pretty damsels.

We can't be beat!

Man: Liston, almost
the first time he hits him,

could be one, perhaps two.
I'll take one.

Man 2: Liston, obviously,
to win the fight,

but I have a feeling it's going
to go as far as eight rounds.

Woman: Clay will give Liston
a good run for his money.

- Man 3: Clay will win?
- Woman: No, he won't win,

but he'll give
Liston a good run.

Man 4: Not quite sure
that anything human
can hurt Sonny Liston.

Man 5: Liston
in the fourth round

because I really think
Liston is gonna really--

show that man his
mouthpiece ain't valuable.

Man 6: Fights are
always won with fists

and not with mouth talk.

I pick Liston to win
by the 5th round.

Ali: I'm just ready to fight,
and I'm glad it'll be here

while these big-mouthed people
here in Miami talkin' about

I talk too much and Liston's
gonna whup me--

well, I want all of them
to be there.

And I'm gonna shut up
all of ya's mouths.

Announcer: The challenger
from Louisville, Kentucky,

Cassius Clay!

Clay!

And his opponent,
from Denver, Colorado,

the heavyweight champion
of the world,

Charles "Sonny" Liston!
Liston!

In the event of a knockdown,
the man that is down
must take an eight count.

Man standing up will go
to a neutral corner
while I start counting.

And do not resume boxing
until I tell you to do so.

Now I want a clean bout,
when I order you to break,

stop punching and step back.
Good luck! Shake hands.

Ali: The night before,
it's hard to sleep.

You watch television,
walk around,

think about everything
involved-- it's rough.

And not from fright,
but just nervous.

All this, plus some hard
left hooker comin' at ya, too.

Announcer: Cassius Clay
on the move, as we see,

carrying his left hand
dangerously low.

Awkwardly fast,

it might keep the champion
a bit off-balance.

Steve Ellis:
Very slippery!

The challenger is jabbing
all over-- body, head--

and right hand!
The best punch of
the fight so far.

Joe Louis: Well,
Steve, I think that was
the greatest round

of any fight
we've seen in a long time.

I think Clay completely
outclassed Sonny Liston
in this round.

- I hope that Clay don't
get too much confidence.

If he do, then he gonna
get knocked out.

Steve Ellis:
Another jarring right hand
that time-- another one!

Sonny wobbles!
Sonny wobbles!

Cassius has him hurt!

Sonny is--
Sonny... is talking to...

Sonny has a big mouse
below his left eye.

He has a cut below the eye,

and he's getting hit with
all the punches in the book.

Joe Louis: Something's
wrong with Clay now.

Something's wrong with
Clay's eyes or something.

Ellis: I see that, Joe.
His eyes-- his eyes
are bothering him.

Ladies and gentlemen,
we don't know exactly
what happened.

They're yelling
from Cassius Clay's corner,

something got
in his right eye.

However,
he's blinking badly.

Sonny's gonna try
to pour it on.

Still having some problems
with his-- with his eyes.

He's blinking, and he's
bouncing away continually.

Liston still aiming toward
the body with the big punches.

Ellis:
Cassius Clay, Joe,

was continually complaining
about his eyes.

He seems okay. Dundee
seems to nod toward him.

We're getting ready
for number six.

- Did you think
it was going this long?
- Louis: I sure did.

I think the whole country
think it would.

Ellis:
Round six.

We know that Sonny,

flat-footed stance
most of the time...

- Easy target!

Easy!

Very tricky left jab.

Clay with a variety
of punches.

It's all in combination.

- That's his strong point.

The crowd now cheering
the challenger.

There you see them,
Joe Polino

trying to keep
that that tough pose.

Louis:
I think he don't see
too well out both his eyes,

'cause they're
pretty well puffed out.

And I think Clay got all
the company he needs now.

Ellis:
They might be stopping it!

That might be all,
ladies and gentlemen!

It's recorded as
a seventh-round knockout,

and thank you, Barney,
you did a good job.

Ali:
Man is floating on the world,

on the ocean of activity,

not knowin' where he's goin',
not knowin' what he's doin',

and what seems to be
important to man

is the moment
that he calls the present.

The past is
just a dream to him,

the future's in the mist,

and the only thing
that's clear to man
is the present.

- I am the king of the world!
- Hold it, hold it!

- I'm pretty!
- You're not that pretty.

I'm a bad man!
I shook up the world!

I shook up the world!

I shook up the world!

( interviewer continues,
indistinct )

- I am the greatest!
- All right, Cash.

Ali: What you gonna
say now, huh?

He pulls his head back.

He holds his hands too low.
Well, I'm still pretty.

The Bear couldn't hurt me.

The Bear couldn't even get
a good lick, I'm so pretty.

Oh, I'm so great!

Oh, I'm so pretty!

I shook up the world.

- Now I'm through talkin'.
- Come on, now.

I'm through talkin'.
You write-- You write
the results.

Reporter: Malcolm X,
what do you think

of Cassius's victory
in Miami?

I think it was
a great victory.

He proved he was
the best man.

Where were you
during the fight?

I was in the auditorium,
watching the fight.

- Right at ringside?
- Right at ringside.
I was in seat 7.

♪ Shake ♪

♪ Shake ♪

♪ Shake ♪

♪ Shake... ♪

Malcolm X: I was with him
during the nine days

when he was training
for the Liston fight,

and he seemed very sincere.

Whether he has understanding

to equal his sincerity
is another thing.

♪ Come on, loosen up
them shoulders ♪

♪ Shake ♪

♪ Oh, mama, shake ♪

♪ That's the way to do it ♪

♪ Shake ♪

♪ Oh, you're lookin'
good now ♪

♪ Shake, yeah ♪

♪ Now shake,
that's what you wanna... ♪

Reporter:
Do you think that Cassius's
being a Black Muslim

has had anything to do
with this victory?

