Muhammad Ali (2021): Season 1, Episode 2 - Round Two: What's My Name? (1964-1970) - full transcript
Muhammad Ali: Round Two: What's My Name? (1964-1970)
MALCOLM X, WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF CASSIUS' VICTORY IN MIAMI?
I THINK IT WAS A GREAT VICTORY.
HE PROVED HE WAS THE BEST MAN.
AND DO YOU THINK
THAT CASSIUS' BEING
A BLACK MUSLIM HAS HAD
ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS VICTORY?
WELL, I HAVEN'T HEARD HIM
SAY HE WAS A BLACK MUSLIM.
HE'S A CLEAN-LIVING YOUNG MAN,
AND THIS IS THE MAIN THING THAT
THE HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
DOES TEACH IN SPREADING THE
RELIGION OF ISLAM THROUGHOUT THE...
AMONG OUR PEOPLE
IN THIS COUNTRY.
MR. X, HOW LONG HAS
CASSIUS BEEN A BLACK MUSLIM?
DO YOU KNOW THAT?
UH, WELL I DON'T KNOW.
CASSIUS IS PROBABLY...
PROBABLY MORE CAPABLE
OF SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF
THAN ANY OTHER
MAN IN THIS COUNTRY.
♪
ON THE MORNING
OF FEBRUARY 26, 1964,
CASSIUS CLAY RETURNED TO
THE MIAMI BEACH
CONVENTION CENTER,
WHERE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT
HE HAD BEATEN SONNY LISTON
TO CLAIM THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.
HE WAS JUST 22 YEARS OLD.
CLAY GAVE A VERY
GENTLEMANLY INTERVIEW.
"I DON'T HAVE TO BE
WILD AND CRAZY ANYMORE.
I CAN BE A NICE GENTLEMAN,"
AND ALL THE OLDER
REPORTERS LEFT VERY SATISFIED.
THE YOUNGER REPORTERS,
WE STAYED TALKING TO HIM.
"WHAT'S THIS ABOUT YOU
AND THE BLACK MUSLIMS?"
AND SUDDENLY HE SAID, "RED
BIRDS STAY WITH RED BIRDS,
"AND BLUE BIRDS WITH BLUE BIRDS.
"YOU STAY WITH PEOPLE
OF YOUR OWN KIND.
THAT'S NATURE."
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, ALL RIGHT?
AND THAT REALLY SOUNDED
LIKE AN ATHLETIC DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE, SOMETHING
THAT WE HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE
IN ANY SPORT,
AND IT WAS A REALLY A
VERY POWERFUL MOMENT,
AND THEN HE WENT ON.
I WASN'T FORCING MYSELF
IN NO NEIGHBORHOODS
I'M NOT WANTED.
I WASN'T BUSTING DOWN NO
SCHOOLS AND SHAMING AMERICA.
I WASN'T DOING NOTHING.
I WAS JUST AROUND
COLORED PEOPLE,
AND NOW I'M CATCHING MORE
HELL THAN ALL THE PEOPLE
WHO'S RAISING HELL.
I LIKE EVERYBODY, BUT ONE
NEGRO COMING TO SCHOOL
AND THE POLICE FORCE IS
OUT THERE AND THE MAYOR
AND THE GOVERNOR AND
THE FIREMEN WITH THE HOSES
AND RACE RIOTS
AND WHOOPING THEM.
DO YOU THINK IT'S AWFUL?
YES, AWFUL. THAT'S
WHY I'M NOT AROUND IT.
I MIGHT GET KILLED.
THE NEXT DAY, HE
TOLD A REPORTER,
"MY RELIGION IS ISLAM.
"I BELIEVE ALLAH IS GOD.
"I THINK THIS IS THE TRUE
WAY TO SAVE THE WORLD,
WHICH IS ON FIRE WITH HATE."
HE'S 22 YEARS OLD,
AND HE'S STANDING UP TO
THE WHOLE ESTABLISHMENT.
"I AM THE WORLD CHAMPION.
"I HAVE CHANGED MY RELIGION,
AND YOU'RE SIMPLY GOING
TO HAVE TO ACCEPT IT."
HIS JOINING A FAITH COMMUNITY,
WHICH IS IN ESSENCE WHAT HE DID,
IT WASN'T ACCEPTED.
IT WAS SEEN MORE AS
SOMETHING POLITICAL
BECAUSE OF THE
RACIAL ASPECT OF IT.
IT WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO
MANY, MANY, WHITE PEOPLE,
OF THE TIME.
HE WAS VILIFIED,
AND IT WAS THOUGHT
THAT IT WAS, UM...
HE WAS UN-AMERICAN.
THAT WAS THE BIG THING.
HE WAS UN-AMERICAN.
♪
DEMONSTRATIONS OF ALL TYPES
ARE PROHIBITED.
CURFEW AT 9 PM.
GUARDSMEN USED
TEARGAS TO BREAK UP
ANOTHER NEGRO PROTEST.
IN THE 4 YEARS IT HAD
TAKEN CASSIUS CLAY
TO RISE FROM LITTLE-KNOWN
OLYMPIC HOPEFUL
TO HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF
THE WORLD, AFRICAN-AMERICANS
HAD WAGED A NON-VIOLENT
CAMPAIGN FOR INTEGRATION,
ORGANIZING FREEDOM RIDES,
CHALLENGING THE UNLAWFUL
SEGREGATION OF SCHOOLS,
AND STAGING A
MASSIVE DEMONSTRATION
ON THE MALL IN WASHINGTON D.C.
THERE WILL BE NEITHER REST
NOR TRANQUILITY IN AMERICA
UNTIL THE NEGRO IS GRANTED
HIS CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS.
♪
THEY WERE MET BY A WHITE AMERICA
VIOLENTLY DETERMINED TO
MAINTAIN THE RACIAL STATUS QUO.
2-4-6-8, WE DON'T
WANT TO INTEGRATE.
THE WINNER BY A TKO
IN THE SEVENTH
ROUND CASSIUS CLAY!
CLAY THRILLED
THOSE WHO IDENTIFIED
WITH HIS STRONG
SENSE OF RACIAL PRIDE,
BUT MANY OTHERS
WERE ANGERED BY WHAT
THEY REGARDED AS
HIS LACK OF HUMILITY,
HIS REFUSAL TO ABIDE
BY THE OLD SOCIAL ORDER,
AND HIS ASSOCIATION
WITH THE NATION OF ISLAM,
WHICH PREACHED THE
SEPARATION OF THE RACES.
TO THEM, CASSIUS CLAY WAS
UNGRATEFUL AND OFFENSIVE
AND A THREAT THAT
NEEDED TO BE STOPPED.
♪
I WAS AS A CHILD
AFRAID OF CASSIUS CLAY
BECAUSE HE CALLED
UP VIOLENT EMOTIONS
IN BLACK MEN SPECIFICALLY
IN THE COMMUNITY.
I LIVED IN WATTS AT THE TIME,
AND WHAT I SAW IN HIM
WAS SOMETHING THAT
COULD CAUSE ANYTHING TO HAPPEN,
AND IT WAS TRUE
OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.
CERTAINLY EVERYBODY
WAS AFRAID OF MALCOLM X
BECAUSE HE SAID,
"THEY'RE STEALING FROM US.
"THEY ROBBING FROM
US. THEY HATE US.
THEY KILL US."
WE ALL KNEW IT, BUT
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE SAYING THAT,
AND YOU COULD SEE IT
RESONATING IN PEOPLE,
THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE
LIVING IN THAT 500 YEARS
OF OPPRESSION.
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS A
SPARK, AND I WAS STANDING
IN A FIELD OF GASOLINE
AND THINKING, "OH, NO."
I DON'T... I'M GONNA
BE IN TROUBLE.
ON FEBRUARY 26, 1964,
AT AN ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
IN CHICAGO, THE NATION
OF ISLAM'S HEAD MINISTER
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
PRAISED CASSIUS CLAY
FOR DEFEATING SONNY LISTON.
HE WAS ABLE BY CONFESSING
ALLAH IS GOD AND
MUHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER.
THAT HE WHIPPED A MUCH
TOUGHER MAN THAN HE.
THE ENEMY WANTED HIM
TO COME OUT ALL BLASTED.
YES, SIR! YES, SIR!
THEY HAD SAID THAT
HE WOULD... HEH HEH...
LISTON WOULD TEAR UP
THAT PRETTY FACE OF YOURS...
BUT ALLAH AND
MYSELF SAID NO, NO.
THOUGH ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD HAD ALWAYS
CONDEMNED SPORTS AS
FRIVOLOUS ENTERTAINMENT,
HE NOW ORDERED THE EDITOR
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM'S
NEWSPAPER "MUHAMMAD
SPEAKS" TO ADD 4 ADDITIONAL PAGES
DEDICATED TO THE NEW CHAMPION.
"MUHAMMAD SPEAKS."
WHAT'S UP, MY BROTHER?
SUDDENLY ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
HAS TO THINK ABOUT THIS GUY
A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY
BECAUSE HAD HE
LOST TO SONNY LISTON,
AS EVERYONE EXPECTED,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD COULD'VE
BRUSHED HIM UNDER THE RUG,
BUT NOW HE'S THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD,
AND SUDDENLY ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD REALIZES THAT
THIS COULD BE AN ASSET.
THIS COULD HELP
HIM WITH RECRUITING,
THAT MAYBE HE SHOULDN'T
BE SO FAST TO DISMISS THIS KID.
ON MARCH 1, CASSIUS CLAY DROVE
TO NEW YORK, WHERE HE
CHECKED INTO THE HOTEL THERESA
IN HARLEM, AND
REUNITED WITH MALCOLM X,
THE MUSLIM MINISTER WHO HAD
BECOME HIS SPIRITUAL ADVISOR
AND CLOSE FRIEND.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD HAD
SUSPENDED MALCOLM
FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM,
AND WITH LITTLE CHANCE
OF BEING REINSTATED, HE HAD
QUIETLY BEGUN MAKING PLANS
TO FORM HIS OWN
MOVEMENT, ONE THAT HE HOPED
WOULD INCLUDE CASSIUS CLAY.
THAT EVENING, THE TWO MEN
JOINED A CROWD OF 500 PEOPLE
AT THE TRANS-LUX
THEATRE IN MIDTOWN
FOR A SCREENING OF
CLAY'S FIGHT WITH LISTON.
IN THE MORNING, MALCOLM
TOOK CASSIUS TO THE OFFICES
OF THE "AMSTERDAM NEWS,"
WHERE THE BOXER TOLD REPORTERS
THAT HE HAD RENOUNCED
THE NAME CLAY,
WHICH THE NATION OF ISLAM
CONSIDERED A "SLAVE NAME,"
AND WOULD NOW GO BY CASSIUS X.
HERE'S MY BUDDY.
ON MARCH 5, THEY VISITED
THE UNITED NATIONS.
"I'M CHAMPION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD," CASSIUS TOLD
DELEGATES FROM AFRICA AND ASIA,
WHO EAGERLY OFFERED TO
HOST HIM IN THEIR COUNTRIES.
THE BOXER ALSO ANNOUNCED
THAT HE INTENDED TO MOVE
TO NEW YORK.
WELL, YES, I'M LOOK...
SCOUTING NOW,
AND SOME HOME ON
THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN
I'LL SOON BE PICKING.
IS THIS THE REASON FOR YOUR...
THIS PARTICULAR
TRIP TO NEW YORK?
WELL, YES, I HAVE
ENTERPRISE SET UP HERE.
I'M INCORPORATED NOW,
AND I HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS
TO ATTEND TO.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS
THE CENTER OF THE WORLD.
A WHOLE LOT IS GOING ON HERE.
IN CHICAGO, ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD FUMED.
HE ORDERED CLAY TO STOP
SEEING MALCOLM IMMEDIATELY.
THE NEXT DAY, ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD MADE A MOVE
INTENDED TO SECURE
THE BOXER'S ALLEGIANCE
AND PERMANENTLY
MARGINALIZE MALCOLM X.
