The Greatest (1977) - full transcript

♪ I believe the children
are our future

♪ Teach them well
and let them lead the way

♪ Show them all the beauty
they possess inside

♪ Give them
a sense of pride

♪ To make it easier

♪ Let the children's laughter

♪ Remind us
how we used to be

♪ Everybody
searching for a hero

♪ People need someone
to look up to

♪ I never found anyone
to fulfill my needs

♪ A lonely place to be



♪ So, I learned to
depend on me

♪ I decided long ago

♪ Never to walk
in anyone's shadows

♪ If I fail, if I succeed

♪ At least
I live as I believe

♪ No matter what
they take from me

♪ They can't take away
my dignity

♪ Because the greatest

♪ Love of all

♪ Was happening to me

♪ I found the greatest

♪ Love of all

♪ Inside of me

♪ The greatest love of all



♪ Is easy to achieve

♪ Learning to love yourself

♪ It is the greatest
love of all ♪

(BAND PLAYING)

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

(CROWD CHEERING)

"How Cassius Took Rome,
by Cassius Clay Jr.

"To make America
the greatest
is my goal

"So, I beat the Russian
and I beat the Pole

"And for the United States
won the medal of gold.

"Italians said,
'You're greater than
the Cassius of old

"'We like your name,
we like your game

"'So, come make Rome
your home,
if you will.'

"I said, 'I appreciate
your kind hospitality.

"'But the United
States of America
is my country still,

"'because they're waiting
to welcome me in Louisville.'"

(CHOIR SINGING)

CLAY:
That sure is nice of you.

Are you proud
of me, Momma?

ODESSA:
You know I am.

Is this how you do it?

(CHUCKLES) No, it depends on
how the other guy shapes up.

Come here.
Try it like this.

Put your hands up,
put your left foot
in front.

It depends on
how you move.

How you move
makes you
a good fighter.

Well, I feel good
this morning.

I'm so proud
of you, baby.

You know,
but I just don't
feel right about it,

you turning yourself over
to that white lady.

What's she got
besides a lot of money?

What's she got?
She's got plenty.

She's got
the right complexion,
and the right connections

to give your boy
the right protection.

Oh, Cassius.
(CHUCKLES)

Hey, boy,
come over here.
Come over here.

You know you're on
Ms. Fairlie's
private property?

CLAY:
Yes, sir.

You know where
you are, boy?

Yes, sir.

Well, the road's
that way.

John!

You know this
here nigger?

Yes, sir, Mr. Harry,
I know who he is.

Ms. Fairlie told him
to come.

He's going to work here.

Yes, sir,
this here is
the boxing boy.

I'll take him
up to the house.

He scare you, son?

Scare me?
He can't scare me.

Can't nobody scare me.

I don't scare.

That sucker
must not have known
who he was messing with.

(LAUGHING)

You got a good thing
about you.

You're gonna
work out well
with Ms. Fairlie.

I will?
Is she here today?

No, she's not down yet.

You'll get your orders
from Miss Sue Ellen.

Work orders?

The only kind of work
that makes sense for me
is boxing.

And I'm good, too.

I know it,
now come on,
let's go.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

(WHIMPERS)

Mr. Harry,
when will I see Ms. Fairlie?
It's been a whole week now.

MRS. FAIRLIE:
You can see me
right now.

Didn't anybody ever tell you
not to touch
any of my dogs, ever?

Not even come near.

You get your odor
on them.

It just confuses them.

They don't know
who to go for
in a crisis.

All right,
but I've been
trying to...

Oh, I have all kinds
of plans for you,
but they'll have to wait.

I'm late for a fitting.

Oh, I mustn't forget
to have the man
make you up

some boxing trunks,

in the colors
of my racing silks.

I've been running
four miles every morning
and I've been training...

Ain't that a bitch.

Hey, boy?

What?

Now who told you
it was leaving time?

Somebody want to
come in this gate,

they gotta have
your permission,
right?

That's my job.
Ms. Fairlie's orders.

Nobody, especially me,
needs permission
of any kind

to go out that gate.

Huh?

What I'm trying to say is,
I ain't gonna be
a part of her kennel.

I ain't gonna be
a part of her stable.

And you tell her
Cassius Clay ain't
gonna play nobody's boy.

(LAUGHING)

As a matter of ethics,
my clients wouldn't
care to intrude

on any prior claim
Trish Fairlie might
assert.

I don't like Ms. Fairlie,
and I don't want her
in my business.

Ms. Fairlie is out.

Then let's get
down to business.

As a tender of faith,
each of my clients is
willing to put up $1,000.

It's up to my father.

Mr. Clay?

It looks like we got
the makings of a deal.

Good looking boy.

Hello there,
how are you?

Fine.

It's a pleasure, sir.

How are you doing?

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Oh, thank you,
we'd love it.

You like that, huh?

What's it feel like
having a big strong man
pounding into you

with all his strength?

Well,
that's a good question
for another fighter.

Are you saying
it doesn't
bother you any?

You've never
been afraid?

No.
Well, I was scared
one time.

After I won
the AAU Championship.

After you won
the championship?

That qualified me
to go to the Olympics

and they were
held in Rome
this year.

I had to fly over
on a plane.

Just the thought of it
scared me to death.

(LAUGHING)

Well, we're all boxing nuts.
That's why we're doing this.

We told our wives
it'll make us $1 million.

You're only
stating the truth.

The contract
gives you gentlemen
half my earnings.

Ooh!
Half your earnings.

You think that's
going to make us
$100,000 profit?

No.
You didn't hear
what he said.

He said $1 million.
Ain't that right?

Well, why not?
It's only money.

Look, Ronnie.
There's Mr. Hollis' car.

What are we
doing here?

(LAUGHS)
You see this car?

This baby is bad,
ain't it?

This is Mr. Faraday Hollis',
one of my sponsors.

The one I
told you about.
This is his car.

How long does she take
to get up to 60?
Two seconds?

I don't know.
Get in, man.

God, man, look at this.
Leather interior.

All these dials
and knobs and shiny...

Hey, what do you punk kids
think you're doing?

Are you going to get out
of here on your own,

or do I have to
call the cops?

The cops?
You must not know
who I am.

I'm Cassius Clay,
the Olympic champion.

Mr. Faraday Hollis,
who owns this car,
is a friend of mine.

(PEOPLE MURMURING)

Lia, Obie,
this is our boy,
Cassius Clay.

Cassius, this is
Mr. and Mrs. Cruikshank,

Mrs. Hollis and
Miss Hollis, my daughter.

Well, I hear
you're quite a fighter.

Yes, sir.

Well, your sponsors
expect big things
from you.

Just the Heavyweight
Championship of the World,
that's all.

Right, Cash?

Yes, sir, Mr. Hollis.

Would you like
something to eat or drink?

CLAY: Well...

I am sort of thirsty.
Maybe I'll have some milk.

Waiter?

Yes, ma'am?

A glass of milk
for the boy.

Obie, you used to
box a little bit in college,
didn't you?

Well, a little bit.

Get up,
see if you can hit him.

Why that was
over 25 years ago.

Just see if you can.
Just for fun.

Well.

(LAUGHING)

(CHUCKLES)

All right.
He's all right,
I'll tell you that.

I'll tell you one thing,
there isn't any other
big guy around that fast.

Thanks, man.

Would you like to
take a seat?

Yes, I guess I would.

MR. HOLLIS:
I want to thank you
for the exhibition, Clay.

We don't want to
hold you up
from your ride.

That's all right,
'cause my friend Ronnie,

I know he'll be
a little thirsty, too.

He was a little shy
to come in at first.

I bet he's thirsty now.
He'll come in now.

Let him stay shy.

It'll keep him
out of trouble.

But I wanted him
to meet your family
and friends, sir.

Some other time.

I know you want
everything to go nice
and smooth for yourself.

Right?

You understand?

I'm trying to.

Well, don't make waves.

Cash, wait a minute.
What are you doing?

Man, this thing
is phony,

gold-plated,
and it ain't
worth a damn.

I can't believe
you did that!

Oh, God, man,
what did you
do that for?

It wasn't worth
a shit anyway.

Angelo Dundee.

No, you got
those hands too low.
Now get them up.

Hustle, hustle!

And the hands,
the hands!

Cassius,
don't lean back
like that!

What, you prefer this sucker
to hit me in the head?

Come on, sucker,
try it.

And hold your hands up.
Don't hold them so low.
Come on.

Ferdie, how are you?

Is that the new kid?
The one from Louisville?

Yeah, that's him.

He won
the light-heavy gold medal
over there in Rome.

Name of Clay.
I know.
I saw the film.

I bet you worry,
if he pulls
his head back

and a guy comes at him
it could really lift.

All right, so he's got
a few bad faults.

You'd better
change that.

Look,
sometimes I don't even know
who the hell the trainer is.

But I'm learning.

Whenever I want him
to throw a left hook,
I say to him:

"Jesus,
what a beautiful left hook
that was."

And he goes out
there and does it.

All right, time!

Hey, kid,
I want you to meet
Dr. Ferdie Pacheco.

