Muhammad Ali (2021): Season 1, Episode 1 - Round One: The Greatest (1942-1964) - full transcript

YOU WANT SOME BREAKFAST?

I WANT SOME CORNFLAKES.

CAN I HAVE SOME OF
YOUR CORNFLAKES?

OH, I DON'T WANT NONE.
I WON'T TAKE NONE.

I WON'T TAKE NONE.

I WON'T EAT NONE IF
YOU DON'T WANT ME TO.

OOH! LOOK AT THAT PRETTY HORSEY.

WHERE? IS THAT A WHITE HORSE?

SEE? NO. STAND UP,
LOOK OVER THERE.

STAND UP. YOU GOT TO STAND UP.

OVER THAT BUILDING.



SEE THE BIG ONE? THERE HE IS.

WHAT? WHAT'S WRONG?

YOU ATE MY CORNFLAKES!

MY EARLIEST MEMORIES
THAT I CAN THINK OF AS A CHILD

WITH MY FATHER ARE WALKING
THROUGH AIRPORTS AND BEING

IN CROWDS AND FEELING
IN MY... THE VIBRATIONS

OF PEOPLE'S CLAPPING
AND SHOUTS IN MY CHEST

AND JUST LOOKING AT
MY DAD, YOU KNOW, LIKE

"WHO IS THIS PERSON?"

AND IT WAS ALL THE
TIME, ANYWHERE WE WENT.

"YOU'RE THE GREATEST.
WE LOVE YOU."

AND THE CLAPPING
AND, "MUHAMMAD."

ALI BOMAYE. ALI BOMAYE.

ALI BOMAYE.



I LOVED FEELING ALL THE ENERGY

AND THE LOVE THAT HE FELT.

WE NOW THINK OF MUHAMMAD
ALI AS THIS VULNERABLE GUY

LIGHTING THE TORCH IN ATLANTA,

AND EVERYBODY ON
THE GLOBE LOVES HIM.

BLACK PEOPLE LIKE
HIM, WHITE PEOPLE.

HE'S A UNIVERSAL HERO LIKE...
BUT ALMOST IN A RELIGIOUS WAY,

LIKE THE BUDDHA, BUT WHEN HE WAS

IN THE MIDST OF HIS
CAREER AND NOT JUST

IN THE EARLY BIT, HE
WAS INCREDIBLY DIVISIVE.

BOO, YELL, SCREAM,
THROW PEANUTS,

BUT WHATEVER YOU
DO, PAY TO GET IN.

PEOPLE HATED HIM WHETHER IT WAS

ALONG RACIAL LINES,
CLASS LINES, VIETNAM LINES,

POLITICAL LINES,
RELIGIOUS LINES,

OR THEY JUST COULDN'T STAND HIM

AND PEOPLE OF COURSE
HAD THE OPPOSITE,

AND THIS WAS "I
LOVED HIM, LOVED HIM!"

BUT YOU HAD AN
OPINION ABOUT HIM.

WHAT'S MY NAME? WHAT'S MY NAME?

I AIN'T SCARED OF NO BATTLE.

IT'S GONNA TAKE A
GOOD MAN TO WHOOP ME.

YOU CAN LOOK AT ME. I'M
LOADED WITH CONFIDENCE.

I CAN'T BE BEAT.

I HAD 180 AMATEUR FIGHTS,

22 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS,

AND I'M PRETTY AS A GIRL.

LOOK HOW PRETTY I AM.

MY LONG, TRIM LEGS
AND MY BEAUTIFUL ARMS

AND MY PRETTY NOSE AND MOUTH.

I KNOW I'M PRETTY,
MAN. I KNOW I'M PRETTY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO
TELL ME I'M PRETTY.

I'M COCKY. I'M PROUD.

NEVER TALK ABOUT
WHO'S GONNA STOP ME.

THERE AIN'T NOBODY
GONNA STOP ME.

I SAY WHAT A WANT TO SAY.

THERE AIN'T NO MORE BIG
NIGGAS TALKING LIKE THIS.

HE WAS A PIONEER,

HE WAS A REVOLUTIONARY,

HE WAS A GROUNDBREAKER,

A GUY KNOWN SIMPLY
AS THE GREATEST.

I AM THE GREATEST.

I'VE WRASSLED WITH ALLIGATORS.

I'VE TUSSLED WITH A WHALE.

I DONE HANDCUFFED LIGHTNING
AND PUT THUNDER IN JAIL.

WELL, YOU KNOW I'M BAD.

BACK OFF OF ME, MAN.
BACK OFF OF ME, MAN.

I CAN DROWN A DRINK OF
WATER AND KILL A DEAD TREE.

THIS WILL BE NO CONTEST.

WAIT TILL YOU SEE MUHAMMAD ALI.

TO HAVE THAT CHUTZPAH

AND TO BE A BLACK
MAN IN AMERICA,

IT WAS JUST... IT WAS...
IT WAS OUTLANDISH.

MUHAMMAD MEANS
WORTHY OF ALL PRAISES,

AND ALI MEANS MOST HIGH.

I JUST DON'T THINK I SHOULD
GO 10,000 MILES FROM HERE

AND SHOOT SOME BLACK PEOPLE
THAT NEVER CALLED ME NIGGER.

I JUST CAN'T SHOOT HIM.

I WAS ALWAYS WONDERED
WHY MISS AMERICA

WAS ALWAYS WHITE,

SANTA CLAUSE IS WHITE.

WHITE SWAN SOAP,
KING WHITE SOAP,

WHITE CLOUD TISSUE PAPER,

AND EVERYTHING BAD WAS BLACK.

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."

I LOVED BEING AROUND HIM.

I LOVED BEING
AROUND MUHAMMAD ALI.

YOU GONNA FLOAT LIKE A
BUTTERFLY AND STING LIKE A BEE.

AHH!

RUMBLE, YOUNG MAN, RUMBLE.

AHH!

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM COMES HIGH.

I HAVE PAID, BUT I AM FREE.

♪ FREEDOM, FREEDOM ♪

♪ I CAN'T MOVE ♪

♪ FREEDOM, CUT ME LOOSE ♪

THE WINNER AND STILL

HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD...

I AM THE GREATEST
FIGHTER OF ALL TIME.

OF ALL TIME.

♪ HEY ♪

♪ I'MMA KEEP RUNNIN' ♪

♪ 'CAUSE A WINNER DON'T
QUIT ON THEMSELVES ♪

HE CALLED HIMSELF "THE GREATEST"

AND THEN PROVED IT
TO THE ENTIRE WORLD.

HE WAS A MASTER AT WHAT IS
CALLED THE "SWEET SCIENCE,"

THE BRUTAL AND SOMETIMES
BEAUTIFUL ART OF BOXING.

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
AT JUST 22 YEARS OLD,

HE WROTE HIS OWN RULES
IN THE RING AND IN HIS LIFE,

INFURIATING HIS CRITICS,
BAFFLING HIS OPPONENTS,

AND RIVETING MILLIONS OF FANS.

AT THE HEIGHT OF THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT,

HE JOINED A SEPARATIST
RELIGIOUS SECT

WHOSE LEADER WOULD, FOR A TIME,

DOMINATE BOTH HIS PERSONAL
LIFE AND HIS BOXING CAREER.

HE SPOKE HIS MIND
AND STOOD ON PRINCIPLE

EVEN WHEN IT COST
HIM HIS LIVELIHOOD.

HE REDEFINED BLACK MANHOOD,
YET BELITTLED HIS GREATEST RIVAL

USING THE RACIST LANGUAGE
OF THE JIM CROW SOUTH

IN WHICH HE HAD BEEN RAISED.

BANISHED FOR HIS BELIEFS,
HE RETURNED TO BOXING

AN UNDERDOG,
RECLAIMED HIS TITLE TWICE,

AND BECAME THE MOST
FAMOUS MAN ON EARTH.

HE CRAVED ADULATION
HIS WHOLE LIFE,

SEEKING CROWDS
ON STREET CORNERS,

IN HOTEL LOBBIES,
ON AIRPORT TARMACS,

EVERYWHERE HE WENT,

AND REVELED IN
THE UNINHIBITED JOY

HE BROUGHT EACH ADORING FAN.

HE EARNED A MASSIVE
FORTUNE, SPENT IT FREELY,

AND GAVE GENEROUSLY
TO FAMILY, FRIENDS,

EVEN STRANGERS...
ANYONE IN NEED.

"SERVICE TO OTHERS,"
HE OFTEN SAID,

"IS THE RENT YOU PAY FOR
YOUR ROOM HERE ON EARTH."

EVEN AFTER HIS BODY
BEGAN TO BETRAY HIM

AND HIS BRAIN HAD ABSORBED
TOO MANY BLOWS, HE FOUGHT ON,

UNABLE TO GO WITHOUT
THE ATTENTION AND DRAMA

THAT ACCOMPANIED EACH BOUT.

LATER, SLOWED AND SILENCED BY
A CRUEL AND CRIPPLING DISEASE,

HE FOUND REFUGE IN HIS
FAITH, BECOMING A SYMBOL

OF PEACE AND HOPE
ON EVERY CONTINENT.

MUHAMMAD ALI WAS, THE
NOVELIST NORMAN MAILER WROTE,

"THE VERY SPIRIT OF
THE 20th CENTURY."

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED
TO BE ONE BLACK ONE

WHO GOT BIG ON YOUR
WHITE TELEVISIONS,

ON YOUR WHITE NEWSPAPERS,
ON YOUR SATELLITES,

MILLION-DOLLAR CHECKS, AND
STILL LOOK YOU IN YOUR FACE

AND TELL YOU THE TRUTH AND
100% STAY WITH AND REPRESENT

MY PEOPLE AND NOT LEAVE
THEM AND SELL THEM OUT

BECAUSE I'M RICH
AND STAY WITH THEM.

THAT WAS MY PURPOSE.

I'M HERE, AND I'M
SHOWING THE WORLD THAT

YOU CAN BE HERE AND STILL
FREE AND STAY YOURSELF

AND GET RESPECT FROM THE WORLD.

♪

MUHAMMAD ALI WAS BORN
CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY JR.

AT LOUISVILLE CITY
HOSPITAL ON JANUARY 17, 1942.

HE WEIGHED ABOUT
6 POUNDS, 1 OUNCE,

SO I WOULDN'T CALL
THAT A VERY LARGE BABY.

HE LEARNED TO TALK BEFORE
HE WAS ONE YEARS OLD,

AND HE'S ALWAYS
BEEN A GREAT TALKER.

HIS PARENTS, ODESSA GRADY CLAY

AND CASSIUS MARCELLUS
CLAY SR., HAD MARRIED IN 1941

AND BOUGHT A TINY HOUSE
AT 3302 GRAND AVENUE

IN LOUISVILLE'S WEST END,
A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD

THAT WAS HOME TO WORKING-
AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES.

THE WEST END HAD EVERYTHING.

WE HAD OUR BANKS, WE
HAD OUR ENTREPRENEURS,

WE HAD OUR NEWSPAPER.

IT WAS A COMMUNITY
IN WHICH WE WERE SAFE.

I DON'T HAVE A RECOLLECTION
OF WHEN I FIRST MET THE CLAYS.

IT'S ALMOST AS IF YOU
ALWAYS KNEW THEM.

MRS. CLAY, SHE LOVED
EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I MEAN, SHE WAS ONE
OF THE ONES THAT

IF ANYTHING HAPPENED
YOU ALWAYS KNEW

THAT YOU COULD RUN OVER THERE.

ODESSA COOKED AND
CLEANED FOR WHITE FAMILIES

AND ATTENDED MOUNT
ZION BAPTIST CHURCH

EVERY SUNDAY.

MOMMA BIRD, MY GRANDMOTHER,

WAS VERY SWEET, VERY QUIET,

AND VERY PLEASANT, NEVER
SPOKE BADLY ABOUT ANYBODY,

VERY POSITIVE, SPIRITUAL WOMAN.

SO OUTGOING AND LOVING.

SHE WAS KIND, AND
SHE WAS JUST SINCERE,

AND MY DAD TRULY
RECEIVED HIS GENTLENESS

AND HIS KINDNESS FROM
HIS MOM, MOMMA BIRD.

YOUNG CASSIUS NEVER SAT STILL.

HE PULLED THE POTS AND
PANS FROM THE CUPBOARD

TO BANG ON THEM, CHASED
THE FAMILY'S PET CHICKEN

AROUND THE YARD, AND
STOOD UP IN HIS STROLLER

TO GET A BETTER VIEW.

EVEN AS A YOUNG BOY, HE JUST HAD

THIS HUGE PERSONALITY,
AND HE WAS ALWAYS LAUGHING

AND SMILING, ALWAYS
MAKING OTHER PEOPLE LAUGH.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER,
SHE WAS LIKE, "THIS... THIS BOY

IS GONNA BE SOMETHING SPECIAL."

18 MONTHS AFTER
CASSIUS WAS BORN,

ODESSA GAVE BIRTH TO A
SECOND SON, WHOM THEY NAMED

AFTER THE SILENT FILM
STAR RUDOLPH VALENTINO.

CASSIUS AND RUDY WERE
EXCEPTIONALLY CLOSE.

WHEN HIS BROTHER MISBEHAVED,
CASSIUS WOULD INSIST

THAT RUDY WAS HIS
BABY AND REFUSE TO LET

THEIR FATHER SPANK HIM.

CASSIUS CLAY SR., AN
ARTIST WHO EARNED A LIVING

AS A SIGN-PAINTER AND
MURALIST, HAD BEEN NAMED

FOR A FIERY 19th CENTURY
WHITE ABOLITIONIST.

HE LOVED TO BE NOTICED,
OFTEN QUOTED FROM THE BIBLE,

AND RAILED AGAINST
RACIAL INJUSTICE.

"CASH," AS HE WAS CALLED,
WAS "A MINIATURE VOLCANO

OF A MAN," ONE OBSERVER
SAID, BOISTEROUS AND COCKY.

PAPA CASH WAS
CHARISMATIC, HE WAS FUNNY,

HE HAD THE BIGGEST PERSONALITY.

HE LIT UP A ROOM
WHEN HE WALKED IN.

EVERYONE JUST
WANTED TO TALK TO HIM,

EVERYONE WANTED TO KNOW HIM.

OUR FATHER COULD
SING, DANCE, PAINT, DRAW,

MEMORIZE POETRY.

MY BROTHER GOT HIS
TALENT FROM OUR FATHER.

MY DAD, HE'S CERTAINLY A
COMBINATION OF MOMMA BIRD

AND PAPA CASH FOR SURE,

BUT HIS CHARISMA DEFINITELY
CAME FROM PAPA CASH.

HIS FATHER WAS A RACE MAN,

AND HE BELIEVED THAT HIS
CAREER, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS',

WAS HELD BACK BY
THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN,

AND HE BELIEVED THAT HE
WAS A BRILLIANT PAINTER,

AN ARTIST, BUT HE WAS RELEGATED

TO PAINTING SIGNS
IN FRONT OF STORES

AND PAINTING CHURCH MURALS
AND SCRAPING TO MAKE A LIVING

BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE
SAME KIND OF OPPORTUNITY

THAT A WHITE PAINTER
MIGHT HAVE HAD.

PAPA CASH WAS ALSO AN
UNREPENTANT WOMANIZER,

WHO COULD BE VIOLENT WHEN DRUNK.

HE WAS ARRESTED REGULARLY
FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT

AND RECKLESS DRIVING.

AND HE OCCASIONALLY
HIT HIS WIFE,

AND THERE WERE POLICE INVOLVED
AT TIMES WHEN SHE HAD TO CALL

TO PROTECT HERSELF,

AND I THINK FOR THE
BOYS GROWING UP,

FOR CASSIUS AND FOR RUDY, IT
WAS FRIGHTENING ENVIRONMENT

AT TIMES TO SEE THEIR
MOTHER BEING THREATENED,

AND AS THEY GOT OLDER,
THEY WOULD STEP IN

AND TRY TO PUT A STOP TO IT.

AFTER ONE INCIDENT,
POLICE ARRIVED

AT THE CLAY HOME TO
FIND YOUNG CASSIUS

WITH A BLOODY GASH ON HIS LEG.

HIS FATHER HAD CUT HIM
WITH A KNIFE WHEN HE'D TRIED

TO PROTECT HIS MOTHER
DURING AN ARGUMENT

BETWEEN HIS PARENTS.

THE OFFICERS DID NOTHING.

DESPITE THE VIOLENCE,
CASSIUS AND RUDY

WOULD SPEAK OF THEIR HOME
LIFE AS PEACEFUL AND HAPPY.

♪

MY FATHER, COMING UP,
IN THE SEGREGATED SOUTH,

IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
HAD A DIFFICULT TIME.

MOMMA BIRD TAUGHT HIM,
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE CRUEL

IN THIS WORLD, BUT
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER,

YOU KNOW, BECOME THAT.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE LOUISVILLE OF
CASSIUS CLAY'S YOUTH

WAS STRICTLY SEGREGATED,
AND OPPORTUNITIES

FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS
WERE LIMITED.

HE ATTENDED ALL-BLACK
SCHOOLS, COULD NOT EAT

AT THE LUNCH COUNTERS
OF DOWNTOWN STORES,

AND WATCHED FROM THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE

AS WHITE FAMILIES ENJOYED
A NEARBY AMUSEMENT PARK.

YOUNG CASSIUS CLAY
WAS AWARE VERY EARLY

OF THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE

AND HOW DIFFERENTLY HE
AND HIS FAMILY WERE TREATED

AND WOULD ASK HIS
FATHER, "WHY CAN'T I BE RICH?"

AND HIS FATHER WOULD JUST
POINT TO THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN

AND SAY, "THAT'S WHY
YOU CAN'T BE RICH."

♪

IN 1955, NEWS OF
THE BRUTAL TORTURE

AND MURDER OF
14-YEAR-OLD EMMETT TILL

BY WHITE MEN IN MISSISSIPPI
AND GRAPHIC IMAGES

IN "JET" MAGAZINE OF
HIS MUTILATED FACE

HAUNTED CASSIUS CLAY,

WHO WAS JUST 6 MONTHS
YOUNGER THAN TILL.

THAT REALLY AFFECTED
LIKE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE

IN THAT TIME.

HE SAW HIMSELF IN EMMETT
TILL AND THOUGHT, "WOW!

"THIS OUTGOING
KID FROM THE CITY,

"AND HE CAME, AND HE
WHISTLED AT A PRETTY LADY,

"AND NOW HE'S DEAD,
AND YOU CAN'T EVEN

RECOGNIZE HIS FACE."

IT WAS ASTONISHING
WHEN WE FOUND OUT

ABOUT EMMETT TILL.

HIS MOTHER SAID,
"LEAVE THE CASKET OPEN,"

AND YOU COULD SEE WHAT,
HOW THEY BRUTALIZED HIM,

AND SO EVERYBODY SAW THAT.

IT WAS REALLY KIND OF
SCARY FOR EVERYBODY

IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE
IF THEY COULD DO THAT TO HIM,

WHAT COULD THEY DO TO US?

THAT'S WHEN YOUNG BLACK
GUYS STARTED TO CHANGE.

♪

AT THE VIRGINIA AVENUE
COLORED SCHOOL,

CASSIUS CLAY HAD A HARD
TIME PAYING ATTENTION.

HE STRUGGLED WITH HIS CLASSES.

HE STRUGGLED TO READ,
HE STRUGGLED WITH MATH.

HE WAS MOST CERTAINLY DYSLEXIC.

HE FOUND, LIKE A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE TROUBLE

IN SCHOOL, THAT HE
HAD TO COMPENSATE,

AND BY BEING THE CLASS
CLOWN WAS THE WAY HE DID THAT.

HE WOULD CARRY
A PURSE TO SCHOOL,

HE WORE LIPSTICK ONE
DAY TO GET LAUGHS.

HE WAS WILLING TO DO
THINGS THAT BOYS IN THE 1950s

DIDN'T OFTEN DO.

EVEN AS A YOUNG MAN,
PEOPLE JUST LOVED

TO BE AROUND HIM.

HE MADE THEM FEEL
GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES.

ONE DAY IN OCTOBER OF 1954,

12-YEAR-OLD CASSIUS
RODE HIS BICYCLE

INTO DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE,

WHILE RUDY SAT
ON THE HANDLEBARS.

IT BEGAN TO RAIN, AND
THE BOYS TOOK COVER

IN THE COLUMBIA AUDITORIUM,
WHERE A HOME APPLIANCE SHOW

WAS UNDERWAY.

AFTER THE RAIN STOPPED,
THEY EMERGED TO FIND THAT

THE BICYCLE WAS GONE.

HE HAD A BRAND-NEW SCHWINN,
A BEAUTIFUL RED BICYCLE

THAT HE SHARED WITH HIS BROTHER,

AND HE WENT RUNNING
AROUND LOOKING FOR HIS BICYCLE

AND THEN RAN BACK INTO
THE COMMUNITY CENTER

ASKING FOR HELP.

SOMEONE TOLD HIM THERE
WAS A POLICE OFFICER

IN THE BASEMENT.

♪

HE WENT DOWN, AND
THE COP IN THE BASEMENT

WAS THIS JOE MARTIN, WHO WAS
RUNNING A LITTLE BOXING SCHOOL.

CASSIUS TOLD THE
STORY YEARS LATER THAT

FOR A MINUTE HE
FORGOT ABOUT HIS BIKE

BECAUSE THE SIGHT
OF THIS BOXING GYM,

THE SMELL OF THE
LEATHER AND THE SWEAT,

AND THE EXCITEMENT,
THE ACTION OF BOYS

IN A RING HITTING EACH OTHER,

BLACK AND WHITE, TOGETHER.