"THIS CLAY NAME HAS
NO DIVINE MEANING,"
HE DECLARED IN A RADIO ADDRESS.
"I HOPE HE WILL
ACCEPT BEING CALLED
"BY ANOTHER NAME.
"MUHAMMAD ALI IS
WHAT I WILL GIVE TO HIM
AS LONG AS HE BELIEVES
IN ALLAH AND FOLLOWS ME."
FOR ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
IT WAS A BRILLIANT STROKE
BECAUSE IT PULLED MUHAMMAD
ALI TOWARD ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AT A TIME WHEN HE
COULD'VE GONE EITHER WAY.
HE COULD'VE GONE TOWARD MALCOLM.
HE COULD'VE SPLIT FROM
THE NATION OF ISLAM,
BUT ELIJAH MUHAMMAD, BY
GRANTING ALI THIS HONOR,
THIS SPECIAL NAME WAS
SAYING, "YOU'RE MY SON.
YOU ARE, SPECIAL TO ME," AND
THAT CEMENTED THEIR BOND.
MEANWHILE, MALCOLM
TRIED REPEATEDLY TO REACH
THE BOXER BY PHONE
AT THE HOTEL THERESA,
BUT EACH CALL WAS ANSWERED
BY ONE OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S MEN.
THEY REFUSED TO LET
MALCOLM SPEAK TO HIS FRIEND.
WHY DO YOU INSIST
ON BEING CALLED
MUHAMMAD ALI NOW?
THAT'S THE NAME GIVEN
TO ME BY MY LEADER
AND TEACHER, THE
HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
THAT'S MY ORIGINAL NAME,
THAT'S A BLACK MAN NAME.
CASSIUS CLAY WAS MY SLAVE NAME.
I'M NO LONGER A SLAVE.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
MUHAMMAD MEANS
"WORTHY OF ALL PRAISES,"
AND ALI MEANS "MOST HIGH."
DO YOU INTEND TO
FIGHT UNDER THAT NAME?
YES, SIR. I WANT TO BE
CALLED BY THAT NAME,
I WRITE AUTOGRAPHS
WITH THAT NAME.
I WANT TO BE KNOWN ALL
OVER THE WORLD AS THAT NAME,
ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT
ASIA AND AFRICA
BECAUSE THAT'S THE NAMES
OF OUR PEOPLE OVER HOME.
MALCOLM X, YOU'VE
BEEN VERY CLOSE
TO THE NEW HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION CASSIUS CLAY.
DO YOU EXPECT THAT HE MIGHT
LEAVE THE NATION OF ISLAM WITH YOU?
NO. AS I STATED EARLIER TODAY,
IT'S NOT MY INTENTION TO
ENCOURAGE ANY MUSLIM
WHO FOLLOWS THE
HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
TO LEAVE HIM.
IN FACT, IT'S MY INTENTION
TO ENCOURAGE ALL MUSLIMS
TO REMAIN UNDER THE
SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
OF THE HONORABLE
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
THAT INCLUDES CASSIUS CLAY.
HAVING WON
MUHAMMAD ALI'S LOYALTY,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD CUT
OFF MALCOLM X ENTIRELY,
FORCING HIM AND HIS
FAMILY FROM THE HOME
THE NATION OF
ISLAM HAD PROVIDED.
FOLLOWED EVERYWHERE BY
MEMBERS OF THE FRUIT OF ISLAM,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S
SECURITY FORCE,
MALCOLM X PUBLICLY
QUIT THE SECT.
HE REMAINED A MUSLIM
BUT WOULD CREATE
HIS OWN MOVEMENT
COMMITTED TO REACHING
ALL AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
IN THE MONTHS AHEAD,
MALCOLM WOULD MAKE
A PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA THAT
WOULD RESHAPE HIS ATTITUDES
TOWARD ISLAM.
HE WAS WILLING NOW TO COOPERATE
WITH NON-VIOLENT
CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS,
AND HE WOULD LIVE EACH
DAY UNDER THE THREAT
OF VIOLENCE FROM
THE NATION OF ISLAM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT
YOU'RE HEADED FOR CHICAGO
LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON TO
MEET WITH ELIJAH MUHAMMAD?
YES, SIR. HAVING
DINNER WITH HIM.
UH-HUH. ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS
IS YOUR FRIENDSHIP
WITH MALCOLM X
FOR YOU JOINING THE
BLACK MUSLIMS, WASN'T IT?
NO, I WAS A MUSLIM 4 YEARS
BEFORE I MET MALCOLM X.
OH, REALLY?
HE'S A FRIEND OF YOURS
NOW THOUGH, ISN'T HE?
MM-HMM. YES. HE'S
A BROTHER OF MINE.
HE'S MY BROTHER. WHATEVER
HE DO, HE'S MY BROTHER.
UH-HUH. NOW THAT HE'S SPLIT
AWAY FROM THE MUSLIMS...
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT SPLITTING.
I'LL HAVE TO SEE A HIGHER
AUTHORITY ON THAT.
THAT'S ONE OF MY MAIN
REASONS FOR GOING
IS TO FIND OUT THE REAL STORY.
I DON'T BELIEVE NOTHING
THE PRESS AND PEOPLE WRITE.
AT HIS CHICAGO MANSION,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
LECTURED ALI AND HIS
BROTHER RUDY ON ALLAH,
DISCUSSED THE BOXER'S
FUTURE, AND PROMISED
TO FIND HIM A MUSLIM
WOMAN TO MARRY.
HE ALSO INTRODUCED ALI TO
HIS SON HERBERT, THE OWNER
OF A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO AND
EDITOR OF "MUHAMMAD SPEAKS."
IN TIME, ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AND HIS SON WOULD CONTROL
NEARLY EVERY
ASPECT OF ALI'S LIFE.
BACK IN NEW YORK,
THE NEW CHAMPION
WAS BESIEGED BY REPORTERS,
MOST OF WHOM FORGOT...
OR DECLINED... TO CALL
HIM BY HIS NEW NAME.
CASSIUS, WHEN THE FIGHT WAS
OVER, YOU RAISED YOUR HANDS...
ATTENDING A FIGHT AT
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN,
HE INSISTED ON BEING
INTRODUCED AS MUHAMMAD ALI.
THE BOUT'S PROMOTERS REFUSED.
"I PITY CLAY AND ABHOR
WHAT HE REPRESENTS,"
WROTE THE VETERAN
SPORTSWRITER JIMMY CANNON.
HE ACCUSED THE
BOXER OF USING HIS FAITH
AS A "WEAPON OF WICKEDNESS
IN AN ATTACK ON THE SPIRIT."
MARTIN LUTHER KING
JR. CHARGED THAT ALI
HAD BECOME "A CHAMPION
OF RACIAL SEGREGATION."
FORMER CHAMPION FLOYD
PATTERSON, A CATHOLIC,
COMPARED THE NATION OF
ISLAM TO THE KU KLUX KLAN
AND OFFERED TO FIGHT
FOR FREE IN ORDER TO WREST
THE TITLE FROM CLAY
AND THE BLACK MUSLIMS.
WELL, I MADE, THE
CHALLENGE TO CASSIUS CLAY
BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THE
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
BELONGS TO ALL AMERICANS,
AND IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF,
ALL AMERICANS
SHOULD BE PROUD OF.
I ALSO FEEL THAT IT SHOULD NOT
BE IN THE HANDS OF ONE GROUP
OF PEOPLE, AND
THAT'S THE MUSLIMS.
BEFORE HE LEFT TOWN,
ALI LEARNED THAT, DUE
TO HIS LOW SCORE
ON AN APTITUDE TEST
HE WAS UNQUALIFIED
TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY.
MADE IT FRONT PAGE NEWS.
"I JUST SAID I WAS THE
GREATEST," ALI SAID.
"I NEVER SAID I
WAS THE SMARTEST."
IN MAY, ALI BEGAN
A MONTH-LONG TOUR
OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
IN ACCRA, THE CAPITAL OF
GHANA, THOUSANDS GATHERED
AT THE AIRPORT TO CATCH
A GLIMPSE OF THE WORLD'S
NEW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
OUTSIDE HIS HOTEL, ALI
HEARD A FAMILIAR VOICE.
"BROTHER MUHAMMAD,"
CALLED MALCOLM X, WHO WAS
ON HIS OWN OVERSEAS TOUR.
HE GREETED ALI ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
"I STILL LOVE YOU,"
HE TOLD THE BOXER.
"YOU LEFT THE HONORABLE
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD," ALI SAID.
"THAT WAS THE
WRONG THING TO DO."
THERE WAS LITTLE ELSE TO SAY.
MALCOLM WALKED AWAY.
ALI MET WITH GHANAIAN
PRESIDENT KWAME NKRUMAH,
SPARRED WITH HIS BROTHER
RUDY, NOW KNOWN AS RAHMAN,
BEFORE THOUSANDS AT
A LOCAL SPORTS STADIUM,
AND TOOK EVERY OPPORTUNITY
TO ENGAGE THE ADMIRERS
WHO TURNED UP
EVERYWHERE ALI WENT.
HE ALSO SPOKE OUT
AGAINST INTEGRATION
IN AMERICA, ADVOCATING
FOR A SEPARATE STATE
FOR BLACK PEOPLE,
AND DISMISSED THE
SWEEPING CIVIL RIGHTS BILL
UNDER CONSIDERATION
IN THE U.S. CONGRESS
AS "COUNTERFEIT MONEY."
LATER, HE VISITED
NIGERIA AND EGYPT,
WHERE HE AND
HERBERT MUHAMMAD MET
WITH PRESIDENT GAMAL
ABDEL NASSER AND PRAYED
WITH 1,500 WORSHIPPERS AT
CAIRO'S AL-HUSSEIN MOSQUE.
THE DEEP AFFECTION
AFRICANS SHOWERED ON ALI
DURING HIS 5-WEEK TRIP SHOWED
THAT HIS SUCCESS IN THE RING
AND OUTSPOKENNESS BEYOND IT
HAD WON HIM AN ENORMOUS FOLLOWING
WELL BEYOND THE UNITED STATES.
WELL, REMEMBER THAT THE
AFRICAN CONTINENT ITSELF
WAS IN THE THROWS OF
LIBERATION, YOU KNOW,
FROM COLONIAL STATUS.
IT WAS LIBERATION TIME,
AND MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
A FIGURE OF LIBERATION.
BEFORE LEAVING
AFRICA, ALI RECEIVED
A CABLE FROM HIS FORMER
FRIEND AND MENTOR.
"BECAUSE A BILLION OF
OUR PEOPLE IN AFRICA, ASIA,
"AND ARABIA LOVE YOU
BLINDLY, YOU MUST NOW BE
FOREVER AWARE OF YOUR
TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY TO THEM,"
MALCOLM X WROTE.
"YOU MUST NEVER DO OR SAY
ANYTHING THAT WILL PERMIT
"YOUR ENEMIES TO DISTORT
THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGE YOU HAVE
HERE AMONG OUR PEOPLE."
I FRANKLY BELIEVE
THAT CASSIUS IS
IN A BETTER POSITION THAN
ANYONE ELSE TO RESTORE
THE UH, UH... A SENSE
OF RACIAL PRIDE
TO NOT ONLY OUR
PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY
BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD,
AND HE IS TRYING HIS
BEST TO LIVE A CLEAN LIFE
AND PROJECT A CLEAN
IMAGE, BUT DESPITE THIS,
YOU FIND THE PRESS IS
CONSTANTLY TRYING TO PAINT HIM
AS SOMETHING OTHER
THAN WHAT HE ACTUALLY IS.
HE DOESN'T SMOKE,
HE DOESN'T DRINK.
IN FACT, IF HE WAS WHITE, THEY
WOULD BE REFERRING TO HIM
AS THE ALL-AMERICAN BOY.