I haven't heard him say
he was a Black Muslim.

I have heard him say
that he believes in
the religion of Islam,

which makes him a Muslim.

And it did have a great deal
to do with his victory

because he's a clean-living
young man,

and this is the main thing
that the Honorable
Elijah Muhammad does teach

in spreading the religion
of Islam throughout the--

among our people
in this country.

Narrator: The leader
of the Black Muslim sect

has termed Cassius Clay's
victory over Sonny Liston
a religious victory.

At the group's convention
in Chicago,

Elijah Muhammad came closer
than anyone so far

in proclaiming Clay a member
of the Black Muslims.

Clay has hinted that he is
at least on the fringe;

Elijah Muhammad
all but pushed him across.

The enemy wanted him
to come out all blasted.

They had said that he would--
ha ha!--

Liston would "tear up
that pretty face of yours."

But Allah and myself said,
"No, no."

Reporter:
How long has Cassius
been a Black Muslim?

- Do you know that?
- Well, I don't know.

Cassius is probably
more capable of speaking
for himself

than any other man
in this country.

Reporter:
Cassius Clay
is a name no more,

- is that right?
- Yes, sir.

It's Muhammad Ali.

"Muhammad" means
"worthy of all praises,"

and "Ali" means "most high"

in the Asian-African language.

How long have you
had the name?

Well, for about, mmm....

two weeks now.

Has anybody special
gave you the name?

Yes, sir, my leader and teacher,

the Most Honorable
Elijah Muhammad.

Malcolm X:
Here come Cassius,
the exact contrast

of everything
that was representative
of the Negro image.

He said he was the greatest,

all of the odds
were against him,

he won, he became victorious,
he became the champ.

They knew that as soon as--
if people began to identify
with Cassius

and the type of image
he was creating,

they were going to have trouble
out of these Negroes,

because they'd have Negroes

walking around the streets
saying, "I'm the greatest."

Narrator:
They are Black Muslims,

a national religious cult

that says it will take over
the United States

and eventually the world.

And the FBI says the movement
is a potential threat

to the internal security
of the United States.

A prominent Muslim

is heavyweight champion
Cassius Clay,

or Muhammad Ali.

Ali:
Just one man like me

been so attacked
for just his name,

with everybody I see
on TV shows

have changed their names,

then me bein' more crucified
than them,

and I haven't done
nothin' illegal.

This is what cause your riots
and make people hostile.

Reporter:
News stories out of New York
about people are gonna

come up here, heavily armed,
looking for you.

Ali:
No, that's just rumors,

tryin' to scare me.

Scared of what?
I walk through hell every day.

No guards-- don't need 'em.

Pickin' on a clean,
righteous man like me

and hollering about--

What they come to tell me
they're coming to get me for?

Why don't you go on the highway
and stop 'em! Hmm?

Narrator:
South Florida's Muslim leaders

are responsible directly
to Muslim headquarters
in Chicago,

where the Honorable
Elijah Muhammad

runs the organization
with an iron fist.

Reporter:
Cassius, what
brings you to Chicago?

Ali: To have dinner
with my leader and teacher,

the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

- You're going to see him
in Chicago here?
- Yes, sir.

Where you gonna
have dinner with him, Cassius?

Hmm, I don't know yet.

Why are you seeing him?

Hmm, tryin' to learn somethin'.

You planning on fighting this
year before the year is out?

Well, I don't know.
I might retire.
I'm considering retirin'.

- I'm really tired of fightin'.
- At your age?

Yeah, I'm tired.
I don't have to fight no more.

You think you might retire
without another fight?

That's right.
I don't like boxing.

Boxing means nothin' to me.

What do you like?

Hmm, uh, well,

I like, just-- I like what all,
uh, Negroes like,

and what they're fighting for
is freedom.

And I understand
that the Civil Rights bill

is gettin' ready to die.
All that kind of stuff.

Then they so shook up
about where I go to eat dinner.

It's a shame in the eyes
of the intelligent world

to even ask me
them kind of questions,

where am I goin' to dinner.

Reporter 2:
If you quit fighting,

will you go full time
into civil rights work?

No, I don't know if I call it
civil rights.

Well, what will you do
for an occupation
if you stop fighting?

I don't know what I'll do.
God's got me here for somethin',

I can feel it.

I was born for everything
that I'm doing now.

No fear of nothin'
is in my heart.

Not even airplanes--
I used to be scared of them.

Reporter:
You've been invited to
a number of countries too,

- haven't you, Cassius?
- Ali: Yes, sir.

Countries such as, uh...

Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya--

- Pakistan?
- Pakistan, Malaya,

- When do you plan to go?
- In a couple of months

I'd like to start
my world tour,

and I expect to be gone
for as long as a whole year.

Ali:
Why are we called Negroes?

"Nation of birth."

That's what nationality means:
"nation of birth."

So if our nationality is Negro,
then where is Negroland?

I said, "That's God's truth.
This is what I been
lookin' for."

And the so-called Negro,
it's a fact he's from
Asia and Africa.

And they have a language.

Now, it's a fact
this is not our homeland.

We was brought here as slaves.

Now, why we don't know
one word of our language?

What happened to our language?

He said we've been
completely stripped

and cut off from all knowledge
of self by the slave master.

I said, "That's the truth,
that's the truth."

He said, "We been taught
to hate our own selves.

We call each other
niggers, boos, shines,
jigaboos, spooks.

We hate each other.

All his people
are gonna intermarry

and get out of our race

and mix our blood with others.

We're the only people
who wants to get away

and identity himself
with someone else.