He's the best fight doctor
and savviest guy
in the boxing business.

Except for you and me.

ANGELO: Huh?

See,
you know more than he does,
else I'd have him training me.

And me, I know more, too,
else you wouldn't be
going around

showing me off as
your prize new boy.

He's articulate,
ain't he?

No offense, kid.

I never saw a heavyweight
move around like you do.

See, 'cause there's
never been a fighter
with my problem.

Never been a fighter
with such a pretty face.

And I owe it to my public
to keep it that way.

Time to shower,
I imagine?

Go shower, go.

(LAUGHS)

Hey, kid!

How much roadwork
did you do this morning?

Six miles.

I thought I
told you only four.

I lost track
making up a poem.

(LAUGHING)

You see what I mean?

REPORTER 1: Are you aware that
LaMar Clark has knocked out
his last 45 opponents?

He's a bum.

That sucker can't go
two rounds with me.
Two rounds.

You're calling the round?

Can I quote you?

Yeah, I know
what I'll do.

I'll get him in two.

"When you come to the fight,
don't block
the aisle or the door.

"Archie Moore's going
to fall in round four!

"Besmanoff will stay to seven.
Then he'll think
he's gone to heaven!"

Hey, you.
What's happening?

You're sure looking good.
What you doing?

How about a date or something?
Let's take a ride.

Nothing freaky.

Nothing freaky?
Come on,
woman, get in the car.

Do you recognize me?

I mean,
have you ever
saw me before?

I mean,
you know who I am,
don't you?

How the hell
would I know?

Seriously, you don't
recognize me?

I bet you one thing,

before the night's over,
we will know each other.

Oh, yes, indeed.
I will know you.

Yes, ma'am.

'Cause we're going to have
a good time tonight.

That's right.
Give me five.

You know a little soul,
don't you?
(LAUGHS)

Give it back.

Yes, ma'am.

Would you park over here?
It's that building
on the left there.

I want you to
answer me one question.

Are you anywhere
as good as you look?

I'm better than I have been
but not as good
as I'm gonna get.

Mmm!
Come on, I can't wait.

Hey, brother!
Say, brother!

Look here a minute.
I got a message for you.

Look, I'm busy now, man.

It's important.
Important?

CLAY:
Ain't no more important
than what I've got to do.

I have a message for you.
I want to invite
you to our mosque.

Ain't nothing more important
than what I'm
getting ready to do now.

So, leave me alone.

Yeah, but what you
going to do, brother?

Hey, baby! Wait!

Oh, man, you made me
miss the woman.
She's gone.

Man, I did you
a good favor, brother.

Did me a favor?

That's worse than
dope and alcohol.

That white woman.
Worse than alcohol.

You're crazy.
This pretty white woman?

I'm not kidding.
That's right, brother.

She's gone.

Have you ever
heard of Malcolm X?

I've heard of him.

He's in the mosque
and I want to invite you.

He's not over there.
Would I lie?

Malcolm X in the ghetto?

He's right over here.

Would I lie to you?
Do you know who I am?

I know you.
What's my name?

You're Cassius Clay.

And you know
I can fight?

Don't worry about that.
Don't lie.

I wouldn't lie.
Two minutes of your time.

I'll stay two minutes.
That's all.

It'll take
two minutes.

Malcolm X is over here?

Right now.

I wouldn't lie to you.
Right.

If that's all
it will take.

(PEOPLE CLAPPING)
He's a devil.

Every time you
see a white man,

think about the devil,
and you'll see him.

Think of how it is
on your
slave fore-parents'

bloody, sweaty backs,
that he built this empire.

AUDIENCE: That's right!

That today,
the richest of all nations,
by its evil and its greed,

make him hated
around the world.

This blue-eyed devil

took away your name,

took away your language.

Took away your culture.

(AUDIENCE AGREES HEATEDLY)

And what does he
offer in return?

A religion that says

we're all going
to sprout wings,

fly up into the sky.

God will have
a special place for us
called heaven,

while the white devil
enjoys his heaven right now!

(ALL AGREEING AND CLAPPING)

And we have accepted
this brainwashing.

Christian religion,
we've embraced it.

We have believed in it.

But now
the Honorable
Elijah Muhammad

offers you
the Nation of Islam.

The Muslim religion.

A program
of independence

for the black man.

How many of you want to follow
the Honorable Elijah Muhammad?

AUDIENCE: Yes, sir!

How many of you will
stand up for Allah?

(ALL CHEERING)

You know, all this time,
I've been standing up
for a white man.

A blonde-headed,
blue-eyed Jesus.

That's right.

Give him
a haircut and shave,

he'll be like
the same honky policeman

busting your head in.

Never even
thought about that.

Champ, I got somebody
I want you to meet.

Bundini Brown.

He was with Sugar Ray Robinson
and Johnny Bratton five years.

I want you to meet him.
Hey, Champ.

I don't care who
you've been with.
I'm tired.

Champ,
he's the only man I know
that talks more than you do.

Shoot.

BROWN:
"Float like a butterfly
and sting like a bee

"You can't hit
what you can't see."

(LAUGHS)

CLAY: Hey, man,
who in the world are you?

I mean,
what would Johnny Bratton

or Sugar Ray Robinson
need with you,

as great as they were?

'Cause you just
don't train the body.

You got to
get into the soul.

You can talk
all the philosophy
and stuff you want.

Sonny Liston is the king,
and it shall
remain that way

until he gets in the ring
with Cassius Clay.

"The old master painter
from the faraway hills

"Who painted
the violets and
the daffodils,

"Said the next champ
gonna come from Louisville."

(LAUGHS)
Man, you're all right.

Crazy, just like me,
spouting poetry.

Put this one in
your little bag.

"When I start fighting,
I'm going to be known

"as the greatest of them all.
Because they all will fall

"in the round I call."

Why do you call
the rounds on people?

Well, I predict
because it sells tickets.
Makes people come.

How big is it for you to win
the Heavyweight Championship?

I dream about it.
I always dream about it.

I dream about all the things
I've had to give up,
up until now.

All the ice cream,
all the cake,
all the pie.

I dream about the things
I'll have to give up
to get that title.

Mainly pretty women, man.
That's hard, the pretty women.

You're gonna give up
the best part of life.

Me and you should
have been together
when you was 12 years old.

What makes you think

little old Cassius Clay
can beat the big bad
Sonny Liston?

'Cause you'll float
like a butterfly
and take his crown.

And you and I both know

that he's
headed for defeat.

On that we both agree,

but there's only one thing.

We have yet to
get that chump
in the ring.

That's right, brother.

CLAY: I'm here
to tell you all...
You think I'm just talking.

You think I'm
just running my mouth,

but these two fighters
in here are slow.

They have no class,
no speed, no skill.

Floyd Patterson
and Sonny Liston
are not in my class.

They're not fast enough,
and you've been robbed.

You're wasting money.

How can you have
a heavyweight title fight
without me?

They're ducking me.
They want to brush me off.

They say I'm a loudmouth,
but you wait, you just wait.

I'll show all of you,
because in the future,

I'll whup Sonny Liston,
Floyd Patterson.

I'll be crowned
the greatest heavyweight
champion of all times.

And there can be no
title fight without me.

(CROWD APPLAUDING)

Sonny Liston!

Attention,
the true heavyweight
champion is here!

I've been looking
for you all over!

I want you to
get all your money
off the craps table.

I'll bet you,
I'll whup you right now.

I'm too fast
for you, sucker.

I say you ain't nothing
picking Floyd Patterson.

Well, why don't you face me,
since my mouth is so big?

I'm going to destroy you.

I bet you all
the money you've got
right here, right now.

Right now,
I'll knock you out, sucker!

Right here.
Come on, sucker.

You hear me?

This is Cassius Clay,

the greatest fighter

in the history of all boxing!

You are nothing!

You hear me,
you gambling sucker?

I'm talking to you.

You can't
duck me forever.

You know who I am.
Floyd Patterson.

You knocked him out once.
You'll knock him out again.

I'm the one that
you don't want.

You're a faggot.

A faggot?
I got something for you.

I'll show you while
everyone's watching.

I've never seen you
with ladies.

You're a faggot.
Don't see me
with ladies?

You got
two pretty ones there.

That's why
you'll get whupped.

Quit acting a fool.
You're embarrassing
colored folks.

Embarrassing colored folks?
As ugly as you are?

You, the heavyweight
champion,
representing us

looking like you look.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'm giving you 24 hours

to saddle your horse up
and ride out of Las Vegas.

Saddle up your horse
and be out of town.

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

(IN HIGH-PITCHED VOICE)
Is this the Daily News?

Well, I'm a citizen
who lives in Colorado.

I just saw something
I'm sure you
want to know about.

Cassius Clay is in town.

Yes, Cassius Clay!
He's in town.

I just saw a big red bus
with the name Cassius Clay

painted on the bus
and the sign says,

"The world's most
colorful fighter."

Yes.

I'm serious.
This is no crank call,
it's no joke.

Cassius Clay is in town.