AND HE, YOU KNOW, REPORTED
THE CRIME, AND "I'M GONNA

GET THE GUY AND I'M
GONNA," YOU KNOW, "KILL HIM."

AND JOE MARTIN SAID,
"WELL, UH, DO YOU KNOW

HOW TO FIGHT?"

"FIGHT?"

AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING.

THOUGH HIS FATHER
WAS RELUCTANT TO LET

HIS SON TRAIN WITH A
WHITE POLICE OFFICER,

THE LESSONS WERE FREE, AND
CASSIUS WAS EAGER TO LEARN.

AT FIRST, THE YOUNG BOXER
DID NOT IMPRESS MARTIN.

"HE WAS JUST ORDINARY,"
THE TRAINER RECALLED,

"AND I DOUBT WHETHER ANY
SCOUT WOULD HAVE THOUGHT

MUCH OF HIM."

CASSIUS DIDN'T SHOW ANY
SPECIAL TALENT RIGHT AWAY,

BUT HE SHOWED ENORMOUS PASSION.

HE KNEW INSTANTLY THAT THIS
WAS WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.

BOXING WAS PERFECT FOR
HIM BECAUSE THERE'S JUST

TWO GUYS IN THE RING,
AND YOUR EYES ARE ALWAYS

GOING TO BE DRAWN NATURALLY
TO THE ONE WHO'S DOING

THE MOST MOVING, WHO'S
DOING THE MOST PUNCHING,

WHO'S MOVING THE
FASTEST, AND THAT WAS HIM,

AND HE KNEW THAT HE COULD
GET THE MOST ATTENTION THAT WAY.

JUST 6 WEEKS AFTER HE
WALKED INTO JOE MARTIN'S GYM,

CASSIUS CLAY HAD HIS
FIRST AMATEUR FIGHT.

I AT THAT TIME WAS PUTTING
ON A LOCAL TELEVISION SHOW

HERE IN LOUISVILLE,
AND I HAD AMATEUR BOUTS

EVERY SATURDAY AFTERNOON,
AND THE FIRST BOUT I PUT HIM IN,

HE WEIGHED 87 POUNDS.

AFTER DEFEATING
14-YEAR-OLD RONNIE O'KEEFE

IN A SPLIT DECISION, CLAY
IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCED

TO EVERYONE THAT ONE
DAY HE WOULD BE CALLED

"THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME."

HE WAS ALWAYS BEEN
A LITTLE BRAGGART,

"I'M THE GREATEST" AND ALL
THAT, BEFORE HE EVEN GOT

TO BE THE GREATEST.

WE'D SAY, "OH, SHUT UP. YOU'RE
JUST RUNNING YOUR MOUTH."

BUT AS HE GOT BETTER AND BETTER,

WE HAD MORE RESPECT FOR HIM.

HE BELIEVES IN HIMSELF
BEFORE THERE'S ANY REASON TO,

BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
IS TELLING HIM THAT HE

MIGHT EVEN HAVE TALENT.

IT'S SO PREPOSTEROUS.

CASSIUS THREW
HIMSELF INTO TRAINING,

DETERMINED TO ADD MUSCLE
TO HIS SLENDER FRAME.

HE STOPPED DRINKING SODA POP
AND SUBSTITUTED GARLIC WATER,

WHICH HE BELIEVED WOULD
KEEP HIS BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN.

CASSIUS CLAY OF LOUISVILLE

IN THE TRUNKS WITH
THE WHITE STRIPES,

MEETS JEFFERSON DAVIS
OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

CLAY REALIZED EARLY THAT
HE WAS UNUSUALLY QUICK

AND AGILE, ABLE TO AVOID
PUNCHES BY LEANING BACK

RATHER THAN DUCKING
OR SLIPPING SIDE TO SIDE

AS BOXERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO.

IT'S CASSIUS CLAY THE WINNER

OVER JEFFERSON DAVIS.

SOME NIGHTS, CLAY
WENT FROM MARTIN'S GYM

TO THE GRACE COMMUNITY CENTER
ACROSS TOWN, WHERE HE CONTINUED

HIS BOXING EDUCATION
UNDER FRED STONER,

A VETERAN TRAINER WHO HAD GUIDED
MANY LOCAL AMATEURS TO SUCCESS

AT THE GOLDEN GLOVES.

AWAY FROM THE GYM, HE
SOUGHT BOXING WISDOM

WHEREVER HE COULD FIND IT.

WHEN THE WELL-KNOWN TRAINER
ANGELO DUNDEE CAME TO TOWN,

CASSIUS PEPPERED
HIM WITH QUESTIONS.

DUNDEE WAS IMPRESSED BY
THE TEENAGER'S DETERMINATION

AND AMBITION.

HE WANTED TO FIND
OUT HOW FIGHTERS TRAIN,

THE BUSINESS ABOUT, UH,
DIET, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND HE WAS VERY, VERY
CURIOUS AT THAT TIME.

BEFORE EACH FIGHT,
CASSIUS CLAY WOULD GO

DOOR TO DOOR ACROSS
LOUISVILLE, INTRODUCING

HIMSELF TO WHITE AND
BLACK RESIDENTS ALIKE.

HIS STRATEGY WAS
TO SELL TICKETS,

AND ANY WAY I COULD
ENTERTAIN AND SELL TICKETS,

THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO,

AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

HE DID A REAL GOOD JOB AT THAT.

CLAY WAS OFTEN ABSENT
FROM HIGH SCHOOL,

COMPETING IN
AMATEUR TOURNAMENTS.

WHEN HE DID ATTEND CLASS,
HE SKETCHED BOXING GLOVES

AND LETTER JACKETS STITCHED

WITH "NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES
CHAMPION" IN HIS NOTEBOOK

AND OFFERED TO SIGN
AUTOGRAPHS FOR HIS CLASSMATES.

BET MY CLASSMATES THAT I
WOULD BEAT THEM TO SCHOOL.

THEY WOULD RIDE THE BUS.

HE WOULD RUN UP CHESTNUT STREET

WITH THE LOCAL TRANSIT BUS
JUST TO GET HIMSELF CONDITIONED

AND THEN RUN FROM
CHESTNUT STREET

TO ALL THE WAY OVER TO
BROADWAY AND COME BACK,

AND HE WOULD SOMETIMES
STOP TO LOOK TO SEE

IF THERE WERE LADIES
IN THERE OR WHATEVER,

SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
AND KEEP ON RUNNING.

THE BUS MIGHT GET A
BLOCK OR TWO LEAD ON ME.

I WOULD ALWAYS CATCH
UP TO IT WHEN IT STOPPED

FOR PASSENGERS OR
STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT

OR SOMETHING.

IT WAS FUNNY. IT
WAS REALLY FUNNY,

AND HE'D WAVE,
WAVE, "I'M GOING ON."

THEY'D SAY, "HE'S
A STRANGE PERSON.

WHY'S HE RUNNING WITH US?"

IN FEBRUARY OF 1958,

A MONTH AFTER HIS 16th BIRTHDAY,

CLAY TRAVELED WITH JOE MARTIN

AND A GROUP OF LOUISVILLE
HOPEFULS TO CHICAGO

FOR THE GOLDEN GLOVES
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.

IT WAS HIS FIRST
NATIONAL COMPETITION.

HE LOST IN THE QUARTER FINALS.

ONE YEAR LATER,
TALLER AND HEAVIER,

HE MADE IT TO THE
TOURNAMENT FINALS,

WHERE HE DEFEATED 29-YEAR-OLD
AUSTRALIAN-BORN TONY MADIGAN,

A TWO-TIME OLYMPIAN,
WHO WAS FAVORED TO WIN.

THE DECISION WAS UNANIMOUS.

"I COULDN'T STICK
HIM," MADIGAN SAID.

"HE WOULD ALWAYS
JUST PULL OUT OF RANGE...

SORT OF VANISH INTO THIN AIR."

CASSIUS CLAY WAS
NOW A GOLDEN GLOVES

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

A WIN AT THE NATIONAL
OLYMPIC TRIALS

IN SAN FRANCISCO WOULD EARN
HIM A SPOT ON THE TEAM HEADED

FOR THE 1960 ROME OLYMPICS,

BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM.

HE WAS AFRAID OF FLYING,

SO AFRAID THAT HE CONSIDERED
TURNING PROFESSIONAL

RATHER THAN COMPETE
FOR A CHANCE TO GO TO ITALY.

HE HATED FLYING. HE WAS
SCARED TO DEATH OF AIRPLANES.

HE ACTUALLY FLEW
TO THE OLYMPIC TRIALS

WITH A PARACHUTE THAT HE
BOUGHT AT AN ARMY-NAVY STORE

THAT HE WORE ON THE PLANE.

♪

AT THE COW PALACE
IN SAN FRANCISCO,

CLAY DEFEATED HIS FIRST
TWO OPPONENTS CONVINCINGLY

AND ADVANCED TO THE
FINALS, WHERE HE FACED

ALLEN HUDSON, AN ARMY VETERAN
AND MORE EXPERIENCED FIGHTER.

IN THE 178-POUND CLASS,

ANOTHER LOUISVILLE BOY
CASSIUS CLAY IN THE DARK TRUNKS

IS PITTED AGAINST THE ALL-ARMY
CHAMPION ALLEN HUDSON.

IN THE THIRD ROUND,
HUDSON SENT CLAY

TO THE CANVAS.

CASSIUS IS UP
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,

AND AFTER A CHECK BY THE
REF, HE'S BACK IN ACTION.

CLAY'S CHANCE TO GO TO WORK.

HE WADES INTO HUDSON
AND SENDS HIM REELING

INTO THE CORNER.

HUDSON IS REALLY GROGGY
AND JUST ABOUT OUT ON HIS FEET.

THE REFEREE AWARDED
CLAY A TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT.

HE HAD EARNED A SPOT

ON THE UNITED
STATES OLYMPIC TEAM.

AFTER THE TRIALS, CLAY
PAWNED A WATCH HE'D WON

IN THE TOURNAMENT AND
BOUGHT A TRAIN TICKET HOME

SO HE WOULDN'T HAVE TO FLY.

HIS GRADUATION FROM
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

WAS NOW JUST WEEKS AWAY.

HE'D MISSED SO MANY DAYS
AND HAD SUCH POOR GRADES

THAT MANY OF HIS TEACHERS FELT
CLAY DID NOT DESERVE A DIPLOMA.

HIS PRINCIPAL DISAGREED.

"THE ONLY THING CASSIUS
IS GOING TO HAVE TO READ

IS HIS IRS FORM," HE
SAID, "AND I'M WILLING

TO HELP HIM DO IT."

ON HIS WAY TO THE
OLYMPICS IN ROME,

CASSIUS CLAY FIRST STOPPED IN
NEW YORK, WHERE HE HOPED TO

MEET HIS IDOL, FORMER
MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION

SUGAR RAY ROBINSON, WHOM
MANY BELIEVED THE GREATEST

POUND-FOR-POUND
FIGHTER IN BOXING HISTORY,

KNOWN AS MUCH
FOR HIS FLASHY STYLE

AS FOR HIS PROWESS IN THE RING.

WHILE CLAY WAITED OUTSIDE
ROBINSON'S HARLEM RESTAURANT,

HOPING FOR A
MOMENT WITH HIS HERO,

HE NOTICED A SMALL
CROWD GATHERED

AROUND A WELL-DRESSED ORATOR,

WHO WAS CALLING
UPON BLACK PEOPLE

TO SHOP ONLY AT
BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES.

THE MAN BELONGED TO A GROUP
CALLED THE NATION OF ISLAM.

"HOW CAN HE TALK LIKE
THAT?" CLAY WONDERED.

"AIN'T HE GONNA GET IN TROUBLE?"

WHEN SUGAR RAY FINALLY PULLED
UP IN A PURPLE LINCOLN CONTINENTAL,

HE HAD LITTLE TIME FOR HIS
YOUNG ADMIRER, HURRIEDLY SIGNING

A PHOTOGRAPH FOR CLAY
AND WISHING HIM LUCK.

AT FIRST, CLAY WAS AWESTRUCK.

"THAT SUGAR RAY, HE'S
SOMETHING," HE RAVED.

"SOMEDAY I'M GOING
TO OWN TWO CADILLACS

AND A FORD FOR JUST
GETTING AROUND IN,"

BUT LATER, HE REMEMBERED,
HE FELT SNUBBED.

"IF I EVER GET GREAT AND
FAMOUS AND PEOPLE WANT

MY AUTOGRAPH ENOUGH
TO WAIT ALL DAY," HE SAID,

"I'M SURE GONNA
TREAT THEM DIFFERENT."

THEN, HE NERVOUSLY FLEW TO ROME.

♪

THE 1960 OLYMPICS
WERE BIG AND EXCITING

IN A LOT OF WAYS.

THE AMERICAN TEAM WAS
LED BY RAFER JOHNSON.

IT WAS A VERY EXCITING
TIME TO BE AN OLYMPIAN.

FOR CASSIUS, WHO'D REALLY
NEVER TRAVELED VERY FAR,

THIS WAS REALLY AN
EYE-OPENER TO SEE THE WORLD

AND TO SEE PEOPLE WHO
SPOKE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES,

AND HE INSTANTLY BECAME

THE MAYOR OF THE
OLYMPIC VILLAGE.

HE WAS NOT FAMOUS
YET IN ANY WAY,

BUT HIS MAGNETISM
JUST WAS AMAZING,

AND YOU SEE INSTANTLY REPORTERS
AND OTHER ATHLETES SAYING,

"WHO IS THIS GUY? WE
NEED TO TALK TO HIM,"

AND JUST CLUSTERS FORMING
AROUND HIM WHEREVER HE WENT.

CLAY REVELED IN
ALL THE ATTENTION.

HE MET BING CROSBY,

FLIRTED WITH THE
SPRINTER WILMA RUDOLPH,

AND POSED FOR PHOTOGRAPHS

WITH THE CURRENT HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION FLOYD PATTERSON.

"BE SEEING YOU IN ABOUT
TWO MORE YEARS," HE SAID.

"THIS KID IS IRRESISTIBLE,"
WROTE ONE REPORTER.

"HE EVEN MADE FRIENDS
WITH THE RUSSIANS."

THE OLYMPIC ATHLETE WITH
THE NOBLEST ROMAN NAME

OF THEM ALL IS CASSIUS
MARCELLUS CLAY.

ACTUALLY, CASSIUS IS NO
ROMAN AT ALL, HOWEVER.

HE'S ACTUALLY AN 18-YEAR-OLD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT,

WHO MAKES HIS HOME
ON GRAND STREET

IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
AND HE MAY VERY WELL BECOME

AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION.

CASSIUS CLAY...

HE'S AMERICA'S
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT.

NO ONE OUTSIDE OF THE
STATES HAS EVER HEARD OF HIM.

CLAY BEATS A BELGIAN, A
RUSSIAN, AND AN AUSTRALIAN,

AND NOW HE'S IN THE FINAL.

HIS OPPONENT FOR THE
GOLD MEDAL WOULD BE

ZIGZY PIETRZYKOWSKI FROM
POLAND, WHO'D WON OLYMPIC BRONZE

4 YEARS EARLIER.

THE POLE IS 25.

HE'S BEEN UNBEATEN CHAMPION

OF EUROPE FOR 5 YEARS.

FOR TWO ROUNDS,

THE MEN MEASURED EACH OTHER.

CLAY, A RATHER
DECEPTIVE, CASUAL WAY

OF THROWING PUNCHES,
AND HE PUNCHES VERY HARD.

IN THE THIRD AND FINAL ROUND,

CLAY TOOK COMMAND.

OH.

GOOD SHOT BY CLAY THEN.

LOOKS LIKE PIETRZYKOWSKI'S
BLEEDING FROM THE MOUTH A BIT.

PIETRZYKOWSKI NOW
DEFINITELY BLEEDING OUT

THE NOSE AND MOUTH
RATHER HEAVILY.

THERE'S THE END OF THE FIGHT.

CASSIUS CLAY HAD
WON THE ULTIMATE PRIZE

IN AMATEUR BOXING.

♪

HE FLEW BACK TO NEW YORK,
WHERE A LOUISVILLE MILLIONAIRE

PAID FOR THE BOXER'S SUITE
AT THE WALDORF TOWERS HOTEL

AND GAVE HIM A ROLL OF BILLS,

WHICH HE USED TO
DINE ON STEAKS AND BUY

EXPENSIVE WATCHES FOR
HIS BROTHER AND PARENTS.

LATER, DECKED OUT
IN HIS GOLD MEDAL

AND OLYMPIC BLAZER,
CLAY VISITED TIMES SQUARE,

WHERE HE PAID TO HAVE A
NOVELTY NEWSPAPER PRINTED UP

WITH THE HEADLINE "CASSIUS
SIGNS FOR PATTERSON FIGHT,"

TRIED HIS FIRST
SLICE OF CHEESECAKE,

AND AT BIRDLAND, A
POPULAR JAZZ CLUB, ASKED

THE BARTENDER FOR A COKE
WITH A SINGLE DROP OF WHISKEY.

EVERYWHERE HE WENT,
WELL-WISHERS PRAISED HIM

FOR HIS SUCCESS IN ROME.

AT LOUISVILLE'S AIRPORT,
HUNDREDS OF FANS WERE THERE

TO GREET HIM.

CASSIUS, YOU'VE HEARD
IT A GOOD MANY TIMES

TODAY ALREADY
HERE AT THE AIRPORT,

BUT CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT
REAL GOLD MEDAL THERE.

CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY JR.

WAS JUST 18, BUT HE'D
FOUGHT MORE THAN 100

AMATEUR BOUTS AND WAS
READY TO TURN PROFESSIONAL.

DEMPSEY HERDS HIM
ALONG THE ROPES,

BEATING AWAY WITH BOTH HANDS.

WATCH, WATCH.

THERE'S THAT BIG LEFT,
AND WILLARD'S DOWN.

PROFESSIONAL
BOXING HAD LONG BEEN

AMONG THE MOST POPULAR
SPORTS IN AMERICA.

THE APPEAL OF BOXING IS BASIC.

I MEAN, IT'S MAN AGAINST MAN,

IT'S BRUTAL, IT'S BLOOD SPORT.

IT WILL ALWAYS BE HERE,

AND IT WILL ALWAYS
HAVE PEOPLE WATCHING.

EVERYBODY KNEW WHO
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

OF THE WORLD WAS IN THE
WAY THAT YOU KNOW WHO

THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES IS,

AND YOU KNEW HIS PERSONALITY,

WHAT HE REPRESENTED,

WHAT HE PROJECTED
INTO THE WORLD.

JOHN L. SULLIVAN,

JIM JEFFRIES,

JACK JOHNSON,

JACK DEMPSEY.

ONE OF THE GREATEST...

JOE LOUIS HAD LIFTED THE SPIRITS

OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS
EVERYWHERE...

AND SCHMELING IS DOWN!

WHEN HE SEIZED THE
HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

IN THE MIDST OF THE
GREAT DEPRESSION

AND HELD IT FOR A DOZEN YEARS,

BUT BY THE 1950S,
GANGSTERS RAN THE SPORT,

TARNISHING ITS REPUTATION.

BOXING WAS KIND OF AN
ANARCHY IN MANY WAYS.

YOU HAD THE OFFICIAL
LICENSING ORGANIZATIONS

THAT RAN THE
SPORT, BUT THERE WAS

NO REAL GOVERNANCE TO IT AT ALL,

AND IT WAS OFTEN
CONTROLLED BY MAFIA FIGURES,

PEOPLE WHO WOULD FIX FIGHTS,

PEOPLE WHO WOULD
EXTRACT HUGE SUMS OF MONEY

FROM THEIR FIGHTERS AND
LEAVE THEM NOT JUST WRECKED

PHYSICALLY BUT BROKE.

THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS ALMOST INEVITABLE

FOR BOXERS THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO GET INVOLVED

IN THIS UNDERWORLD
AND THAT TO MAKE IT

IN THE SPORT YOU
ALMOST HAD TO ASSOCIATE

WITH THOSE CHARACTERS.

BOXING INSIDERS SAW
THAT CLAY COULD BE

A BIG MONEY MAKER IN
THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION.

CUS D'AMATO, FLOYD PATTERSON'S

SAVVY CORNER MAN,
OFFERED TO TRAIN HIM.

SO DID FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION ROCKY MARCIANO.

"IF YOU DESIRE TO HAVE
AN EXCELLENT MANAGER,"

THE VETERAN FIGHTER
ARCHIE MOORE CABLED,

"CALL ME TONIGHT."

THEN WILLIAM
FAVERSHAM, AN EXECUTIVE

AT A LOUISVILLE DISTILLERY,
FORMED A SYNDICATE

OF 11 PROMINENT
WHITE BUSINESSMEN

WITH DEEP KENTUCKY ROOTS.

I'M BILL FAVERSHAM.
I'M W. LYONS BROWN.

J.D. STETSON COLEMAN.

THEY AGREED TO POOL
THEIR MONEY TO LAUNCH

CLAY'S CAREER AND
SHIELD HIM FROM THE MOB.

CASSIUS CLAY WAS OFFERED
THE GREATEST CONTRACT

IN THE HISTORY OF BOXING.

IT WAS A COMPLETE ANOMALY.

THERE WAS NOTHING
LIKE IT EVER BEFORE,

AND IN FACT, THE LAWYER
WHO WROTE THE CONTRACT SAID

HE HAD TO GO
OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY.