That's what God
taught Elijah Muhammad.

And Elijah Muhammad
teaches us

that it's just truth
that God taught him,

and if God taught him,
and we believe he's from God--

- Reporter:
Then it must be true.
- Ali: Then we believe it. Yeah.

Ali:
Most of my knowledge
comes from travelin',

talkin' to people...

we don't realize how much gold
and how much wisdom

is in places
where you don't think it is.

Ali ( over P.A. ):
If it wasn't for the Honorable
Elijah Muhammad,

I never would have heard
about this

or even thought about
going to these countries,

and this is
a golden Muslim mosque

that was presented to me
by the Islamic Council
of all Egypt!

And I want one more
thing to say, I haven't
explained to you yet,

and this mosque,
I'm very honored,

and I hope that
he will receive it,

this is a gift,
our leader and teacher,

for wakin' all of us up,

because we were in
a bad state of conditions

before we heard him.

Interviewer:
Why did you fall out
with Elijah Muhammad?

Well, some internal
disagreements and differences

that I would rather not go into,

but I think that it will
come out in public before long.

Ossie Davis:
Harlem has come
to this fond farewell...

to one of its brightest hopes,

extinguished now
and gone from us forever.

Malcolm...

was our living black manhood.

Davis: This was his meaning
to his people...

and in honoring him,

we honor the best in ourselves.

Announcer:
The heavyweight champion
of the world,

Muhammad Ali!

Announcer: Muhammad Ali,
better known as Cassius Clay.

- ...round one, here we go.

Ali: I had a
cracked rib that night.

James Ellis hit me
last two days in training.

But I overcame it
with a shot of Novocain

the night of the fight.

But that whole rib
was painin' me,

I was hoping
I didn't get hit there,

'cause I'd've fell out
right there.

Ali: Look, man!
That's a hit!

Ha! Somethin' to think about,
ain't it?

Sonny Liston.

I know I can hear
the winos and the hobos

and the little people who bet
the nickels and the dollars
in the poolroom now.

"He's a bad man, ain't he?

He hit that man so hard!

Don't never bet
against him no more.

I don't know what
he's gonna do.

He told us
to get there early."

I know a lot of people
missed the fight.

Walking around, you know,

we have people that like
to come to the fights late,

showin' off their pretty suits,
you know,

all the players, you know.

They missed the fight.

Ohhhh, shoot.

Ali: Second fight
with Sonny Liston,

I hit him so fast

slow-motion cameras
couldn't detect the speed.

Ali: People said it was a fix

because they couldn't
see the punch.

Well, "Sports Illustrated"

clocked my fastest punch

at 4/100 of a second.

- How hard was it?
- Let me tell you--

Both: 4/100 of a second.

Ali: Which is
exactly an eye blink.

- Eye blink, OK.
- And then the people
who missed that punch

- blinked at that moment.

I'm gonna hit you six times
before you count two.

Okay.

- Go.
- One, two!

You wanna see it again?

Ali:
Boxing is a stepping stone

just to introduce me
to the audience.

If I was still in Louisville,
Kentucky,

and never was a boxer,
I might get killed next week

in some type of freedom struggle
and you'd never read the news.

But now if I even...

say the wrong thing,
it makes news.

Lyndon Baines Johnson:
I have today ordered to Vietnam

to increase our active
fighting forces

by raising
the monthly draft call

from 75,000 to... 125,000 men...

almost immediately.

♪ ..red, white and blue ♪

Ali: The boys in Vietnam
we're throwin' away,

you may save their lives.

They are dyin' today

to free somebody
they don't know.

See, the greatest sports title
mean nothin'

if you cannot be free!

♪ It ain't me ♪

♪ It ain't me... ♪

Floyd Patterson:
My only interest
in fighting him

is merely to take
the championship away

and to put it back
to where it belongs:

all America,
not just the Black Muslims.

Ali:
People like Patterson,

they don't take no parts
in freedom movement

or Black Power, takin' stands
or givin' up nothin'

or buckin' the system
that is against their people,

so they just--
some people slow
and some are quick.

Patterson:
I'm very happy that Mr. Clay

took the time out
to come up to my camp.

As far as they way
he's carrying on is concerned,

I think that it's sort of--
it will help my fight.

If your trainers had fought me,
you'd apologize!

Announcer:
From Louisville, Kentucky...

the heavyweight champion
of the world,

Muhammad Ali!

Ali:
This will be a mismatch.
First, I'm gonna punish him.

I want to take him
and give him a good whuppin'.

I don't think he deserves
a quick knockout.

Before he fights me,

he'd rather be caught
in the middle of Vietnam
with a beanshooter.

Announcer: The winner,
and still heavyweight
champion of the world,

Muhammad Ali!

Ali:
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad
teaches us here.

He says we believe that we who
declare ourselves

to be righteous Muslims

should not participate in wars

which take the lives
of human beings.

We do not believe
that this nation

should force us
to take part in such wars

by we have nothing to gain
from it

unless America agrees to give
us the necessary territory

wherein we may have
somethin' to fight for.

Man:
This country was set up
on the basic concept

of religious freedom
or freedom of expression.

I don't believe that he should
be persecuted or ridiculed

because of his beliefs.

Man 2:
The man is a Muslim,

and this is his belief,
he doesn't believe in war,

and I think
he should be deferred.

Man 3: He is a great champion,
they should respect
his beliefs.

That's why I'm here right now.

Jackie Robinson:
The tragedy to me is that

Cassius has made
millions of dollars

off of the American public,

and now he's not willing
to show his appreciation

to a country that's giving him,

in my view,
a fantastic opportunity.