As a matter of fact,
I'm looking out
the window now.

He's outside Sonny
Liston's house

with a bunch of men
on the bus.

Yes, they were
all colored.

Well,
I don't like to say this,
but they are all niggers.

Yes.
It's going to be...

Trouble?

I don't really know.

He's not here
to play checkers.
So, I'm calling you now.

Call the police,
or get the newspapers,

because you have a scoop.

CLAY: (OVER MEGAPHONE)
I've come to haunt you.

I've come to haunt you.

Sonny Liston,
where do you live,
you big, ugly bear?

You big, ugly bear.

I know you're
out here somewhere.

You're no champion.

I know you're in
there somewhere.

Where you at,
Sonny Liston?

Come out of that house.
I know you're
sleeping in here.

I know you're
in there somewhere,
all comfortable.

Come out of your house,
Sonny Liston.

Come out of your house,
sleeping with
all them rich folks.

I'm here to get you.
You're trying to
get some sleep...

Get off my land!
You black faggot bastard!

Who you calling...
You!

You ugly sucker, you.

Get that bus
away from here.

I've come to get you.

Get out of here.

Look at that savage.

Get away from here.
Off my land!

Police,
arrest that pervert!

Look at that wild man!

Hold that sucker.

Get out of here.

You know
I'm the champion.

Why don't you
arrest that fool?
Get him off my property.

When are you
going to fight me?

Faggot bastard.

Why don't
somebody do something?

What the hell is this?

Ain't you ever seen
one of those before?

I know what it is.
That's a bear trap.

Al Carrara's here.
He's got a message
from Sonny Liston.

Oh, yeah,
how you doing?

How you doing?

I was told to
give you this message
if you won the fight.

The champ wants you
to drink your
orange juice and shakes.

You talked yourself
into a title bout.

He hopes you can
keep your mouth shut

or he'll ram his
fist so far down your throat,

it'll take him
a week to pull it out.

I'll tell you what to do,
message boy.

You go back and tell him
that I appreciate

the opportunity of
fighting for my title,

'cause it's
going to be mine.

Also, tell him
that after the fight,
don't worry,

because he will
not be unemployed.

He can be
my chief sparring partner.

You go tell him that.

I'll see you.
That's right.

Tell him that,
message boy.

Be sure he gets mad.

(THE GREATEST
LOVE OF ALL PLAYING)

♪ I believe the children
are our future

♪ Teach them well
and let them lead the way

♪ Show them all the beauty
they possess inside

♪ Give them
a sense of pride

♪ To make it easier

♪ Let the children's laughter

♪ Remind us
how we used to be

♪ Everybody
searching for a hero

♪ People need someone
to look up to

♪ I never found anyone
to fulfill my needs

♪ A lonely place to be

♪ So, I learned to
depend on me ♪

Boy, you can ride a bike.
How you doing?

Fine, how are you?

All right.

No, you.
Ladies first.
I forgot.

Oh, no,
after you, Mr. Clay.

You must be
a lot thirstier
than I am.

No, I can wait.

Mr. Clay? How do you...
Where do you know me from?

Lots of places.

No, the picture
on your album,
The Greatest.

Oh, that album cover,
The Greatest.

How many times
have you heard that?

About 6,000 times.
Mmm!

No, my kid brother
keeps listening to it.

Is that right?
Mmm-hmm.

Come on,
ladies first.

Thank you.

You looking at something?

(BOTH LAUGHING)

No, I'm not
looking at nothing.

Well, it's just your, uh...

Anything special
about my, uh...

No, nothing special.
Well, it is...

Well, what I mean is...

You don't sound at all sure
about what you mean, Mr. Clay.

Come on,
let me have a drink.

Go ahead,
you take a drink.

You know what?

Yours looks
pretty special, too.

I'll tell you what.

Don't waste time.
Just answer some questions.

Questions?
Number one:
What's your name?

Number two:
Where do you live?

And number three:

Can I pick you up and

take you out tonight?

Well, my name
is Ruby Sanderson.

Hold it. Repeat that.

Ruby Sanderson.

I live at 411
South Poinsettia.

Mmm-hmm. 411.

But I've already
got a date.

Oh!

Well, whoever it is,
he can't be as nice as me.

The sucker can't be
as pretty as me.

So, why don't you find some way
to just drop him
and cancel that date tonight?

Are you asking me to?

Yeah, baby.

Then that's what
it takes.

Out of sight.

8:00?
8:00.

Be pretty.
'Cause I'll be pretty.

You are fine.

All right.
See you later.

Be on time.
Don't be too slow.

Women are always late.

Especially you
colored girls.

Jackie Robinson meant,
"Give me a place
on your team,

"I'll show you
I'm a nice fellow."

A regular person,
only my skin
is funny for him.

But before long,
you won't even
notice that.

That's what happened
because we have

more black players
now than ever.

If we keep on
depending on the goodness
of the man's heart,

second baseman is
as far as we'll get.

No majority ever
gave the minority

a fair share
without force.

Force is something
we can't really do
'cause we're not united.

Once we unite,
we will have that force.

For each of them,
there's two non-whites,
going on three.

Don't forget.

That sounds
a little different.

The "white minority."

They've still
got the power

but it's moving
the other way.

That's what's important.

Thanks to people like you,
everything'll be okay.

Salaam-Alaikum.

Salaam.
Thank you, brother.

See you tomorrow.

I saw
who you were with.

It was Malcolm X,
wasn't it?

Yes, sir,
that's who it was.

Cash,

all your life
you've been training
for one thing,

the World Heavyweight
Championship.

That's right, and I
will be the next heavyweight
champ of the world.

I go to bed
thinking about it,
I dream about it.

So, I mean, so what's...
Why are you
bringing this up?

Don't you realize
what the papers
are going to do?

They say Malcolm X is
the most dangerous man
in America today.

They say he's
the most dangerous man
in the world,

but he walked
up here by himself.
No bodyguards.

I don't see no police.

But he's
the most dangerous man
in the world?

Why are whites so afraid
of the name Malcolm X?

I don't know,
maybe it's his religion.

Look, Angelo,

when it
comes to boxing,
you're the man.

You're the sole reason

for me being
where I'm at today.

Why are you
worried about religion?

Take care of the boxing.

I'll worry
about my religion.

'Cause you
already got a faith.

Why don't you
stick with it?

My faith, Christianity,

is the white man's faith.

Your Jesus is white.

Your angels are white.

Your Lord's Supper
is white.

Everything's white.

I have to die
before I go to heaven.

You have everything now.

Let me worry
about my religion.

Champ, Bill McDonald is
on the phone.

He wants to see you
down in his office.

I don't think he
likes you no more.

Now he's all upset.
He heard about Malcolm X.

What do you mean,
he don't like me?

All right.

He don't like nothing
but some money.

Whatever nigger
can make some money.

If Liston wins,
then they'll be
his nigger.

Look.

What do I care
about Bill McDonald?

Wait a minute,
just play it cool.

Don't get aggravated
and don't
get him aggravated.

After all,
there is a compromise,
for Christ's sake!

All right,
for Allah's sake.

Okay, for Allah's sake.

All right.
We'll make it.

I love you.

You flew to New York
last week with Malcolm X?

Mmm-hmm.

Visited a mosque
of the Nation
of Islam there?

You have two black,
Muslim security guards
in your camp,

and Muslim women
doing your cooking?

Why?
I don't understand.

What do you mean, why?
I don't eat pork no more.

I'm going to accept
the Islamic faith.

Malcolm X is
a brother and a friend.

And I have cooking
who I want to cook
at my house.

Malcolm X should be...

I can go where I want
with Malcolm X.

Malcolm X and his family
are your guests
here in Miami.

That's right.
What about it?
He's a black.

He's my brother.
He's my friend.

I can do what I
want to.
I want you...

Why am I
explaining to you...
Wait a minute!

Listen.
Fire the guards
and the cooks.

Persuade Malcolm X
to get out of town,

and go on
radio and TV tonight

and tell
the American people

that you have
no connection
with the Muslims.

Why?
Just because
of the fight?

Because I'm going
to make some money?

You think I'll
deny the Muslim faith,
which I love and accept?

You think I'm going to
deny Elijah Muhammad,

the great leader
for the black people
of America?

Deny Malcolm X?

You're not
Muslim yet.

I'm going to be one.

You're not one yet

and you'll make
over $400,000 in this fight,
plus the...

I don't care about that.
You're making money, too.

You wouldn't be
in on it.

Listen to me.
Listen.

You have a chance
to make millions
if you win the title.

I'll compromise,
if that's the case.

I'm not going to
deny my religion.

I won't run
Malcolm X out of town.

I'm not going
to fire my cooks.

I'll stay quiet.

I won't do nothing
until the fight's over.

That's no concession.

You're not
giving up a thing.

Make an announcement,
or no fight.

And you'll never
get another chance
at the title.

Is that why I'm here?
That's right.

I'll announce it
right now...

Announce what?

...unless you tell
me what you'll do.

Here's what I'm
not going to do.

I won't
renounce my religion.

You said that.