♪ DON'T WANT MY MAMMY ♪
♪ I DON'T NEED A FRIEND ♪
♪ MY HEART IS BROKEN,
IT WON'T EVER MEND ♪
♪ I AIN'T MUCH CARING
JUST WHERE I WILL END ♪
♪ I MUST HAVE THAT MAN ♪
REMEMBER, FROM 12 YEARS
OLD, HE'S THIS BOXER IN TRAINING,
AND I SUSPECT THAT UNTIL
HE MARRIED HIS FIRST WIFE
HE HAD NOT HAD A LOT
OF SEXUAL ADVENTURES.
ONE AFTERNOON IN
THE SUMMER OF 1964,
WHILE MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
STAYING AT THE ROBERTS MOTEL
IN CHICAGO, HERBERT
MUHAMMAD STOPPED BY
FOR A VISIT.
HE WAS NOT ALONE.
SONJI ROI WAS A 27-YEAR-OLD
COCKTAIL WAITRESS
AND SOMETIME FASHION MODEL
WHO HAD POSED FOR HERBERT
AT HIS SOUTH SIDE
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO.
ALI LEAPT UP.
"I SWEAR TO GOD,
HERBERT," HE EXCLAIMED,
"I WAS LYING ACROSS THE BED
PRAYING TO ALLAH FOR A WIFE,
AND HERE SHE COMES
THROUGH THE DOOR."
THAT EVENING, THE TWO
WENT FOR ICE CREAM,
THEN DINNER, AND
FINALLY RETURNED
TO SONJI'S APARTMENT,
WHERE THEY SPENT THE NIGHT.
HERBERT HAD NOT MEANT
FOR ALI TO FALL IN LOVE
WITH SONJI, A NON-MUSLIM,
BUT THE TWO BECAME
INSTANTLY INSEPARABLE.
JUST 6 WEEKS AFTER
MEETING, THEY WERE MARRIED
IN GARY, INDIANA, BY A
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY INFATUATED.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY
TIMES I WAS TALKING TO HIM
AND YOU WOULD
HEAR THIS LITTLE VOICE
AT THE HOTEL DOOR SAYING, "ALI,"
AND HE WOULD, "I'LL
TALK TO YOU GUYS LATER."
ON THEIR FIRST
TRIP TO LOUISVILLE,
ALI'S PARENTS QUICKLY TOOK
TO SONJI, WHO HELPED ODESSA
PREPARE FRIED CHICKEN,
PORED OVER ALI'S SCRAPBOOKS,
AND BURST INTO LAUGHTER
WHEN ODESSA CALLED
HER SON BY AN OLD
NICKNAME, "TINKY BABY."
FOR CASSIUS SR. AND ODESSA,
UNABLE TO ABIDE THEIR
SON'S RELIGIOUS CONVERSION
AND WORRIED THAT
THE NATION OF ISLAM
WOULD TAKE HIS BOXING
EARNINGS, SONJI OFFERED HOPE
THAT ALI'S DEVOTION
TO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
WOULD BE SHORT-LIVED.
HIS PARENTS WERE NOT
ALONE IN THEIR CONCERN.
EVER SINCE ALI HAD PUBLICLY
CONFIRMED HIS MEMBERSHIP
IN THE NATION OF ISLAM,
THE WEALTHY
LOUISVILLE BUSINESSMEN
WHO MANAGED HIS
CAREER HAD STRUGGLED
TO ADJUST TO THEIR
BOXER'S NEW FAITH.
I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT
IT HAS COST CASSIUS
A GREAT DEAL OF OUTSIDE MONEY.
BY OUTSIDE, I MEAN OF
COURSE OUTSIDE THE RING.
MEMBERS OF THE LOUISVILLE
SPONSORING GROUP TOLD HIM
RIGHT AWAY "THIS
IS CAREER SUICIDE.
"WE HAVE BUSINESS
DEALS ON OUR DESK.
COCA-COLA WANTS YOU TO DO ADS,"
AND IN FACT, THOSE
CONTRACTS ALL GO AWAY.
HE SAYS HE DOESN'T CARE.
HE'S DOING WHAT HE BELIEVES IN.
WOULD YOU CARE
TO MAKE AN ESTIMATE
OF HOW MUCH MONEY YOU
THINK IT MIGHT HAVE COST HIM?
WELL, UH, MY OWN
PERSONAL OPINION
IS THAT WE COULD
HAVE MADE FOR HIM...
AFTER TAXES... AND THAT'S
IMPORTANT AS YOU KNOW, HARRY...
I BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE
MADE HIM $1.5 MILLION.
AND THIS HE HAS SACRIFICED?
AND THIS, I'M AFRAID, HE
HAS SACRIFICED SO FAR.
DOES IT NOT ALSO EMBARRASS
THE KENTUCKY BUSINESSMEN?
AFTER ALL, HERE YOU'VE GOT A
GROUP OF KENTUCKY CHRISTIANS
WITH A MUSLIM MOUTHPIECE.
WELL, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT
IT'S BEEN THAT EMBARRASSING.
NATURALLY, IT'S BEEN STARTLING.
BUT, UH, IN THE FIRST PLACE,
MOST OF US FEEL
THAT A MAN HAS A RIGHT
TO HIS OWN RELIGION,
TO HIS OWN FAITH,
AND SECOND PLACE... AND I
HAVE REPEATED THIS MANY TIMES...
IF THE BLACK
MUSLIMS MEAN HATRED,
THEN CASSIUS WILL NEVER
BE A TRUE BLACK MUSLIM
BECAUSE HE HAS NO
HATRED FOR ANYBODY
IN HIS SOUL OR IN HIS MIND.
HE IS A VERY CLEAN,
FINE, NICE YOUNG MAN.
UNTIL THEIR CONTRACT
EXPIRED IN 1966,
IT REMAINED THE LOUISVILLE
GROUP'S JOB TO ARRANGE
ALI'S FIGHTS, A TASK COMPLICATED
BY SOME BOXING OFFICIALS
TROUBLED BY ALI'S ASSOCIATION
WITH THE NATION OF ISLAM.
"CLAY'S CONDUCT," THE PRESIDENT
OF THE WORLD BOXING
ASSOCIATION SAID,
"HAS BEEN UNBECOMING
OF A CHAMPION."
WHEN ALI'S SPONSORS
ANNOUNCED A NOVEMBER REMATCH
WITH SONNY LISTON
IN BOSTON, THE W.B.A.
REFUSED TO SANCTION THE BOUT
AND THEN STRIPPED
ALI OF THEIR TITLE.
DO YOU THINK YOU'RE
BEING PERSECUTED
FOR SOME REASON?
IF I'M CONDEMNED
FOR BEING A MUSLIM,
YOU CONDEMNING ME BECAUSE
YOU HATE TO SEE A BLACK MAN
STAND ON HIS OWN TWO FEET.
YOU TELLING THE BLACK WORLD
THAT YOU NEVER WANT TO SEE
A BLACK MAN INDEPENDENT,
AND THIS IS ALL YOU'RE
DOING, AND JUST ONE...
THIS ONLY MAKES ME BIGGER.
PROMOTERS WENT AHEAD WITH PLANS
FOR THE FIGHT ANYWAY.
OTHER BOXING ORGANIZATIONS
AND MOST SPORTSWRITERS
AND FANS STILL RECOGNIZED HIM
AS THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
ALI RETURNED TO MIAMI TO TRAIN.
SINCE HIS FIRST FIGHT
WITH LISTON IN FEBRUARY,
ALI HAD GROWN
HALF AN INCH TO 6'3"
AND ADDED TWO
INCHES TO HIS BICEPS
AND ONE INCH TO HIS FOREARMS.
"I'M SO BEAUTIFUL,"
ALI DECLARED,
"I SHOULD BE CHISELED IN GOLD."
THIS WILL BE THE
GREATEST PREDICTION
IN THE HISTORY OF ALL BOXING.
I'VE NEVER BEEN WRONG.
TO ALL OF MIAMI,
CHANNEL 4 MADE ME GREAT.
THAT'S WHY I'LL
STOP LISTON IN 8.
HOW WE GONNA GET
HIM? GONNA DANCE.
FLOAT LIKE A
BUTTERFLY... BUTTERFLY...
AND STING LIKE A BEE. AHH!
RUMBLE, YOUNG MAN RUMBLE! AHH!
SONNY LISTON,
DETERMINED TO AVENGE
HIS EARLIER LOSS, TRAINED
FURIOUSLY FOR THE REMATCH.
HE SWORE OFF ALCOHOL,
RAN IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST
OF HIS DENVER HOME,
AND TOOK INSTRUCTION
IN MARTIAL ARTS.
BY NOVEMBER, HE
WAS 10 POUNDS LIGHTER
THAN HE HAD BEEN IN MIAMI.
3 DAYS BEFORE THE FIGHT
AT THE BOSTON GARDEN,
ALI AND HIS ENTOURAGE HAD DINNER
IN HIS SUITE AT THE
SHERRY BILTMORE HOTEL.
SOON, ALI BEGAN TO COMPLAIN
OF PAIN IN HIS STOMACH.
AND HE SAID "GET ME...
GET ME TO A DOCTOR."
SO AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW,
AS I SAY, WE WAS HATED.
I THOUGHT SOMEBODY
HAD POISONED HIM.
HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION CASSIUS CLAY IS
AT THIS MOMENT UNDERGOING
AN EMERGENCY OPERATION
FOR AN INCARCERATED HERNIA
AT BOSTON CITY HOSPITAL.
CLAY WAS RUSHED TO THE
HOSPITAL EARLY TONIGHT.
THE OPERATION WAS A SUCCESS,
BUT IT WOULD BE 3
MONTHS BEFORE ALI COULD
RESUME HEAVY TRAINING.
THE FIGHT WAS POSTPONED.
MR. CLAY, YOU LET US
KNOW IF YOU GET TIRED, OK?
SONNY LISTON HAD GOTTEN
INTO THE BEST SHAPE
OF HIS LIFE.
"THAT DAMNED FOOL," HE
SAID WHEN HE HEARD THE NEWS.
THEN HE MIXED
HIMSELF A SCREWDRIVER.
MALCOLM, A STORY UNDER
THE BYLINE OF AUBREY BARNETT
IN A CURRENT ISSUE
OF A NATIONAL MAGAZINE
SAYS THAT THE BLACK
MUSLIMS ARE A FRAUD.
WHAT IS YOUR COMMENT ON THIS?
WELL, UH, AUBREY BARNETT IS A
VERY INTELLIGENT, UH, PERSON,
AND HE HAS A FINE
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND,
AND I THINK THAT THE STORY
IN ITSELF WAS VERY ANALYTICAL,
AND IT WAS OBJECTIVE,
AND IT WAS TRUE.
HE SAYS THEY'RE ANOTHER
LITTLE MONEY-GRABBING SCHEME,
FEEDING ON NEGRO FRUSTRATIONS.
IS THIS TRUE?
WELL, IF IT IS... AND IT IS...
THAT'S WHAT IT HAS
DETERIORATED TO.
UH, YOU STILL CAN'T,
UH, BLAME THE NEGRO,
AND YOU CAN'T
BLAME THE MOVEMENT.
YOU HAVE TO BLAME
THE SOCIETY THAT LETS
SUCH FRUSTRATIONS
DEVELOP UNTIL, UH, THIS IS
THE RESULT OF IT.
ON FEBRUARY 21, 1965,
WHILE ADDRESSING
A CROWD AT THE AUDUBON
BALLROOM IN MANHATTAN,
MALCOLM X WAS SHOT DEAD.
AT 3:21 P.M., NEW YORK TIME,
8:21 IN THE EVENING OVER HERE,
MALCOLM X ROSE TO SPEAK
TO HIS FOLLOWERS IN HARLEM.
ONE MINUTE LATER, HE WAS
SHOT DOWN BY 10 BULLETS.
18 MINUTES LATER, HE WAS DEAD.
THOUGH IT WAS UNCLEAR WHO
ORDERED THE ASSASSINATION,
ALL 3 OF THE GUNMEN WHO
WERE ARRESTED WERE MEMBERS
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM.
THE WAY I SEE IT MALCOLM IS
THE VICTIM OF HIS OWN PREACHING.