Why me, a man
who pays the salary

of at least 50,000 men
in Vietnam,

a man who can pay in two fights

for three bomber planes--

I'm fightin' for the government
every day!

Interviewer: You were faced
with the same problem
in World War II.

No, not quite.

I was only waitin' for 'em
to send for me,

and when they sent
for me, I went.

So it wasn't
the same problem,

it was just that I was
champion at the time

that World War II started,

so when my time came up,
I had to go.

Interviewer:
Do you think
there's anything wrong

in someone like Cassius Clay
refusing induction?

- Man: Yes, sir, I certainly do.
- Why?

Because he's no better
than the rest of us.

Ernie Terrell:
I'd like to say
something right here.

Cassius Clay, yes--

Ali: Why you wanna say
"Cassius Clay"

when Howard Cosell and everybody
is calling me Muhammad Ali?

Why you gotta be the one,
of all people who's colored

to keep saying "Cassius Clay"?

Uh, Howard Cosell
is not the one's gonna
fight you. I am.

- Now, if you--
- You make it really hard
on yourself now.

Why don't you keep the thing
in the sport angle?

Why don't you call me
my name, man?

Well, what's your name?

You told me your name
was Cassius Clay
a few years ago.

I never told you
my name was Cassius Clay.

- Well--
- My name is Muhammad Ali,

and you will announce it
right there in the center
of that ring after the fight

if you don't do it now.

For the benefit
of this broadcast,

him, all right? Uh--

You actin' just like
a old Uncle Tom.

Another Floyd Patterson.
I'm gonna punish you.

Let me tell you something,
man. You ain't got no--

- Back off of me!
- Don't call me no Uncle Tom.

That's what you are,
a Uncle Tom.

Why you gonna call me
Uncle Tom?

You heard me.
Just back off of me!

- And so,
ladies and gentlemen...
- Uncle Tom!

as the two contestants
prepare for battle right now--

Back off me, man!

Back off me, man!

...another interview
has been recorded for posterity

as the two gentlemen continue
to promote the fight.

Ali:
Uncle Tom!

Perfect.
That's it.

- Man: Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Come on! Come on!

Keep shooting.

Cosell:
A lot of people have
asked about

that interview we did together
with Terrell,

coast-to-coast,
a week or so ago,

where you and Terrell
almost came to blows.

And many people have said
it was a publicity stunt,
that you staged it.

Ali:
They have a right
to believe so, Howard,

because many things
in the past that I have done

was publicity stunts,
that's all.

But this time,
it was serious.

Do you hate him?

No, I don't really hate him,

but I don't really hate no one,

but I don't like him
for his actions

and the way he was actin'

and insistin' on
calling me Cassius Clay,

knowing that my name now
is Muhammad Ali

and I'm a Muslim,

and whenever this is
discussed, it's serious,

I don't play with
the religion or the name.

So he really made me angry.

That was not play.
That was real.

Referee:
Shake hands now

and come out fighting.

Ali:
He knows that's not my name,

and I don't like it,

so I'm gonna have to whup him.

To describe it,
it's beatin' him,

makin' him look bad

or makin' him look silly,

showin' him
that he has no class,

talkin' to him,
askin' him questions,

like "What's my name?"
while I whip him,

whip him until he say
"Muhammad Ali"

and just ridicule him
and shame him

in front of the world.

- Howard Cosell: Now the bell
for round eight.

Clay is talking to Terrell.

He's asking
what his name is.

Cosell:
He said he'd humiliate him.

I hardly think it's necessary.

Don't you agree, Joe?

Joe:
I don't-- I think--

Clay can do what he want to do
in that ring.

What's my name?!

Cosell:
You saw what just
happened in the ring.

It spoke for itself.

That was the big
three-word question

that was answered last Saturday
on television

in advance by Ernie Terrell.

He said his name
is Cassius Clay.

Cosell:
Do you still hate this man?

Terrell:
Uh, I don't hate the man
as a fighter.

I still dislike what
he represent and what he said.

It's unnecessary,
it's not in pro sports,

and he shouldn't
bring it in.

I respect all fighters
for ability,

but not for nonsense.

I think this proves
to the public

and all of the doubters
out there

that Ernie Terrell
has no class whatsoever

and you cannot compare him
even in my, uh--

I don't think you have
to say that, really.

The man fought
a courageous fight.

You would say everything
if I'd lost.

Especially you.

And I won,
let me have my say.

Terrell, I proved
that he wasn't nothin'.

- All right.
- It's a joke
calling him a champion.

And he better pronounce my name
right from now on.

Cosell:
"Humility" is hardly the name
of Muhammad Ali.

Muhammad Ali is his name,
by his choice.

Men chanting:
Hell, no, we won't go!
Hell, no, we won't go!

Hell, no, we won't go!
Hell, no, we won't go!

Hell, no, we won't go!

Ladies and gentlemen,

Mr. Muhammad Ali

has just refused
to be inducted

into the United States
armed forces.

Notification of his refusal

is being made to
the United States Attorney,

the state director
of the Selective Service system,

and the local
Selective Service board

for whatever action's
deemed to be appropriate.

I will bring Mr. Ali in
for his comments.

Ali:
I wrote a little poem
on that thing about Vietnam.

- Heard my little Vietnam poem?
- No, I haven't, no.

"Clean out my cell
and take me to jail,

better there fed
than in Vietnam dead."

Ali:
I don't need the WBA.

I have world recognition,

not only in this country
but all over the world,

and the WBA is nobody to me.

They made themselves
look like fools

by taking the title,
and it's up to them

to give it back.

Ali:
Anybody who's doin'
the right thing,

they catch a lot of hell.

You cannot please God
and the devil too,

so I'm pleasing God.