Don't run off
at the mouth, Cassius.

I'll call off
the fight.

Call the fight off.
To hell with you.

You'll get to meet my people
two days ahead of time.

They weren't
coming till Friday.

I want to meet
your mother.

Yes, she'd like to
meet you, too.

How do you know for sure,
when he put it to you,

you'd be
giving all this up?

When you think about it,
it was simple.

For me to turn down
what I believe in
and my people,

the black people,
just to please white folks,
to get this fight.

In 10 or 15 years,
when I'm
no longer fighting,

and the white has
no more use for me,

and black people remember
what I did
and turn their backs on me,

then I'm really
in trouble.

(HONKING)

Hey, Cash!

Yeah.

Angelo, what's up?

Mr. McDonald
wants to talk to you.

Mr. McDonald,
I'm surprised to see you.

I thought about
what you said,

about your right to
your religious faith.

That's part of
the American principle.

Thank you.

We don't want
you to say anything
till after the fight.

Right. Give a little,
take a little, right?

I'll see you tomorrow.
Everything is still on.
Thank you.

Quiet.
Quiet, everyone.

The heavyweight
champion of the world,
Sonny Liston.

Weighing 218 pounds.

CLAY:
I'm the greatest fighter
that ever lived.

The world is going
to find out tonight.

Slip on out of here.
No telling what
Clay's going to pull.

No, I'm going to wait
on that faggoty nigger.

Give him
my evil eye.

Stare him down,
same way I
done Patterson.

I've come to
destroy Sonny Liston.

Don't you also
know how great I am?

People say I'm just talking.
They call me a bigmouth.

After this,
you're going to see.

(ALL CLAMORING)

I am the greatest.

Tell the whole world.
Tell them all.

I'm the man.
I'm the man.

Tell the whole world
I'm the champ.

I'll destroy that sucker.

(CONTINUES SHOUTING
INDISTINCTLY)

I'm the greatest.
I'm the meanest.

There he is.
There he is.

You don't scare me.

I don't care about
Sonny Liston.

I can't wait.
I can't wait.

I'm going to
knock you out, sucker.

I'm going to
knock you out.

I'm pretty. You're ugly.
You won't have a chance.
You're too slow.

Floyd Patterson
was scared of you.

Floyd Patterson
was scared of you.
I'm not scared of you.

I don't care
about your fist.

MAN:
Yes. That's right.

I'm not scared of you.

You're a fag.

A fag?

(CLAMORING)

You ain't nothing!

Sit down!
You ain't nothing!

You ain't nothing!

'Cause I'm gonna
kick your
you-know-what.

Easy, easy.

Your blood pressure.

Come on, doc.
What is it?

200 over 100, and his
pulse is going wild.

If his pressure
doesn't go down,
there'll be no fight.

Let's go.
Get him out of there.

(BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR
PUMPING)

That's 120 over 80.

Now,
why did you do that, Cash?
You scared the hell out of us.

(CHUCKLES) I heard Liston
wasn't scared of nothing.

As a matter of fact,
he scares everybody.

Everybody is
scared of him.

I figured if I act crazier
that would really scare him,

because you never know
what a nut's going to do.

It scared you all, too.

ANNOUNCER:
Clay puts a jab on the mouth.

Another one-two.
A left and a right
to the jaw.

A right that
grazes the chin
of Sonny Liston.

Clay feints
a left hand and gives a right
that goes over the head.

Liston catches up with Clay,
and drives
both hands to the body.

He's hooking hard
to the midsection.

For the first time,
Liston looks alive.

Clay is way ahead
as he drives
a right hand to the jaw.

Liston is
puffing around the eye.

Over in Liston's corner,
he's badly beaten up.

They're applying
ointment to the eye.

That right eye
is very swollen.

I doubt if
Liston can continue.

And if he cannot,
there will be
a new champion.

No, Sonny Liston
cannot continue.

Cassius Clay is the champion
by a knockout,

as Liston cannot come out
for the second round.

Clay does
a victory dance.

His handlers
are jubilant.

They're picking him up.
The crowd is going wild.

Cassius Clay,
the heavyweight
champion of the world

and a beaten-up
Sonny Liston.

I am the greatest!

(REPORTERS CHEERING)

REPORTER 1:
When did you know he wasn't
coming back, Champ?

Hold it.
First things first.

Now, listen,
let's get it straight.
Just don't forget it.

Sonny Liston was
supposed to destroy me.

How wrong
all of you were.

You got to admit it.

You got to all
bow and tell me that
I'm the greatest.

That's right.

I have another announcement
I have to make.

The name Clay, Cassius Clay,
my name is
no longer Cassius Clay.

(REPORTERS CHATTERING)

That's right.

You've heard the rumors.

I am a Muslim.
That's my religion now.

My religion is Islam,

and the Honorable
Elijah Muhammad has
named me Muhammad Ali.

You are a black Muslim?

Black Muslim.
It's just Muslim.

We have white Muslims,
brown, red, yellow.
We have all colored Muslims.

We have different
colored Christians.

You don't ask a man
if he's a black
or white Christian.

Another announcement
I want to make.

My manager is now
the son of the Honorable
Elijah Muhammad.

The Lowell sponsoring group
has allowed him
to be my manager.

Herbert Muhammad.
I want you to meet him.

Could you come here,
brother Herbert?

From now on,
he will be my adviser and
he will call the shots.

He's a spiritual leader.

I've a question.
What does he know
about boxing, Cassius?

REPORTER 2:
And what about your
Louisville sponsor?

Do you think we're
going to go along with
this black Muslim business?

You'll still be
Cassius Clay to me.

ALI: You want to
keep me a slave.

I'm known as Muhammad Ali.
Cassius Clay is dead.

You, of all people,
should know that.

Why should I
know that?

Because there was
your article
I read this morning.

You said,
"Sonny Liston will
murder Cassius Clay."

(ALL LAUGHING)

(JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING)

Boy, I got all
the girlfriends tonight,
and all these ugly men.

Hey, Champ.
How you feel, baby?

I feel pretty good.

Just a little
hot and thirsty.

Could have
a cold ginger ale
or something.

Okay, let's go.

This dress.
I don't like these
types of clothes.

It's too short.
Your chest is showing.

I don't want you
parading around here,
especially with me.

Let me get a waiter.
He can take care of it.

I've been sitting here.
I'd like to get up
and move around some.

Hold it. I said no.
Just stay right here.

Let me get you a drink.

Hold it.

Why are you so
anxious to run around
and find me a drink

in this type of dress?

Parading around
with your legs out and
your breasts showing.

You bought me
this dress.

I bought you the dress
for me.

For me and you.
I told you.

For me to watch
around the house,

not for everybody
out here to see.

I need a drink.
And it ain't going
to be no damn ginger ale.

(GLASS SHATTERS)

(SHOUTING ANGRILY)

Get off of me!

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

You make no sense.
Stop it.

It don't make
no sense.

You'll dress like I tell you.

You come with me.
Get through here.

How are you going
to be my woman

if everything you are doing
is embarrassing me tonight?

My woman walking around
with her chest all out.

Your knees all out
and your dress 5 inches
over your legs,

with horny
crackers and niggers
looking at you,

drooling at the mouth.

You bought this dress.
You picked it out.

Let me out.

Hold it, woman.

If it was just a dress,
it wouldn't be so bad.
It ain't just a dress.

Look at all that
makeup on your face.

You told me you
were going to stop it.
Powder and rouge.

You're smoking,
even took a drink.

I don't belong to you.

We're not married.
Come here.

How you going to
be my wife?

Everything you're doing
don't represent me.

You're against
my religion
and everything.

I'll tell you what
you're going to
do tonight.

This dress is
going to come down
2 inches over your knees.

Let me out of here.

Stop it,
you're tearing it.

(FABRIC RIPPING)

Come back here!
You've got
no clothes on!

WOMAN:
What happened
to your dress?

MAN: I explained
to Mr. Muhammad that
this contract gives his man

20% of
all ancillary rights,

including
closed-circuit television.

I told him there was
a bonus of $50,000
for him personally,

the day the Champ
signs the deal.

Mr. Muhammad said,
"Not enough money."

All right,
so we agreed already.

We'll make him
a final offer.

$75,000.

If you're going to give me
that much money

for my fighter
to take 20%,

you really ought to
give him 40.

(LAUGHING)

You're crazy.

No way.
That can't happen.

Better than that,

is to cut out
all of you middlemen,

start our own
ancillary company,

and give him 50%.

I wouldn't try that.

You don't know it,
gentlemen,

but almost
every black fighter
in the history of boxing,

ended up broke.

That is not
going to happen
to Muhammad Ali.

(EXHALES)

Maybe you don't
know my reputation,
Mr. Muhammad, as a prophet.

Hmm?

So many times I've said,
something terrible
is going to happen

to a particular fellow.

And what
do you think happens?

He comes to grief.

(LAUGHING)

That's very
interesting, Mr. Curtis.

You see,

because I'm a bit of
a psychic myself.