HE WENT TO HOLLYWOOD AND
LOOKED FOR CONTRACTS THAT

WERE GIVEN TO CHILD ACTORS
TO SEE HOW THEY COULD

BEST BE PROTECTED.

WE OFFERED HIM A $10,000 BONUS

FOR SIGNING A CONTRACT.

THIS CONTRACT,
RAN FOR TWO YEARS,

WHERE WE PAID HIM A SALARY

BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT HE COULD EARN.

BOXERS DIDN'T GET SALARIES.

A MONTHLY SALARY FOR BOXING?

WE WANTED TO GUARANTEE
HIM SOME FORM OF SECURITY.

AT THE SAME TIME, HE ALSO
GOT 50% OF HIS PURSES.

WE'RE GONNA PAY
ALL HIS EXPENSES,

WE'RE GONNA PAY HIS MEALS,

WE'RE GONNA PAY HIS RENT,

WE'RE GONNA PAY
FOR HIS TRAINING.

WE'RE GOING TO SET IT UP SO THAT

THERE ARE TAX DEDUCTIONS.

THERE HAD NEVER
BEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT

IN BOXING.

THEY HOPED TO SEE A RETURN

ON THEIR INVESTMENT,

BUT AS ONE MEMBER REMARKED,

THEY WERE IN IT "TO DO
SOMETHING NICE FOR A DESERVING,

"WELL-BEHAVED LOUISVILLE
BOY, AND TO SAVE HIM

FROM THE JAWS OF
THE HOODLUM JACKALS."

CLAY USED HIS BONUS
TO BUY THE CADILLAC

HE HAD COVETED
SINCE HE WAS A BOY,

THOUGH HE HADN'T BOTHERED
TO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

ON OCTOBER 29, 1960, CLAY
MADE HIS PROFESSIONAL DEBUT

AT LOUISVILLE'S FREEDOM HALL.

THEY FOUND A GUY IN THE
HILLS OF WEST VIRGINIA.

HIS NAME IS TUNNEY HUNSAKER,

AND TUNNEY HUNSAKER
WAS A SHERIFF

AND A STRAIGHT-ARROW GUY.

HE HAD THE WORLD
WAR I CAMPAIGN HAT THAT

STATE TROOPERS
WORE IN MANY STATES,

AND HE SAID HE WOULD FIGHT HIM.

IT WAS AN INEXPERIENCED
FIGHTER AGAINST A BAD FIGHTER.

CLAY PUMMELED
HUNSAKER FOR 6 ROUNDS

AND EARNED A UNANIMOUS DECISION,

BUT MANY IN ATTENDANCE FELT
THAT HE SHOULD HAVE KNOCKED OUT

THE SLOW-MOVING POLICEMAN.

HIS SPONSORS KNEW HE WOULD
NEED A FIRST-CLASS TRAINER

IF HE WAS EVER GOING TO CONTEND

FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP.

♪

THEY DECIDED TO HIRE
ARCHIE MOORE, WHO TAUGHT

YOUNG FIGHTERS AT HIS CAMP
IN THE HILLS EAST OF SAN DIEGO.

MOORE PREACHED
DISCIPLINE AND PATIENCE.

MOORE ALSO DEMANDED THAT
THEY COOK, CLEAN, CHOP WOOD,

AND HELP MAINTAIN THE GROUNDS.

IT WAS KNOWN AS THE SALT MINE.

CASSIUS CLAY SAID, "I'M
HERE TO BE A FIGHTER,

"NOT TO BE THE JANITOR.

THEY'RE PAYING YOU GOOD MONEY."

SO, ARCHIE MOORE SAID,
"WELL, YOU'RE PRETTY COCKY,

"YOU GOT TO KNOW HUMILITY.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE HUMILITY,
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ANYTHING."

CLAY BRISTLED AT
MOORE'S DEMANDS,

AND HE WAS AFRAID MOORE
INTENDED TO CHANGE HIS STYLE.

AFTER ONLY A FEW
WEEKS, HE WAS SENT HOME.

WILLIAM FAVERSHAM OF THE
LOUISVILLE SPONSORING GROUP

THEN CALLED ANGELO DUNDEE,

THE MIAMI BEACH-BASED
TRAINER CLAY HAD MET

IN LOUISVILLE BACK IN 1957.

DUNDEE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS
CALM DEMEANOR DURING FIGHTS

AND HIS GIFT FOR PATCHING
UP BLOODIED BOXERS.

HE WAS WELL-LIKED AND
AT 39 HAD ALREADY TRAINED

6 WORLD CHAMPIONS.

CLAY, HE HAD BEEN TOLD,
SHOWED REAL POTENTIAL

BUT WAS OVERCONFIDENT AND
WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO TEACH.

DUNDEE REMEMBERED THE
ENTHUSIASTIC TEENAGER

AND AGREED TO TAKE CLAY ON.

HE TOLD FAVERSHAM TO
SEND HIS FIGHTER DOWN

AFTER CHRISTMAS.

"ANGELO," FAVERSHAM
SAID, "CASSIUS WANTS A FIGHT

BEFORE CHRISTMAS."

♪

ON DECEMBER 19, 1960,

AFTER A TWO-DAY
JOURNEY BY TRAIN,

CASSIUS CLAY ARRIVED IN MIAMI,

WHERE HIS NEW TRAINER
GREETED HIM AT THE STATION.

DUNDEE DROVE CLAY TO OVERTOWN,
A SEGREGATED NEIGHBORHOOD

WHERE BLACK VISITORS
WHO WERE REFUSED SERVICE

AT MIAMI'S "WHITES ONLY"
HOTELS COULD RENT A ROOM.

AT THE MARY ELIZABETH
HOTEL, A HUB FOR PIMPS

AND DRUG DEALERS, CLAY
WAS TO SHARE A DINGY ROOM

WITH ONE DOUBLE BED
AND NO AIR CONDITIONING

WITH A JAMAICAN HEAVYWEIGHT.

THE NEXT MORNING, CLAY
REPORTED TO DUNDEE'S

5th STREET GYM IN MIAMI BEACH.

NOT YET!

5th STREET GYM
WAS JUST A WALKUP,

OLD PUBLIC BOXING GYM THAT
CLAY FIRST WENT TO WHEN HE WAS 18.

CRICKETY STAIRS, RUM-ADDLED
DRUNKS LAYING ON THE STEPS

THAT YOU HAD TO WALK
OVER TO GET UPSTAIRS.

THE GYM WAS HOME
TO BLACK, WHITE,

AND CUBAN BOXERS, ALL TOILING
UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYES

OF A RAGTAG CREW OF
REGULARS ONE WRITER DUBBED

THE "PUGILISTIC
COLLEGE OF CARDINALS,"

WHO STOOD RINGSIDE AND
APPRAISED DUNDEE'S TRAINEES.

NONE WAS IMPRESSED WITH CLAY.

"HE KEEPS HIS HANDS
TOO LOW," THEY AGREED.

"HE'S OFF BALANCE
WHEN HE PUNCHES,

HE'S A HEADHUNTER."

THE CUBANS CALLED HIM
"NIÑO CON BOCA GRANDE"...

THE KID WITH THE BIG MOUTH.

ANGELO DUNDEE ALSO
SAW A FLAWED FIGHTER

BUT ONE WITH EXCEPTIONAL
HAND AND FOOT SPEED

AND A TIRELESS WORK
ETHIC, AND HE WAS SURE

HE COULD HELP SMOOTH
CLAY'S ROUGH EDGES.

YOU CAN'T DIRECTLY
TELL HIM, "DO THIS."

THIS IS A CARDINAL SIN.

SAY THIS WORKOUT TODAY.

I'LL GO OVER AND TELL HIM,
"GEE, THAT WASN'T TOO BAD

"FOR THE FIRST DAY.

"YOUR JAB WASN'T
AS SHARP AS I'D LIKE IT,

BUT A REAL GOOD JAB."

WELL, THUSLY, THE NEXT
DAY HE'LL BE USING HIS JAB

MORE EFFECTIVELY,

BUT IF I TELL HIM
"YOUR JAB IS TERRIBLE,"

THEN I'D BE HITTING THE
WRONG KIND OF A NOTE.

YOU GOT TO WORK ON
HIM PSYCHOLOGICALLY.

OTHER TRAINERS MIGHT
HAVE INSISTED THAT

"YOU FIGHT MY WAY," BUT
ANGELO WAS SMART ENOUGH,

GENIUS ENOUGH REALLY,

TO JUST LET HIM BE AND GUIDE HIM

RATHER THAN TEACH HIM.

EACH DAY, CLAY ROSE BEFORE DAWN,

LACED ON A PAIR OF ARMY
BOOTS, AND DID HIS ROADWORK.

♪

HE RAN THE STREETS AND
CAUSEWAYS OF OVERTOWN,

AT TIMES BACKWARDS,
SHADOWBOXING AS HE WENT.

THEN HE JOGGED THE 4 1/2 MILES
FROM NORTH MIAMI TO 5th STREET,

WHERE, WHILE CLIMBING THE
STAIRS TO THE SECOND FLOOR,

HE SOMETIMES ANNOUNCED
HIS ARRIVAL BY HOLLERING,

"ANGELO, LINE UP ALL YOUR BUMS.

I'M GONNA KNOCK THEM ALL OUT."

IN THE GYM, HE'D
HIT THE SPEED BAG,

THEN THE HEAVY BAG,
DO HIS CALISTHENICS

BEFORE A FULL-LENGTH MIRROR,

AND SPAR WITH OTHER
YOUNG FIGHTERS,

INCREASING HIS STAMINA WHILE
DUNDEE CAREFULLY COAXED

HIM INTO REFINING HIS
BEST PUNCH, THE JAB.

THE EARLY CASSIUS
TOOK FROM RAY ROBINSON.

RAY ROBINSON WAS A DANCER.

CASSIUS, LIKE EXPANDED
THE, UH, NOTION OF DANCING.

TYPICALLY A BOXER IS
TAUGHT TO STAY IN THE POCKET

AND PARRY A PUNCH.

THIS GUY WOULD DO SOMETHING

THAT IT'S LIKE
SACRILEGE IN BOXING.

YOU DON'T LEAN BACK,
MAN, BUT HE LEANED BACK.

I MEAN, CASSIUS CLAY
HAS HIS OWN STYLE.

THERE'S NO OTHER
FIGHTER LIKE HIM.

NOW SEE, THAT ALMOST DID
IT. SEE? HE'S OUT. HE'S OUT.

OH, GOD, OH, GOD.

LOOK AT IT. TAKE HIM OUT.

THIS IS THE STYLE THAT
CAN WIN THE HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD.

IN HIS FIRST TWO
MONTHS IN MIAMI,

CLAY FOUGHT 4 TIMES.

ON DECEMBER 27 IN HIS
SECOND PROFESSIONAL FIGHT,

HE DEFEATED HERB SILER
BY TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT

IN 4 ROUNDS.

IN JANUARY 1961, CLAY
CELEBRATED HIS 19th BIRTHDAY

BY DISPATCHING TONY
ESPERTI IN THE THIRD.

3 WEEKS LATER, CLAY
NEEDED JUST ONE ROUND

TO KNOCK OUT JIM ROBINSON.

IN FEBRUARY, CLAY SPARRED WITH
FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

INGEMAR JOHANSSON, WHO
WAS IN MIAMI TO PROMOTE

HIS UPCOMING TITLE FIGHT
WITH FLOYD PATTERSON.

CLAY SKIPPED AROUND
JOHANSSON WHILE PEPPERING

THE SWEDE WITH SHARP JABS.

JOHANSSON FAILED TO
LAND A SINGLE PUNCH,

AND HIS MANAGER
CUT THE SESSION SHORT

AFTER JUST TWO ROUNDS.

"I'M THE ONE WHO SHOULD
BE FIGHTING PATTERSON,

NOT YOU, SUCKER," CLAY TAUNTED.

ON APRIL 19 IN FRONT
OF MORE THAN 5,000 FANS

AT LOUISVILLE'S FREEDOM
HALL, CLAY RECOVERED

FROM A VICIOUS FIRST-ROUND
PUNCH TO HIS JAW

TO BREAK LAMAR CLARK'S
NOSE AND KNOCK HIM OUT

IN THE SECOND ROUND
JUST AS HE'D PREDICTED

HE WOULD BEFORE THE FIGHT.

"HE HAS THE FASTEST
HANDS OF ANY HEAVYWEIGHT

I'VE SEEN ANY PLACE,"
CLARK'S MANAGER MARVELED,

PREDICTING THAT CLAY
WAS "NOT MANY FIGHTS

FROM A CHAMPIONSHIP."

♪

IN JUNE, CLAY RELUCTANTLY FLEW

TO LAS VEGAS FOR HIS NEXT MATCH.

"I'M NOT AFRAID OF THE
FIGHT," HE TOLD A REPORTER,

"I'M AFRAID OF THE FLIGHT."

HIS OPPONENT WAS DUKE SABEDONG,

A TOWERING HAWAIIAN
NOTORIOUS FOR HIS DIRTY TACTICS.

CLAY WON A UNANIMOUS DECISION.

BEFORE THE FIGHT, CLAY HAD
APPEARED ON A LOCAL RADIO

SHOW WITH GEORGE WAGNER,

A WELL-KNOWN
PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER

WHO CALLED HIMSELF
GORGEOUS GEORGE.

HE WOULD COME IN
WITH A JEWELED CAPE,

AND HE WOULD HAVE ONE PERSON
PUTTING THE POMADE IN HIS HAIR,

AND PEOPLE WOULD
BOO AND BOO AND BOO,

AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD
CHEER AND CHEER AND CHEER.

AND CLAY SEES THIS, AND
HE THINKS, "OH, MY GOD.

LOOK AT THE ATTENTION HE GETS."

I SAW HIM TALKING ONCE
ABOUT "HOW PRETTY I AM.

I CANNOT BE BEAT."

HE SAID, "LOOK AT MY
BEAUTIFUL SILVER HAIR.

"NO MAN IN THE
WORLD CAN BEAT ME.

"I'M THE GREATEST
WRASSLER THAT EVER LIVED.

"WHEN I GO INTO
THAT RING I'M GONNA

"ANNIHILATE THE BUM.

I'M BEAUTIFUL."

AND THAT NIGHT WHEN
GORGEOUS GEORGE WENT

TO THE WRASSLING RING,
ALL THE LADIES WERE BOOING,

AND THE PEOPLE WERE SO
MAD, AND THE PLACE WAS FULL.

EVERYBODY PAID A
HIGH PRICE TO COME IN,

AND AT THAT MOMENT I
SAID, "THIS IS A GOOD IDEA."

CLAY... HE'S A SPONGE.

HIS GENIUS IS TO KNOW HOW
TO DEPLOY IT TO HIS ENDS.

BACK IN MIAMI, HE APPEARED

ON LOCAL TELEVISION AND
RADIO, GRANTING INTERVIEWS

TO ANY WRITER WHO ASKED,
TELLING ONE, "I'M THE BEST FRIEND

A REPORTER EVER HAD."

AND HE WAS BEGINNING TO
ATTRACT NATIONAL ATTENTION.

♪

HE WAS 19 YEARS OLD IN
MIAMI BEACH WHEN HE HEARD

THAT FLIP SCHULKE,
A PHOTOGRAPHER

FOR "LIFE" MAGAZINE, WANTED TO
SHOOT PICTURES OF HIM TRAINING.

SO HE INVITED HIM
TO COME WATCH HIM.

HE TOOK THE ORDINARY PICTURES
LIKE RUNNING ON THE BEACH,

ALL THAT STUFF.

CLAY SAID, "DO YOU WANT TO
SEE ME TRAIN UNDERWATER?"

♪

LATER, SCHULKE REALIZED
WHEN THEY'RE DONE THAT

HE'D BEEN HAD.

CASSIUS CLAY HAD NEVER
TRAINED UNDERWATER.

NOBODY TRAINS UNDERWATER,

BUT CLAY UNDERSTOOD
THE PROMOTION BUSINESS

TO KNOW THAT IF
YOU'RE IN "LIFE" MAGAZINE,

A LOT OF PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO SEE IT.

SO HE INVENTED THIS ON THE SPOT,

AND SCHULKE WAS AMAZED,
THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A SIGN

OF JUST PURE GENIUS,

AND IT WAS.

BEFORE FIGHTS, HE
APPLIED 3 COATS OF POLISH

TO HIS WHITE SHOES,
COVERED HIS ARMS AND TORSO

IN A THIN LAYER OF VASELINE
TO EMPHASIZE HIS MUSCLES,

AND WORE A WHITE SATIN
ROBE AND WHITE TRUNKS

INTO THE RING.

"THE WOMEN SAYS, 'LAND,
AIN'T HE NICE AND NEAT',"

EXPLAINED CLAY.

"IF THE WOMEN COME,
THE MEN GOT TO FOLLOW.

AIN'T THAT SO?"

NOT EVERYONE
APPRECIATED HIS COCKINESS.

LET ME SEE YOU CLOSE YOUR MOUTH

AND JUST KEEP IT CLOSED.

WELL, YOU KNOW
THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

NO, NO, NOW KEEP IT CLOSED.

YOU KNOW THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

I'M THE GREATEST.

I'M KNOCKING OUT ALL BUMS,

AND IF YOU GET TOO
SMART, I'LL KNOCK YOU OUT.

IN OCTOBER, CLAY
PREDICTED THE ROUND

IN WHICH HE WOULD
DEFEAT HIS NEXT OPPONENT,

THE ARGENTINIAN ALEX MITEFF.

"MITEFF," HE SAID,
"MUST FALL IN 6."

CLAY HAS REALLY

OPENED FAST.

WHAT MADE CASSIUS
SPECIAL WAS HIS MASTERY

OF THE CRAFT AT,
LIKE, THAT YOUNG AGE.

THIS GUY WAS ABLE TO
HAVE HIS OPPONENT, LIKE,

5, 6 INCHES IN FRONT OF
HIM, THROW, LIKE, YOU KNOW,

A BUNCH OF SHOTS, CLEAN
SHOTS, EFFECTIVE SHOTS,

AND PIROUETTE AROUND THE GUY.

NO ONE IS ABLE TO
DO THAT AS FLUIDLY,

AS SEAMLESSLY AS HIM.

HOW HE DID IT? I HAVE NO IDEA.

AT 188 POUNDS, CLAY
IS LIGHTNING FAST.

HIS SPEED, BOTH HIS HAND SPEED

AND HIS FOOT SPEED
WAS JUST INCREDIBLE.

IF YOU THROW A
PUNCH TOO FAR OUT,

WHICH MOST NOVICE FIGHTERS DO,

YOU'RE TOO FAR AWAY
FROM YOUR OPPONENT,

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
HIT YOUR OPPONENT,

OR IF YOU GET TOO CLOSE,
YOU DON'T HAVE THE LEVERAGE

ON YOUR OPPONENT,

AND IF YOU'RE TOO CLOSE,
YOU'RE EASIER TO TIE UP.

SO IT TAKES A GREAT TALENT.

YOU HAVE TO BE AT
THE EXACT DISTANCE

ALMOST TO THE INCH AWAY TO LAND

THE MOST EFFECTIVE PUNCH.

MITEFF PAID FOR THAT.

AND CASSIUS COULD DO THIS.

HE DID IT INNATELY.

MITEFF'S LEFT EYE
CLOSING RAPIDLY,

A TRICKLE OF BLOOD BELOW IT.

AND MITEFF DOWN!

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE HE IS.

THEY'RE GOING TO STOP
IT, AND THEY SHOULD.

CLAY STOPPED MITEFF
IN THE SIXTH ROUND

JUST AS HE SAID HE WOULD.

AND THE WINNER BY
A TKO, CASSIUS CLAY!

WHERE DO YOU RATE YOURSELF TODAY

IN THE HEAVYWEIGHT RANKS?

WELL, JIM, MOST
PEOPLE SAY I'M CRAZY

OR PUNCH DRUNK FOR
SAYING THESE THINGS,

BUT I WOULD RATE MYSELF
ABOUT NUMBER TWO NOW.

HE CLAIMED TO BE
"EMBARRASSED TO GET

INTO THE RING" WITH THE
UNRANKED WILLIE BESMANOFF,

WHOM HE PROMISED TO
KNOCK OUT IN ROUND 7.

WHEN THE GERMAN BOXER
BEGAN TO WOBBLE IN THE FIFTH,

CLAY SLOWED HIS ATTACK,
TOYING WITH HIM FOR TWO ROUNDS

BEFORE MAKING GOOD
AGAIN ON HIS PREDICTION.

CASSIUS CLAY... HE
UNDERSTOOD VERBAL WARFARE.

SO NOT ONLY AM I GOING
TO BEAT YOU PHYSICALLY,

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU HOW
BAD I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU,

AND IF YOU'RE BETTER
THAN ME, YOU'LL SHUT ME UP.

YOU'LL MAKE ME STOP TALKING.

IF NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME TALK.

I'M GOING TO ADD
TO THE HUMILIATION.

IT'S AN ADDED LAYER,
AND IF YOU CAN'T GET

BEYOND THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE,

IT'S UNLIKELY THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO WIN

THE PHYSICAL WARFARE.

CLAY'S PROFESSIONAL RECORD

WAS NOW 10-0, HIS FUTURE BRIGHT,

AND HIS CONFIDENCE SOARING.

"I GOT THE HEIGHT, THE REACH,
THE WEIGHT," HE DECLARED.

"TO BEAT ME, YOU GOT TO
BE GREATER THAN GREAT."