HE PREACHED VIOLENCE,
AND SO HE BECOME
THE VICTIM OF IT.
MR. MEL FISHER HERE
FROM UNITED PRESS.
MRS. MALCOLM X, YOUR HUSBAND
HAD A GREAT MANY FOLLOWERS.
WHAT WILL BE THEIR
REACTION TO WHAT
HAS HAPPENED TO HIM?
NEXT QUESTION.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THE POLICE
NOW HAVE IN THEIR CUSTODY
THE MAN OR MEN WHO ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH
OF, UH, YOUR HUSBAND?
THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL,
MUHAMMAD ALI BOXED
IN AN EXHIBITION MATCH
AT A NATION OF ISLAM
EVENT IN CHICAGO.
MALCOLM X AND ANYBODY
ELSE WHO ATTACKS OR TALKS
ABOUT ATTACKING ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD WILL DIE.
NO MAN CAN OPPOSE THE
MESSENGER OF ALMIGHTY GOD
VERBALLY OR PHYSICALLY
AND GET AWAY WITH IT.
♪
IN MAY OF 1965, MUHAMMAD ALI
AND HIS ENTOURAGE
RETURNED TO MASSACHUSETTS,
WHERE HE CONTINUED TRAINING
FOR HIS REMATCH WITH SONNY LISTON.
I'M GONNA RUN
THE BEAR UP A TREE.
IT'S UP TO YOU TO GET
HIM OUT OF THE TREE.
JUST POINT HIM OUT.
I'LL SHOW HIM TO YOU.
BUT LESS THAN 3
WEEKS BEFORE THE BOUT,
BOSTON'S DISTRICT
ATTORNEY, CONCERNED
ABOUT THE PROMOTERS' MOB
TIES, SUED TO STOP THE FIGHT.
BEFORE A JUDGE COULD
RULE, A PAWNSHOP OWNER
AND SOMETIME BOXING
PROMOTER IN LEWISTON, MAINE,
OFFERED THE TOWN'S HOCKEY RINK.
THE MATCH IS SET
FOR THE ARENA THAT IS
THE HOME ICE OF THE FLYING
DOM'S CYO HOCKEY TEAM,
AND NOBODY IN LEWISTON
WAS OPPOSED TO ALI.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO HE WAS
AT THAT POINT.
3 DAYS BEFORE THE FIGHT,
ABC's HOWARD COSELL,
A LAWYER TURNED
SPORTSCASTER FROM BROOKLYN,
BROUGHT A CAMERA CREW
TO ALI'S TRAINING CAMP.
HOWARD COSELL CALLED
HIM CASSIUS CLAY FOR A WHILE,
BUT HE GOT IT EARLY.
HE GOT IT EARLIER,
CERTAINLY THAN MOST,
CERTAINLY THAN MOST WHITE
PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ON TELEVISION,
AND ALI APPRECIATED THIS,
AND ALI STARTED
GIVING HIM ACCESS
AND STARTED MAKING HIM
HIS KIND OF MEDIA WINGMAN.
THEY WERE GOOD FOR EACH
OTHER, AND THEY BOTH KNEW IT.
AND HERE FULLY ROBED
AFTER THE WORKOUT
YOU'VE JUST SEEN COMES
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD HIMSELF.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, CHAMP.
HOWARD COSELL, THE WORLD'S
GREATEST NEWSCASTER.
HOW'RE YOU FEELING?
YOU'RE VERY KIND, CHAMP,
BUT LET'S GET TO CASES.
YOU LOOK ALMOST
LIKE YOU'RE READY
FOR THE FIGHT RIGHT NOW.
YOU ABOUT RIGHT. ALMOST READY.
AFTER ANOTHER WEEK.
I'M A LITTLE TIRED
NOW, I'M WORKING HARD,
BUT FOR THE BIG
NIGHT, I'LL BE READY.
I NOTICED YOU'VE
STOPPED WITH THE POETRY.
YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY
PREDICTIONS. HOW COME?
WELL, I'M JUST... I HAVE A
PREDICTION FOR THE FIGHT,
BUT, UH, I'M... I THINK I'LL
BE WISE NOT TO RELEASE IT
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE
BELIEVE IN MY PREDICTIONS,
AND THEY HAVE BEEN
ACCURATE UP TO DATE.
I'M AFRAID THAT I MIGHT
HURT THE GATE IF I LET THEM
KNOW WHAT'S GONNA
HAPPEN, SO I'LL JUST HOLD
THE SURPRISE FOR THEM.
LET ME SAY THIS
TO YOU. GOOD LUCK.
I HOPE IT'S NOT AN
ACT. I HOPE YOU MEAN IT.
IF IT'S AN ACT, JUST LOOK
AT MY RECORD AND SEE.
HAVE THE OTHER FIGHTS BEEN ACTS?
HAVE THEY BEEN ACTS? NOT SO FAR.
WELL, WHAT MAKES
YOU THINK I'M ACTING?
AHH!
AND WITH THAT FINAL
STAGE OF THE ACT,
WE LEAVE THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD
MUHAMMAD ALI OR
CASSIUS CLAY, AS YOU WILL,
HERE AT HIS TRAINING CAMP
IN CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS.
WE'RE GOING TO
TAKE YOU FOR A VISIT
TO THE CHALLENGER'S CAMP
IN POLAND SPRING, MAINE,
RIGHT AFTER THIS MESSAGE.
AS THE MATCH NEARED, RUMORS FLEW
THAT SONNY LISTON WOULD
BE KILLED BY MEMBERS
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM
UNLESS HE THREW THE FIGHT
AND THAT A CARLOAD OF
MALCOLM X's FOLLOWERS,
BENT ON REVENGE, WERE
DRIVING NORTH WITH PLANS
TO SHOOT ALI.
WHAT DO I CARE
ABOUT SOME PISTOLS?
CAN'T SCARE ME WITH NO PISTOLS.
I WALK THROUGH HELL
EVERY DAY, NO GUARDS,
DON'T NEED THEM.
THIS ONLY PROPAGANDA TO
MAKE ME THINK THAT I HAVE
AN ENEMY IN THE RING
AND ONE BEHIND MY BACK
BECAUSE COMMON NATURE TELLS
YOU AND THE NEGRO HERE IN AMERICA
YOU HAVE PUT FEAR IN HIM
EVER SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE,
AND THE ONLY THING YOU
HOPE IS SOME OF IT'S STILL
IN ME, BUT IT AIN'T.
ON THE DAY OF THE
BOUT, OFFICIALS COMBED
THE ARENA ONE LAST TIME IN
SEARCH OF POISON GAS BOMBS
THAT HAD REPORTEDLY BEEN
HIDDEN AMONG THE SUPPORTS.
"IT WILL BE A SHORT
FIGHT," ALI TOLD A REPORTER
WHO RODE WITH HIM FROM
HIS HOTEL TO THE ARENA.
SONNY LISTON HAD SPENT
THE DAY GRIPPED BY DIARRHEA,
HIS WIFE CONCERNED
THAT HE WASN'T HIMSELF.
RECENT TRAINING SESSIONS
HAD BEEN LACKLUSTER,
AND HE HAD RESUMED DRINKING.
LET'S GO TO THE CENTRAL
MAINE YOUTH CENTER
AND FIGHT ANNOUNCER
JOHNNY ADDIE.
FROM ST. DOMINIC'S
ARENA, LEWISTON, MAINE.
THE WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT
BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP.
CASSIUS CLAY, NOW BOUNCING
IN FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE
ARENA, LOOSE AND LIMBER
WITH HIS VERY SHORT
TERRYCLOTH ROBE.
COMING INTO THE RING,
UP THE RING STAIRS,
AND HE'S BEING BOOED.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE JUST
ABOUT READY TO GO.
MUHAMMAD ALI SAYING A PRAYER
IN HIS CORNER BEFORE COMING OUT
TO MEET THE CHALLENGER,
AND NOW LET'S GET TO
THE OTHER TELEVISION
COMMENTATOR STEVE ELLIS.
AS YOU KNOW, 15 ROUNDS OR LESS,
THE WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT
TITLE, THE BIG FIGHT,
THE BIG NIGHT, UNUSUAL
LOCALE, LEWISTON, MAINE.
ROUND NUMBER ONE.
IF YOU'RE GONNA SCORE WITH
US, WELL, GET YOUR PENCIL
AND PAD HANDY.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT
BELL FOR ROUND ONE.
HERE WE GO.
THE FIGHT BEGAN AT 10:40 P.M.
LISTON WAS AGAIN
THE FAVORITE, 9-TO-5.
HE KNEW THAT THE
ONLY WAY HE COULD WIN
WAS TO GET TO ALI EARLY.
LISTON COMES TEARING
OUT THE CORNER,
AND HE'S THROWING PUNCHES,
AND IF YOU LOOK AT
THE FOO... YOU KNOW.
WHEN HE MISSES A PUNCH...
ANYBODY MISSES A PUNCH,
THEY'RE OFF BALANCE.
YOU'LL NOTE THAT
CASSIUS WANTS TO STAY OUT
IN THE CENTER OF THE
RING, WHERE HE HAPPENS
TO BE THE KING.
BEAUTIFUL RIGHT-HAND
SHOT THAT YOU SAW.
THAT WAS THE BEST
PUNCH THUS FAR LANDED
BY THE CHAMPION.
WE NOTE THAT EARLY, HALFWAY
THROUGH THIS FIRST ROUND,
THAT SONNY IS SHOOTING
MOSTLY TOWARD THAT BODY.
YOU KNOW THE OLD STORY.
YOU KILL THE BODY, AND
THE HEAD MIGHT FOLLOW.
KNOCKED DOWN,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WITH A RIGHT-HAND SHOT.
A RIGHT-HAND SHOT ON THE CHIN.
2:12 INTO THE FIRST ROUND,
SONNY LISTON WENT DOWN.
SONNY CANNOT MOVE.
IT WAS ALL OVER.
THERE WAS A PUNCH.
WAS IT GONNA KEEP
HIM DOWN? HELL, NO.
HE LOOKED UP, AND
THIS GUY WOULD NOT GO
TO A NEUTRAL CORNER,
AND HE'S SCREAMING.
"GET UP SUCKER, NO
ONE'S GONNA BELIEVE IT."
HE GOT HIT HARD.
I HIT HIM WITH A PUNCH
THAT JACK JOHNSON USED
CALLED THE ANCHOR PUNCH.
HOW DOES IT GO?
IT'S A SNAP PUNCH,
AND YOU CAN'T PUNCH IT
UNTIL THE MAN IS
COMING IN AT YOU.
THAT'S ALL. JUST TWIST.
AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT,
BUT IF YOU WERE HIT WITH IT,
ALL OF YOU WOULD BE OUT.
SONNY, DID THE
PUNCH SURPRISE YOU?
CLAY SAYS... YES, IT DID.
CLAY SAYS IT WAS A NEW TACTIC...
THE COUNTER RIGHT.
IT WAS A SURPRISING PUNCH.
IT WAS CLEAN SHOT,
BUT IT WASN'T THE KIND OF
CLEAN SHOT TO KNOCK
OUT SONNY LISTON.
WHEN HE GETS KNOCKED
DOWN, IT'S... IT'S BAD ACTING, MAN.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, HORRIBLE
ACTING, AND HE'S, LIKE,
TURNING OVER ON THE...
COME ON, MAN. REALLY SERIOUSLY?
THERE WAS NO WAY IN THE
WORLD THAT MUHAMMAD ALI,
NO MATTER HOW GREAT HE
WAS, WOULD EVER KNOCK OUT
SONNY LISTON WITH ONE SHOT.
TO THIS DAY, THIS IS ONE
OF THE GREAT MYSTERIES
OF THE HISTORY OF SPORTS.
WAS THAT FIGHT FIXED?
DID... DID LISTON TAKE A FALL?
WAS, IN FACT, THE PUNCH
SO IMMENSELY SWIFT
AND DEVASTATING AND HIT
AT JUST THE RIGHT POINT THAT
IT, IN FACT, WAS A
KNOCKOUT PUNCH?