And I'm predicting
that if any grief comes
to anyone I know,

there's going to be
twice as much of the same

to whoever caused it.

REPORTER 1: Do you know
you've been reclassified
in the draft?

No, sir. All I know is
the last they
had me pretty dumb.

I was classified 1Y.

That's because you flunked
the intelligence test, right?

Yeah, I flunked it.

I told you all I
was the greatest.

Never said I
was the smartest.

Right.

They've got you
reclassified 1A,

which means
you can be inducted
at any time.

Ain't that something?

That shows you
how wise they are

to reclassify me,
switch me to 1A

without a test.

Maybe they got
some heavy mail about why

you're not over there
doing your job.

How would you feel
about that?

Being sent to Vietnam?

Don't feel nothing.
I'm not excited at all.

You're not
interested in going there
to fight for freedom?

Fight for freedom?
Fight whose freedom?
I'm not free right here.

We've places
on Miami Beach
I can't go.

My people aren't free.
Fighting for who?

Fighting the enemy.

Whose enemy?
The Vietcong never
called me no nigger.

They're your enemy,
not mine.

Niggers ain't crazy.

REPORTER 2: Incredible,
totally incredible.

Sport's personality,
now page one,

newspapers
throughout the world,
radio and TV.

He fought them
one at a time.

Maybe the pound for pound
greatest in history.

Now he challenges
the policy...

(TELEPHONE RINGS)

...if not the conscience,
of the nation.

Sam Geisen,
for News Center.

REPORTER 1:
Now they've
reclassified you 1A,

which means you can be
inducted at any time.

ALI: That shows you
how wise they are
to reclassify me 1A

without even
checking me out.

REPORTER 3:
Maybe they got some heavy mail

about why you're
not over there
doing your job.

REPORTER 1:
How would you feel
about that?

Being sent to
the war in Vietnam?

ALI:
How would I feel?

I haven't even
thought about it.

Can I have
a little service?

REPORTER 4: You're not
interested in going there
to fight for freedom?

ALI:
Fight for freedom?

Who wants to
hear that loudmouth,
Muhammad Ali?

You can't talk
that way about...

Surprised you!
Tricked you,
didn't I?

I'm sorry.

No, that's all right.
Don't be sorry.
I like your spirit.

What I'd like right
now is some service.

What can I
do for you?

Well, you know I'm
new in town, right?

I don't know
my way around.
I don't know nobody.

Well, to tell you
the truth,
I'm lonely.

A man like you,
lonely.

"A man like you,
lonely."

You figure because
I'm Muhammad Ali,

nice looking,
I have everything I want.

Parties, women,
just everything
waiting for me, right?

Something like that.

Well, it's not so.

And then it is so.
I don't have too
much trouble,

but I don't
appreciate things
that come too easy.

I was just walking
across the street,

I saw this pretty sister
over here.

I thought I
would just come
over here and, uh...

What I'm really
trying to say, sister...

Do you know
what I really want?

Some cupcakes?

Um...

We have...
Our specialty is bean pie.

And we have
carrot cake and...

Everything here
is fresh baked.

Well, if that's the case,
I'll take some bean pie.

I'll take some cupcakes.

I'll take some
carrot cake,

and most of all,
I'll take you out
to dinner tonight.

(LAUGHING)

I can't go out to
dinner with you.

I mean,

you'd have to
ask my parents.

I've already done that.

I've already
asked your parents.

I've talked to them already.
I figured you'd say that.

So, I'm a step
ahead of you.

You know my parents?

I know your parents,
I know you.

I've watched you
at the mosque.

I saw you at
the religious services.

I even talked
to your father,
met your mother.

I even know your name.

What's my name?

Your name is Belinda, right?

Well, what did they say?

They told me that
I'd have to watch it.

Your father said
because you're still
kind of young yet.

What did you say?

I said to him I
realize you're young.

I can wait a few days.
You're gonna get older.

But you're so big
for your size,

I told him I hope
you stop growing.

(CUSTOMERS LAUGHING)

They're fighting.

Ooh!

He hit that woman.

What's that?
Look.

(CROWD SHOUTING)

Can anybody tell me
how I can
stay out of jail?

Well, you gotta
make that first step
to find out.

"Kiss ass,
kiss ass, nigger man,"
they holler.

Nigger was yesterday.

What did Herbert say?

Herbert said I
can take the step
or not take the step.

It's up to me.

Herbert is my conscience.
Herbert had two brothers,
three brothers

that went to jail
for not going
into the Army.

I'll wait
for you here.

Good luck, fellas.

OFFICER: Line up
in alphabetical order.

First four in front
and so forth.

You're about to
be inducted into

the Armed Forces of
the United States,

in the Army, the Navy,
the Marine Corps,
or the Air Force,

as indicated by
the service announced

following your
name when called.

You will take
one step forward

as your name and
service are called.

And such a step
will constitute
your induction

into the service
indicated.

John Allen, Navy.

James Austin, Army.

Louis Cerrato, Army.

Cassius Clay, Army.

Cassius Clay, Army.

Please step forward
and be inducted into
the Armed Forces

of the United States.

(WHISPERS)
I'll take him into
the Major's office.

All right.

Follow me, please.

OFFICER: Lyle Cornels, Army.

Sit down, young man.

Yes, sir.

You'll have
another chance
in a few minutes

to reconsider
and be inducted.

You'll go back,
they'll call your name,

and they'll
tell you once again
to take that step.

Well, sir, I'd rather
not do that

'cause it'd just be
wasting everyone's time.

It's not a waste of time.
It's standard procedure.

There are a few things
that I would
like to tell you

before you get
that second chance.

The first is that
your legal defense
is ridiculous.

I'm a lawyer
in civilian life,

and your claim to be
an Islamic minister
is just silly.

So is your case
on the grounds of your
own religious convictions.

Lots of your fellow Muslims
are in the Army now.

Public opinion
is going to be much
rougher on you because

of the special rewards
and the privileges
that you've had.

They're not
going to be satisfied
to see you in a dungeon.

They're going to
want your blood.

Excuse me, Major,
I couldn't resist
butting in.

How do you do?
I'm Colonel Cedrich.
Sit down, please.

First thing my
kid'll ask me tonight is
did I talk to the Champ?

You know, I saw both
the Terrell and
the Williams fights,

and Patterson
in Las Vegas
the year before.

We were just talking
about what it means
to resist induction.

Mmm-hmm.
Have you talked about
what it means to accept

for a man of
Mr. Ali's talents?

I wonder if you realize
how unlikely it would be

for the Army to send you as
a combat soldier to Vietnam.

If we draft
a chemistry professor,

we don't put him into
a combat infantry unit

with a rifle in his hands.

And we wouldn't put
a rifle in your hands.

Of course not.

Morale is very
important to us.

And sports are very
important for morale.

Do you know what
Sergeant Joe Lewis did
in World War II?

Yes, sir. I think he
boxed exhibitions,

did personal appearances,
and things like that.

Right.

Now, there are
no guarantees,

but you can be quite sure
that's what you'll be doing
after basic training.

We'd be crazy to use you
where you
don't have the most value.

Value for who?
I mean, everybody
knows where I stand.

I'm against
the war in Vietnam.

I've said to the press

I don't think black people
should go to
Vietnam and fight Asians

who've never lynched us,
raped us,
called us "niggers",

deprived us of freedom,
justice, equality,

for the same white man
who's not freeing us
here in America.

My conscience
won't allow me to go.

However,
I won't have to go.

You offer me deals
where I probably
won't have to fight

or I could have it easy,

or do like Joe Lewis did.

But still, I know
you're using me to lead
people to the service,

which is leading them
to the slaughter.

And my conscience
will still bother me.

Sir, I'd just
rather go to jail.

...sentences you to
five years in prison
and a $10,000 fine.

(CROWD GROANING)

(GAVEL POUNDING)

Come to order, please.

Bail to be continued.

We plan to appeal,
Your Honor.

You made that clear,
Mr. Eskridge.

Court is adjourned.

BAILIFF:
All rise, please.

Come on now,
don't worry.

We have at least two years,
the attorney told me,
before the appeal.

What if you lose?
You'll spend five
years in prison.

If we lose that's
the will of Allah.

We'll just
get used to it.

Anyway,
you haven't gone
to Las Vegas

and you haven't
gone to Hawaii.

You haven't
gone to Miami.

And just let it
stay like that.

Attorney,
you are my legal adviser
on legal affairs.

I don't need no legal advice
on where to have honeymoons.

Mmm-hmm.
You're going to pay
with credit cards?

Well, just let me
have a look at them.

Yeah, there you go.

I don't understand.

Is that all of them?
You got any more
in there?

No. That's it.
You think they're
not up-to-date?

They're fine,
they're fine.

Why did you
put them
in your pocket?

Do you know
how much it'll cost
to take this case

to the Supreme Court?

We never
talked about fees.

Fees can always
be deferred.

I'm talking about
court costs.

What kind of bread are
you talking about?

How much do you
have in the bank?
Uh...

Well, you need that
and a lot more.
Believe me.

Excuse us, please.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

MAN:
Are you still
number one?