♪ YOU KNOW THE NIGHT TIME ♪

♪ NIGHT AND DAY ♪

IN LATE 1961, CASSIUS
CLAY WAS DIVIDING

HIS TIME BETWEEN
LOUISVILLE AND MIAMI,

WHERE HE CONTINUED
TO PURSUE BOXING

WITH A SINGLE-MINDED ZEAL.

STILL JUST 19 BUT NOW
MAINLY ON HIS OWN,

CLAY HAD BECOME A FAMILIAR
FACE IN OVERTOWN, RUNNING A TAB

AT THE FAMOUS CHEF RESTAURANT

AND COMPOSING RHYMES
FOR THE OTHER CLIENTS

AT SONNY ARMBRIMSTER'S
BARBER SHOP.

WHEN LOCAL HUSTLERS
INVITED HIM TO THE SIR JOHN

OR HARLEM SQUARE, WHERE
COUNT BASIE, ELLA FITZGERALD,

AND B.B. KING PERFORMED,
CLAY JOINED THEM

FOR THE MUSIC BUT
DRANK ONLY ORANGE JUICE

AND NEVER STAYED LONG.

WHEN HE VENTURED BEYOND
OVERTOWN TO WHITE MIAMI,

WHERE AFRICAN-AMERICANS
WERE REGULARLY HARASSED

BY THE LOCAL POLICE,
CLAY KEPT HIS COOL.

AT A DEPARTMENT STORE, A
WHITE PHOTOGRAPHER LOOKED ON

AS CLAY WAS SCOLDED BY A
CLERK FOR HANDLING A SHIRT.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS
INDIGNANT, BUT CLAY SAID,

"I DON'T WANT TO
MAKE A BIG MESS HERE.

IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL."

♪ FREEDOM ♪

♪ FREEDOM ♪

NOW IT IS TRUE THAT
MEN HAVE ALWAYS

CRIED OUT FOR FREEDOM,

BUT IN THE PAST, THESE
CRIES FOR FREEDOM WERE

IN MANY INSTANCES SOLO
VOICES CRYING FOR FREEDOM,

BUT THE DIFFERENCE TODAY
IS THAT THIS SOLO VOICE

HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED
INTO A MIGHTY CHORUS,

SINGING WITH AMAZING HARMONY,

"WE WANT TO BE FREE."

IT IS TRUE THAT WE...

CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS
HAD BEEN CHALLENGING

SEGREGATION WITH
NON-VIOLENT ACTION ON BUSES

AND AT LUNCH COUNTERS
ACROSS THE SOUTH,

BUT WHEN ASKED
ABOUT RACIAL INJUSTICE,

CLAY SAID HE WISHED TO PROTECT
THE WHITE LOUISVILLE SYNDICATE

THAT MANAGED HIS CAREER.

"I DON'T JOIN ANY GROUPS
OR NOTHING BECAUSE IT MIGHT

EMBARRASS MY SPONSORS,"
HE TOLD ONE REPORTER.

HE KNEW SPEAKING OUT
ON MATTERS OF RACE WOULD

ONLY HARM HIS CHANCES OF
ONE DAY GETTING A TITLE FIGHT.

AND THAT IS ANOTHER
THING THAT YOU ARE SAYING

TO LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
AND THAT YOU ARE SAYING

TO THE NATION IN THIS MOVEMENT,
THAT THE NEGRO IS ETERNALLY

THROUGH WITH SEGREGATION.

STILL, THE MEMORY OF
EMMETT TILL HAUNTED HIM,

AND HIS FATHER'S EVER-PRESENT
ANGER AT RACIAL OPPRESSION

CONTINUED TO STIR
HIS OWN CONSCIENCE.

WHY ARE WE CALLED NEGRO?

WHY ARE WE DEAF,
DUMB, AND BLIND?

YEARS EARLIER, CLAY
HAD PURCHASED A RECORD

CALLED "A WHITE MAN'S
HEAVEN IS A BLACK MAN'S HELL,"

WRITTEN AND
PERFORMED BY LOUIS X,

A MINISTER FOR
THE NATION OF ISLAM,

WHICH CLAY LISTENED
TO OVER AND OVER.

A WHITE MAN'S HEAVEN
IS A BLACK MAN'S HELL.

ONE DAY IN MIAMI, CLAY
SPOTTED A BLACK MAN

IN A SUIT SELLING COPIES
OF THE NEWSPAPER

"MUHAMMAD SPEAKS."

I WAS SELLING THE PAPERS
ONE DAY ON THE STREETS,

AND HE SAW ME.

HE SAID, "HEY, BROTHER!

"WHY ARE WE CALLED NEGROES?

"WHY ARE WE BLIND,
DEAF, AND DUMB?

"WHY EVERYBODY MAKING PROGRESS,

AND WE LAGGING SO FAR BEHIND?"

I HOLLERED... I
LOOKED BACK AT HIM,

I SAID "HEY, MAN!

YOU HIP TO THE
TEACHINGS, AIN'T YEAH?"

HE SAID, "YEAH.
I'M CASSIUS CLAY.

"I'M GONNA BE THE NEXT
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

OF THE WORLD."

A ONE-TIME POOL
SHARK FROM ATLANTA,

ABDUL RAHMAN...
KNOWN AS CAPTAIN SAM...

HAD ABANDONED A LIFE OF HUSTLING
WHEN HE HEARD THE TEACHINGS

OF THE NATION OF ISLAM'S
LEADER ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.

THE SO-CALLED AMERICAN NEGRO

HAS TO BE COMPLETELY REEDUCATED
THAT HE NOW CAN MOVE OUT

IN THE WORLD AND FEEL
THAT HE IS THE EQUAL

OF OTHER CIVILIZED BEINGS
AND DOES NOT FEEL ASHAMED

TO BE CALLED A BLACK MAN.

♪

CAPTAIN SAM ENCOURAGED
CLAY TO ATTEND

MEETINGS AT TEMPLE NO. 29,

A VACANT STOREFRONT THAT
HAD BEEN TURNED INTO A MOSQUE.

"THE FIRST TIME I FELT
TRULY SPIRITUAL IN MY LIFE

WAS WHEN I WALKED INTO
THE MUSLIM TEMPLE IN MIAMI,"

CLAY LATER RECALLED.

"A MAN NAMED BROTHER
JOHN WAS SPEAKING,

AND I COULD REACH OUT AND
TOUCH WHAT HE WAS SAYING."

GOD WAS BLACK,
PREACHED THE MINISTER.

THERE WAS NO CHANCE
OF RECONCILIATION

WITH WHITE PEOPLE, WHO
HAD DELIBERATELY STOLEN

THE BLACK MAN'S IDENTITY.

ONLY BY EMBRACING ALLAH
WOULD BLACK PEOPLE OVERCOME

WHITE CRUELTY.

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD PRESENTED
ISLAM AS THIS ALTERNATIVE

TO CHRISTIANITY, "THE
BLACK MAN'S RELIGION,"

AND THAT WAS A SELLING POINT
THAT ELIJAH MUHAMMAD USED,

AND IT WAS PRETTY EFFECTIVE.

HE'S STEPPING INTO
AN ALTERNATE REALITY,

WHERE UP IS DOWN AND DOWN
IS UP AND BLACK IS SACRED

AND BLACK IS VALUABLE.

YOU KNOW, YOUR MIND IS BLOWN.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT
DEFINITELY HAS ENORMOUS

TRANSFORMATIVE POWER.

ESPECIALLY FOR THE LOWER-INCOME

AND LESSER-EDUCATED
AFRICAN-AMERICANS

WHO HE WAS
TARGETING AT THAT TIME.

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
WAS BORN ELIJAH POOLE,

THE SON OF A BAPTIST PREACHER,
IN RURAL GEORGIA IN 1897.

WHEN POOLE WAS 14,
A WHITE MOB LYNCHED

HIS FRIEND ALBERT
HAMILTON, WHO WAS ACCUSED

OF ASSAULTING A WHITE WOMAN.

THE ANGRY CROWD HAD DRAGGED
HAMILTON FROM A JAIL CELL,

HUNG HIM FROM A
TREE, AND SHOT HIM

MORE THAN 300 TIMES.

POOLE RESOLVED THAT HE
WOULD, HE SAID, "FIND A WAY

TO AVENGE HIM AND MY PEOPLE."

IN 1923, POOLE MOVED TO DETROIT,

WHERE HE FELL UNDER THE
SWAY OF A SELF-STYLED MESSIAH

NAMED W.D. FARD.

A CHARISMATIC ORATOR,
FARD HAD INVENTED

AN ELABORATE HISTORY AND
THEOLOGY FOR BLACK PEOPLE

ROOTED IN THE BELIEF
THAT THEY WERE THE EARTH'S

ORIGINAL INHABITANTS,
RULING FOR TRILLIONS OF YEARS

UNDER THE BANNER OF ISLAM
UNTIL THEY WERE UNDERMINED

BY A RACE OF "WHITE DEVILS,"
WHO WOULD ONE DAY FACE

A BRUTAL END AT
THE HAND OF ALLAH.

HE PREACHED BLACK
SEPARATISM, SELF-DETERMINATION,

AND CLEAN LIVING AND
SOMETIMES ASSIGNED

CONVERTS NEW SURNAMES TO REPLACE

THEIR "SLAVE NAMES."

FARD CALLED HIS GROUP THE
LOST-FOUND NATION OF ISLAM.

POOLE, HIS LATEST CONVERT,
BECAME ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.

THERE WAS A TRADITION
OF THOSE KINDS OF GROUPS.

THERE WAS THE
MOORISH SCIENCE TEMPLE

OF NOBLE DREW ALI.

THERE WAS THE BLACK
HEBREW ORGANIZATION

OF THIS GUY BY THE
NAME BLACK ZARAB.

THERE WAS MARCUS GARVEY'S

UNITED NEGRO
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION,

AND THE NATION OF ISLAM
WAS JUST ONE OF THEM.

THEY CALL BLACK CHRISTIANITY
THE WHITE MAN'S RELIGION,

AND CHRISTIANITY WAS DEEPLY
ROOTED IN BLACK AMERICA,

AND ANYONE WHO LOOKED
AT THEMSELVES AS AN ENEMY

TO THAT TRADITION
WAS SEEN AS SOMEONE

WHO WAS ALMOST DEMONIC,

AND IT WAS THAT KIND
OF FEAR ABOUT THEM.

WHEN FARD MYSTERIOUSLY
VANISHED IN 1934,

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD TOOK CONTROL,

CALLED HIMSELF THE
"MESSENGER OF ALLAH,"

AND RELOCATED TO CHICAGO.

HE WENT TO PRISON RATHER
THAN REGISTER FOR THE DRAFT

DURING THE SECOND WORLD
WAR, CONTINUED TO PREACH

SEPARATION OF THE RACES,

AND SPOKE OF THE "MOTHER PLANE,"

A WHEEL-SHAPED
SPACECRAFT HE CLAIMED

WAS HOVERING MILES
ABOVE THE EARTH,

WAITING TO ANNIHILATE
THE "WHITE DEVILS"

ON JUDGMENT DAY.

THOUGH ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
BORROWED ABUNDANTLY

FROM MUSLIM TEACHINGS,
HIS MESSAGE OF SEPARATISM

AND CLAIM TO BE A
PROPHET DIVERGED SHARPLY

FROM TRADITIONAL
ISLAM, A RELIGION FOUNDED

IN THE EIGHTH
CENTURY THAT, BY 1950,

HAD MORE THAN 400 MILLION
FOLLOWERS AROUND THE WORLD.

THE NATION OF ISLAM
WAS AN AMERICAN HYBRID.

IT USED CERTAIN TENETS
OF ISLAM, BUT OTHER TENETS

WERE MADE UP BY
THEM OR IMPROVISED.

THEY TRIED TO
AMERICANIZE IT TO THE POINT

WHERE IT WAS NOT AUTHENTIC.

ELIJAH WAS NOT THE
PROPHET MUHAMMAD.

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD... HIS
MODEL WAS DO FOR SELF.

BLACK PEOPLE NEED
TO DO FOR THEMSELVES,

THEY NEED TO BUILD
FOR THEMSELVES,

THEY NEED TO START
THEIR OWN BUSINESSES.

YOU NEED TO CONTROL
YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES.

LET'S QUIT BEGGING
WHITE PEOPLE FOR JOBS.

LET'S MAKE JOBS FOR OURSELVES.

WE HAD TO BE SELF-INDEPENDENT

INSTEAD OF BEING IN SOME
WELFARE LINE OR EMPLOYMENT,

LOOKING FOR A JOB.

WE WAS TRYING TO MAKE
JOBS FOR OURSELVES,

TRYING TO KEEP THE MONEY
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO
ENRICH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
PURCHASED A FARM IN MICHIGAN

AND OPENED A
CLOTHING STORE, BAKERY,

AND RESTAURANT IN CHICAGO
SERVING MOSTLY BLACK CUSTOMERS.

WE HATE OURSELVES.

THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT!

BECAUSE OF THE TEACHINGS

AND THE TRAINING OF
OUR SLAVE MASTERS.

YES, SIR!

YOU NEED TO MOVE AWAY

FROM THESE WHITE PEOPLE.

YOU DON'T WANT TO INTEGRATE
WITH THESE WHITE PEOPLE,

YOU WANT TO MOVE AWAY FROM THEM.

YOUR SLAVE MASTER
AND ALL HIS CHILDREN

ARE NONE OTHER THAN THE DEVIL.

HE WAS GENERALLY
REGARDED BY MEMBERS

OF THAT MOVEMENT
AS THE MESSENGER

OF ALLAH OR GOD.

HE WAS HIGHLY REVERED,
AND THEY ANSWER

TO HIS DICTATES.

THIS AN AFFIRMATION
OF BLACK HUMANITY

AND BLACK DIGNITY AS
INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COLLECTIVE.

HERE'S HOPE IN THE FORM
OF A TANGIBLE PROGRAM

THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW
THAT WILL GET YOU THERE.

- I - SAY, GET OUT OF THAT

SLAVERY TEACHING.

THAT'S THE WHITE MAN'S TEACHING

TO KEEP YOU BLIND,
DEAF, AND DUMB

TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF SELF.

THE NATION OF ISLAM
HAD A PRESENCE

IN AMERICAN PRISONS AND
YOU CAN ENCOUNTER A GUY

WHO WAS NOT VERY EDUCATED,
DIDN'T DO VERY WELL IN SCHOOL,

MAYBE EVEN DROPPED
OUT, WENT TO PRISON,

AND JOINED THE NATION OF ISLAM.

COMES OUT OF PRISON,
AND NOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE

A DICTIONARY TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH HIM.

MASTERY OF STANDARD ENGLISH
NOW IS NO LONGER INDEXED

TO ANY KIND OF UNCLE
TOMISM, BUT NOW IS EQUATED

WITH WHAT IT MEANS TO
BE A DIGNIFIED BLACK MAN.

THIS MAN SAVED THOUSANDS
AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

FROM THE GUTTER AND TOOK
MANY OUT OF THE GUTTER.

MANY DRUG ADDICTS CLEANED
UP UNDER HIS TEACHINGS,

SO YOU CAN'T DO NOTHING
BUT MARVEL OVER A MAN

CAN DO THAT.

THE NATION APPEALED
AT FIRST MOSTLY

TO POOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS,
BUT BY THE LATE 1950s,

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S MESSAGE OF
BLACK EMPOWERMENT BEGAN REACHING

SOME MEMBERS OF
THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS

FRUSTRATED WITH THE
SLOW PACE OF CHANGE.

THE NATION OF ISLAM WAS
SUCH A FRINGE GROUP THAT

VERY FEW CERTAINLY
WHITE AMERICANS

HAD EVER HEARD OF IT.

EVEN THE CLOTHES THEY WEAR...

BUT 1959, MIKE WALLACE DID

A BIG DOCUMENTARY ON IT

"THE HATE THAT HATE PRODUCED."

THESE HOMEGROWN
NEGRO AMERICAN MUSLIMS

ARE THE MOST POWERFUL OF
THE BLACK SUPREMACIST GROUPS.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN
PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS,

WHERE MUSLIM CHILDREN ARE
TAUGHT TO HATE THE WHITE MAN.

THIS DOCUMENTARY WAS
DESIGNED TO BE PROVOCATIVE

AND FRIGHTENING ACTUALLY

TO YOUR AVERAGE WHITE VIEWER.

I CHARGE THE WHITE
MAN WITH BEING

THE GREATEST
TROUBLEMAKER ON EARTH.

THE WHITE MAN HAS
BEEN PUT ON TRIAL

FOR HIS SINS AGAINST
THE BLACK MAN.

HE HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.

THE SENTENCE IS DEATH.

GUILTY AS CHARGED.

"OH, MY GOD. THIS IS WHAT
THESE ANGRY BLACK PEOPLE

ARE PLANNING TO DO."

THIS IS A MOMENT OF REAL
PANIC FOR A LOT OF WHITE PEOPLE

WHEN THIS DOCUMENTARY AIRS,

AND I THINK IT WAS... IT
WAS MEANT TO BE THAT.

IN MIAMI, CASSIUS CLAY
QUIETLY CONTINUED

TO ATTEND MEETINGS
AT TEMPLE NO. 29.

HE BECOMES ATTRACTED
TO ITS MESSAGE OF PRIDE,

OF NOT DEPENDING ON THE
BENEFICENCE AND FAVORS

OF WHITES AND WHITE POLITICS,

AND IT'S MARRIED TO A SENSE
OF RELIGION AND A RHETORIC

OF NO MORE SLAVE
NAME, A NEW NAME,

AND HE GETS CAUGHT UP,

AND THE MESSAGE, WHICH
WAS SO IRONIC BECAUSE

HE'S SURROUNDED BY
WHITE PEOPLE A LOT,

OF SEPARATISM.

YOU BASICALLY SEE
YOURSELF AS HAVING REMOVED

YOURSELF FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE
INTERACTING WITH IT,

YOU HAVE BASICALLY
REMOVED YOURSELF FROM IT.

THAT'S APPEALING, BUT
IT'S ALSO DANGEROUS.

THE REASON WHY IT WAS SO
APPEALING IS BECAUSE CULTS

GIVE YOU THIS VISION OF UTOPIA,

THIS VISION OF HAVING
THIS COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE

THAT YOU WOULD BE AROUND,

THIS VISION THAT WE WERE
ALL MARCHING FORWARD

FOR THIS GOAL OF
LIBERATING BLACK PEOPLE,

AND YOU HAD THIS GOD ALLAH,
AND YOU SAW HOW BLACK WOMEN

WERE BEING RESPECTED
AND HOW BLACK MEN

WERE LOOKED UP TO.

IT SEEMED LIKE A DREAM.

THAT'S WHAT CULTS DO TO PEOPLE.

THEY OFFER YOU A KIND OF DREAM.

I PREDICTED TO WIN
THE CHAMPIONSHIP

AT THE AGE OF 21.

I'M OUT TO BREAK FLOYD
PATTERSON'S RECORD,

AND BY THIS DAY, MY
20th BIRTHDAY TODAY,

JANUARY THE 17th, THAT
LEAVES ME EXACTLY ONE YEAR

TO REACH MY GOAL.

IN EARLY FEBRUARY OF
1962, ANGELO DUNDEE GOT

A PHONE CALL FROM A PROMOTER
AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN,

WHO OFFERED CLAY A
FIGHT AGAINST SONNY BANKS,

A HARD-PUNCHING
JOURNEYMAN FROM DETROIT.

IT WOULD BE HIS FIRST FIGHT

AT BOXING'S MOST
CELEBRATED VENUE.

CLAY BOASTED TO
SPORTSWRITERS THAT BANKS

WOULD FALL IN THE FOURTH ROUND.

FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,

WEARING WHITE TRUNKS,
WEIGHING 194.5 POUNDS,

THE FORMER OLYMPIC
CHAMPION AND UNDEFEATED

AS A PROFESSIONAL
CASSIUS CLAY, CLAY.

HIS OPPONENT, FROM
DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

SONNY BANKS, BANKS.

ROUND ONE!

10 ROUNDS SCHEDULED.

IF BANKS DOES ANYTHING,

IT'S FIGURED TO BE EARLY.

HE'S A POWER PUNCHER

EARLY IN A FIGHT.

CLAY IS THE MOST LOQUACIOUS

HEAVYWEIGHT SINCE JACK SHARKEY.

♪

THERE GOES CLAY ON THE FLOOR!

WHEN CLAY WAS KNOCKED
DOWN IN THE FIRST, DUNDEE WAS

AFRAID HIS BOXER'S
CAREER WAS OVER

BEFORE IT HAD REALLY STARTED.

"CASSIUS WENT DOWN EYES
CLOSED," DUNDEE REMEMBERED,

"BUT WHEN HIS
BUTT HIT THE FLOOR,

THEY OPENED AND LIT UP."

YOU HAVE TO GET KNOCKED
DOWN AT SOME POINT.

IF THE FIGHTER WHO GOT
KNOCKS DOWN PANICS,

GUESS WHAT.

I GOTCHA.

BECAUSE, IF I KNOCK YOU
DOWN, THAT MEANS I CAN

KNOCK YOU OUT.

CASSIUS NEVER PANICKED.

HE KNEW HOW TO RESPOND TO IT.

HE KNEW HOW TO STAY
POISED AND STAY IN CONTROL.

FIRST TIME THAT CASSIUS
CLAY WAS EVER DOWN.

IN THE SECOND ROUND,
HE TOOK COMMAND,

BEWILDERING BANKS
WITH BLOW AFTER BLOW.

HE STAYED LOYAL TO HIS JAB

AND THEN WENT TO WORK ON HIM.