DID LISTON SEE AFTER
WATCHING ALI DANCE
AROUND THE RING, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
"I'M NOT GONNA CHASE THIS GUY.
"ENOUGH'S ENOUGH,
AND THE FIRST TIME HE
HITS ME, I'M OUT OF HERE."
SO I... I CAN'T PRETEND
TO KNOW FOR CERTAINTY.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
IT'LL HAVE... I THINK, I THINK
IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS
THAT'S GONNA REMAIN A MYSTERY.
LISTON BOXED FOR 5 MORE YEARS.
ON JANUARY 5, 1971, HIS WIFE
GERALDINE RETURNED HOME
TO FIND HER HUSBAND DEAD
AT THE FOOT OF THEIR BED.
THOUGH DRUGS HAD
BEEN FOUND AT THE SCENE
AND SOME SPECULATED THAT THE
MOB HAD ORDERED A HIT ON THE BOXER,
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER RULED
THAT SONNY LISTON HAD DIED
OF A HEART ATTACK.
I DON'T THINK THAT
LISTON COULD'VE AVOIDED
WHAT HE BECAME.
THERE WAS SOMETHING, THERE
WAS AN INNER LIGHT TO ALI,
AND THAT LIGHT
WAS GOING TO SHINE,
AND PEOPLE WERE
GOING TO LOVE HIM,
AND THERE WAS AN INNER
DARKNESS TO LISTON,
PUT IN IT BY 500 YEARS
OF PICKING COTTON.
YOU KNOW?
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY...
THEY PLAYED THE CARDS
THEY WERE DEALT.
♪
MEANWHILE, ALI'S
MARRIAGE WAS UNRAVELING.
ALONE IN THEIR CHICAGO
APARTMENT, ALI HAD ALLOWED
SONJI TO WEAR THE
MINI-SKIRTS SHE PREFERRED,
AND HE WOULD
SERENADE HER WITH SONGS
BY SAM COOKE AND BEN E.
KING WHILE SHE COOKED DINNER,
BUT HE NOW GREW UPSET
WHEN SHE APPEARED IN PUBLIC
DRESSED IN A FASHION HE
BELIEVED INAPPROPRIATE
FOR THE WIFE OF A
PRACTICING MUSLIM.
IN JUNE OF 1965, ALI FILED TO
HAVE THEIR MARRIAGE ANNULLED,
COMPLAINING THAT SONJI
HAD FALSELY PROMISED
TO CONVERT TO ISLAM.
"THEY'VE STOLEN MY
MAN'S MIND," SAID SONJI,
WHO BLAMED ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD FOR THE COLLAPSE
OF THEIR MARRIAGE.
"I LOVED HER ONLY IF
SHE WOULD FOLLOW ME
"IN MY WAY OF LIFE.
NEXT TIME I MARRY, IT'LL
BE A GIRL OF 17 OR 18,"
ALI VOWED, "ONE I RAISE
TO MY WAY OF THINKING."
♪
ALI'S COMMITMENT TO
THE NATION OF ISLAM
CONTINUED TO DEEPEN.
HE HAD GROWN ESPECIALLY
CLOSE TO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S
SON HERBERT, WHO WAS
PLAYING AN INCREASINGLY
DECISIVE ROLE IN
ALI'S BOXING CAREER.
HERBERT HAD A KNACK
FOR MAKING MONEY,
SOMETIMES IN WAYS THAT
VIOLATED HIS FATHER'S TEACHINGS.
ACCORDING TO FBI AGENTS,
HE PHOTOGRAPHED WOMEN
IN THE NUDE, MADE
PORNOGRAPHIC FILMS,
AND SIPHONED MONEY FROM
HIS FATHER'S BUSINESSES.
HERBERT MUHAMMAD IS THE
SON OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
SO IN MANY WAYS,
HE'S ALI'S CONNECTION
TO THE RELIGION, AND HE
MENTORS ALI IN THE WAYS
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
HE'S A BUSINESSMAN
WHO REALLY LIKES MONEY,
REALLY LIKES FOOD,
REALLY LIKES WOMEN.
HE LOVED ALI, AND THEY DEVELOPED
THIS UNBELIEVABLE CLOSENESS.
DURING TRIPS TO
LOUISVILLE, ALI NOW STAYED
AT A HOTEL AND SPENT
LESS TIME WITH HIS PARENTS.
"THE MUSLIMS KEEP HIM
AWAY FROM ME," COMPLAINED
CASSIUS SR., WHO
CALLED HERBERT "DIRTY"
AND WARNED HIS SON THAT HE
WAS GOING TO WIND UP BROKE.
IN SEPTEMBER 1965, ALI
TRAVELED TO NEW YORK
TO ANNOUNCE THAT
HIS NEXT OPPONENT
WOULD BE THE FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION FLOYD PATTERSON.
PATTERSON, NOW 30,
HAD BEEN CAMPAIGNING
FOR A SHOT AT ALI EVER
SINCE HE WON THE TITLE.
HE SAW HIS CHALLENGE
AS A MORAL CRUSADE.
"THE IMAGE OF A BLACK
MUSLIM AS CHAMPION
IS NOT GOOD," HE TOLD THE PRESS.
"CASSIUS MUST BE BEATEN."
PATTERSON SAID HE INTENDED
TO "WIN THE TITLE BACK
FOR AMERICA."
ALI WAS LIVID.
"I'M AN AMERICAN," HE SAID,
"BUT HE'S A DEAF, DUMB,
AND BLIND SO-CALLED NEGRO
WHO NEEDS A SPANKING."
THE PRESS ATE IT UP.
"IT IS CHRISTIAN
AGAINST BLACK MUSLIM.
IT IS GOOD GUY AGAINST
BAD GUY," WROTE DICK YOUNG
OF THE "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS,"
WHO CALLED THE MATCHUP
A HOLY WAR.
FLOYD CAME ACROSS AS
THE WHITE MAN'S APOLOGIST,
AND FOR US AT THAT
TIME, THAT WAS ENOUGH.
THIS WAS DURING THE PERIOD
OF THE LONG, HOT SUMMER RIOTS.
REBELLION WAS IN THE AIR.
PEOPLE THOUGHT
THAT REVOLUTION WAS
A REAL POSSIBILITY, YOU KNOW?
THE SMELL OF BURNING
CITIES MADE THAT
A SERIOUS PLAUSIBILITY,
AND SO THIS WAS A DIFFERENT ERA.
♪ GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT ♪
♪ THAT OUR FLAG
WAS STILL THERE ♪
♪ O SAY DOES THAT
STAR-SPANGLED BANNER ♪
♪ YET WAVE ♪
♪ O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE ♪
♪ AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE ♪
FROM NEW YORK CITY,
WEARING BLACK TRUNKS
THE CHALLENGER FLOYD PATTERSON.
FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
WEARING WHITE TRUNKS,
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD MUHAMMAD ALI.
ROUND 1, 15 ROUNDS,
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.
♪
NOW THE ROUND BEGINS.
♪
AT FIRST, ALI JEERED
HIS CHALLENGER
AS HE DANCED PLAYFULLY AND
THREW SOFT, GLANCING PUNCHES.
"COME ON, AMERICAN!"
ALI TAUNTED PATTERSON.
"COME ON, WHITE AMERICAN!"
WE THOUGHT THAT FLOYD
NEEDED TO BE TORTURED.
HE NEEDED HIS COMEUPPANCE,
AND WHO BETTER THAN ALI
TO GIVE IT TO HIM?
IT INDICATED SOME OF THE
CRUELTY THAT WOULD LATER
SURFACE IN ALI'S LIFE, YOU KNOW,
BUT I THINK AS A BOXER,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE
AN INHERENT SENSE
OF CRUELTY SOMEWHERE
IF YOU'RE GOING TO
BE SUCCESSFUL, I THINK.
AS THE FIGHT ADVANCED,
ALI ADDED HOOKS
AND UPPERCUTS TO HIS
ASSAULT, WHILE PATTERSON
STRUGGLED TO LAND
ANY BLOWS OF HIS OWN.
I LOVED MUHAMMAD ALI.
I DID NOT LIKE EVERYTHING
HE DID AND SAID.
HE PUNCHED FLOYD JUST
HARD ENOUGH TO HURT HIM
BUT NOT TO KNOCK HIM OUT.
HE KEPT THE FIGHT GOING
ROUND AFTER ROUND,
PUNISHING HIM.
FLOYD PATTERSON
REFUSED TO CALL HIM
BY HIS NEW RIGHTFUL
NAME MUHAMMAD ALI,
UH, YOU KNOW, REFUSED TO
GIVE HIM ANY KIND OF RESPECT.
FLOYD'S STILL IN THERE.
DR. DONALD ROMEO IS IN THE
CORNER AT THE PRESENT TIME
TALKING WITH FLOYD,
ASKING ABOUT HIS BACK.
THAT'S THE DOCTOR ON
THE OUTSIDE OF THE RING.
BEFORE ROUND 11, A
DOCTOR WAS ORDERED
TO EXAMINE THE
CHALLENGER IN HIS CORNER.
PATTERSON INSISTED
THAT THE MATCH GO ON.
NUMBER 12 COMING UP.
♪
THIS MAN IS THROWING
A VARIETY OF SHOTS.
♪
BEAUTIFUL PUNCHES
BY CASSIUS CLAY,
THE WORLD CHAMPION.
BEAUTIFUL SHOTS ALL THE WAY.
IT WAS CRUEL, AND
IT WAS HUMILIATING,
AND I DON'T THINK THAT
ANYBODY REALLY DESERVED THAT,
EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW,
FLOYD HAD BROUGHT IT ON HIMSELF.
ANGELO DUNDEE, TIRED OF WATCHING
HIS FIGHTER TOY WITH PATTERSON,
SCREAMED, "KNOCK HIM OUT
FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!"
HE'S WOBBLING.
HE'S HURT.
HE'S ON THE RECEIVING
END OF GOOD PUNCHES
ALL THE WAY.
♪
WHAT A MARKSMAN. A
MINUTE TO GO IN NUMBER 12.
WHAT A MARKSMAN CASSIUS CLAY IS.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE
GOING TO STOP IT.
SOMEBODY GET A CHAIR
DOWN THERE, PLEASE.
I'M VERY, VERY SORRY BECAUSE
OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE TONIGHT.
I HAD HOPED THAT I
COULD GIVE ALL OF YOU,
AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE ALL OVER
THE WORLD AND IN THE AUDIENCE,
A MUCH BETTER FIGHT.
NO, I COULDN'T KNOCK HIM OUT.
- WHY NOT?
I TOOK MY BEST PUNCHES.
HE WOULDN'T FALL.
SURPRISED ME.
HE'S A GOOD FIGHTER,
DETERMINED... GOOD FIGHTER.
STRONG, SURPRISED ME.
I GOT TWO SWOLLEN HANDS. SEE?
WHO ARE YOU FIGHTING NEXT?
WHO DO YOU WANT ME TO FIGHT?
YOU PICK WHO YOU WANT TO FIGHT.
WHO DOES THE PRESS
WANT ME TO FIGHT?
WHO DO YOU THINK
YOU SHOULD FIGHT?
THE BEST MAN. WHO
IS THE BEST MAN?
WHO DO YOU THINK? I
DON'T KNOW. FIND HIM.
ALI WAS IRREFUTABLY
IN A CLASS OF HIS OWN.
"COMPARISONS WITH
HEAVYWEIGHTS OF THE PAST
ARE HARDLY RELEVANT,"
WROTE ONE SPORTSWRITER.
"PATTERSON HAD AS MUCH
CHANCE OF BEATING HIM
AS THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS WOULD
HAVE HAD AGAINST A JET FIGHTER."
YOU'RE PLANNING ON
FIGHTING THIS YEAR
BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT?
WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I MIGHT RETIRE.
I'M CONSIDERING RETIRING.
I'M REALLY TIRED OF FIGHTING.
AT YOUR AGE? YEAH. I'M TIRED.
I DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT NO MORE.
DO YOU THINK YOU'LL RETIRE
BEFORE YOU HAVE ANOTHER FIGHT?
I'M GETTING TOO GREAT.
I CAN'T EVEN FLY
PLANES WITHOUT CROWDS
WAITING FOR ME.
DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT
RETIRE WITHOUT ANOTHER FIGHT?
THAT'S RIGHT. I
DON'T LIKE BOXING.
BOXING MEANS NOTHING TO ME.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE?
AH, WELL I LIKE JUST... I
LIKE WHAT ALL NEGROES LIKE,
AND WHAT THEY'RE
FIGHTING FOR IS FREEDOM.
IF YOU QUIT FIGHTING,
WOULD YOU GO
FULL-TIME INTO
CIVIL RIGHTS WORK?
NO, I DON'T KNOW IF I
CALL IT CIVIL RIGHTS.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO
FOR AN OCCUPATION
IF YOU STOP FIGHTING?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO.
GOD'S GOT ME HERE FOR SOMETHING.
I CAN FEEL IT.
I WAS BORN FOR EVERYTHING
THAT I'M DOING NOW.
♪ OHH ♪
RIGHT AFTER THE SIGNING
OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
IS THE BEGINNING
OF THE WATTS RIOTS,
AND THE WATTS RIOTS
COME TO SYMBOLIZE THE FACT
THAT THINGS ARE FAR
FROM BEING SOLVED.
THERE'S UNREST THAT
THESE BILLS WON'T REACH.
IN THE URBAN NORTH, WE
WERE A LITTLE BIT ESTRANGED
FROM THE STYLISTIC METHODS
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT,
WHICH WAS PRIMARILY
A SOUTHERN-BASED
AND AGRARIAN-BASED
KIND OF THING.
THEY WOULD HAVE OVERALLS ON.
THEY WOULD BE SINGING
HYMNS AND APPEAL
TO CLERGY-ORIENTED
KINDS OF THINGS.
THIS WASN'T OUR STYLE, YOU KNOW.
WE WERE MORE SECULAR.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO WEAR
OVERALLS, YOU KNOW?
AND SO WE WANTED
ANOTHER FORM OF ACTIVISM,
AND THE NATION OF ISLAM AND
AND MALCOLM X HAD ALREADY BEEN
VERY INFLUENTIAL
IN THE URBAN NORTH,
AND BLACK... UH, I
THINK, BLACK ACTIVISTS
WERE MORE ATTRACTED
TO THAT KIND OF ACTIVISM
THAN THEY WERE TO
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MODE,
AND SO MUHAMMAD ALI FIT
PERFECTLY WITH THAT MODEL.
BY 1966, MUHAMMAD ALI HAD BECOME
THE HIGHEST-PAID
ATHLETE IN THE WORLD.
EAGER TO CAPITALIZE
ON THAT SUCCESS,
ALI AND HERBERT MUHAMMAD,
ALONG WITH FOOTBALL
STAR JIM BROWN
AND A FORMER PROSECUTOR
FROM QUEENS NAMED BOB ARUM,
FORMED MAIN BOUT, INC.
TO MANAGE SUPPLEMENTAL
RIGHTS TO ALL OF ALI'S FIGHTS,
INCLUDING CLOSED-CIRCUIT
BROADCASTS.
CLOSED-CIRCUIT
WAS, IN THE SIXTIES,
THE EQUIVALENT OF WHAT
PAY-PER-VIEW IS TODAY.
WE WERE LIMITED AT THE
TIME TO 350 LOCATIONS...
THEATERS, ARENAS...
WHERE WE COULD SHOW
THE TELECAST OF THE FIGHT.
WHILE THERE HAD
BEEN CLOSED-CIRCUIT
BEFORE MUHAMMAD ALI,
MUHAMMAD ALI PUT CLOSED-CIRCUIT
INTO ANOTHER PLATEAU.
THE LOUISVILLE
GROUP WAS NOT A PART
OF THE NEW ENTERPRISE.
ALI HAD TOLD HIS BACKERS
THAT HE INTENDED TO RENEW
THEIR AGREEMENT WHEN IT
EXPIRED LATER THAT YEAR,
BUT IT WAS CLEAR TO EVERYONE
THE NEAR-TOTAL INFLUENCE
THE NATION OF ISLAM
HAD OVER THEIR BOXER.
"WE HAD HOPED TO
BE COMPLETELY FREE
OF UNDERWORLD CONNECTIONS,"
ONE MEMBER WROTE THE GROUP,
"BUT WE SEEM TO HAVE
NEW ONES IN CHICAGO."
ALI STILL LIKES THESE
GUYS, AND HE STILL
REALLY TRUSTS THEM, AND
THEY'VE TREATED HIM WELL,
AND HE CONTINUES TO SAY HE
LOVES AND SUPPORTS THESE GUYS,
AND FOR A WHILE, HERBERT WORKS
WITH THE LOUISVILLE
SPONSORING GROUP,
BUT THAT BECOMES TOO
DIFFICULT AFTER A WHILE
AND, EVENTUALLY, THE
LOUISVILLE SPONSORING GROUP
GIVES UP, CUTS ITS TIES,
AND HERBERT BECOMES
ALI'S FULL-TIME MANAGER.
FIRST ONE, SET UP
A RING OF SECURITY.
AFTER THE UNITED
STATES ESCALATED
ITS INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM
BY COMMITTING COMBAT SOLDIERS
IN 1965, THE DEMAND
FOR TROOPS INCREASED.
THE SELECTIVE SERVICE
LOWERED ITS STANDARDS.
MUHAMMAD ALI, ONCE
DISQUALIFIED, WAS NOW
ELIGIBLE FOR THE DRAFT.
I WAS IN MIAMI TO DO SOME
FEATURE STORY ABOUT HIM,
AND HE COMES OUT,
AND HE IS STEAMING.
HE HAD JUST HEARD THAT HE
HAD BEEN RECLASSIFIED 1-A.
I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND
HOW THEY COULD
RECLASSIFY ME AS 1-A
WHEN THEY WERE THE ONES
WHO SAID... THE GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS WERE THE ONES
WHO SAID THAT I WAS 1-Y,
AND THAT I WASN'T QUALIFIED.
IT WAS THEIR DECISION.
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN,
I'M 1-A WITHOUT ANY TEST,
WITHOUT NOTIFYING
ME OR CHECKING TO SEE
IF I'M ANY WISER THAN I WAS
THE LAST TIME OR ANY WORSER.
IF YOU ARE DRAFTED
WILL YOU FIGHT
FOR YOUR COUNTRY?
I'M NOT SAYING
NOTHING ABOUT THINGS
THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SAY.
I DON'T HAVE TO SAY
NOTHING ABOUT THAT.
UH, THEY HAVEN'T DRAFTED ME YET,
AND IT'S A TOUCHY THING,
A TOUCHY QUESTION,
AND I RATHER NOT SAY NOTHING.
THE NEXT MORNING,
MUHAMMAD ALI OFFERED
A MORE COHERENT ARGUMENT
AGAINST JOINING THE MILITARY.
"I AM A MEMBER OF THE MUSLIMS,
AND WE DON'T GO TO WARS
UNLESS THEY ARE
DECLARED BY ALLAH HIMSELF,"
HE TOLD A REPORTER FOR
THE "CHICAGO DAILY NEWS."
"I DON'T HAVE NO PERSONAL
QUARREL WITH THOSE VIET CONGS."
"I AIN'T GOT NOTHIN'
AGAINST THEM VIET CONG,"
AND IT WAS LIKE
THE WORLD STOPPED.
THERE WAS A REAL
FEELING THAT HE WAS NOT
THE RIGHT CHAMPION FOR AMERICA.
HOW COULD A
BOXER, A VIOLENT MAN,
REFUSE TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY?
WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
WAS JUST HOW DESPISED
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
PEOPLE WHO FELT THAT
THEY WERE PATRIOTS,
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO WERE
SENDING THEIR SONS TO WAR,
WHO HAD FOUGHT THEMSELVES
IN WORLD WAR II AND KOREA,
WHICH WAS NOT THAT FAR BACK,
REALLY SAW THIS
REPREHENSIBLE CHARACTER
WHO WAS, YOU KNOW,
MAKING MILLIONS,
TAKING EVERYTHING FROM AMERICA,
AND GIVING NOTHING BACK.
IN 1966, AN
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
OF AMERICAN CITIZENS
SUPPORTED THE VIETNAM WAR.
JIM MURRAY OF THE
"LOS ANGELES TIMES"
CALLED ALI "THE GREATEST
AMERICAN PATRIOT
SINCE BENEDICT ARNOLD."
"GO TO SOME MOTHER IN
IOWA," MURRAY URGED ALI,
AND "SUGGEST SHE
SEND HER SON INSTEAD."
ANOTHER WRITER CALLED
HIM THE WORST INFLUENCE
ON PEOPLE SINCE ADOLF HITLER.
LATER THAT MONTH,
MUHAMMAD ALI APPLIED
FOR CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTOR STATUS BASED
ON HIS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
HE WAS EMULATING
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
WHO HAD REFUSED TO
ENTER THE SERVICE HIMSELF
IN THE FORTIES.
HE WAS FOLLOWING THE
DICTATES OF THE NATION OF ISLAM,
AND THAT DEFINITELY
DIMINISHED HIS POPULARITY
IN AMERICA IN GENERAL
AND NOT JUST IN THE
WHITE COMMUNITY.
THERE WERE A LOT OF
AFRICAN-AMERICANS,
A LOT OF BLACK
PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT
THAT HE WAS INSUFFICIENTLY LOYAL
AND INAPPRECIATIVE OF
THE OPPORTUNITIES HE'S HAD
AS AN AMERICAN,
AND HE SHOULD SHOW
HIS DEDICATION TO THE
COUNTRY AND BE WILLING TO FIGHT.
ALI'S NEXT FIGHT
HAD BEEN SCHEDULED
FOR MARCH 29, 1966, IN CHICAGO
AGAINST THE 6'6" ERNIE TERRELL,
THE BOXER WHO HAD BEEN AWARDED
THE WORLD BOXING
ASSOCIATION TITLE
AFTER THEY HAD
STRIPPED IT FROM ALI.
MOST BOXING FANS
STILL VIEWED ALI
AS THE REAL CHAMP,
AND A DEFEAT OF TERRELL
WOULD CEMENT HIS CLAIM.
"I WANT OUR SOLDIERS
AND MARINES TO SEE
WHAT A REAL CHAMPION
LOOKS LIKE," SAID TERRELL,
WHO PROMISED TO SIGN
UP FOR AN EXHIBITION TOUR
IN VIETNAM AFTER DEFEATING ALI.
AND WE ANNOUNCED THE FIGHT,
AND TICKETS WERE
GOING VERY WELL,
AND WE WERE SECURING
CLOSED-CIRCUIT EXHIBITORS
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I HAD HOPED IT WOULD BE THE
BIGGEST ALI PROMOTION EVER
AT THAT POINT.
WHEN ALI, SAID, "I GOT NOTHING
AGAINST THE VIET CONG,"
MAYOR DALEY
IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED
THE ILLINOIS ATHLETIC
COMMISSION AND TOLD THEM TO
THROW US OUT OF CHICAGO.
TO SALVAGE THE
FIGHT, ALI BACKED AWAY
FROM HIS STATEMENTS
AND OFFERED TO COME
BEFORE THE ILLINOIS
STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION
TO APOLOGIZE,
BUT AFTER HAVING BREAKFAST
WITH ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
BEFORE THE HEARING,
HE REVERSED COURSE.
I'M ASKING YOU IF YOU APOLOGIZE
FOR THE UNPATRIOTIC
REMARKS THAT YOU MADE.
ANYTHING... I'M NOT
APOLOGIZING FOR NOTHING
LIKE THAT BECAUSE
I DON'T HAVE TO.
I'M APOLOGIZING TO
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
IN CHARGE OF THE
SELECTIVE SERVICE.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT
WE'LL TAKE THIS UP WITH THEM.