I'm rejected here
and rejected there,
not wanted here,

and I have a good feelin'
spiritually because I'm right.

If I wasn't right,
then they would accept me.

Narrator:
Nine top Negro athletes
meet with Cassius Clay

to discuss
his anti-draft stand.

They include Bill Russell,
Lew Alcindor,

and former pro footballer
Jimmy Brown.

Says Brown after the meeting,

"The champ is sincere
in his religious beliefs.

He believes in his religion,
and his stand is based
wholly on that."

Clay's induction refusal
cost him his title

and he faces a possible
five-year prison sentence.

He claims exemption
as a minister

of the Black Muslim faith.

Reporter:
What did you discuss
back in the hotel room?

Nothin'. Just friends,
just like Khrushchev and Kennedy

and everybody when
all of the politicians

of all of the white races
come together,

although they believe
differently, think different,

whites can come together
and discuss the common cause,

but whenever
a few of us come together,
the world is shook up.

And I say whatever went
back there is our business.

Reverend King,
do you agree?

Oh, yes, yes.

We had a very good discussion

on many matters,

and of course, these are not
things that we discuss here,

but we do have common problems
and common concerns.

And above all,
as Muhammad Ali
has just said,

we are all victims
of the same system
of oppression.

And even though we may have
different religious beliefs,

this does not at all
bring about a difference

- in terms of our concerns.
- Still brothers.

One more question.
Do you share the same concern

that Muhammad has
for his draft status?

Oh, I certainly do.

My views on the draft
are very clear: I'm against it.

And I think the sooner
our country does away
with the draft,

the better it will be
for everybody.

I'm very disturbed about
the militaristic posture
of our nation,

and I think until we have
a radical reordering
of priorities

in our country,
we are going more and more

to the depths and,
I should say,
to the doom.

Robert F. Kennedy:
I have some very sad news
for all of you,

and I think sad news
for all of our fellow citizens

and people who love peace
all over the world,

and that is that
Martin Luther King

was shot and was killed tonight
in Memphis.

Ali:
We came in chains,

we came in misery,

now all our sufferin'
and pain's

a part of history.

We came in chains,
you must remember that,

for that and that alone
explains

exactly where we're at.

We came in chains,

we came as livin' loot,

so you could boast
slave-gotten gains.

We've groaned
beneath your boot,

we came in chains,

and how our blood was spilled

together with our sweat,

it stains this nation
we helped build.

We came in chains,
we didn't volunteer,

and yet today the fact remains

we're still held captive here.

We came in chains,
now I say "Cut us loose."

Though that may go
against your grain,
still there's no excuse.

We came in chains,
now who down there's
gonna bear the cost?

Till every one of us regains
the freedom we have lost.

We came in chains,
and now your choice must be

to either blow out
all my brains

or else you'll set me free."

- Ring announcer:
...new heavyweight champion...

Cosell: That decision
speaks for itself.

Jerry Quarry:
Jimmy, I won the tournament,
we're in good shape.

Cosell: You've got
back-to-back champions,

you were Muhammad Ali's
trainer and manager,

what if Muhammad
comes back?

Whom would you
represent?

I'll cross that bridge
when I come to it.

It'll be a pretty bridge.
I ain't worried about it
right now.

I'm happy I got this guy.
He's the champion right now.
Period.

I would like to hear this
from you,

and I want the world
and the cameras to hear it.

Who's the heavyweight champion
of the world?

- One more time.

Who's the champ of the world?

Announcer:
....for the heavyweight
championship of the world.

Cosell:
Oh! A tremendous left hook!

He cannot be saved by the bell!

This fight may be over.

This fight
may be over.

This fight is over,
Angelo Dundee!

From Tony Perez: over!

It is over, a knockout
in the fourth...

Men chanting:
Muhammad Ali! Muhammad Ali!

- Man: Who's the greatest?
- All: Muhammad Ali!

- Who's the greatest?
- Muhammad Ali!

Reporter:
Why is this group
picketing here tonight?

Demonstrator:
Because they recognize
the fraud

which the white
power structure,

the white vultures,
as I've called them,
on the boxing world,

is trying to perpetrate.

Muhammad Ali
has not lost his title.

Joe Frazier:
I consider myself

the heavyweight champion
of the world

until the champ
get back in action again.

And when you say "the champ
gets back in action again,

I assume you're talking
about Muhammad Ali?

That's right, and I would
like to face him.

And how do you think
that would come out?

Well, I think
I'll take him.

♪ Hold on ♪

♪ I'm comin' ♪

♪ Hold on ♪

♪ I'm comin'... ♪

Reporter:
What was the feeling when you
heard about the ruling?

- Was it one of relief?
- Ali: Well, yes,

a feelin' of freedom,

a chance to perform
the trade that I know best,

the way I've been earning my
living just about all my life.

And it was cut off,
I was glad to know

that I have the freedom
to go back to workin'

so I can take care
of my family.

♪ Hold on,
I'm comin'... ♪

Cosell:
You're going to try
and come back.

You admit that you are not
in the shape you should be in.

Quarry figures
the time is right to take you.

Ali: That's natural.
I've been off three years,

and I've only had six weeks'
notice for this fight,

which is usually something
considered impossible

for a heavyweight to do.

Cosell:
Is it your present belief

that you can ever again be
as a fighter

what once you were,
the same skills,

the same swiftness,
the same destructiveness?

I don't think no human
can be the same

after three years
of anything.

We naturally get older.

I have six gray hairs
in my head now,

where a few years ago
I had just one.

So naturally we never can be
like we used to be.

Interviewer: He's got this
possible prison sentence
hanging over him.

Doesn't that
affect him at all
in his training?

Nothing bothers this guy.