ROUND 4.

NOW CLAY SEEMS TO BE
COMING ON A LITTLE BIT.

HOLD IT, HOLD IT, HOLD IT.

IN THE FOURTH ROUND,

THE REFEREE HAD SEEN ENOUGH

AND CALLED THE MATCH
IN FAVOR OF CLAY...

WINNER BY TKO CASSIUS CLAY.

JUST AS HE HAD PREDICTED.

"WATCHING HIM GET UP OFF
THE FLOOR AGAINST BANKS

AND THEN RECOVER TO
WIN," DUNDEE REMEMBERED,

"THAT'S THE NIGHT I FELL
IN LOVE WITH THE KID."

BETWEEN FIGHTS HE CONTINUED
TO TALK, OFFERING A QUIP,

POEM, OR PREDICTION TO
EVERY REPORTER HE COULD

AND DOUBLING DOWN ON HIS
GUARANTEE THAT HE WOULD SOON

BECOME THE YOUNGEST
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION EVER.

MY LAST 3 FIGHTS, I PREDICTED
A 4-ROUND KNOCKOUT.

I KNOCKED OUT SONNY
BANKS IN 4 ROUNDS,

I KNOCKED OUT DON
WARNER IN 4 ROUNDS,

AND I JUST ANNIHILATED
GEORGE LOGAN IN 4 ROUNDS.

WHITE SPORTSWRITERS
STARTED CALLING HIM

"MIGHTY MOUTH,"
"CASSIUS THE GASEOUS,"

THE "LOUISVILLE LIP."

NOTHING WOULD PLEASE PEOPLE
MORE, ONE REPORTER SAID,

THAN TO SEE CASSIUS
"GAG ON A GLOVE."

HE WAS RUDE, RUDE
TO HIS OPPONENTS.

BEFORE A FIGHT HE
WOULD INSULT THEM,

HE WOULD MOCK THEM,
HE WOULD PREDICT

BAD THINGS FOR THEM.

HE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT
LOSING IN THE EARLY DAYS.

IT WASN'T PROPER BEHAVIOR.

TO THEM, HE WAS
NOTHING LIKE THE REVERED

FORMER CHAMPION OF THE
1930s AND 1940S JOE LOUIS,

WHOSE MANAGERS HAD DEMANDED
HE REFRAIN FROM CELEBRATING

AFTER DEFEATING WHITE OPPONENTS.

AND THESE GUYS, THESE
ELDERS, WERE OFFENDED

BY THIS "GASEOUS CASSIUS."

THEY JUST THOUGHT
THAT HE WAS IMPERTINENT,

THAT HE OFFENDED THEIR
SENSE OF ATHLETIC AESTHETICS.

"WHAT'S ALL THIS
PRANCING AROUND?

STAND AND FIGHT!"

THE SPORTSWRITERS
WERE MOSTLY OLDER MEN,

WHITE MEN.

NOW THERE WERE A FEW OF
US YOUNGER GUYS AROUND,

AND WE LOVED HIM.

IT WAS WONDERFUL.

I WAS AROUND CASSIUS' AGE.

IT WAS VERY EXCITING.

MOST PEOPLE THINK
BECAUSE I CAN PREDICT

A FIGHT LIKE THIS AND
MAKE IT COME TRUE,

THEY THINK THAT I AM
BECOMING OVERCONFIDENT.

I'M GUNNING FOR FLOYD
PATTERSON AND SONNY LISTON,

AND IF THEY GET IN MY WAY, I
WILL ANNIHILATE THEM, ALSO.

SO THERE'S THIS... THIS SORT
OF MAINSTREAM SENSIBILITY

ABOUT HOW A MAN SHOULD
CONDUCT HIMSELF IN PUBLIC,

WHICH IS BASED PURELY ON
THIS SORT OF WHITE MALE LOGIC.

CASSIUS CLAY'S ONE OF THE
FIRST PEOPLE TO COME ALONG

IN PUBLIC AND SAY, "I'M
NOT GOING TO FOLLOW

"THOSE RULES.

I'M GOING TO SAY AND
DO WHAT I CHOOSE."

IT'S ABOUT INDEPENDENCE.

IN EARLY JUNE 1962, ABDUL
RAHMAN INVITED CASSIUS

AND HIS BROTHER RUDY
TO A NATION OF ISLAM RALLY

IN DETROIT LATER THAT MONTH.

THOUGH PUBLICLY ASSOCIATING
WITH THE SECT COULD HARM

CLAY'S CHANCES OF
GETTING A TITLE FIGHT,

THE BROTHERS SAID YES.

CLAY WAS IN LOUISVILLE,
HIS CAR WAS IN MIAMI,

SO I DROVE HIS CAR FROM MIAMI
TO LOUISVILLE TO PICK HIM UP,

AND WE DROVE FROM
THERE ON INTO DETROIT

TO HEAR THE LECTURE OF THE
HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.

BEFORE THE RALLY, THE 3
VISITED THE LUNCHEONETTE

NEXT DOOR TO MOSQUE NO. 1,

WHERE THEY MET A
WELL-KNOWN MINISTER

FROM NEW YORK WHO WAS IN
TOWN TO DELIVER OPENING REMARKS

AT THE RALLY.

HIS NAME WAS MALCOLM X.

CLAY APPROACHED HIM,
ENTHUSIASTICALLY OFFERED

HIS HAND, AND
INTRODUCED HIMSELF.

WHEN MALCOLM MET CASSIUS CLAY,

HE'D NEVER HEARD OF HIM,
WAS NOT MUCH OF A BOXING FAN.

THE NATION OF ISLAM
DISCOURAGED ITS MEMBERS

FROM PARTICIPATING IN
SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT.

THEY DIDN'T THINK IT
WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH.

IT WAS SEEN AS A DISTRACTION.

SO HE DIDN'T
RECOGNIZE CASSIUS CLAY.

AFTER A BRIEF CHAT,
MALCOLM RETURNED

TO PREPARING FOR HIS ADDRESS,

BUT THE YOUNG FIGHTER
HAD LEFT AN IMPRESSION.

CLAY HAD A "CONTAGIOUS
QUALITY," MALCOLM LATER RECALLED.

HE WAS "CLEAN CUT
AND DOWN TO EARTH."

THEY QUICKLY DEVELOPED
A FRIENDSHIP AND A BOND,

AND MALCOLM BECAME A
VERY IMPORTANT TEACHER

FOR CASSIUS, UH, TEACHING
HIM ABOUT THE NATION OF ISLAM

AND ABOUT WHAT
THE RELIGION MEANT.

THEY BECAME GOOD FRIENDS.

BORN IN 1925 TO
PARENTS WHO FOLLOWED

THE BLACK SEPARATIST
LEADER MARCUS GARVEY,

MALCOLM LITTLE WAS INTRODUCED
TO THE NATION OF ISLAM

IN THE LATE 1940s
WHILE SERVING TIME

IN A MASSACHUSETTS
PRISON FOR BURGLARY.

DEEPLY AFFECTED BY ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD'S TEACHINGS,

LITTLE WROTE TO THE
LEADER ALMOST DAILY

AND TOOK THE NAME MALCOLM X.

LATER AFTER HIS
RELEASE FROM PRISON,

MUHAMMAD WOULD MAKE
HIM PRINCIPAL MINISTER

AT TEMPLE NO. 7 IN HARLEM.

WHO ARE YOU?

YOU DON'T KNOW.

DON'T TELL ME NEGRO.
THAT'S NOTHING.

WHAT WERE YOU BEFORE
THE WHITE MAN NAMED

YOU A NEGRO?

AND WHERE WERE YOU?

AND WHAT DID YOU HAVE?

WHAT WAS YOURS?

WHAT LANGUAGE
DID YOU SPEAK THEN?

WHAT WAS YOUR NAME?

IT COULDN'T HAVE
BEEN SMITH OR JONES

OR BUNCH OR POWELL.

THAT WASN'T YOUR NAME.

THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE KIND
OF NAMES WHERE YOU AND I

CAME FROM.

WHEN MALCOLM CAME ALONG,
HIS CHARISMA WAS MARRIED

TO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S
PURITANICAL MESSAGE,

AND IT TOOK OFF.

I WAS MESMERIZED BY THE GUY.

AMERICA IS STILL A COUNTRY

WHOSE GOVERNMENTAL
SYSTEM IS BASED UPON FREEDOM,

JUSTICE, AND EQUALITY
FOR WHITE PEOPLE ONLY.

AND I COULDN'T IMAGINE
ANYONE BESTING HIM

IN AN INTELLECTUAL ARGUMENT.

YOU HAVEN'T DONE
THE RIGHT THING...

HE WAS THAT SHARP.

BY MY PEOPLE,

AND BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T
DONE THE RIGHT THING

BY MY PEOPLE, NOW I GOT TO
DO THE RIGHT THING BY YOU.

YOUR KINGDOM HAS GOT TO GO.

OFTEN WHEN PEOPLE HAD
INTELLECTUAL ATTAINMENT,

THEY DISDAINED, THE STREET LIFE,

AND THEY HAD THIS
AURA OF SUPERIORITY.

MALCOLM, HE DIDN'T
HAVE THAT AT ALL.

HE SEEMED TO EMBRACE
THE STREET LIFE IN A WAY

THAT FEW OTHERS HAD,

AND THAT WAS A
VERY UNIQUE THING.

MANY AMERICANS, NOW FAMILIAR

WITH THE NON-VIOLENT ACTIONS
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

LED PRIMARILY BY SOUTHERN
MINISTERS, WERE SHOCKED

AND FRIGHTENED BY WHAT
MALCOLM X HAD TO SAY.

NO MAN CAN SPEAK
FOR NEGROES WHO TELLS

NEGROES LOVE THEIR ENEMY.

NO MAN CAN SPEAK FOR
NEGROES WHO TELLS NEGROES

TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.

THERE IS NO NEGRO IN
HIS RIGHT MIND TODAY

WHO IS GOING TO
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.

AS MALCOLM'S INFLUENCE GREW,

HIS ACTIVITIES DREW INCREASING
INTEREST FROM THE FBI,

WHICH BEGAN TRACKING
HIS EVERY MOVE,

SURVEILLANCE THAT WOULD
CONTINUE UNTIL THE END OF HIS LIFE.

STOP TRYING TO BE IN UNITY

WITH THE PEOPLE
THAT DON'T WANT YOU.

THEY HATE YOU AND
CALL YOU THESE BLACK

SO AND SO AND SO.

GET OUT OF THAT PEOPLE'S FAITH.

AT THE RALLY IN DETROIT
THAT CASSIUS, RUDY,

AND ABDUL RAHMAN HAD DRIVEN TO,

THE BROTHERS HUNG ON
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S EVERY WORD.

HE IS THROUGH WITH YOU AND I.

HE HAS FREED YOU AND I.

LET'S ACT LIKE FREE MEN.

DO FOR OUR FREE SELVES.

IF CASSIUS COMES OUT
AND SAYS, "YES, I'M A MEMBER

OF THE NATION OF ISLAM,"
HIS CAREER IS OVER.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN BOXING
IS IN THE DOLDRUMS ANYWAY.

JUST WHAT WE NEED NOW, A
TOP CONTENDER AFFIRMING

HIS BELIEF IN THE
NATION OF ISLAM.

HE'S NOT GOING TO
ATTRACT ANY BIG FIGHTS.

WHITE AMERICA IS
NOT GOING TO GIVE

THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP TO A BLACK MUSLIM.

CLAY HAD TO PLAY IT VERY COY.

IN JULY, CASSIUS
CLAY PREDICTED HE'D

KNOCK OUT AN ARGENTINE CONTENDER
NAMED ALEJANDRO LAVORANTE

IN THE FIFTH ROUND
AND THEN ONCE AGAIN

MADE GOOD ON THAT PREDICTION.

HE WAS NOW 15-0.

AFTER THE MATCH, CLAY
SPOTTED ARCHIE MOORE

AT RINGSIDE.

"YOU'RE NEXT, OLD
MAN" HE SHOUTED

TO HIS ONE-TIME TRAINER.

MOORE CLAIMED TO BE
45, THOUGH MANY BELIEVE

HE WAS CLOSER TO 50,

BUT HE NEEDED THE
MONEY AND QUICKLY AGREED

TO THE FIGHT.

ARCHIE MOORE WAS LIKE
THE PROFESSOR OF FIGHTERS.

ARCHIE MOORE WAS
INCREDIBLY BRILLIANT,

BUT ARCHIE MOORE HAD
THE VANITY OF THINKING

THAT HE COULD FIGURE
OUT THE YOUNG GUY

AND THROUGH POSITIONING
HIMSELF RIGHT AND MOVING RIGHT

HE COULD OUTSMART
THIS YOUNG GUY.

LET'S JUST SAY THE PREROGATIVES
OF YOUTH OVERCAME HIM.

CLAY WON BY TECHNICAL
KNOCKOUT IN THE FOURTH ROUND.

BY THE END OF 1962, CASSIUS
CLAY WAS RANKED NUMBER 4

AMONG HEAVYWEIGHT
CONTENDERS, AND HE HAD BEGUN

TO LOOK LIKE A SHREWD BET
BY HIS LOUISVILLE SPONSORS,

WHO WERE ON PACE TO
RECOUP THEIR INITIAL INVESTMENT

IN THE COMING YEAR.

MR. CASSIUS CLAY,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

JERRY, I'M THE GREATEST FIGHTER

THAT'S EVER STEPPED
FOOT IN THE RING.

I'M SO GREAT, I TELL
A CLOWN WHAT ROUND

HE'S GOING DOWN.

YOU SEEM TO BE MAKING
PREDICTIONS ABOUT FIGHTS.

THAT'S PART OF THE
CLAY PSYCHOLOGY

AND ALSO PART OF
THE CLAY GREATNESS.

AND THE CLAY GREATNESS.

WELL, NOW YOU CLAIM
TO BE YOU'RE GOING TO BE

THE NEXT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

NEXT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

I'LL HOLD THE TITLE
FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS

AND THEN GIVE IT TO MY
YOUNGER BROTHER RUDOLPH.

THOUGH CRITICS GRUMBLED

THAT HE STILL TALKED TOO MUCH

AND HADN'T YET FACED
A WORTHY OPPONENT,

CASSIUS CLAY HAD THE
BOXING WORLD'S ATTENTION.

"I DON'T CARE IF THIS
KID CAN'T FIGHT A LICK,"

SAID THE FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION JACK DEMPSEY.

"I'M FOR HIM.

THINGS ARE LIVE AGAIN."

FRED McDOWELL: ♪ IT
WAS SOON ONE MORNING ♪

♪ DEATH COME CREEPIN' ♪

♪ SOON WHEN ♪

♪ DEATH COME
CREEPIN' IN MY ROOM ♪

POOR MEN BOX BECAUSE IT'S
THE ONLY CHOICE THEY HAVE,

WHICH IS THE REASON THAT
BOXING ITSELF IS POETRY.

"WHY YOU WANT TO GET IN
THE RING AND GET HURT?"

SAID, "MAN, I CAN GO DOWN
TO THE BAR AND GET HURT.

"YOU KNOW, I CAN GO DOWN
THERE TO THE JUKE JOINT

AND LISTEN TO ROBERT
JOHNSON AND GET HURT."

HE SAID, "AT LEAST
WHEN I GET IN THE RING,

"THEY PAY ME,

AND THEY GOT TO WEAR
GLOVES WHEN THEY HIT ME."

McDOWELL: ♪ O MY LORD ♪

YOU FIGHT BECAUSE YOU
FIGHT EVERY DAY ANYWAY.

A BLACK MAN, BUT
NOT JUST BLACK MEN,

ANY POOR... A MEXICAN OR IRISHMAN
OR JEW... IF THEY'RE FIGHTING,

THEY'RE FIGHTING
FOR THEIR LIVES,

AND THE ONLY REASON THEY'RE
FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES

IN THE RING IS BECAUSE
IT'S A LITTLE BIT SAFER

THAN FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE
ON THE STREETS OF AMERICA.

IN SEPTEMBER 1962,
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

FLOYD PATTERSON WAS
SCHEDULED TO FIGHT

CHALLENGER SONNY LISTON
AT CHICAGO'S COMISKEY PARK.

PATTERSON WAS THE
SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE,

BUT THE ODDS WERE AGAINST HIM.

FLOYD PATTERSON WAS
A REMARKABLE FIGHTER

BECAUSE HE WAS A
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

WITHOUT BEING A HEAVYWEIGHT.

PATTERSON HAD A
HUMILITY ABOUT HIM

AND A CERTAIN RIGHTEOUSNESS
ABOUT HIM THAT HE APPEALED

TO THE WHITE MIDDLE CLASS,

THE WHITE SPORTSWRITER,
THE WHITE ELEMENT.

I MET THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.

HE KNEW OF MY FIGHT WITH LISTON,

AND HE HAD SAID TO ME,
UH, YOU KNOW, "FLOYD,

"YOU WANT TO TRY TO KEEP THE
TITLE BECAUSE YOU REPRESENT

SOMETHING GOOD."

FLOYD'S MANAGER WAS CUS D'AMATO,

AND HE DISCOVERED VERY
EARLY THAT FLOYD REALLY HAD

THE QUICK HANDS OF A
COBRA AND THE CHIN OF A POET.

HE DIDN'T WANT HIM
TO FIGHT SONNY LISTON.

DEFINITELY DID NOT WANT
HIM TO FIGHT SONNY LISTON.

FLOYD WAS BAITED INTO THE
FIGHT BECAUSE HE DECIDED

HE WAS DEPUTIZED TO
GET RID OF ALL BULLIES

AND WHATEVER ELSE.

CASSIUS, IN ABOUT
A MONTH FROM NOW,

SONNY LISTON IS GOING
TO BE TRYING TO GET

THE CHAMPIONSHIP
FROM FLOYD PATTERSON.

HOW DO YOU SEE THIS FIGHT?

TRYING TO GET?

SONNY LISTON WILL GET IT.

I SEE SONNY LISTON KNOCKING
FLOYD PATTERSON OUT

WITHIN THE FIRST 5 ROUNDS.

IN MY ESTIMATION,
SONNY LISTON IS

A GREAT AMERICAN HERO.

HE HAD TAKEN ALL THE
WORST FROM EVERYBODY.

HE'S A MAN WHO DOESN'T
KNOW WHEN HE WAS BORN,

DOESN'T, HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP
WHATSOEVER WITH HIS FATHER,

HAD A MOTHER WHO KEPT
ON RUNNING AWAY FROM HIM.

HE WAS A MAN OF
EXTRAORDINARY POWER

AND AN EXTRAORDINARY
FOCUS, WHO TOOK ALL THE BARBS

AND ARROWS THAT
EVERYBODY HAD TO THROW

AND STILL MADE IT.

BOXING IS THAT GUY, LIKE
LISTON, WHO JUST BASICALLY

CLIMBS RIGHT UP OUT OF THE MUD.

THEY SAY, "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?"
HE SAID, "I'M FROM BACK THERE."

YOU KNOW.

THE SON OF AN
ARKANSAS SHARECROPPER

WHO WHIPPED HIM ALMOST DAILY,
CHARLES "SONNY" LISTON WAS

FIRST INTRODUCED TO BOXING
IN 1950 BY A PRISON CHAPLAIN

AT MISSOURI STATE
PENITENTIARY, WHERE HE WAS

SERVING TIME FOR ARMED ROBBERY.

WITHIN 4 WEEKS, NO INMATES,
INCLUDING TRAINED BOXERS,

WOULD GET IN THE RING WITH HIM.

HE WAS PAROLED
IN OCTOBER OF 1952.

A LOCAL MOB BOSS GOT LISTON
A JOB AT AN ORDNANCE PLANT

AND ENTERED HIM IN
AMATEUR TOURNAMENTS.

4 MONTHS LATER, AFTER
CAPTURING THE INTERNATIONAL

GOLDEN GLOVES HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE,

LISTON TURNED PROFESSIONAL.

OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS,
HE WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION

AND AS A CHAUFFEUR
AND SOMETIME ENFORCER

FOR THE UNION BOSSES.

HE WAS HARASSED
CONSTANTLY BY ST. LOUIS POLICE,

WHO PICKED HIM UP
FOR "QUESTIONING"

MORE THAN 100 TIMES.

IN THE RING, SONNY LISTON
WAS NEARLY UNBEATABLE,

USING WHAT ONE REPORTER
CALLED "A PILE DRIVER"

OF A LEFT HAND TO WIN 17 OF
HIS FIRST 18 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS.

AS LISTON CLIMBED THE
RANKS, FRANK CARBO,

A MOB HITMAN WHO BECAME A
POWERFUL BOXING PROMOTER,

TOOK AN INTEREST AND
APPROACHED THE SMALL-TIME MOBSTER

WHO THOUGHT HE OWNED LISTON.

FRANKIE CARBO, WHO'S
RUNNING BOXING SAID,

"HERE'S 75,000.

"YOU NEVER SAW LISTON.

"YOU'RE NEVER
GONNA SEE HIM AGAIN.

FORGET IT. HE'S MY FIGHTER."

HE WAS IN THE HANDS OF THE
MOB, AND THE MOB TREATED HIM

PRETTY WELL.

SONNY WAS ILLITERATE,
BUT BY NO MEANS

WAS SONNY IGNORANT.

I THINK PEOPLE HATED LISTON
BECAUSE HE WAS A BRUTE.

THEY HATED HIM
BECAUSE HE WAS DEADLY

AND HE WAS DANGEROUS.

THEY HATED HIM BECAUSE
OF THE CORRUPT COUNTRY

THEY CREATED.