I'M NOT IN COURT NOW FOR THAT.
I'M A CHAMP OF THE WORLD,
THIS IS ATHLETIC COMMISSIONER,
AND I'M HERE TO
FIGHT FOR THE TITLE,
AND I'M JUST APOLOGIZING
FOR WHAT I SAID
TO THE NEWSPAPERS
AND TO THE PRESS
WHEN I SHOULD'VE HAD
THESE THINGS TO SAY,
AND THEY WILL
FROM NOW ON BE SAID
WITH THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE IN CHARGE OF THIS.
MR. CLAY, WHEN YOU...
MUHAMMAD ALI, SIR.
MR. CLAY...
MUHAMMAD ALI, SIR.
OR MR. MUHAMMAD ALI, EITHER ONE.
I'M JUST MUHAMMAD ALI, SIR.
WHEN YOU APPEARED BEFORE
THIS COMMISSION BEFORE,
IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, YOU SAID
YOU WERE THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION.
YES, SIR.
DO YOU THINK THAT
YOU'RE ACTING LIKE
A PEOPLE'S CHAMPION?
YES, SIR.
♪ I WAS BORN BY THE RIVER ♪
IS THE FIGHT ON OR OFF?
IS THE FIGHT ON OUR OFF?
THAT SAME DAY, THE
ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL
DECLARED THE FIGHT ILLEGAL.
WE DETERMINED
THAT THE APPLICATION
AND THE LICENSE
VIOLATED STATE LAW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND
OF STATEMENTS CLAY MADE.
THE ONLY THING I CAN
FIGURE OUT ABOUT CLAY IS HE'S
GUILTY OF BEING STUPID.
AND ONCE WE GOT OUT
OF CHICAGO, EVERY CITY
IN THE UNITED STATES
VIRTUALLY DID A PILE-ON,
AND THE PILE-ON WAS, "KALAMAZOO
WILL NOT ACCEPT THE FIGHT!"
YOU KNOW, NOBODY ASKED
THEM, SO IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME
THAT WE COULDN'T DO THE
FIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES.
ARUM EVENTUALLY FOUND
A VENUE FOR THE FIGHT
IN TORONTO, CANADA,
BUT TERRELL REJECTED THE
TERMS OF THE NEW CONTRACT
AND PULLED OUT.
WITH LESS THAN 3 WEEKS TO
GO, PROMOTERS SCRAMBLED
TO FIND ANOTHER OPPONENT.
GEORGE CHUVALO, THE
CANADIAN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION,
AGREED TO TAKE TERRELL'S PLACE.
HE'S GONNA FIGHT GEORGE
CHUVALO IN TORONTO
BECAUSE THAT PATRIOTIC
MAYOR DALEY OF CHICAGO
HAD SAID HE CAN'T
ABIDE A TRAITOR'S
FIGHTING IN HIS MIDST.
SO I GO UP THERE, AND I
COME TO SULLY'S AC GYM.
I GO IN THE BACK.
AND LUIS SARRIA,
THE CUBAN EXILE,
IS GIVING HIM A MASSAGE.
HE SAID, "WHAT ARE
YOU DOING HERE?"
I SAID, "WELL, SOMEBODY
SAID THERE'S A FIGHT."
HE SAID, "NO, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS NOT MUCH OF A FIGHT."
I SAID, "WELL, I'LL
TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
"MUHAMMAD, I'M NOT
GONNA LIE TO YOU.
"A LOT OF YOUNG AMERICAN
MEN WHO DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT
"IN THIS WAR FOR REASONS
OF CONSCIENCE OR RELIGION
"OR WHATEVER ELSE
ARE COMING TO CANADA,
"AND THEY'VE BEEN
GRANTED POLITICAL ASYLUM,
SO I'M HERE TO SEE
IF YOU GO HOME."
HE GOT OFF THAT THING
SO FAST AND GOT IN MY FACE,
I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA HIT ME.
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW
BETTER THAN THAT."
HE SAID, "LOOK"... AND
THESE ARE THE WORDS.
I REMEMBER THEM SO WELL.
"AMERICA IS MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
"NO ONE'S GONNA CHASE ME
OUT OF MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
"I BELONG IN MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
"NOW I DON'T MAKE THE
LAWS IN MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
"SO IF THE LAW SAYS
I GOT TO GO TO JAIL,
"I'LL GO TO JAIL.
"ELIJAH DID. I WILL DO IT,
"BUT I'M GOING HOME
TO MY BIRTH COUNTRY,
AND YOU COULD TELL
THAT TO EVERYBODY."
I WAS POSITIVE HE'D
GO TO JAIL IF HE HAD TO.
♪ THAT I KNOW ♪
GEORGE CHUVALO
LASTED ALL 15 ROUNDS,
GIVING ALI WHAT HE CALLED
HIS "TOUGHEST FIGHT YET."
SINCE DEFEATING LISTON,
ALI HAD DEFENDED HIS TITLE
ONLY 3 TIMES IN 2
YEARS, BUT NOW,
BROKE AND BEHIND ON
ALIMONY PAYMENTS TO SONJI,
ALI FOUGHT 6 TIMES
OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
WE WENT TO ENGLAND TO
FIGHT HENRY COOPER AGAIN.
WE GOT UP AROUND NOON.
THE HOTEL WAS IN
PICCADILLY CIRCUS.
CAME OUTSIDE, AND
THERE WERE 5,000 PEOPLE
CHANTING HIS NAME,
AND YOU CAN'T BELIEVE
WHAT A TONIC THAT WAS...
BECAUSE HE WAS SO UNPOPULAR
IN THE UNITED STATES...
TO GO OVER TO ENGLAND AND
TO BE GREETED BY THE PEOPLE
IN LONDON WITH THAT
TYPE OF ADMIRATION.
I MEAN, THAT REALLY PRESAGED
THE WAY HE WOULD
BE LOVED YEARS LATER.
YES, HENRY COOPER'S LEFT EYE
IS BADLY CUT.
A REALLY BAD ONE, WHICH
IS A RIGHT-HAND CLIP THERE
IN THE FAR CORNER.
♪
NO. IT'S ALL OVER.
ALI DEFEATED HENRY COOPER
BY TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT
JUST AS HE HAD IN
THEIR PREVIOUS MATCH
AND WENT ON TO BEAT TWO
MORE MEDIOCRE OPPONENTS
IN EUROPE.
♪ NEVER SHALL BE SLAVES ♪
BETWEEN FIGHTS, ALI HAD
RETURNED TO LOUISVILLE
FOR A HEARING ON HIS APPLICATION
FOR CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTOR STATUS.
ALI WOULD HAVE TO PROVE THAT
HE WAS OPPOSED TO ALL WARS,
THAT HIS OPPOSITION WAS
BASED ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS,
AND THAT HE WAS SINCERE
IN HOLDING THOSE BELIEFS.
THE FBI HAD INTERVIEWED HIS
FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS,
MANY OF WHOM QUESTIONED
HIS JUDGMENT FOR JOINING
THE NATION OF ISLAM
BUT NOT HIS SINCERITY.
THE HEARING EXAMINER,
WHO WAS A RETIRED
KENTUCKY CIRCUIT COURT
JUDGE, CONCLUDED THAT ALI WAS
INDEED ENTITLED TO
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR STATUS
AND RECOMMENDED
THAT HE BE GIVEN A C.O.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT,
NOTWITHSTANDING
THAT RECOMMENDATION, SENT A
LONG LETTER TO THE DRAFT BOARD,
UM, ARGUING THAT ALI
SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR STATUS.
THE KENTUCKY APPEAL
BOARD COULD HAVE REJECTED
THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE LETTER,
BUT IT DIDN'T.
IT CONTINUED TO DENY
HIS C.O. APPLICATION
AND DIDN'T GIVE ANY REASONS WHY.
IT JUST SAID, "NO.
YOU'RE STILL 1-A,"
AND AS THE CASE UNFOLDED,
IT BECAME IMPORTANT
THAT THE KENTUCKY APPEAL
BOARD HADN'T EXPLAINED
WHY IT DID WHAT IT DID.
THE DECISION MEANT THAT
THE ARMY COULD DRAFT
MUHAMMAD ALI AT ANY TIME.
AFTER 4 FIGHTS
ABROAD, ALI'S PROMOTERS
HAD FINALLY MANAGED TO
SECURE AN AMERICAN VENUE,
THE ASTRODOME IN HOUSTON, TEXAS,
A BRAND-NEW AND
FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND
DOMED STADIUM DUBBED THE
EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD.
ALI HAD AGREED TO FIGHT
CLEVELAND "BIG CAT" WILLIAMS,
AN ARMY VETERAN
WHO'D ONCE BEEN SHOT
BY A POLICE OFFICER DURING
A DRUNK DRIVING ARREST.
WILLIAMS HAD KNOCKED
OUT 51 OF HIS 71 OPPONENTS.
IT WOULD BE THE LARGEST AUDIENCE
FOR AN INDOOR BOXING
MATCH IN HISTORY.
I THINK HIS MASTERPIECE
IS WITH CLEVELAND WILLIAMS.
THAT'S PICASSO, RIGHT?
THAT'S BARYSHNIKOV, RIGHT?
THAT'S MILES DAVIS.
HE THROWS, LIKE, A
10-PUNCH COMBINATION.
HE'S GOING BACKWARDS, MAN.
NOW LOOK. HA HA! LOOK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEFINE
THAT. I'M NOT A SCIENTIST,
BUT, LIKE, THAT, THAT KIND
OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, ARTISTRY
WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN.
WHEN HE DID THAT, UM,
IT LOOKED EFFORTLESS,
AND, UH, IT LOOKED LIKE, UM...
HE CAME OUT OF THE
WOMB DOING THAT.
INTRODUCING A NEW
MOVE HE'D DUBBED
THE "ALI SHUFFLE," HE PEPPERED
WILLIAMS WITH JAB AFTER JAB
AS THE "BIG CAT" STRUGGLED
TO LAND A SINGLE PUNCH.
ALI FLOORED HIS
CHALLENGER 3 TIMES
IN THE SECOND ROUND.
IT WAS "A TWO-FISTED ASSAULT
OF VICIOUS EFFECTIVENESS,"
WROTE FREQUENT
CRITIC ARTHUR DALEY,
WHO DECLARED THAT ALI HAD
"WON OVER ALL THE DOUBTERS."
A MINUTE INTO THE THIRD ROUND,
THE REFEREE ENDED THE FIGHT.
THE CHAMPION CASSIUS
CLAY WILL DEFEND
THAT TITLE ONCE AGAIN,
AND TONIGHT HE
SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED IT
AGAINST THE MAN WHO WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE THE HARDEST HITTER.
I INTENDED TO TAKE A
REST AFTER THE HARD, UH,
6 TITLE FIGHTS I JUST HAD,
AT LEAST 6 MONTHS' REST,
BUT I JUST COULDN'T REST AT
NIGHT STAYING HOME SLEEPING
AND THINKING ABOUT TERRELL
CLAIMING HALF OF THE TITLE.
ALL OF IT. ALL OF IT.
I SAY THAT'LL MAKE IT WORSER.
CLAIMING ALL THE TITLE, AND
EVERYWHERE I GO SINCERELY
THROUGHOUT THE STREETS
OF AMERICA, NORTH AND SOUTH,
BLACK AND WHITE, AS FAR
AS RACE IS CONCERNED,
OLD AND YOUNG, WOMEN AND MEN,
EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT IT.
"WHAT ABOUT ERNIE TERRELL?"
"WHEN ARE YOU GOING
TO FIGHT TERRELL?
"WHEN ARE YOU GOING
TO FIGHT TERRELL?"
IN DECEMBER, ALI AND
ERNIE TERRELL APPEARED
ON ABC's "WIDE WORLD
OF SPORTS" TO PROMOTE
THEIR BOUT, SCHEDULED
FOR FEBRUARY 6, 1967,
AT THE ASTRODOME.