Nothing bothers him,
what's gonna be is gonna be.

I think his attitude
is like mine: Que sera sera.

What's gonna happen
with the government

and this court trial
that's hanging over his head,

that'll come later.

Ali:
This is still in
the court of appeals.

Until we cross these bridges
and be successful,

then there's a possibility
that I might have to do
the five years in prison.

Ring announcer:
Return of the champion,

- Muhammad Ali!

Reporter: Do you think
you're gonna be the heavyweight
champion of the world again?

Ali: Many consider me
still champion

because I'm undefeated,

but Frazier has built up
enough interest

where people believe
that he owns half of
the title or all of it.

So I would say that
I'm the retired champion

making a comeback
to fight the present champ.

Commentator:
Referee Tony Perez

has signaled the fight is over,

apparently because
of an eye cut.

Commentator 2: Muhammad Ali,
or Cassius Clay,
whichever you want,

he is still plenty fast

and his left jab
is still a dynamite punch.

Reporter: Doctor, is there any
doubt about their condition?

- They're both in great shape.
- Why you no go the army?
You chicken?

- Both fighters
are in exceptional shape.
- Ali: Say that one more time.

- Say that one more time!
- Man: Vocally as well
as physically.

- Yes, absolutely.
- Why you don't go the army?

Why you not go the army?

I will tell you Monday night
in the first clinch we get in.

Ah, chicken.
You big chicken.

Good deal. Keep talkin'!

- Chicken!
- Ali: He never shoulda
started talkin'.

- Not with Muhammad Ali.
- Clay. Clay.

You Clay?

I said Muhammad Ali.

Clay?

You will call it
when the fight comes off.

- Clay? Clay?
- Wait till the fight comes.

Please tell everybody
to get to your theaters!

I've never had a man that
I wanted to whup so bad.

Monday night,
Madison Square Garden
will be sold out.

Theaters throughout the world
will be sold out.

He will have to fight,
and he's puttin' hisself

on a big spot,
because a man

who talks this much and lose,

it sets him back a long ways--
I've never lost.

Cosell:
1:30 left in the fight.

Oh! That left!

What a--
It came from nowhere!

Ali came through with a left.

The crowd screaming.

The first knockdown
of the fight.

He took the mandatory eight.

And now Ali is behaving
like the old Ali.

One more knockdown
in this round,

the fight is
automatically over.

Bonavena is running.

If he goes down again--

It's over!

Ali is the knockout winner!

I'm going up to ring center.

Ali: Joe Frazier's
on the telephone.

Cosell:
What's he sayin', Muhammad?

Howard Cosell
is agitatin', as usual.

I think you done proved yourself
as a professional fighter.

I done proved myself,

so I'll get my couple days rest,

and since we can't get along,

we just gonna have to get it on.

Ali:
I fought Jerry Quarry,
gave him a chance.

After Jerry Quarry,
few weeks later

I fought the rough
Oscar Bonavena,

the man who almost whupped
Joe Frazier.

Joe Frazier fought his last
fight with Bobby Foster,

Detroit, Michigan.

They drew about 4500 people,

place held about 11,000.

I do more than that in training.

- Welcome back.
- Take this picture.

This is the hotel manager.

- Hi.
- Tom Lehr.

He feeds me kosher food
every day.

Yes, and it's good, too.

- How ya doin'?
- Man: They sure are.

- How ya feel?
- Awright.

Who are you for,
Joe Frazier or me?

They told me Joe Frazier's
new champ. What do you think?

- Who are you?
- Who am I?!

Know how you whip Joe Frazier?

Know how you beat
a man like Joe Frazier?

Just keep your distance on him.

Keep movin'.

Keep Joe Frazier on the end
of your left jab, see.

Just a step ahead of him, see.

He's easy to hit,
and every once in a while
put it on him.

He's like a robot.

You wind him up,
you wind up the little doll,

and let him go,
he just keep comin'.

And everybody hit him,
and he just keep comin'.

They tell me he's
gotta get in close.

Tie him up and walk with him.

He big, so...

Then back to the stick.

Let me show you somethin'.
Keep stickin' Joe, see?

Stick Joe. Then every
once in a while,

put one of them
combinations on him

and you follow him.

And the only way he will win
is taggin' me,

he's in trouble.

Because I've never
really been out

or really hit hard.

I want 'me to build him up
real big,

make him just a terror
and a giant.

And right after the fight,
I'm gonna break my neck
gettin' to the newspaper stand

to see what's the excuse is
the next mornin'.

I'm just waitin' to see
what the excuse is gonna be

when I whup Joe Frazier.

Interviewer:
Will you train any differently

for this fight with Clay,
or is he just another opponent?

I just think
he's another man.

People probably look at him
different, ya know,

I just look at him another--
I call him guy, ya know,

another guy,
you know what I mean?

For the last 27 guys
I've been fightin',

they been bigger than me,

I mean, I'm a small man.

So I, ya know,
go out there and go to work.

I'm the champ,
no doubt about that.

And Ali usually
go around hollerin'

he's the champ, you know,
and he called me a dumb fighter,

but I tell him nobody never
took my championship
away from me.

Man: You gonna see
a new guy out there, real new.

Yancey Durham:
And one thing that Clay, they
takin' the title away from him,

we fought for the title
and we earned the title.

Now they give him a license,
so we ready to fight him,

we're gonna give him
another shot at the title.

I think he deserve it,
and we're gonna give him
a shot at it.

Why do you insist
on calling him Clay?

Because that's his name.
I know him as Clay.

He called me Yancey Durham,
or Yank.

Call me anything
he want to call me,

so I call him
what I want to call him.

His name is Cassius Clay to me.

Whether he resent that or not,
that's what I call him.