THAT CORRUPTION CO-OPTED HIM.

THEY HATED HIM BECAUSE
HE WAS ILLITERATE,

BUT THEY DIDN'T TEACH
HIM HOW TO READ AND WRITE.

HE'S HATED BY WHITE
PEOPLE AND BLACK PEOPLE,

AND HE JUST NEVER STOPPED.

HE JUST KEPT RIGHT ON GOING,

AND IF YOU'RE LIKE A BLACK
MAN OR A WOMAN IN AMERICA

AND YOU SEE SOMEBODY
LIKE SONNY LISTON, YOU SAY,

"THAT'S WHAT THEY DO TO US."

BY THE TIME LISTON
CHALLENGED FLOYD PATTERSON

FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT
TITLE IN 1962,

HE HAD 33 WINS AND JUST 1 LOSS.

"PATTERSON WAS
THE MORAL FAVORITE,"

THE WRITER JAMES
BALDWIN OBSERVED.

"PEOPLE FELT LISTON'S
VICTORY WOULD BE A DISASTER."

WEIGHING 214 POUNDS,

FROM PHILADELPHIA,
PENNSYLVANIA, SONNY LISTON.

SONNY LISTON UNDERSTOOD.

"IT'S LIKE A COWBOY
MOVIE," HE SAID.

"THERE'S GOT TO BE GOOD GUYS,

AND THERE'S GOT TO BE BAD GUYS."

SONNY LISTON MOVES OUT TO FACE

THE BIG CHANCE OF HIS 28
YEARS OF A TURBULENT LIFE.

THE LISTON HOOK TO THE
HEAD IS THE FIRST GOOD PUNCH

OF THE FIGHT.

A LEFT TO GRAZING
RIGHT AND A SOLID LEFT

TO THE CHEEKBONE
DROPPED THE CHAMPION.

IT TOOK LISTON JUST 2
MINUTES AND 6 SECONDS

TO BECOME HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT
NOBODY WOULD EVER BEAT

SONNY LISTON AND
THAT HE WOULD BE 107

AND HE WOULD RETIRE AS
THE UNDEFEATED CHAMPION.

BOXING WAS IN THE
WINTER OF ITS DISCONTENT.

RUMORS THAT EVERYTHING'S FIXED.

PARET AGAINST THE
ROPES, ALMOST HELPLESS.

A MINUTE TO GO.

AND THEY'RE GONNA STOP IT.

THEY'RE GONNA STOP
IT AS PARET SAGS...

AND ANOTHER MAJOR
PROBLEM THAT HAD WAS JUST

THE SHEER VIOLENCE OF THE SPORT.

WE'RE MORE CONCERNED

ABOUT THE CONDITION
OF BENNY "KID" PARET.

YOU HAD FIGHTS ON TELEVISION

THAT STARTLED AMERICANS.

YOU KNOW, "DO WE
WANT TO WATCH THIS?

WE'VE GOT TO BAN THIS SPORT."

ON FEBRUARY 4, 1963,
CASSIUS CLAY TRAVELED

TO ALBANY, NEW YORK,
TO APPEAR AS A WITNESS

BEFORE A LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEE CONSIDERING A BILL

THAT WOULD ABOLISH BOXING
IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK

BECAUSE OF ITS BRUTALITY
AND EVER-PRESENT CORRUPTION.

DON'T YOU THINK THAT

THESE PREDICTIONS THAT
YOU'RE MAKING AND THE FACT

THAT THE LAST FEW FIGHTS
HAVE HAPPENED TO END

IN THE EXACT ROUND THAT
YOU STATE HAVE CREATED

A BAD IMAGE TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC OF BOXING?

WELL, NO, IT HAVEN'T.
A FEW PEOPLE...

WELL, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY SAY,

"IT TAKE A CROOK
TO KNOW A CROOK."

NOW, YOU PROVE...

CASSIUS CLAY COMES LIKE
A BREATH OF SPRING AIR.

YES, HE'S OUTRAGEOUS.
YES, HE'S CONCEITED.

YES, HE BOASTS CONSTANTLY,
BUT HE'S EXCITING,

AND HE'S GOOD-LOOKING,
AND HE'S YOUNG.

BY THE WAY, CASSIUS,

I THINK THAT POINT
WAS WELL TAKEN,

AND I THINK THAT MY
COLLEAGUES IN THE LEGISLATURE

GOT A LITTLE FUN OUT
OF IT, BUT GO AHEAD.

I HAVE HAD 11 FIGHTS, 11 OF THEM

I PREDICTED JUST
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

NOW WOULD YOU SAY ALL OF
THESE PEOPLE ARE CROOKS,

ALL OF THE PROMOTERS ARE CROOKS?

- I - ASKED YOU THE QUESTION.

WELL, THAT'S JUST
UP TO YOU TO FIGURE.

I TELL THE PEOPLE
THAT I'M THE GREATEST,

SO IF I SAY HE'S GONNA
FALL IN 5 AND HE FALLS IN 5,

WELL, THAT JUST MAKES
ME THAT MUCH GREATER.

CLAY ALSO PROMISED
THE LEGISLATORS

THAT HE WOULD SELL OUT
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

FOR HIS UPCOMING FIGHT WITH
THE NUMBER-3 RANKED CONTENDER

DOUG JONES, A FEAT NO
EVENT HELD AT THE ARENA

HAD ACHIEVED IN YEARS.

ON THE TRAIN BACK FROM
ALBANY TO NEW YORK CITY,

A REPORTER WARNED CLAY THAT
A MONTHS-LONG PRINTERS STRIKE

THAT HAD SHUTTERED
MOST OF THE CITY'S

MAJOR DAILY NEWSPAPERS
COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT

TO PUBLICIZE THE FIGHT.

CLAY WAS UNDETERRED.

HE BEGAN A RELENTLESS
PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN.

ARE YOU STILL PLUGGING
THE LINE THAT YOU ARE

THE GREATEST HEAVYWEIGHT ALIVE?

I'M THE GREATEST HEAVYWEIGHT
ON TWO FEET TODAY.

I'M THE ONLIEST MAN WHO
CALLS THE EXACT ROUND

IN WHICH MY OPPONENT
WILL FALL MONTHS

BEFORE THE FIGHT.

HE TRADED JOKES
WITH JOHNNY CARSON

ON "THE TONIGHT SHOW,"
READ POETRY AT THE BITTER END,

A COFFEEHOUSE IN
GREENWICH VILLAGE,

AND HELD COURT IN HIS
ROOM AT THE PLYMOUTH HOTEL,

BOASTING THAT DOUG
JONES POSED LITTLE THREAT

AND WOULDN'T KEEP HIM FROM
THE "TOMATO-RED CADILLAC

ELDORADO CONVERTIBLE WITH
WHITE LEATHER UPHOLSTERY"

THAT THE LOUISVILLE SPONSORING
GROUP HAD PROMISED HIM

IN VICTORY.

FLOYD PATTERSON WON
THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPIONSHIP ONE
MONTH BEFORE HE WAS 22

I JUST HAD A BIRTHDAY
JANUARY THE 17th.

AFTER I ANNIHILATE DOUG JONES,

LISTON WILL BE MY MEAT.

♪ O SAY CAN YOU SEE ♪

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
HAD SOLD ITS LAST SEAT

5 DAYS BEFORE.

IT WAS THE ARENA'S
FIRST-EVER ADVANCE SELLOUT.

IT'S STANDING ROOM ONLY

AT MADISON SQUARE
GARDEN IN NEW YORK CITY,

WHERE ONCE AGAIN, THE
FAMOUS LANDMARK HAS BECOME

THE MECCA OF BOXING.

THERE IS ONE YOUNG MAN WHO
HAS MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE.

HE IS A 21-YEAR-OLD HEAVYWEIGHT
FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,

NAMED CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY.

CASSIUS CLAY...

WATCH HIS SPEEDY LEFT HAND.

HE'S GOT A BEAUTY.

STYLES MAKE FIGHTS.

YOU JUST SAW ONE

OF CLAY'S HABITS, PULLING
AWAY FROM PUNCHES

INSTEAD OF TRYING TO SLIP THEM.

DOUG JONES KNEW
HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF CLAY'S LEANING BACK
AND HANDS DROPPED.

2, 2 1/2, AND THERE IT IS.

A GOOD, SOLID PUNCH.

DOUG JONES PUNCHED
WHILE CASSIUS WAS PUNCHING.

IF YOU PUNCH WHILE HE'S
PUNCHING, HE'S NOT ABLE TO

ADJUST TO, LIKE, YOU
KNOW, WHAT'S COMING AT HIM.

CLAY WAS DEFINITELY
SHAKEN UP BY A SHOT

THAT CUT HIM AS HE
WAS BACKING AWAY

FROM A PUNCH INSTEAD
OF TRYING TO SLIP IT.

WHEN A FIGHTER LIKE
CASSIUS GETS HIT WITH SHOTS

THAT GETS HIS
ATTENTION, GUESS WHAT.

HE STARTS FIGHTING WITH
HIS BACK FOOT OUT THE DOOR,

WITHOUT THE CONFIDENCE
THAT HE USUALLY HAS.

AS HE'S GOING BACK, JUST
GOT NAILED BY A RIGHT HAND.

JONES PEPPERED
CLAY WITH PUNCHES,

WHILE WEATHERING
CLAY'S OWN ASSAULT.

15 SECONDS TO GO.

FANS ARE PROBABLY BOOING
ABOUT THE PREDICTION.

WHEN THE BELL RANG
ENDING THE FOURTH ROUND

WITH JONES STILL ON HIS
FEET, THE CROWD JEERED CLAY

FOR FAILING TO
FULFILL HIS PREDICTION.

CASSIUS CLAY PUNCHED
AWAY TO NO EFFECT.

IT'S ROUND 5 AT THE
GARDEN IN NEW YORK.

IF CASSIUS CLAY WAS IN CONTROL,

HE'S DANCING AROUND THE RING.

IF YOU WATCH CLAY,
WHEN HE STOPS DANCING,

HE'S UNCOMFORTABLE,

AND THAT'S WHEN HE'S VULNERABLE.

WE HAVE ONE MINUTE
LEFT IN ROUND 5.

STYLISTICALLY, DOUG
JONES SOLVED CLAY.

BEFORE THE SEVENTH ROUND,
ANGELO DUNDEE WARNED CLAY

THAT HE COULD "KISS
THE CADILLAC GOOD-BYE"

IF HE DIDN'T GET GOING.

OVER THE LAST 3 ROUNDS,
CLAY OUT-PUNCHED JONES

BUT COULD NOT KNOCK HIM OUT.

5 SECONDS.

THE JUDGES WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE.

I DON'T THINK THAT CLAY WAS
PROJECTING BODY LANGUAGE

THAT HE WON THE FIGHT.

HE LOOKED DEJECTED.

DOUG JONES DOMINATES CLAY.

HE OUT-PUNCHED HIM,
HE OUT-HUSTLED HIM,

HE CONTROLLED HIM.

JUST BECAUSE YOU DO
THAT, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE

GOING TO GET THE DECISION

BECAUSE IT'S BUSINESS.

WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION

CASSIUS CLAY.

THERE YOU HAVE IT,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THE CROWD YELLED, "FIX!"

AND HURLED CIGARS AND
PAPER CUPS INTO THE RING.

SOME CLAIMED THAT CLAY'S
FAULTS... HE HAD NO BALANCE,

KEPT HIS HANDS TOO LOW,
HIS PUNCHES LACKED FORCE...

HAD NEVER BEEN MORE APPARENT.

"HE HAS THE STUFF BUT
NEEDS A LOT OF SEASONING,"

FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION GENE TUNNEY SAID.

OTHERS WERE SIMPLY
DISAPPOINTED THAT

THE YOUNG UPSTART
HADN'T BEEN PUT IN HIS PLACE.

CASSIUS CLAY IS MIMICKING SOME

OF THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE BOOING THE DECISION.

I LOVE IT.

YOU LOVE TO BE BOOED?

BOO, YELL, SCREAM,
THROW PEANUTS,

BUT WHATEVER YOU
DO, PAY TO GET IN.

SONNY LISTON HAD BEEN WATCHING
ON CLOSED-CIRCUIT IN MIAMI.

"I'LL GET LOCKED UP FOR
MURDER IF I FIGHT HIM," HE SAID.

DON'T YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT
FOR HIM AT ALL AS A FIGHTER?

AS A FIGHTER?

I THINK HE SHOULD BE LOCKED UP

FOR IMPERSONATING A FIGHTER.

SORE AND EXHAUSTED,
CLAY WAS EAGER TO RELAX

AND FETCH THE TOMATO-RED
CONVERTIBLE THAT AWAITED HIM

AT LOUISVILLE'S STANDARD
CADILLAC COMPANY.

♪ YOU ARE ♪

I'M TELLING YOU. PRETTY, PRETTY.

A MOVIE STAR.

THOUGH HE HAD
STRUGGLED AGAINST JONES,

CLAY HAD MUCH TO CELEBRATE.

HE WAS NOW 18-0 AND STILL

THE NUMBER TWO CONTENDER
BEHIND THE EX-CHAMPION

FLOYD PATTERSON.

THE MEDIA ATTENTION HE
HAD TIRELESSLY COURTED...

GOOD OR BAD... NOW
CAME IN TORRENTS.

I'M THE ONLIEST POET IN
THE FIGHT GAME TODAY,

THE ONLIEST PROPHET.

DON'T BE SURPRISED
OF NOTHING I DO.

I'LL SOON BE IN THE MOVIES.

I CUT RECORDS, I
SING, I CAN FIGHT,

I CAN DO ANYTHING.

THAT'S WHY I SAY I
AM THE GREATEST.

THAT'S THE NAME OF THE
ALBUM, "I AM THE GREATEST!"

THIS IS THE LEGEND
OF CASSIUS CLAY,

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
FIGHTER IN THE WORLD TODAY.

"I'M THE GREATEST. I'M
THE DOUBLE GREATEST.

I WILL BE A CLEAN AND
SPARKLING CHAMPION,"

HE BRAGGED TO TIME
MAGAZINE, WHICH FEATURED HIM

ON ITS COVER.

HE TALKS A GREAT
DEAL AND BRAGS INDEEDY

OF A MUSCULAR PUNCH
THAT'S INCREDIBLY SPEEDY.

ALEX POINSETT OF
"EBONY" MAGAZINE SAW

IN CLAY'S BRAVADO MORE
THAN PLAYFUL BOASTING.

"CASSIUS MARCELLUS
CLAY IS A BLAST FURNACE

OF RACE PRIDE," HE
WROTE, "A PRIDE SCORCHED

WITH MEMORIES OF A
MILLION LITTLE BURNS."

FOR I AM THE MAN
THIS POEM IS ABOUT,

THE NEXT CHAMP OF THE
WORLD, THERE ISN'T A DOUBT.

THIS I PREDICT, AND
I KNOW THE SCORE.

I'LL BE CHAMP OF
THE WORLD IN '64.

IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT
TO USE THAT PLATFORM

REALLY FOR SELF-AFFIRMATION

AND PROMOTE HIMSELF AS A FIGHTER

AND IN HIS OWN WAY
LIFT UP BLACK PEOPLE.

"I AM SOMEBODY, I
AM THE GREATEST."

AND MOST OF ALL, I'M PRETTY.

MOST FIGHTERS ARE UGLY.

WHAT MADE CLAY
APPEALING TO MY GENERATION

WAS THAT HE WAS
YOUNG, HE WAS HUMOROUS,

AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL

FOR A BLACK PUBLIC FIGURE,
PARTICULARLY HUMOROUS

IN THE WAY THAT HE WAS.

HE WASN'T SOME KIND
OF STEPIN FETCHIT CLOWN

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

CLAY REPRESENTED SOMETHING
FOR THE GENERATION I GREW UP IN

THAT WAS DIFFERENT FROM
MY UNCLE'S GENERATION.

THEY WERE WORLD WAR II,

THEY WERE THE
GREATEST GENERATION,

THEIR HEROES WERE JACKIE
ROBINSON, JESSE OWENS,

AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT,

AND CLAY CAME ALONG, AND
HE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

HE WAS FROM MY GENERATION.

WELL LET ME FINISH, LET ME TALK!

THIS BOY'S MODEST.
I'M THE GREATEST.

HE'S NOT A TALKER.

I'M GOING TO FIGHT
SONNY LISTON RIGHT AFTER

I ANNIHILATE HENRY COOPER,

AND AS SOON AS I ANNIHILATE
HENRY COOPER, I WANT

THAT BIG, UGLY BEAR RIGHT IN,
UH... RIGHT HERE ON MIAMI BEACH.

WITH LISTON AND PATTERSON
SLATED FOR A REMATCH

THAT SUMMER, CLAY
SIGNED TO FIGHT ENGLAND'S

HENRY COOPER.

WELL, THERE'S A GUY IN
ENGLAND NAMED HENRY COOPER.

TODAY, HE'S NAMED
SIR HENRY COOPER,

AND WHAT HE WENT THROUGH
WITH HIS HIGH CHEEK BONES

AND BLEEDING, HE
SHOULD BE A SIR.

TREMENDOUS LEFT HOOK
THAT NOBODY APPRECIATED

EXCEPT THE BRITISH.

WELL, HENRY COOPER'S NOT
GOING TO 5 ROUNDS WITH ME.

HE'S NOT GOING 5
ROUNDS WITH YOU?

IF HE GOES OVER
5, I WON'T RETURN

TO MY COUNTRY FOR
90 DAYS. FOR 90 DAYS.

AND IF HE BEATS ME, I'LL RETIRE.

ARRIVING IN LONDON, CLAY HAD

THE OUTFITTERS TO THE
DUKE OF EDINBURGH TAILOR HIM

A RED BROCADE COCKTAIL
JACKET WITH A DRAGON MOTIF

AND BOWLER HAT AND
HIRED A ROLLS-ROYCE

TO TAKE HIM TO PROMOTIONS.

♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪

HE CALLED COOPER A
TRAMP AND A CRIPPLE,

BRAGGED THAT HE HADN'T
EVEN BOTHERED TO TRAIN

AND WOULD STILL WIN IN 5 ROUNDS.

THE BRITISH WERE NOT AMUSED.

AND I IMAGINE THERE
ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE

SITTING AROUND THE
RINGSIDE HERE IN THE OPEN AIR

AT WEMBLEY TONIGHT
WHO MAY WELL THINK

THAT BY COMING INTO THE RING
WITH THAT RIDICULOUS CROWN

ON HIS HEAD MR. CLAY
IS DOING HIS BEST

TO CHEAPEN THE
PROFESSIONAL FIGHT GAME,

AND I MUST SAY I'M INCLINED
TO SHARE THOSE VIEWS MYSELF.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THE MAIN EVENT.

PRESENTING, FROM BELLINGHAM,

THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

OF GREAT BRITAIN

AND THE BRITISH EMPIRE,

HENRY COOPER!

FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY.

THE CROWD ROARED
WHEN COOPER BLOODIED

CLAY'S NOSE IN THE FIRST.

IN THE SECOND, CLAY
OPENED A SMALL CUT ABOVE

COOPER'S LEFT EYE, WHICH
BY ROUND 3 HAD BROKEN OPEN,

SENDING BLOOD FLOWING
OVER COOPER'S FACE.

NOW CLAY IS JUST
JABBING CASUALLY

WITH HIS LEFT HAND.

BUT INSTEAD OF
FINISHING HIM OFF,

CLAY SEEMED TO BE DELIBERATELY
PROLONGING THE FIGHT.

THE BELL HAS SOUNDED,

AND HE'S UP AT ABOUT 3... CLAY.

THAT WAS THE END
OF THE FOURTH ROUND,

AND HE HIT HIM ABOUT TWO SECONDS
BEFORE THE END OF THE ROUND.

HOPING TO REVIVE CLAY,
HIS CORNER MEN BROKE VIALS

OF SMELLING SALTS UNDER HIS NOSE

AND DROPPED ICE
CUBES INTO HIS TRUNKS.

THEY'RE WORKING FURIOUSLY ON HIM

IN THE CORNER, ANGELO
DUNDEE HIS TRAINER.

IT WORKED.

WHEN THE BELL SIGNALED
THE START OF ROUND 5,

CLAY CAME OUT AGGRESSIVELY.

AND NOW ROUND 5 IS THE ROUND

IN WHICH CLAY SAID HE
WOULD BEAT COOPER.

AND NOW COOPER'S LEFT EYE
IS REALLY IN A SHOCKING STATE.

IT REALLY IS NOW.

AND I THINK TOMMY LITTLE
WILL HAVE TO STOP THIS

BECAUSE COOPER'S EYE IS REALLY

IN AN ABSOLUTELY
APPALLING STATE.

AND NOW HE'S STEPPING
IN, AND I THINK THIS IS IT!

THE TOWEL HAS COME IN
FROM COOPER'S CORNER,

AND TOMMY LITTLE'S
LOOKING AT IT,

AND HE'S HAD TO STOP THE FIGHT.

CLAY HAD PREVAILED,

AND HE DID IT IN
THE FIFTH ROUND.

CLAY IS GETTING
BOMBARDED WITH PROGRAMS

FROM ANGRY RINGSIDERS.

I'M ALWAYS BOOED,
EVERYWHERE I GO I'M BOOED.

I LIKE TO BE BOOED.

THAT'S WHY I FIGHT HARD.

AND YOU CAME IN THE RING

WITH A CROWN ON YOUR HEAD.

IS THAT UH...

BECAUSE I AM THE KING.

I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE
A QUEEN OF ENGLAND,

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A KING.