It'll all be going out,
and nothing
coming in to live on.

You made it to the top
of the mountain, champ,

but it's as steep going down
as it was coming up,

and a hell of a lot faster.

You got to get used to
another kind of life.

I don't care
about that.

I've been broke
longer than
I've been rich.

I mean,
I can adjust to that.

We'll see.

I mean,
in just the last few days
things have changed.

The conditions
are changed.

It's still
the same for me.
Isn't it for you?

How can it be
when I'm not
the champion?

They took my title.

I don't want you
for your title.

I appreciate that,
and I know it.

But if I'm not the champion,
I have no source of income.

This whole marriage thing,
you'd better reconsider.

Maybe it's something
you don't want to do.

I've already
made my mind up
what I want to do.

So, the rest is
left up to you.

I'm not winning
no popularity contest.

I'm a draft resistor.

"The nigger won't
serve his country.

"He's against
the Vietnam War.
He's not patriotic."

How do we know
some redneck cracker

won't try to do
something to harm us
and the family,

thinking it's patriotic
on America's part,
or something?

Well, you know what?

It might be too dangerous,
so I think that I'd
just better take another...

Hold it, hold it now.
It ain't that serious.
Now, come here.

Maybe I'm putting
too much emphasis.

I'm not trying
to scare you.

Now, do you really
want me to tell you
what I think you should do?

Yeah.

Well, if you take
the good with the bad,
add it all up,

if I were you,
I would marry me.

Hold it. Give me just
a little kiss on the lip.

Come on now, pretty girl,
you can just give
me a kiss on the lip.

I don't want to wait
until we marry

to find out what
a kiss is like.

Just something light.
Not serious.

Thank you.

I'm glad you made
the right decision
for us.

I hope so.

Muhammad Ali,
would you take
this beautiful lady,

Miss Belinda Board,

to be your
lawful wedded wife?

If so,
will you say,
"I do."

I do.

NEWSREADER: (ON TV)
In New York, Joe Frazier
knocked out Buster Mathis

in the 11th round.

With Muhammad Ali now
out of the picture,

it means that
in New York, Massachusetts,
Maine, Illinois,

Texas and Pennsylvania,
Joe Frazier's now recognized

as the heavyweight champion
of the world.

Some world.
Six states.

And the main reason
I didn't go to Vietnam

is because of
my religious beliefs.

My religion teaches me
not to take the lives
of other humans,

and that is the Islamic,
Muslim religion.

The Islamic religion
has no color distinction

as all religions
shouldn't have
a color distinction.

All people are
God's people,

for all souls are nearer
and dearer to the Creator.

MAN: He's coming back.

RADIO ANNOUNCER:
Ellis won the decision
in 15 rounds.

That, according
to the World
Boxing Association,

makes him the new
heavyweight champion.

(CHUCKLES)

That shows
how great my hometown is,
Louisville, Kentucky.

Who would believe
that we would have

two world
heavyweight champions
at the same time?

Cancellation of his passport
has made it
impossible for my client

to earn his living.

But for the proposed
fight with Frazier
in Toronto,

he doesn't
need a passport,

only the permission
of the court

to drive 75 miles
across the border,

for a mere 18 hours.

For this,
we propose to
post a bond

of $100,000 to
insure his return,

plus 70%
of the purse in escrow

against any
income tax claims.

And as many marshals
as the government deems
necessary,

to ride in his car,
both ways,

and sit
in his dressing room.

May it please the court,
the government objects

very strongly
to this proposal.

To grant a convicted felon
the same rights...

The district court,
in my home city

has just
granted Abbie Hoffman,
a white defendant,

also appealing
a five-year sentence
in the Chicago Eight case,

the permission
to leave this country
for 26 days,

and to go to Cuba,
Your Honor.

Hoffman isn't
planning to earn
$1 million on his trip.

Objection.
That's completely
irrelevant.

Objection sustained.

Petition denied.

(GAVEL POUNDING)

If I were you,
I wouldn't even
think about retiring.

You see, 'cause
you've still got boxing
in your blood.

That's why I
called this meeting.

Herb, I'm glad you did,
because you're right.

I do have boxing in my blood,
and I want to fight again.

I know.

Where would you like to have
your first comeback fight?

Name a state.

How does Georgia
sound to you?

Georgia?

Me in Georgia?

Governor Lester Maddox?

The mayor of Atlanta
is a Jewish liberal,

who was
elected with the support
of a black state senator,

named Leroy Johnson.

And Mr. Maddox needs
the help of both of them
in order to function.

So, Mr. Maddox
went on the air
about half an hour ago,

in order to tell the world
how he feels about
an Ali fight in Georgia.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Do you mind?

Hello.

No, this is Angelo Dundee.

Go ahead,
I'll hang on.

You mean to
tell me that

we might get
Joe Frazier after all?

Go ahead,
I got it.

Right.

Right, I got you.

Thank you.

Gentlemen, these are
the words of Lester Maddox.

"We're all
entitled to our mistakes.

"I see no reason
for him not to fight
in the state of Georgia."

I knew something
was going to happen.

I knew things
had to work out.

I can't believe it.
We're going to finally
get Joe Frazier.

No. Not Joe Frazier.
Not right off.

Not the first fight.

Durham said
we let him down
too many times.

He's got some nerve.

It wasn't our fault
things worked out
like they did.

He knows that.

Every time we got
a state that'll allow us
to fight in it,

somebody stops it.

Now, you can't
blame him for that.

He says go fight
somebody else.

Prove you can get a license.
Then you got Joe.

Ain't that something.
After all we've done.

Three and a half
years of waiting.
Now he's talking funny.

How about Jerry Quarry?

Jerry Quarry?

He's big, strong,
and slow.

Hey, and he's white.

Now I see.
Boy, you all are smart.

Now I see
what you're doing.

Muhammad Ali,
the draft dodger, Muslim,

fights the great
white hope, Jerry Quarry.

Stops this
big mouth nigger.

Boy, we all stand
to get rich now.

Or lynched.

(LAUGHING)

Did you see them
evil eyes looking at us?

But when they
looked at us twice,

their eyes popped
when they saw who it was.

They really don't
believe what's happening.

I wouldn't
believe it either,
if I was a white man.

Here's a draft
dodger nigger,

ain't allowed to
fight in America,

but winds up in Georgia,
of all places,
to whup a white man.

Would you believe it?
That's right.

DREW: That's why
we're gonna put
something on it.

MAN:
That's a bold nigger.
DREW: That's right.

Hey, Champ.

Hey, Drew.

You gonna dance, Champ?

I'm ready.

You gonna dance?

That Jerry Quarry's
in trouble.

You gonna
shuffle on him?

I'm gonna show them all,
I'm really the champ.

There you go.
Throw that punch
on him.

I'm too fast
for him.

I'm gonna shock the world.
They think we're through.

We'll show them
I'm the real champ.

This is
the resurrection.

I'm the greatest
of all time.

Right.
(GUNSHOT)

What's that?

(GUNSHOTS)

Get down!

MAN: Get out of town,
you black son of a bitch!

(CONTINUES FIRING)

These crackers are crazy!

(RINGING)

Who is it?
It's for you,
shall I take it?

MAN: Stay low, stay low.

I'll take it.
Hold it.
I'm going crazy.

Stand up. Stand up.

Hello, who is it?

MAN: Nigger,
you ain't fighting no fight
in Atlanta.

If you're in town tomorrow,
you're gonna die.

(DIAL TONE)

Now, we call the police.

We're not going to
do no such thing.

Stay cool.
We ain't going nowhere.

First thing tomorrow,
we'll check into
a nice hotel.

We're not giving
nobody any excuses,

especially
Governor Lester Maddox.

We came here
to get Jerry Quarry.

That's my job,
and we're gonna get him.

And there ain't
no redneck crackers
running us out of here.

(CROWD CHANTING)
Ali! Ali! Ali! Ali!

(CHANTING CONTINUES)

(CHANTING CONTINUES)

COMMENTATOR:
Muhammad Ali and Jerry Quarry.

Ali looking very good
in the third round

after that
enforced idleness
of over three years.

Quarry picks out a left hand,
takes a jab on the chin.

Quarry is cut
around the left eye.

That's going to
be bothering him.

Ali misses a left hand
over the head.

Ali is in with
a light jab on the nose.

Quarry drives
him into a corner
and holds on for a moment.

And the referee
gets them apart.
Ali feints a left hand.

(BELL DINGS)

Quarry's back
towards the ropes.
And there is the bell.

Quarry goes back to his corner
with a badly cut eye.

And Quarry cannot continue.

He is very unhappy about it.

But nevertheless,
he's game.

He goes over
to congratulate Muhammad Ali.

(REPORTERS CLAMORING)

Let him through.

Please.

Let him through,
please.

Are you the same lady
I saw at my fights before?

I come to
all your fights.

Thank you.

I like fans like you.
Keep on coming.

Don't worry, I will.

Until I see them
carry you out
on a stretcher.

Did you say,
"Carry me out
on a stretcher"?