Always called him that,
always will call him
Cassius Clay.

Ali:
He's meetin' Muhammad Ali,

the original champion.

I just defeated Sonny Liston

at the time he just got out
of the Olympics.

Joe Frazier's a street fighter,

he walks in, he slugs,
he fights wild, he's no skill.

All of his opponents
beat him for the first
two or three rounds.

But wait until
I get Joe Frazier.

Interviewer: He called you
a good street fighter.

Does that make you mad?

Frazier:
Don't make me mad at all.

I feel like I'm just
as much fighter as him.

How do you rate him
as an opponent?

I think
he's a good fighter,

You make any forecasts
about the fight?

What you mean, forecasts?

- You gonna win?
- Sure.

Ali:
If Joe Frazier
whups Muhammad Ali,

he'll be the greatest fighter
that ever lived.

Believe me, this will be
no contest

to prove I'm still the best.

This is the greatest fight
in 240 years.

March 8th in the Garden,
that's right.

Cosell: Commissioner,
may we precede Ali?

What do you say you're
gonna do to Frazier?

I'll predict that
when I meet Joe Frazier,

this will be like
a good amateur

fightin' a real professional.

This will be like a kid
out of the Olympics

meetin' the fastest
heavyweight champion
that ever lived.

He's goin' way back
in the time of, let's say,

twenty years ago.

This is the day, man.
You understand?

You're not fightin' Quarry,
you're not fightin'
Oscar Bonavena,

you're not fightin'
Sonny Liston,

you're fightin' Joe Frazier!

- Ali: That's not the point.
- That's the point!

Joe, what's
your prediction?

My prediction, the fight
won't go the distance.

- I'll stop him.
- Stop me?

- You!
- Wait till I get you
in the ring!

Get your hands off me!

♪ One, two, three, four! ♪

♪ Get up, get on up ♪

♪ Get up,
get on up ♪

♪ Get on the scene,
get on up ♪

♪ Like a sex machine,
get on up ♪

♪ Get up,
get on up ♪

♪ Get up, get on up ♪

♪ Be on the scene,
get on up ♪

♪ Like a sex machine,
get on up ♪

Ali: This thing
is bigger than boxing.

People are watchin' this fight

in countries
that don't watch fights.

People, women,
people of all races,

they don't come to fights,
there's never been an event

in the history
of the planet Earth this big.

And if you wanna challenge me,
call anybody.

We're all watched,
in all countries,

even back to Arabia in
the holy city of Mecca.

All back in Egypt,
all back in Syria,

Pakistan, all back
in Estonia, Russia,

Red China, Vietnam,

people actually waitin'
for the outcome

who don't follow nothin'
from America.

This is the biggest event

in the history of
the whole planet Earth.

- Ya understand?
- Man: I understand.

Not because of Joe Frazier.

Commentator:
Muhammad Ali

- in the red trunks.

Joe Frazier
in the green trunks.

They appear very light.

A packed house at
Madison Square Garden.

Muhammad Ali opening up fast.

He may try to blitz him
here in round one.

Frazier is more vulnerable
in the first round,

and Muhammad Ali knows that.

Commentator 2:
That is one of the most
exciting first rounds

I think we've seen
in a long time.

Ali:
Gettin' in that ring
with Joe Frazier

in front of all them people,
bangin' on you, could kill you.

I'm really frightened
and I feel funny

and I feel surprised
and shocked.

Until the first
two or three punches.

And after he hits me,
I get mad.

Commentator: Fifteen seconds
to go in the round.

That was the best punch
of the fight.

- Ali: If I had fought Frazier

say, three years ago when I
supposed to be at my best,

I think I wouldn't have done
as good,

because I'm stronger now.

Commentator: Joe Frazier
just spit some blood,

he is bleeding
inside the mouth.

- Round three.

Ring announcer:
Round three!

Man: Come on, Joe!

Commentator:
The Muhammad Ali
that we remember

three-and-a-half years ago
was a dancer.

He's not dancing tonight.

He may be trying
to slug with Joe.

That's still a good--

Ali stepped into that punch
instead of moving.

Ali:
After I saw he could take
everything that I had

and I saw his power,

if you'll notice,
after the fourth round

I got mostly flat-footed.

Took my time,
to preserve energy.

And I needed it, too.

Commentator:
Good one-two, and a jab.

Frazier taunting Ali.

He's just smiling at him.

Frazier's just laughing at him.

Talking to him.

That's the way Muhammad Ali
used to taunt his opponents.

Commentator 2:
Round seven is over.

A terrific round.

Ali seems a little
disgusted with himself,

but he's pretty tired.

Crowd chanting:
Ali! Ali! Ali!

The crowd is chanting "Ali,"

and Joe says
come on out and fight.

Ali: I let the critics
and the newspaper writers
get to me.

They were saying
if I got caught in the corner,

the fight would be over.

And I deliberately
stayed in the corner
for three rounds

and let him take shots
at my arms and my body,

and I was just
touching his head

and talking to him
and playing with him,

and I lost those rounds.

Commentator:
Ali covering up on the ropes.

That was a wicked punch.

- So was that!

Commentator 2: Actually,
what do you think of this?

Commentator 1:
I think he's trying
to psych Joe out,

but I think
Joe was hurting him.

Commentator 2:
I think so too.

I think he's taken
quite a whipping.

And the crowd has changed.

Before they were yelling
"Ali, Ali!"

Now they're yelling
"Joe! Joe!"

- Round eleven.

- Commentator 1:
No knockdown.

No, nope. No knockdown.

Muhammad Ali slipped down
that time.

That one hurt.

And Ali looks staggered!

Muhammad Ali was rocked!