BUT WHAT'S SONNY
LISTON, CASSIUS?

SONNY LISTON,
THAT BIG, UGLY BEAR?

UH, HE WILL FALL IN 8 ROUNDS.

LISTON WILL FALL IN 8 TO
PROVE THAT I AM GREAT.

WAITING FOR CLAY
IN HIS DRESSING ROOM

WAS SONNY LISTON'S
MANAGER JACK NILON.

"WE WANT YOU BAD," HE
TOLD CLAY AND PROMISED HIM

A FIGHT AFTER LISTON'S
REMATCH WITH PATTERSON.

♪

SONNY, WELL, YOU'RE
LOOKING FORWARD,

I KNOW TO YOUR FIGHT
AGAINST PATTERSON.

DO YOU EXPECT THAT FIGHT
TO GO MUCH DIFFERENTLY

THAN IT DID LAST TIME AROUND?

I DON'T THINK SO.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PATTERSON?

CASSIUS IN THE LINE?

YEAH, HE'S RIGHT UP FRONT.

WHAT ABOUT CASSIUS?

WELL, I IMAGINE THAT IF
HE WOULD COME TO ME,

I'D KILL HIM, AND IF HE RUNS,

I'M GONNA CATCH
HIM AND KILL HIM.

♪ WELL, MY BAD LUCK ♪

IN LAS VEGAS, AN
ECLIPSE OF THE SUN IS DUE,

BUT ALMOST NO ONE
ANTICIPATES AN ECLIPSE OF SONNY.

LISTON IS 5-1 ON.

♪ BAD LUCK IS FALLING ♪

♪ FALLING DOWN ♪

LISTON KNOCKED
PATTERSON DOWN 3 TIMES

IN A FIGHT THAT LASTED 2
MINUTES AND 10 SECONDS,

JUST 4 SECONDS LONGER
THAN THEIR FIRST BOUT.

CASSIUS CLAY, IN TOWN FOR
THE FIGHT, HAD NOT MISSED

HIS CHANCE TO NEEDLE THE CHAMP.

SONNY LISTON WAS
A SERIOUS GAMBLER.

CLAY IS FOLLOWING HIM
THROUGH THE CASINO.

"LOOK AT THE BIG,
UGLY BEAR," SAID CLAY.

"HE CAN'T EVEN SHOOT CRAPS."

FURIOUS, LISTON THREATENED
TO RIP CLAY'S TONGUE OUT.

AT THAT MOMENT, LISTON
DISLIKED HIM INTENSELY,

AND CLAY KNEW THAT
HE COULD GET TO LISTON.

MARTIN LUTHER KING
TEACHES NEGROES

TO LOVE ALL WHITE PEOPLE NO
MATTER WHAT THEY DO TO YOU,

AND THE SAME WHITES WHO
HE TEACHES NEGROES TO LOVE

SIC DOGS ON HIM, SIC
DOGS ON THEIR CHILDREN,

DOGS ON THEIR WOMEN,
AND DOGS ON THEIR BABIES.

SO I THINK IT'S VERY
HYPOCRITICAL ON THE PART

OF WHITES WHO ACCUSE
MR. MUHAMMAD OF A HATE TEACHER

BECAUSE HE SAYS
SEPARATION, AND THEN SIC DOGS

ON MARTIN LUTHER KING,
WHO IS TEACHING INTEGRATION.

IT MEANS THAT NO MATTER
WHAT THE NEGRO DOES,

HE IS NOT GOING TO
GET ALONG WITH WHITES,

SO I THINK THAT MR. MUHAMMAD'S
WHOLE PHILOSOPHY IS MORE

INTELLIGENT THAN MR. KING'S.

SINCE RETURNING FROM
FIGHTING HENRY COOPER

IN LONDON, CLAY HAD BEEN
SLIPPING OFF TO NEW YORK

WHENEVER HE COULD,
VISITING TEMPLE NO. 7

AND SPENDING TIME
WITH MALCOLM X.

CLAY FACED MORE
AND MORE QUESTIONS

FROM SPORTSWRITERS DETERMINED
TO FIND OUT IF HE'D OFFICIALLY

JOINED THE NATION OF ISLAM.

THAT SUMMER IN CHICAGO, A
REPORTER HAD TAILED CLAY'S

CADILLAC OUT OF THE ALLEY
BEHIND A MUSLIM SCHOOL

ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

"ARE YOU A BLACK
MUSLIM?" HE YELLED.

"NO," SAID CASSIUS AT FIRST.

THEN, AFTER A PAUSE,
HE ADDED, "I DON'T KNOW.

I'M FOR THE BLACK MUSLIMS."

CLAY'S SPONSORS GREW
WORRIED, AND HE BEGAN TO

QUESTION HIS
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM,

SUGGESTING THAT HE BE PAID MORE.

"I AM MY OWN MASTER," HE
SAID, ECHOING MALCOLM X.

"THERE IS NOBODY
TELLING ME WHAT TO DO."

CONCERNED THAT CLAY WAS
TOO INEXPERIENCED TO BEAT

THE OVERPOWERING SONNY
LISTON, THE LOUISVILLE GROUP

NEVERTHELESS FORGED
AHEAD TO SECURE THE FIGHT

THEY FEARED MIGHT BE HIS LAST.

I WILL BE FIGHTING
SONNY LISTON AS SOON

AS THEY GET MY MONEY RIGHT.

NOT ONLY UNTIL THEN, AND,
UH... BECAUSE THIS WILL BE

THE BIGGEST GATE IN ALL HISTORY,

AND I EXPECT TO BE HALF
RICH AFTER THE FIGHT.

LISTON'S MANAGERS,
EAGER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF CLAY'S CELEBRITY, AGREED
TO A DEAL THAT WOULD GROSS CLAY

NEARLY $1 MILLION, THE
LARGEST PAYDAY EVER

FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT CHALLENGER.

♪ GONNA TELL AUNT
MARY 'BOUT UNCLE JOHN ♪

IN EARLY NOVEMBER, CLAY
LEFT CHICAGO IN AN OLD BUS

HE'D BOUGHT AND
HEADED FOR DENVER,

WHERE CLAY AND LISTON PLANNED
TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE

TO ANNOUNCE THEIR FIGHT.

AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING,
CASSIUS CLAY STEERED HIS BUS

INTO LISTON'S NEIGHBORHOOD
AND LEANED ON THE HORN.

I WOKE HIM UP, AND HE CAME OUT

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IN
HIS UNDERCLOTHES, HIS ROBE,

AND HE HAD A BIG STICK.

AND I SAID "YOU
BIG, UGLY BEAR, YOU.

I'M GONNA SEE YOU
TOMORROW FOR THE SIGNING,

"AND I'M GONNA
KNOCK YOU OUT IN 8,

AND IF YOU WANT TO GO
TO HEAVEN, I'LL GET YOU IN 7."

AND HE GOT MAD AND WE
ARGUED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR,

AND THEN THE POLICEMEN
CAME WITH DOGS.

THE SCENE THAT
WE HAD THAT NIGHT,

IT WOULD HAVE MADE YOU
THINK MARTIN LUTHER KING

WAS DEMONSTRATING.

♪

LATER THAT DAY,
CLAY AND LISTON WENT

BEFORE THE PRESS.

"I'M READY TO GO
TO WAR," CLAY SAID.

LET'S GET IT ON! WANT TO GO NOW?

I'LL WHOOP YOU NOW.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A
GOOD MAN TO WHOOP ME.

YOU CAN LOOK AT ME. I'M
LOADED WITH CONFIDENCE.

I CAN'T BE BEAT.

I HAD 180 AMATEUR FIGHTS,
22 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS,

AND I'M PRETTY AS A GIRL.

THE FIGHT WAS SCHEDULED

FOR FEBRUARY AFTER
HIS 22nd BIRTHDAY.

THOUGH HE NOW COULD NO LONGER
BE THE YOUNGEST CHAMP EVER,

HE WOULD FINALLY GET
HIS SHOT AT THE TITLE.

HERE IS THE EIGHTH ROUND EXACTLY

AS IT WILL HAPPEN.

CLAY COMES OUT TO MEET LISTON,

AND LISTON STARTS TO RETREAT.

IF LISTON GOES BACK
AN INCH FARTHER,

HE'LL END UP IN A RINGSIDE SEAT.

CLAY SWINGS WITH A LEFT.
CLAY SWINGS WITH A RIGHT.

LOOK AT YOUNG
CASSIUS CARRY THE FIGHT.

NOW CLAY LANDS WITH A RIGHT.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SWING,

AND THE PUNCH RAISES THE
BEAR CLEAR OUT OF THE RING.

LISTON IS STILL RISING,

AND THE REF WEARS A FROWN,

FOR HE CAN'T START COUNTING,

TILL SONNY COMES DOWN.

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT
WHEN THEY CAME TO THE FIGHT

THAT THEY'D WITNESS
THE LAUNCHING

OF A HUMAN SATELLITE?

I AM THE GREATEST!

ALMOST NOBODY
GAVE CLAY A CHANCE.

WE ALL THOUGHT HE
WAS TALKING SO MUCH

THAT HE WAS SCARED TO DEATH.

THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY
SAID, "SHUT UP, CLAY.

"YOU'RE JUST SCARED.

YOU'RE JUST SCARED
TO FIGHT THIS MAN."

SONNY LISTON WAS SO FORMIDABLE.

HE JUST DESTROYED PEOPLE.

IT WAS LIKE A BICYCLE
AGAINST A TANK.

IF ANYBODY TELLS YOU
THAT THEY THOUGHT CLAY

WAS GONNA BEAT
LISTON, THEY LYING.

THEY ARE LYING.

WHO'D THIS GUY EVER
FIGHT? WHO, CLAY?

YEAH. HE BOXED LONDON.

LONDON. BOXED WHO?

PETER COOPER... I
MEAN HENRY COOPER.

YOU COULD LICK PETER COOPER.

HE'LL FREEZE UP WHEN
HE GETS IN THE RING.

I'LL GUARANTEE THAT.

WHAT MAKES YOU SO SURE?

LISTON IS TOO POWERFUL.

HE'LL KNOCK HIM OUT
IN THE SECOND ROUND.

OH, YEAH, I ALWAYS PRAY FOR HIM.

I PRAYED FOR HIM DURING
THE... WHAT DO YOU CALL IT...

THE FIGHT OVER IN
ENGLAND, COOPER,

HENRY COOPER FIGHT.

WHEN HE KNOCKED HIM
DOWN, I WAS PRAYING.

IF CASSIUS CLAY WAS CONCERNED,

HE DIDN'T LET ON.

SONNY LISTON MAY HAVE
MORE POWER, CLAY CONCEDED,

BUT HE BELIEVED THAT THE
GREAT ONES... LIKE JOE LOUIS

AND SUGAR RAY ROBINSON...
RELIED ON FOOTWORK, RHYTHM,

AND TIMING, NOT STRENGTH ALONE.

♪ IT'S BEEN A HARD DAY'S NIGHT ♪

♪ AND I'VE BEEN
WORKING LIKE A DOG ♪

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THIS IS CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY.

HE'S YOUNG, HE'S HANDSOME.

THEY KNOW IT.

DANCE FOR THE CROWD. DANCE, BOY.

AHH! THE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU.

AHH!

I'M THE CHAMP.

I'M THE BIGGEST
THING IN HISTORY.

I'M THE KING!

QUEEN... THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND...

THE BEATLES WANT MY AUTOGRAPH.

YES, THEY DO. I'M, THE KING.

KING OF THE RING! AHH!

AS THE FIGHT APPROACHED,
CLAY AND DUNDEE

WATCHED FILMS OF LISTON'S
RECENT FIGHTS, SEARCHING

FOR WAYS TO ELUDE
HIS PISTON-LIKE JAB,

AND FILMS OF SUGAR RAY
ROBINSON, WHO HAD WORN DOWN

MORE POWERFUL OPPONENTS
WITH HIS NONSTOP MOTION.

CLAY ALSO HELD BRUTAL
SPARRING SESSIONS,

PREPARING AS THOUGH
THE FIGHT WOULD GO

ALL 15 ROUNDS.

HE WAS CERTAIN HE
COULD OUTLAST LISTON,

WHOSE FIGHTS HAD RARELY
LASTED MORE THAN A FEW ROUNDS.

I'M TOO FAST. CHAMPION
FROM THE CRIB.

I'M THE KING. KING OF THE RING.

BORN THE CHAMP. BORN
A CHAMP FROM THE CRIB.

AHH!

DREW "BUNDINI" BROWN,
A ONE-TIME MEMBER

OF SUGAR RAY
ROBINSON'S ENTOURAGE,

WAS NOW AT CLAY'S SIDE.

YOU KNOW HOW GREAT I AM.

I DON'T HAVE TO TELL
YOU ABOUT MY STRATEGY.

I'LL LET MY TRAINER TELL YOU.

BUNDINI, COME HERE.
BUNDINI, TELL HIM.

WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?

YOU'RE GONNA FLOAT
LIKE A BUTTERFLY

AND STING LIKE A BEE.

AHH!

RUMBLE YOUNG MAN, RUMBLE.

AHH!

WHEN LISTON ARRIVED
AT THE MIAMI AIRPORT,

CLAY WAS THERE TO GREET HIM.

WELL, JUST TO SHOW
HIM HOW BOLD I AM,

I'M READY TO GO TO
WAR IF NECESSARY.

I'M NOT JIVING.

YOU THINK THAT'S A
GOOD IDEA, CASSIUS?

IT DON'T MAKE ME NO DIFFERENCE.

I MEAN, I'M READY NOW.

I'M TIRED OF WAITING
FOR THIS FIGHT.

I'M NERVOUS. HE'S GOT MY JOB.

I'M THE CHAMP.

AN UNHEARD-OF THING HAPPENED

AT THE MAIN STREET GYM IN MIAMI.

CHALLENGER CASSIUS INVADED
WHILE LISTON WAS TRAINING.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO
LOSE YOUR MONEY,

THEN BE A FOOL AND BET ON SONNY,

BUT IF YOU WANT
TO HAVE A GOOD DAY,

THEN PUT IT ON CLAY.

I ASKED HIM.

I SAID, "ALI, ARE YOU
SCARED OF LISTON?"

"NAW, MAN. I'MMA CHOP HIM DOWN."

HE HAD THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE.

HE SAID, "LISTON'S
GOING IN THE EIGHTH."

"WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT?

THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION,
GOING IN THE EIGHTH?"

JABBING AND LEFT HOOKING,

JABBING AND LEFT HOOKING.

YEAH, I'M A PRETTY FIGHTER...

WHEN YOU KNOW WHO
YOU ARE, IT REMOVES FEAR,

AND WHEN YOU BELIEVE
THAT YOU'RE SERVING GOD,

THE TRUE AND THE LIVING
GOD, ONCE YOU BELIEVE THAT,

YOU DON'T FEAR NOTHING.

SEE, AND THAT'S
THE WAY HE BECAME.

WHEN HE WASN'T TRAINING
FOR SONNY LISTON,

CLAY SPENT WHATEVER TIME
HE COULD WITH MALCOLM X,

WHO HAD BROUGHT HIS FAMILY
TO MIAMI AT CLAY'S EXPENSE

FOR A RARE VACATION.

MEANWHILE, ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
SAW NO REASON TO IDENTIFY

HIS MOVEMENT WITH CASSIUS CLAY.

BOXING WAS A "VERY
WICKED SPORT," HE SAID,

AND CLAY WAS A
LOUDMOUTH, SURE TO LOSE.

HE ORDERED HIS NEWSPAPER
"MUHAMMAD SPEAKS"

NOT TO COVER THE COMING FIGHT.

MALCOLM X HAD A DIFFERENT VIEW.

THE CONTEST WOULD PIT
ISLAM AGAINST CHRISTIANITY,

HE SAID, AND CLAY... AND ISLAM...
WOULD EMERGE VICTORIOUS,

BUT MALCOLM'S DESIRE
TO SEE CLAY SUCCEED

HAD ANOTHER DIMENSION.

BACK IN LATE NOVEMBER,
AFTER MALCOLM HAD SAID

THAT THE ASSASSINATION OF
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY

HAD BEEN A CASE OF "CHICKENS
COMING HOME TO ROOST,"

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD HAD CENSURED

HIS CONTROVERSIAL MINISTER,

ORDERING MALCOLM TO
REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING

PUBLICLY OR PREACHING

AT MOSQUE NO. 7 FOR 90 DAYS.

I'VE BEEN IN SILENCE
FOR THE PAST 90 DAYS

BECAUSE OF SOME
STATEMENTS I MADE

CONCERNING THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES,

WHICH WERE DISTORTED.

THEY WERE DISTORTED? YES.

WHAT DID YOU SAY, MALCOLM?

WELL, I SAID THE SAME
THING THAT EVERYBODY SAYS,

THAT HIS ASSASSINATION
WAS THE RESULT

OF THE CLIMATE OF HATE.

ONLY I SAID, "THE CHICKENS
CAME HOME TO ROOST,"

WHICH MEANS THE SAME THING.

THE REBUKE HAD SHAKEN MALCOLM X.

HE HAD APOLOGIZED INSTANTLY
AND BEGUN TRYING TO GET BACK

INTO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S
GOOD GRACES.

IF HE COULD DELIVER THE
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

OF THE WORLD INTO THE FOLD,
PERHAPS ELIJAH MUHAMMAD

WOULD FORGIVE HIM,

BUT EVEN BEFORE THE SUSPENSION,
LONG-STANDING DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN THE LEADER OF THE
NATION OF ISLAM AND MALCOLM X

HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO
THREATEN HIS POSITION IN THE SECT.

MALCOLM, HE HAD
POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS.

HE THOUGHT THAT THE
NATION OF ISLAM SHOULD BE

MORE ACTIVE IN
THE POLITICAL ARENA.

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAY,

AND THAT CAUSED FRICTION.

MALCOLM HAD ALSO
BECOME DISILLUSIONED

WITH WHAT HE VIEWED AS
MORALLY INDEFENSIBLE BEHAVIOR

BY ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
INCLUDING FINANCIAL CORRUPTION

AND IMPREGNATING AT
LEAST 7 OF HIS SECRETARIES.

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S LIEUTENANTS,

WARY OF MALCOLM'S RISING
PUBLIC STATURE AND DETERMINED

TO GUARD THEIR LEADER'S EXALTED
STATUS AMONG HIS DISCIPLES,

WERE PLOTTING MALCOLM'S
PERMANENT EXPULSION

FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM.

A MONTH BEFORE
HIS BOUT WITH LISTON,

CLAY HAD ADDRESSED
1,200 MUSLIMS GATHERED

AT A BALLROOM IN HARLEM.

"I AM A RACE MAN," HE
SAID TO LOUD APPLAUSE,

"AND EVERY TIME I GO TO A
MUSLIM MEETING, I GET INSPIRED."

CASSIUS CLAY SR. COMPLAINED
THAT THE MUSLIMS HAD BEEN

BRAINWASHING HIS SON,

AND WHEN THE FIGHTER WAS
SEEN IN MIAMI WITH MALCOLM X,

IT SEEMED TO CONFIRM THE
RUMORS THAT CASSIUS CLAY

HAD JOINED THE NATION OF ISLAM.

ON FEBRUARY 22, 1964, 3
DAYS BEFORE THE FIGHT,

WITH TICKET SALES WELL
BELOW EXPECTATIONS,

THE PROMOTER BILL MacDONALD,
WHO'D PUT UP HIS OWN MONEY

TO STAGE THE BOUT, VISITED CLAY

AND WARNED HIM THAT THE
FIGHT WOULD BE CALLED OFF

IF HE DIDN'T DISAVOW
ANY ASSOCIATION

WITH THE NATION OF ISLAM.

CLAY REFUSED.

"MY RELIGION'S MORE
IMPORTANT TO ME

THAN THE FIGHT,"
HE TOLD MacDONALD.

FINALLY SOMEBODY GOES
TO MALCOLM AND SAYS,

"LOOK, YOUR PRESENCE HERE
IS JEOPARDIZING THIS FIGHT.

"IT'S GOING TO BE CALLED OFF.

WILL YOU LEAVE?"

AND MALCOLM SAYS, "I'LL
LEAVE, I'LL LEAVE FOR NOW,

BUT I'M COMING
BACK FOR THE FIGHT."

AND THEY SAY, "FINE."

SO NOW MALCOLM LEAVES,
HE GOES BACK UP TO NEW YORK,

THE FIGHT'S ON.

I'M A CHAMP!

I'M THE REAL CHAMP!

ON THE MORNING OF
THE FIGHT, CASSIUS CLAY

ARRIVED AT THE MIAMI
CONVENTION CENTER WEARING

A BLUE DENIM JACKET WITH
THE WORDS "BEAR HUNTIN'"

EMBROIDERED ON THE BACK.

WHERE IS HE AT?

I'M THE KING OF THE RING!

I'M THE BIGGEST
THING IN HISTORY!

HE WAS FLANKED BY
HIS BROTHER RUDY,

SUGAR RAY ROBINSON,
ANGELO DUNDEE,

WILLIAM FAVERSHAM OF
HIS LOUISVILLE SPONSORS,

AND BUNDINI BROWN.

YOU TELL JOE LOUIS AND
SONNY LISTON THAT I'M

HERE WITH SUGAR RAY!

JOE LOUIS IS FLATFOOTED,

AND SONNY LISTON IS FLATFOOTED!

SUGAR RAY AND I ARE
TWO PRETTY DANCERS!

WE CAN'T BE BEAT!