Why would you
want to see that?

What have I ever
done to you?

I don't know you.

God won't always
let the devil win.

I want to be there
when they bust your guts
and split your face.

I want to be there.

If there's a God in heaven,
it will happen,
and I want to be there.

You conceited nigger.
I'm going to be there.

How many of you
want to be like me?

Obey your
mothers and fathers,

do your school work,
don't drink,

don't smoke,
stay out of bad gangs.

You hear me?
(MAN SCREAMING)

Muhammad Ali,
you're free,
you're free!

Right! I just heard it
on the radio.
The Supreme Court says so.

You're free.

You heard
what on the radio?

Right, the Supreme Court
says you're free.

I won
the draft decision?

The draft, everything.
It's all over.

I'm free!

(CHILDREN CHEERING)

Are we going to
whup Joe Frazier?

(CHILDREN AGREEING)

LAWYER: In the words
of the decision,

"It is indisputably clear

"the Justice Department
was wrong,

"as a matter of law,
in advising
that Ali's beliefs

"were not religiously based
and were not sincerely held."

Now, these
are strong words,
gentlemen,

and the decision
was unanimous.

ALI: This is going to be
the biggest event
of all times.

I want you to get
it right, right?

When Ali meets
"Smokin'" Joe Frazier.

Joe says
your hands are bad.

My hands are bad?

I've had hand trouble,
but my hands will be ready
for Joe Frazier.

Tell Joe Frazier
my hands are well,

and I'm going to
hit him so hard...

Get this down,
I'm talking too fast
for you.

I'm going to
hit him so hard

it's going to jar
his kinfolks in Africa.

Go back and
tell him that now.

ALL: (CHANTING)
Ali! Ali! Ali!

COMMENTATOR:
It's the 15th and
final round

for the Heavyweight
Championship of the World.

Two great champions,
Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.

(BELL DINGS)

Both undefeated.

The title could
hang on the result
of this round.

The referee is
Arthur McKinney.

There have been
no knockdowns so far.

This fight is so close.

The referee
dances around them.

Frazier is relentless,
coming after his man,

but Ali is tying him up
on the inside
as they go to the ropes.

Frazier's got
his hands down low.

He's very tired.
Both men are tired.

This is the final round.
There's a left hook
to the jaw by Frazier.

Ali is down.

Get up! Get up!

The only knockdown
in the fight so far.

Ali was wide open
for that punch

and down he went,
flat on his back.

We'll see how he can make out.
We're ready for action again.

Frazier comes after him,
trying to finish him.

Both men are very
tired and exhausted.
They go to close quarters.

Ali tries to
shake off the results
of that punch.

The only knockdown
of the fight so far.

This could be the finisher.
The round is almost over now.

It's the 15th and final round.

And the scoring in New York
is on a rounds basis.

A hard right to the body,
thrown by Frazier.

Another, and then a left hook
to the body by Frazier.

The referee comes over
to get them apart.

Ali looks very,
very tired indeed.
And so does Frazier.

The round is almost over.

(BELL DINGS)

Frazier ducks under
a couple of lefts.
And it's all over.

The fight is over.

The massive crowd
at Madison Square Garden
up on their feet

cheering what probably
could be the greatest fight
of all time.

Joe Frazier, the winner,
by a unanimous decision.

Ali in his corner,
a bit disappointed.

We'll get him
next time, Champ.

Baby, you did fine.
Real fine.

Let's get him dressed
so they can
X-ray that jaw.

All right. All right,
everybody out, huh?

Please, everybody out.

Okay, you heard him.
Come on, move it.

(MUTTERS)
(DOOR CLOSING)

I learned a big lesson.
I'm glad it all happened.

I played too much
and wasn't serious.

Clowning and talking.

I got just what I deserved.
But let me tell you something.

Next time,
we'll get him next time.
I promise you.

Like I told you
when you were a kid,

"As long as
you keep on trying."

Hold on, hold on!
Back it up!
Let him out! Let him out!

(ALL CLAMORING)

That's the artist in him.

Was it ever a fight?

To tell you the truth,
I didn't know
what to expect.

How could you?
He's never lost before.

The question is,
what happens now, Ferdie?

He'll get up in the morning,
and he'll scream
for a rematch.

Sure.

And Frazier's not
going to give it to him.

I mean,
after all the crap
he's taken from Ali.

Listen, he's just going
to make him squirm like,

going through
a bunch of fights

just to get another shot
at the title, that's all.

(GRUNTS)

I'd rather see him quit.
Right now.

What are you afraid of?

Time.

Time, Ferdie.

And the man himself.

COMMENTATOR: Buster Mathis
takes a left and a right
to the jaw. He is hurt.

Ali measures him
and drives a right
to the chin. Mathis is down.

Chuvalo's
driven into a corner.

A left and right
to the jaw by Ali.

Two more.
Three lefts to the chin.

Chuvalo tries to fight,
but he's ripped
with a right to the jaw.

Jerry Quarry is hurt.

And Ali is asking the referee
to stop the bout.

Ali puts a jab on the mouth
and a right
uppercut to the jaw.

Quarry is staggering
and the fight is over.

Patterson goes into a crouch,
takes a left hand
high on the head.

Ali drives a right
over the head,
drives a right to the head.

A left on the chin,
thrown by Ali.
A grazing right to the jaw.

A left and a right
to the head.

Bob Foster, the light
heavyweight champion.

Ali feigns being hurt.
Puts a jab on the mouth.

Foster sticks out a jab,
takes a right,
a left uppercut to the jaw,

and Foster is down
and maybe out.

Ali is finding Joe Bugner
is a tough customer.

Bugner backs to the ropes.
Both hands to the head by Ali.

Bugner hooks a left
that goes over the head.

Drives Ali into the ropes
and holds him there.

Norton moves into Ali,
driving both
hands to the body

and the referee
gets them out of a clinch.

At long range,
Norton feints a left hand.

(BELL DINGS)

Puts a jab on the mouth,
at the bell.

What are you doing?
Just because you
won the first round.

His mouth's bleeding.

How can you tell if
your jaw is broken?

It makes
a sound, Champ.

I heard something pop.

I can hear it.

There's a fracture.

I can move it around
with my tongue.

What do you want
to do, stop it?

Don't call it off.
Doctor, what do you
think if I carry on?

Nothing but a lot of pain,
but it's going to hurt bad.

If there's any danger,
I'll make that decision.

Just a matter of pain.
He can make it.

God will help you,
if you help
yourself, Champ.

(BELL DINGS)

Norton drives
Ali into the ropes.

A right and
a left to the head.
A right to the body.

Norton is in
command of this fight

as the referee gets
them out of a clinch.

Norton goes in
with a left hand
to the head,

drives a right to the body.

Another right to
the body by Norton

and a very tired Ali
tries to hold on.

He misses him
with a right hand.

(BELL DINGS)

There's the bell.

And Ali is awfully tired.

And rumor has it
that he may have
a broken jaw.

The crowd is stunned
as they see Ali
on the verge of defeat.

We're waiting
for the decision.

Ken Norton carried the fight
in the later rounds.

Ali seems to
have something wrong
with him.

And they're worried
in his corner.

Norton is the winner,
by a decision.

A very jubilant Ken Norton.

A very happy Norton.
And the pro-Norton crowd
is taunting Ali.

A tired Ali, and a beaten Ali,
goes towards
his dressing room.

(ALL CLAMORING)

You nigger son of a bitch.
We finally got you.

Who's the prettiest?
Who's the greatest?

Get them out of here!

Easy. Easy.

It hurts.

Only X-rays will
tell us how bad it is.

Oh!

Can I speak to
my baby alone, please?

Hi.

I'm sorry.
I'm sorry I lost.

I should've stopped it.

I should've
when I had the idea.
I should've stopped it.

I shouldn't have let it
go past the sixth round.

He may
never fight again.

How do you
feel, son?

I'm all right.

I just want you to
promise me one thing.

That this is
the last one.

Mama, I can't make
no promise like that.
I was just talking.

I had my mouth open,
I was clowning

and I just got hit
in the wrong place.

You won the fight
you wanted most,

with the Supreme Court.
That was no split decision.

Now, you don't
have to go to jail,
you got money put by

and four of the most
gorgeous babies.

And you and Belinda
have got everything.

Where is Belinda?

Why's she not here?

She's down the hall.
Down the hall?

She's all right.

Why is she down the hall?

Champ, where
are you going?

Belinda, why isn't
she here?

She's in shock.

Shock?
What do you mean
shock?

(CLAMORING CONTINUES)

(SHOUTING)

Ali is dead!
He's dead!

(INDISTINCT CLAMOR)

I'm not dead,
I'm not dead.

BELINDA: Help! No, no!

(SHOUTING CONTINUES)

NURSE: Mr. Ali,
you can come in now.

I hope she's all right.
I haven't slept all night.

If I just knew
I wouldn't have to sit there
and watch you fight again.

Look, baby,
I would really
feel better

if you just stayed home
and just didn't
come to the fight.

No, that's not
what I meant.

If you fought
and I wasn't there,
it'd be worse.