He's holding on desperately!

Thirty seconds
to go in the round.

Thirty seconds.

Muhammad Ali
is in real trouble.

Muhammad Ali
walked into the ropes!

He almost went down.

Ten seconds...

- The round is over.

The round is over.
The round is over.

What a round.

Muhammad Ali
was really out that time.

Ali:
See, in a boxing match,

there's a lot of thinkin'
and timin',

and you have to pace yourself,
like a horse race.

They'll start off kinda slow,
and they'll take their time,

and probably
the winner of the race

is number nine
in the whole bunch.

- Commentator 1: Round twelve.

Who thought
it would go this far?

Muhammad Ali
gamely trying to fight back.

But he is clinching.

Frazier let him get away

after that big eleventh round.

Ali:
You don't remember
the actual punch,

and the pain from it,
it's just numb.

Commentator:
Muhammad Ali is missing
a lot of those punches.

Frazier laughed at him again.

That's the end
of the 12th round.

That was a tremendous round.
Ali made a great comeback.

Commentator 2: Yes, but Frazier
had him on the ropes.

Commentator 1: Round thirteen
of a fifteen-rounder.

They're fighting
like lightweights now.

There's a spot of blood
on the shoulder of Ali,

I guess it's from Frazier,
but I don't see where.

And Ali seems
to be coming back.

It's almost over, this round.

There's the bell
The round is over.

Round 13 is over,
and what a round.

That Joe Frazier's
gotta be some kind of a man.

Frazier's right eye
looks as though
it might be closing.

He's got swelling
around both eyes.

Ali came through very well
in this round,

scoring repeatedly
and seeming to get stronger.

These boys are in
magnificent physical shape.

This is the final round
of the fight,

and what a fight it's been.

Ring announcer:
The 15th and final round.

Commentator 1:
Referee Arthur Mercante
has them touch gloves,

something they've been
doing all night.

Now Muhammad Ali's
got a little pop in his jabs.

Ali: I have to give it to him,
I ain't takin' nothin'
from him.

He's really good as far
as sluggin' is concerned.

He's not skillful,
but he's real strong
and he keeps comin'.

He takes five or ten punches
to land one,

but when he hits you,
you're shook.

Ali:
Punches that knock you out,
you really don't see 'em.

In the eleventh round,
I didn't hardly see that punch,
that was a hard one.

But the fifteenth round,
I saw it comin',

and suddenly I leaned back
and leaned right into the hook.

The power of it
knocked me down,

but it wasn't enough
to hurt me internally.

Commentator:
Frazier largely
goes for the body.

But Muhammad Ali
covering up.

The crowd,
needless to say,
is in a bedlam.

- Oh! What was that?

If Joe had followed that up,

he would have been--

Muhammad Ali has never taken
such a battering.

Muhammad Ali
gamely fights back.

Frazier is tired,
and his eyes are closing.

Ali:
I got hit more
in this fight

than my last six fights
put together.

I think the punches
I actually landed,
the round's won.

I believe I had the edge,
but it was close.

Ring Announcer:
Referee Arthur Mercante

scores it 8, 6, 1-even
for Frazier.

Commentator:
One vote for Joe Frazier.

Ring announcer: Artie Aidala,
9 to 6 for Frazier.

Commentator:
Frazier is the winner!

Ring announcer: Bill Recht,
11 rounds for Frazier,

4 for Ali.

The winner
by unanimous decision

and still the heavyweight
champion of the world,

Joe Frazier!

Commentator:
Joe Frazier!

For the first time
in his career,

Muhammad Ali was beaten.

Interviewer:
You think your religion
influenced this decision?

Ali:
Oh, yeah, naturally.
One judge made 11 for him.

Shoot, man, if I took
that whuppin' Joe Frazier took,

I'd have been probably
ready to quit.

Joe Frazier took
a terrible whuppin',
beatin', a batterin'.

I didn't take no batterin'.

I took a couple hard left hooks
that stunned me,

but I didn't take no
lotta jabs and uppercuts

and hooks and crosses,

and I didn't take
no big whuppin'.

Frazier took a terrible beatin'.

Which still lets me know
how good I am,

even after the layoff.

So my confidence is really
stronger than before the fight,

because I figured he would be
tougher than he was.

I was thinkin' probably,
"Man, whew!"

He'd be rougher than that.

He was easy to hit and...
everything.

Next time won't be no match.

Next time
there won't be no show.

I'll be on my toes,
I'll be movin' more,

I won't play three rounds,
I'll keep my guard up,

I'll be more serious next time,

I know him now--

next time
it'll be a easy fight.

♪ When the night has come ♪

♪ And the land is dark ♪

♪ And the moon
is the only light we'll see ♪

♪ No, I won't be afraid ♪

♪ No,
I won't be afraid ♪

♪ Just as long as you stand ♪

♪ Stand by me ♪

♪ And darlin', darlin' ♪

♪ Stand by me ♪

♪ Oh, stand by me ♪

♪ Oh, stand ♪

♪ Stand by me,
stand by me ♪

♪ If the sky
that we look upon ♪

♪ Should tumble and fall ♪

♪ Or the mountains ♪

♪ Should crumble to the sea ♪

♪ No, I won't be afraid ♪

♪ No, I won't be afraid ♪

♪ Just as long as you stand ♪

♪ Stand by me ♪

♪ And darlin', darlin' ♪

♪ Stand by me ♪

♪ Oh, stand by me ♪

♪ Oh, stand now ♪

♪ Stand by me,
stand by me ♪

♪ And darlin', darlin' ♪

♪ Stand by me ♪

♪ Oh, stand by me ♪

♪ Oh, stand now ♪

♪ Stand by me,
stand by me ♪