AN HOUR LATER, CLAY EMERGED
FROM HIS DRESSING ROOM

AND HEADED FOR THE WEIGH-IN.

♪

I PREDICT THAT TONIGHT
SOMEBODY WILL DIE

AT RINGSIDE FROM SHOCK.

I NEVER SAW ANYTHING
LIKE IT IN MY LIFE

AT A WEIGH-IN.

I MEAN, I SAW GUYS
STARE EACH OTHER DOWN.

THIS IS TOTALLY
DIFFERENT. HE'S NUTS.

IF HE'S PUTTING ON AN ACT,
HE SHOULD BE ON BROADWAY.

EXCEPT HE WAS PUTTING ON AN ACT.

NOW LISTON COMES OUT.

LISTON LOOKS AT HIM
AND SAYS, "SHUT UP."

SEEMINGLY UNPERTURBED
BY CLAY'S HOWLING,

LISTON POINTED OUT
THE ROUND HE EXPECTED

THE FIGHT TO END.

LET'S SEE THIS.

YOU AIN'T GOT A CHANCE.

LET US SEE, LET US SEE!

AIN'T NO WAY YOU CAN
TAKE ME, AND YOU KNOW IT!

THE FINE IS $2,500

FOR HIS CONDUCT ON THE PLATFORM.

AND ADDING TO THE SCENE THE
FRIGGIN' COMMISSION DOCTOR

SAYS, "I JUST TOOK
HIS BLOOD PRESSURE.

"IT'S TWICE WHAT IT SHOULD
BE FOR A HEALTHY MAN,

"NORMAL MAN.

HIS HEART LOOKS LIKE
IT'S GONNA EXPLODE."

THE DOCTOR WHO TOOK
THE READING WORRIED

THAT CLAY WAS GRIPPED
BY WHAT HE CALLED

"MORTAL FEAR" AND
WONDERED IF IT WAS EVEN SAFE

FOR HIM TO FIGHT,

BUT AN HOUR LATER WHEN
CLAY'S OWN DOCTOR TESTED

HIM AGAIN, EVERYTHING
HAD RETURNED TO NORMAL.

CLAY WENT HOME AND TOOK A NAP.

MY RADIO'S ON, AND
THE NEWS COMES ON.

THERE'S A BULLETIN.
CASSIUS CLAY WAS SPOTTED

AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT BUYING A TICKET

FOR A FOREIGN COUNTRY.

THE RUMOR THROUGH
THE PRESS ROW WAS THAT

HE WAS AT THE AIRPORT,
THAT HE HAD RUN AWAY,

THAT HE WAS NOT IN THE BUILDING,

AND OTHER REPORTERS,
THEY WERE FILING THIS

AND SPREADING THIS, AND I
KIND OF WANDERED AROUND,

AND I SAW HIM WATCHING
HIS KID BROTHER RUDY

HAVE HIS FIRST FIGHT.

KEEP MOVING AND JAB!

GOOD GOING, RUDY.

WATCH HIM! HOOK HIM!

HE'S STANDING IN THE AISLE,

AND HE'S GIVING IN... HE'S GONNA
FIGHT FOR THE WORLD TITLE.

HE'S GIVING INSTRUCTIONS
TO HIS BROTHER

IN A 4-ROUND FIGHT.

THIS GUY SEEMS TO
HAVE FOOLED ALL OF US.

HE'S TIRED. TIE
HIM UP! TIE HIM UP!

BUT BACK IN HIS DRESSING ROOM,

THINGS GREW TENSE.

CLAY FIDGETED NERVOUSLY.

HIS DOCTOR FERDIE
PACHECO NOTICED HE WAS

UNCHARACTERISTICALLY ANXIOUS.

NOW HE GETS
WORRIED, HE'S PARANOID.

HIS BROTHERS IN
THE NATION HAD SAID,

"BE AWARE OF THE WHITE DEVIL.

"THEY'RE GOING TO DO
SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU LOSE.

"THE MONEY IS BET
ON SONNY LISTON.

"THE MOB'S INVOLVED
WITH THIS SPORT.

BE AWARE."

THEN HE SEES A WATER
BOTTLE, AND HE THINKS,

"THERE COULD BE
SOMETHING IN THAT WATER."

SO HE DUMPS THE WATER OUT.

THEN HE FILLS IT UP AGAIN.

THEN HE TAPES THE TOP
OF THE WATER BOTTLE,

AND HE GIVES IT TO HIS
BROTHER, AND HE SAYS,

"YOU WATCH OVER THIS."

LATER, MALCOLM X
JOINED CASSIUS AND RUDY

AS THEY FACED EAST,
BOWED, AND PRAYED TO ALLAH.

♪

LISTON IN THE FOURTH
ROUND BECAUSE

I REALLY THINK LISTON IS
GOING TO SHOW THAT MAN

HIS MOUTHPIECE AIN'T VALUABLE.

FIGHTS ARE ALWAYS WON WITH FISTS

AND NOT WITH MOUTH TALK.

I PICK LISTON TO WIN
BY THE FIFTH ROUND.

THIRD ROUND. FIFTH ROUND.

I EXPECT IN ABOUT TWO ROUNDS.

AT 10 P.M., THE FIGHTERS
ENTERED THE ARENA.

CLAY WAS AN 8-TO-1 UNDERDOG.

THIS BOUT, 15 ROUNDS,

FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD.

WHEN THE TWO MEN MET IN THE RING

JUST BEFORE THE FIGHT BEGAN
FOR THE RING INSTRUCTIONS,

I WAS STRUCK BY HOW MUCH
BIGGER CASSIUS CLAY WAS

THAN SONNY LISTON.

HE WAS TALLER, HE WAS BROAD.

WAS NOT QUITE AS THICK,

BUT THIS IS NOT DAVID
AND GOLIATH BY ANY MEANS.

BREAK, STOP PUNCHING,
AND STEP BACK.

GOOD LUCK.

SHAKE HANDS.

CASSIUS CLAY

ON THE MOVE AS WE SEE,

LOOKING TO GET SONNY TO LUNGE.

CARRYING HIS LEFT
HAND DANGEROUSLY LOW.

LISTON HAD A JAB THAT
COULD KNOCK YOU OUT.

JAB, JAB, AND WHEN THAT
RIGHT HAND CAME IN, IT WAS OVER.

I THINK HE HAD
EXPECTED TO DO THAT.

IT BECOMES THE BULL
AND THE MATADOR.

CLAY IS BOOM, BOOM,

AND LISTON IS SHOCKED.

WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH ROUND ONE.

CASSIUS HAS THE
MASK OF CONFIDENCE.

"I MAY BE RETREATING
BUT YOU'RE CHASING ME,

AND I'M SETTING TRAPS FOR YOU."

THE RIGHT HAND, THE BEST PUNCH

OF THE FIGHT SO FAR.

"YOU FOLLOW ME AROUND
EVERYWHERE YOU GO,

I'LL SLAP YOU AGAIN."

SONNY HAD NEVER
SEEN THAT BEFORE.

HE WASN'T PREPARED FOR IT.

WE'RE DOWN TO THE CLOSING SECOND

OF THIS FIRST ROUND,
AND THE LONG LEFT LEAD

IS MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
SO FAR BY MR. CLAY.

HE'S THROWING HIS SHOTS
WITH HIS HANDS DOWN.

YOU DON'T THROW THOSE
KIND OF SHOTS UNLESS YOU

TRUST YOUR TALENT.

THE REFEREE DID
NOT STOP THAT ROUND

WHEN THAT BELL SOUNDED.

PERHAPS THE
REFEREE DIDN'T HEAR IT.

INTO THE CORNER IS CASSIUS
CLAY, WHO IS STILL DOING

THE TALKING.

CHAMPION JOE LOUIS.

WELL, STEVE, I THINK THIS
WAS THE GREATEST ROUND

OF ANY A FIGHT WE'VE
SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

I HOPE THAT CLAY DON'T
GET TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE,

OR HE GONNA GET KNOCKED OUT.

THIS YOUNGSTER
HAS HIS OWN STYLE,

AND IT'S CONFUSING FOR
THE CHAMPION TO FATHOM

THIS EARLY IN THE FIGHT.

WHEN CLAY CAME OUT IN THE THIRD,

HE'S SHOOTING JABS THAT
WERE LIKE RAZORBLADES.

WOBBLED! SONNY WOBBLED!

CASSIUS HAS HIM HURT!

SONNY'S ESSENTIALLY
TAMED BY THIS POINT.

HE VERBALLY CHALLENGES
THE CHAMPION.

NOBODY BELIEVED THIS GUY
COULD DO THIS TO LISTON,

AND HE DOMINATES THE ROUND.

THERE WAS NO QUESTION
CLAY TOOK CONTROL

OF THE FIGHT VERY QUICKLY.

HE HIT LISTON AT WILL,
OPENED A CUT UNDER HIS EYE.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN
34 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS

THAT SONNY LISTON HAD BEEN CUT.

THE CHAMPION IS STRONG, DURABLE,

TAKES THE GOOD SHOT.

HOWEVER, HE IS BEING
OUTMANEUVERED AT MOST POINTS

BECAUSE THIS FELLOW HAS
THAT AWKWARDLY FAST STYLE

OF GOING SIDE TO SIDE,
MOVING THE UPPER PART

OF HIS BODY.

HALF A MINUTE MORE
IN ROUND NUMBER 4.

DURING THE FOURTH ROUND,

SOMETHING GETS IN CLAY'S EYES.

AND WE CAN START
TO SEE HIM BLINKING.

AT ONE POINT THAT LISTON
RUBS HIS GLOVES IN A CLINCH

ACROSS CLAY'S EYES.

MY GUESS IS THAT'S
WHERE SOMETHING GOT

IN CLAY'S EYES.

AT THE END OF THE FOURTH ROUND,
CLAY GOES BACK TO HIS CORNER,

AND BY NOW HE'S IN PAIN.

HE CAN'T SEE,

AND HE SAYS TO
ANGELO, "CUT THEM OFF.

CUT THE GLOVES OFF.
I'M DONE. I CAN'T FIGHT."

THE CROWD IS GOING BATSHIT.

THE OTHER CORNER SENSES BLOOD,

AND DUNDEE DOES THE BEST
HE CAN TO WIPE HIS EYES CLEAN,

AND HE BASICALLY PUSHES
HIM BACK INTO THE FIGHT.

THEY'RE YELLING FROM
CASSIUS CLAY'S CORNER

SOMETHING GOT IN HIS RIGHT EYE.

HOWEVER, HE'S BLINKING BADLY.

AND IT IS QUITE
POSSIBLE THAT THIS WAS

A DELIBERATE ACT ON BY
LISTON AND THE LISTON CORNER

TO PUT WHAT'S CALLED LINIMENT
ON THE GLOVES, WHICH EVENTUALLY

ARE GONNA GET IN
THE OTHER GUY'S EYES.

AND THE CHORUS FROM
CLAY'S CORNER WAS

STAY THE HELL AWAY,
STAY THE HELL AWAY.

STAY THE HELL AWAY.

WHEN THAT HAPPENED,
WHEN I LAST SAW HIM BLIND

LIKE THAT, I SAID,
"THEY DONE GOT TO US."

SONNY'S GONNA
TRY TO PULL IT OFF.

"THEY DONE GOT TO US."

CASSIUS STILL HAVING
SOME PROBLEMS

WITH HIS... WITH HIS EYES.

HE'S BLINKING, AND HE'S BOUNCING

AWAY CONTINUALLY.

CLAY SOMEHOW
SURVIVED THE FIFTH ROUND.

IN ROUND 6, HIS EYES CLEAR,

CLAY STOOD FLATFOOTED
AND LAUNCHED JABS

AT LISTON'S HEAD, SWELLING
THE CHAMP'S CHEEKS,

AND DRAWING MORE
BLOOD FROM THE CUT

BENEATH HIS LEFT EYE.

EASY TARGET. EASY.

IF A FIGHTER ESCAPES
GETTING THAT DONE TO HIM,

THE AMOUNT OF VENOM THAT
THE FIGHTER'S GONNA IMPRESS

TO HIS OPPONENT IS INCREASED,
LIKE, PROFOUNDLY, MAN.

I'M TRYING TO HURT
YOU WORSE BECAUSE

YOU TRIED TO CHEAT ME.

SONNY CAN'T SEEM TO
SLIP OR KNOCK DOWN

THAT JAB EFFECTIVELY.

CASSIUS THROWS
IT FROM ALL ANGLES.

THE CROWD'S NOW
CHEERING THE CHALLENGER.

LET'S GET OVER TO OUR
CHAMPION JOE LOUIS.

JOE, WHAT DO YOU
THINK IS GOING ON

IN SONNY'S MIND AT THIS POINT?

WELL, I THINK SONNY NOW'S
BEGINNING TO WORRY NOW.

AT LEAST HIS CORNER IS
BEGINNING TO WORRY NOW BECAUSE...

AS CLAY AWAITED
THE BELL SIGNALING

THE START OF ROUND 7, HE
TURNED TO THE REPORTERS

SEATED BESIDE THE RING.

"I'M GONNA UPSET THE
WORLD!" HE YELLED AT THEM.

IN LISTON'S CORNER,
TRAINERS MASSAGED

THE CHAMP'S MUSCLES AND
RUBBED VASELINE ON HIS BROW.

OH, I THINK THE CORNER
MEN ARE BEGINNING TO

WORRY A LITTLE BIT NOW.

LISTON NOW I THINK HE
DON'T SEE TOO WELL OUT

OF BOTH HIS EYES NOW
THEY MAY WELL PUCK OUT.

AFTER ONE TRAINER
PUT IN HIS MOUTHPIECE,

LISTON SPIT IT OUT.

THEY MIGHT BE STOPPING IT.

THAT MIGHT BE ALL,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

HE WAS FINISHED.

CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY JR.

WAS NOW THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

I MUST BE THE GREATEST!

I AM THE KING OF THE
WORLD! I'M A BAD MAN!

HE HAD LINIMENT ON HIS HANDS,
HE HAD LINIMENT IN HIS GLOVES.

MY WHOLE FACE WAS BURNING.

I AM THE GREATEST!

ALL I GOT TO SAY
IS I BEAT LISTON LIKE

HE WAS AN AMATEUR.

I HELD MY HANDS
LOW, I LEANED BACK,

I'M STILL PRETTY.

HE WAS THE ONE ALL CUT
UP. I SHOOK UP THE WORLD.

NOW WHAT ARE YOU ALL GOING
TO SAY ABOUT THAT NOW, HUH?

AFTER THE FIGHT,
SONNY LISTON WAS TAKEN

TO THE HOSPITAL.

"THAT WASN'T THE GUY I
WAS SUPPOSED TO FIGHT,"

HE MUTTERED.

"THAT GUY COULD HIT."

BACK TO THE MICROPHONE, CASSIUS,

TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.

ALL YOU REPORTERS...
ALL OF YOU REPORTERS

MADE IT HARD ON LISTON.

NEVER WRITE ABOUT ME LIKE THAT.

NEVER MAKE ME 6-1.

IT JUST MAKE ME ANGRY.

NEVER MAKE ME NO
UNDERDOG AND NEVER TALK

ABOUT WHO'S GONNA STOP ME.

AIN'T NOBODY GONNA STOP ME!

NOT A HEAVYWEIGHT IN THE
WORLD FAST ENOUGH TO STOP ME!

OH, I'M SO PRETTY. I
SHOOK UP THE WORLD.

NOW I'M THROUGH TALKING.

I'M THROUGH TALKING.

NOW YOU WRITE... YOU
WRITE THE RESULTS.

I LIKE CLAY'S STYLE.

I LIKE THAT OLD 1-2-3, 3-4-5.

LET'S GET TOGETHER
GET SOME OLD... WIDE.

HE'S THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL!

HE'S THE GREATEST!

FLY LIKE A BUTTERFLY,
STING LIKE A BEE.

CASSIUS CLAY!

3, 2, 1!

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION CASSIUS CLAY

IN PERSON.

I'M THE GREATEST
THING IN THE WORLD.

YOU THE GREATEST, BABY.

I'M A BAD MAN. I'M A BAD MAN.

YOU THE GREATEST!

I DIDN'T STOP HIM.

I SENT HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.

I GOT TO BE BAD!
I GOT TO BE BAD!

OH! IT FEELS SO GOOD
TO BE ABLE TO HOLLER

WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE BAD.

UNPREPARED FOR CLAY'S VICTORY,

THE LOUISVILLE SPONSORING
GROUP RUSHED TO ARRANGE

A CELEBRATION IN MIAMI BEACH,

BUT CASSIUS CLAY
HAD OTHER PLANS.

AFTER MIDNIGHT, HE
HEADED TO THE CAFÉ

OF THE ALL-BLACK HAMPTON HOUSE,
WHERE HE ATE VANILLA ICE CREAM.

LATER, CLAY, MALCOLM X,
FOOTBALL STAR JIM BROWN,

AND SINGER SAM COOKE
TALKED LONG INTO THE NIGHT

ABOUT THE 22-YEAR-OLD
BOXER'S FUTURE.

FROM NOW ON, EVERYTHING
WOULD BE DIFFERENT.

HE HAD SCALED
BOXING'S HIGHEST PEAK,

WOULD NO LONGER NEED TO
CAMPAIGN FOR A SHOT AT THE TITLE

OR CONCEAL HIS MUSLIM FAITH.

♪

NEXT MORNING, HE'S MORE SUBDUED.

HE'S THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
HAVE BEEN ACCORDED HIM.

BECAUSE I'M THE WORLD
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION NOW,

I DON'T HAVE TO HOLLER AND
BRAG AS LOUD AS I USED TO.

I'M WHERE I WANT TO BE NOW.

SO ALL I HAVE TO DO IS
LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE

TELL ME ABOUT HOW GREAT I AM.

I'M THROUGH TALKING.

HE ALSO MAKES A REALLY
IMPORTANT DECLARATION.

I DON'T HAVE TO BE
WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE.

I'M FREE TO BE WHAT I
WANT TO BE AND THINK WHAT I

WANT TO THINK.

BOOM.

MUHAMMAD ALI IS BORN.

♪ FREEDOM, FREEDOM
I CAN'T MOVE ♪

♪ FREEDOM, CUT
ME LOOSE, HEY, HEY ♪

♪ FREEDOM, FREEDOM,
WHERE ARE YOU? ♪

♪ 'CAUSE I NEED FREEDOM, TOO ♪

♪ I'LL BREAK CHAINS
ALL BY MYSELF ♪

♪ WON'T LET MY
FREEDOM ROT IN HELL ♪

♪ HEY, I'MMA KEEP-A RUNNING ♪

♪ 'CAUSE A WINNER DON'T
QUIT ON THEMSELVES ♪

♪ I'MMA WADE, I'MMA WAVE
THROUGH THE WATERS ♪

♪ TILL THE TIDE DON'T MOVE ♪

♪ I'MMA RIOT, I'MMA RIOT
THROUGH YOUR BORDERS ♪

♪ CALL ME BULLETPROOF ♪

♪ LORD, FORGIVE ME,
I'VE BEEN RUNNIN' ♪

♪ RUNNIN' BLIND IN TRUTH ♪

♪ I'MMA WADE, I'MMA WAVE
THROUGH YOUR SHALLOW LOVE ♪

♪ TELL THE DEEP I'M NEW ♪

♪

♪

♪ OW, OW, OW ♪

♪ OW, OW, OW ♪

♪ OW, OW, OW ♪

♪

♪ OH, AH ♪

HEY!

♪ OH, AH ♪

HEY!

♪ OH, AH ♪

HEY!

♪ OH, AH ♪

HEY!

♪ OH, AH ♪

HEY!

♪ OH, AH ♪

HEY!

♪ OH, AH ♪

HEY!

♪ OH, AH ♪

HEY!

YOU GONNA FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY

AND STING LIKE A BEE.

AHH!

RUMBLE, YOUNG MAN, RUMBLE.

AHH!

NOW BATTING, NUMBER 9,

TED WILLIAMS.

CAN LOOKING BACK
PUSH US FORWARD?

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
MISS BILLIE HOLIDAY.

WILL OUR VOICE BE
HEARD THROUGH TIME?

CAN OUR PAST INSPIRE OUR FUTURE?

MASSIVE ACT OF CONCERN.

BANK OF AMERICA PROUDLY SUPPORTS

KEN BURNS

AND THE STORIES FROM OUR
PAST THAT HELP US MOVE FORWARD.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "MUHAMMAD ALI"

DAVID M. RUBENSTEIN,

INVESTING IN PEOPLE
AND INSTITUTIONS

THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND THE
PAST AND PREPARE US FOR THE FUTURE;

BY THE ARTHUR VINING
DAVIS FOUNDATIONS,

INVESTING IN OUR COMMON FUTURE;

BY THE BETTER ANGELS
SOCIETY AND ITS MEMBERS

ALAN AND MARCIA DOCTER,

MR. AND MRS. PAUL TUDOR JONES,

THE FULLERTON FAMILY
CHARITABLE FUND,

GILCHRIST AND AMY BERG;

THE BROOKE BROWN
BARZUN FOUNDATION,

OWSLEY BROWN III FOUNDATION.

AND AUGUSTA BROWN
HOLLAND FOUNDATION,

PERRY AND DONNA GOLKIN,

JOHN AND LESLIE McQUOWN,

JOHN AND CATHERINE DEBS,

FRED AND DONNA SEIGEL,

SUSAN AND JOHN WIELAND,

AND BY THESE
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS.

MAJOR FUNDING WAS ALSO PROVIDED

BY THE CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS

TO YOUR PBS STATION
FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.