(STAMMERS)

I wouldn't have to watch you
if you didn't do it anymore.

Well, when you
watch, I mean,

what goes through your mind?
Why are you so upset?

What do you think about
when I'm fighting?

I feel every blow.

Just like I was
being hit myself.

When you're tired,

I feel tired.

I feel your hands hurt.

Come on.

It ain't that bad.

When he kept
hitting you like that.

When you feel helpless,
I feel helpless.

If anybody
ever knocked you out,
I think I'd die.

Come on, baby, now.

You can't help me
like this.

Nobody's never
knocked me out.

And I'm never going
to be knocked out.

Look, I'll make you
one promise.

Listen to me. Cool.

If you're really
that serious,

and seeing what
happened to you now,

I promise you
if I ever fight again,

if I ever fight again,
I'll be in top condition.
I promise.

And then God
will be with me.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds to go.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Time.

COMMENTATOR:
Ali sticks out a left hand.
It's short of the mark.

Norton coming in on him.
Ali drives both
hands to the head.

Norton takes them
without a return.

Ali drives a right,
high on the head.

Takes a left and
a right to the jaw.

Ali's better in
this return bout.

Final round.
Ali takes a left and a right
high on the head.

Norton puts a left
to the body,

drives Ali into the ropes.
They're in a clinch,
the bout is over.

It has been a very,
very close fight.

Ken Norton goes
back to his corner.
Ali is not sure

whether or not
he won this fight.

He needs it for
a match with Foreman.

Ken Norton is
awaiting the decision.
Ali is the winner.

(CROWD CHEERING)

ALI: See, right there,
it was hard to see,

but Foreman hit him
with a hard punch.

Foreman shook him up.
He's out on his feet.
Norton's in a dream world.

Listen, Champ,
does it bother you that
Foreman knocked him out?

No, it don't bother me.
It shows you two main
weaknesses Foreman's got.

And what are they?

He's never been hit hard,
knocked down,

and never went
over five or ten
good rounds

to test his endurance.

Yes, sir. This is
where it all starts.

Right here in
the training camp.

What happens here
will determine what's gonna
happen in Africa.

I'm going to cut out
in a minute or two.

My doctor says it's
okay to exercise,

but when it
becomes a strain,
you better quit.

Then your doctor don't know
what he's saying.
You want to strain.

You want to run
until it pains.

You want to run
until your throat
feels like sandpaper.

You want to run
until it feels like
you'll throw up.

You want to keep running
until your legs ache.

Till you're going
to die, fall out.

Run until your stomach
feels like
it's going to burst.

And your heart
starts pounding and
you want to quit.

Feels like you
can't go another inch,
can't go another step.

But you keep going.

What kind of man
is that?

You keep going until
you want to fall out
in your tracks.

Then after that,
you've only gotten
about halfway through...

Oh, man. Look.

Come on, man.

You see,
what's eating George is,
he's a champ,

but only he ain't.

And every time he
hears them call you
the "people's champ,"

he goes bananas.

Let me tell you something.

The other day,
I saw George down
the street. I said,

"Let's walk down
the street to see who's
the most recognized."

Hey, my man, Payton.

Look, you are
just in time.

See that man right there?
That's Bossman Jones.

Do you know
who he is?

That's George Foreman's
former sparring partner.

Why former?
Because Foreman wouldn't
pay him right.

Now he's here
to work for me.

He knows George,
he works with him

six or seven weeks
before a fight.

He can tell us a lot.
This is a good story

for the new book
you're writing on me.

Let's talk about
how George fights.

How often does he
really get to you?

Are you kidding?
Too often.

Too often?
Look, Bossman,
stop and think.

I realize my arms
are longer than yours
and your arms are short.

But you must hit
George sometimes.

That's right.

Nobody hits George.

None of his
sparring partners.

Besides,
he don't pay enough.

And you hit him,
he might
tear your head off.

I've seen fighters
that can stun you,
who can knock you out.

George is
the first dude I've been
in the ring with

that could kill you.

I mean,
he can lift you off your feet
with one punch.

Play on the ropes,
and try and rest.

He'll break your ribs.

By the time
the referee gets to you,
you might be beat to death.

This man's been
brainwashed, champ.

We don't need
no double agent
in our camp.

Man, you're crazy.

I'm telling you straight.
He's a brute.

Tell the truth.
If we should run it
tomorrow,

who would you bet on?

Who do you think
would win?

I have to say George.

(ECHOING)

(CROWD CHANTING)

Why are you all
looking so damned scared?

Act like you're
going to a funeral.
I'm the one fighting.

George Foreman.

You didn't
believe all that stuff
you've read

about how hard he hits?

George Foreman
knocking out Joe Frazier.

He'll destroy me here.

You're my friends,
and the public's
expecting you.

To hell with him.
When you get out here,
if you're afraid, just smile.

Just act like
you're happy.

I'm not going to win
if I went out there
thinking like you.

Damn George Foreman.

The king's going
home to get his crown.
It's the closing of the books.

The king's going to work.
He's gonna die working.

The king's gonna win.
Three and a half years
in exile.

(BAND PLAYING)

COMMENTATOR:
A beautiful evening
in Kinshasa, Zaire,

for the World
Heavyweight Championship.

Muhammad Ali wants to
get the crown back.

The champion, George Foreman,
who is awesome.

Ali is dancing in his corner,
meditating for a moment.

We're ready for
the start of what may be

an epic battle for
the heavyweight title.

(BELL DINGS)

The champion,
George Foreman,
in the red trunks.

Ali in white.
Ali is dancing around,
as is his custom.

Backs towards the ropes.
Foreman coming in on him.

Blocks a right
thrown at his head.

Ali is against the ropes now.
Foreman is holding him there.

And this is not
the Ali we expect.

He is not
floating like a butterfly
and stinging like a bee.

Ali just stays there.
Foreman coming
in on Ali again.

Foreman drives both
hands to the body.

A vicious left hook
to the midsection.

Ali opens up with both hands.
A right to the jaw.

Gets away from
a left hand by Foreman.

Foreman's up and holding Ali
against the ropes.

He hooks
a wild swing at the head,
and Ali shakes his head.

The referee gets them apart.
Foreman has Ali
against the ropes again.

Drives both hands
to the body.

A left and a right
to the midsection.

Two more in there.
Ali just stands there.

Foreman has Ali
against the ropes again.

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

Foreman has him
against the ropes.
Throws out a left jab.

Foreman could very
well punch himself out
the way he's been fighting

on this hot night in Zaire.

What are you
doing on the ropes?

That's how you
blew it with Frazier.

What's wrong with you?
He keeps
stacking up points on you.

I can't dazzle 15 rounds.
I got to take my time.

I know what I'm doing.
Let him punch himself out.
He's just punching.

He lifted you
right up off the floor.

Let him.

A couple more like that
and he'll be tired.

He'll be all gone,
all mine.

Let me plan
my own strategy.

(BELL DINGING)

Ali on the ropes again,
round after round.

Foreman has held him there,
pounding the body,
pounding the head.

Foreman may
punch himself out
as we said earlier.

A wild left hand
by Foreman.

And Ali's strategy
may be to let Foreman
tire himself out.

And George does look
a little bit tired.

Ali opens up with
both hands to the head.

A jab on the chin.
A right to the jaw
by Muhammad Ali,

as he suddenly
turns tiger and again

Foreman pushes him
against the ropes.

A wild left hand to the jaw
by George Foreman.

Ali comes back with
a right on the chin.
Another jab on the mouth.

They go to close quarters.

Foreman misses a left hand
and Ali gets
a headlock on him.

Again Ali is
against the ropes.

Foreman visibly tired now.

His punches don't
have the strength

that they had
earlier in the fight.

Ali is tired, too,
but maybe not as
tired as Foreman.

Foreman holds him there.

Rips that right, a left,
another right to the body.

Ali was just
about to push him away
at the bell.

Champ,
I think you can take him
this next round.

(PANTING)
I've got to get him
in the next round.

As tired as I am,
I don't have much
more left in me.

It's the eighth
round of the Heavyweight
Championship of the World.

Ali sticks out a left hand.

Ali, who wasn't given
much chance,
is still in there,

battling with Foreman.
Ali opens up.

A left and a right to the jaw.
Foreman is staggering.

Foreman is twisting around.
Takes a left and
a right to the jaw.

A right to the jaw
and Foreman goes down.

Muhammad Ali has
done the impossible.

He has regained
the Heavyweight
Championship of the World.

♪ I always knew
I had it in me

♪ My spirit cried

♪ Once locked in chains

♪ And I forgive you now

♪ For all my pains

♪ What would you have done
if you had been me?

♪ I live and breathe

♪ What I believe

♪ Now I found my place

♪ In history

♪ How can I

♪ Explain to you

♪ The life and times

♪ That I've lived through

♪ The friends I loved

♪ Along the way

♪ Are still within

♪ My heart today

♪ I always knew
I had it in me

♪ I lived and breathed

♪ What I believed

♪ Now I've found my place

♪ In history ♪