WHY DON'T YOU CALL
ME BY MY NAME, MAN?
WELL, WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
YOU TOLD ME YOUR NAME WAS
CASSIUS CLAY A FEW YEARS AGO.
I NEVER TOLD YOU MY
NAME WAS CASSIUS CLAY.
WELL... MY NAME IS MUHAMMAD ALI,
AND YOU WILL
ANNOUNCE IT RIGHT THERE
IN THE CENTER OF THAT
RING AFTER THE FIGHT
IF YOU DON'T DO IT NOW.
FOR THE BENEFIT
OF THIS BROADCAST,
HIM, ALL RIGHT? UH...
YOU ACTING JUST
LIKE A OLD UNCLE TOM,
ANOTHER FLOYD PATTERSON.
I'M GONNA PUNISH YOU... LET
ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, MAN.
YOU AIN'T GOT NO
BUSINESS CALLING ME NO...
BACK OFF OF ME, BACK OFF OF ME.
DON'T CALL ME NO UNCLE TOM, MAN.
THAT'S WHAT YOU
ARE. AN UNCLE TOM.
WHY YOU GONNA
CALL ME A UNCLE TOM?
I DIDN'T DO NOTHING
TO YOU... YOU HEARD ME.
FOR YOU TO CALL ME NO UNCLE
TOM. JUST BACK OFF OF ME!
AND SO LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN... UNCLE TOM!
AS THE TWO CONTESTANTS
PREPARE FOR BATTLE RIGHT NOW...
BACK OFF OF ME, MAN.
BACK OFF OF ME, MAN!
ANOTHER INTERVIEW
HAS BEEN RECORDED
FOR POSTERITY...
"I WANT TO TORTURE HIM,"
ALI SAID BEFORE THE FIGHT.
"I WANT TO GIVE HIM THE
PATTERSON HUMILIATION
AND PUNISH HIM."
PERFECT, THAT'S IT.
COME ON, MAN. WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
COME ON, COME. KEEP SHOOTING.
THE BELL FOR ROUND ONE.
♪
THIS GUY WANTED TO
CRUCIFY THIS "UNCLE TOM."
HE WOULD THROW
A JAB AND TWIST IT.
IT'S DAMAGING.
YOU KNOW, EVERY
TIME THREW A JAB,
HE'S, LIKE, SAYING, "FUCK YOU."
I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER
SEEN MUHAMMAD DISPLAY
THAT KIND OF CONTEMPT
FOR SOMEBODY.
MUHAMMAD ALI NOW
AT HIS MOST TAUNTING.
GOT HIM WITH A RIGHT HAND
AT THE END OF THAT FLURRY.
SOME SOUTHPAW IN HIM.
REALLY TRYING TO
PERPLEX AND WORRY
AND TORMENT TERRELL.
AT THAT POINT IN
MUHAMMAD'S LIFE,
HIM NOT BEING CALLED
MUHAMMAD ALI FROM A BLACK MAN,
HOW DO WE DEAL WITH UNCLE TOMS?
WE'RE GONNA
PUBLICLY HUMILIATE YOU,
AND THAT'S WHAT MUHAMMAD DID.
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
YOU'RE GONNA RESPECT ME.
WHAT'S MY NAME?
AND NOW ALI TELLING
TERRELL TO FIGHT,
"COME ON, FIGHT"
HE SAYS, OPEN UP.
THIS IS WHEN MUHAMMAD ALI IS
AT HIS LEAST SPORTSMAN-LIKE.
THIS IS HIS TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF A MAN HE KNOWS
HE'S GOT WHIPPED I THINK.
"COME ON, TERRELL"
HE SAYS, "FIGHT, FIGHT."
HEY!
♪
WHAT'S MY NAME?
"WHAT'S MY NAME?"
HE'S ASKING HIM
"WHAT'S MY NAME?"
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT.
♪
WHAT'S MY NAME HUH?
WHAT'S MY NAME? WHAT'S MY NAME?
TERRELL GOES FOR HIM.
OH, DEAR. THIS IS NOT SPORT,
BUT THIS IS MUHAMMAD
ALI NOW DOING JUST
WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO,
AND THE CORNER... THE TERRELL
CORNER NOW HAVING TO WORK
DESPERATELY, FURIOUSLY
FAST TO STAUNCH THE FLOW
OF BLOOD FROM THE RIGHT EYE.
LOOKS LIKE A BAD CUT TO
ME, RIGHT UP OVER THE EYE
JUST UNDER THE EYEBROW.
ROUND 9.
AND THERE HE GOES AGAIN.
♪
THESE ARE SOME OF THE
MOST ASTONISHING SCENES
THAT YOU'VE EVER SEEN
IN A WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT.
♪
THE CHANCES HE TAKES.
♪
I WAS THRILLED THAT HE HE
WAS... HE BEAT UP TERRELL
AND SAID, "WHAT'S MY
NAME? WHAT'S MY NAME?"
I JUST THOUGHT THAT IT
WAS A SIGN THAT A NEW KIND
OF BLACK ATHLETE HAD APPEARED,
A WHOLE NEW KIND OF BLACK
CONSCIOUSNESS HAD APPEARED.
IT WAS A WHOLE NEW KIND
OF BLACK MALE DISPENSATION
THAT HAD COME ABOUT
AS A RESULT OF THAT FIGHT,
SO THAT THAT FIGHT
TO ME... AND I THINK
FOR MANY OTHER
YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE
SUCH AS MYSELF AT THAT TIME...
WAS A KIND OF TURNING POINT.
AFTER 15 PUNISHING ROUNDS,
THE DECISION WAS UNANIMOUS.
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS NOW 28-0.
ALI'S PERFORMANCE WAS
"A BARBAROUS DISPLAY
OF CRUELTY," WROTE TEX
MAULE IN "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED."
OTHER COLUMNISTS CALLED
HIM "MEAN AND MALICIOUS,"
"COCKY" AND "ARROGANT."
THE "NEW YORK TIMES"
RECOMMENDED THAT
THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE
OUTLAW BOXING ALTOGETHER.
AND I THINK THIS
PROVES TO THE PUBLIC
AND ALL OF THE DOUBTERS
OUT THERE THAT ERNIE TERRELL
HAS NO CLASS WHATSOEVER
AND YOU CANNOT COMPARE HIM
EVEN IN MY, UH, RANKING.
I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE
TO SAY THAT REALLY,
THE MAN FOUGHT A
COURAGEOUS FIGHT.
YOU WOULD SAY
EVERYTHING IF I HAD LOST,
ESPECIALLY YOU.
NOW, I WON AND
LET ME HAVE MY SAY.
TERRELL... LOOK. I PROVED
THAT HE WASN'T NOTHING.
ALL RIGHT. IT'S A JOKE
CALLING HIM A CHAMPION,
AND HE BETTER PRONOUNCE
MY NAME RIGHT FROM NOW ON.
I'M TIRED OF TALKING. ALL RIGHT.
THE CHAMP IS TIRED.
MUHAMMAD, COME HERE.
LET ME CONGRATULATE YOU.
JOE LOUIS TONIGHT SAID
YOU'RE "A GREAT FIGHTER".
I DON'T NEED JOE LOUIS TO
TELL ME I'M A GREAT FIGHTER.
I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU
FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS.
♪
IN MARCH, HE WOULD
FACE ZORA FOLLEY
AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
WHILE TRAINING IN
THE ARENA'S BASEMENT,
ALI WAS APPROACHED
BY AN UP-AND-COMING
23-YEAR-OLD HEAVYWEIGHT
FROM PHILADELPHIA
WHO'D WON HIS FIRST
14 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS.
"I THOUGHT YOU
WERE MUCH LARGER,"
JOE FRAZIER SAID TO ALI.
"YOU LOOK PRETTY SMALL TO ME."
WHEN ALI SAID HE'D BE
HAPPY TO FIGHT FRAZIER
IN TWO YEARS, THE YOUNGER
BOXER PROMISED TO BE READY.
BEFORE LEAVING, FRAZIER
BOUGHT A $2.00 GLOSSY PRINT
OF ALI AND HAD THE
CHAMPION SIGN IT.
♪ HOLD ME IN YOUR ARMS ♪
HIS LAST FIGHT WAS
WITH ZORA FOLLEY.
HE KNOCKED HIM OUT.
TOOK 6 OR 7 ROUNDS.
THE NEXT MORNING, WE'RE IN
THE LOWE'S MIDTOWN HOTEL,
AND HE COMES IN,
AND I REMEMBER HE CUT
HIMSELF SHAVING.
HE'S GOT A BAND AID
HERE, AND HE LOOKS AT US,
AND HE SAYS, "FELLAS, I DON'T
WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY NEXT FIGHT
BECAUSE I GOT A MUCH
BIGGER FIGHT COMING."
BEFORE THE FOLLEY FIGHT,
ALI HAD RECEIVED WORD
THAT HE HAD BEEN
DRAFTED AND WOULD HAVE
TO REPORT FOR INDUCTION
THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
WHILE HIS LAWYERS PREPARED
TO CHALLENGE THE DRAFT ORDER,
ALI MET PRIVATELY WITH
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
IN LOUISVILLE.
KING WAS IN TOWN
TO PROTEST THE CITY'S
SEGREGATED HOUSING.
THOUGH THE TWO MEN DIFFERED
ABOUT BLACK SEPARATISM,
THEY FOUND COMMON
GROUND IN THEIR VIEWS
ON THE WAR IN VIETNAM.
WHAT DID YOU DISCUSS
BACK IN THE HOTEL ROOM?
NOTHING. JUST FRIENDS.
JUST LIKE KHRUSHCHEV AND KENNEDY
AND EVERYBODY.
WHEN PEOPLE... POLITICIANS
OF ALL OTHER WHITE
RACES COME TOGETHER,
AND THEY, ALTHOUGH
THEY BELIEVE DIFFERENT,
THEY THINK DIFFERENT,
WHITES CAN COME TOGETHER
AND DISCUSS THE COMMON CAUSE,
BUT WHENEVER A FEW
OF US COME TOGETHER,
THE WORLD IS SHOOK UP,
AND I SAY WHATEVER WENT
BACK THERE IS OUR BUSINESS.
REVEREND KING, DO YOU AGREE?
OH, YES, YES.
WE HAD A VERY GOOD
DISCUSSION ON MANY MATTERS,
AND OF COURSE
THESE ARE NOT THINGS
THAT WE WOULD DISCUSS HERE,
BUT WE DO HAVE COMMON PROBLEMS
AND COMMON CONCERNS,
AND ABOVE ALL, AS
MUHAMMAD ALI HAS JUST SAID,
WE ARE ALL VICTIMS OF THE
SAME SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION,
AND EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE
DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS,
THIS DOES NOT AT ALL BRING ABOUT
A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS
OF OUR CONCERNS.
STILL BROTHERS, STILL BROTHERS.
DO YOU SHARE THE SAME...
ONE MORE QUESTION.
DO YOU SHARE THE SAME
CONCERN THAT MUHAMMAD HAS
FOR HIS DRAFT STATUS?
OH, I CERTAINLY DO.
MY VIEWS ON THE
DRAFT ARE VERY CLEAR.
I'M AGAINST IT,
AND I THINK THE SOONER
OUR COUNTRY DOES AWAY
WITH THE DRAFT, THE BETTER
IT WILL BE FOR EVERYBODY.
GET OUT, GET OUT,
GET OUT OF VIETNAM...
IN APRIL OF 1967,
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS
MARCHED IN NEW YORK CITY,
BUT MOST AMERICANS
STILL SUPPORTED THE WAR,
AND CRITICIZING U.S.
POLICY ON VIETNAM REMAINED
POLITICALLY TREACHEROUS,
ESPECIALLY FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
MEANWHILE, MUHAMMAD
ALI'S LAWYERS
HAD DELAYED HIS INDUCTION DATE
BY CLAIMING THE BOXER RESIDED
IN HOUSTON, WHERE HE HAD
TRAINED FOR HIS RECENT FIGHTS.
NOW A NEW ORDER
REQUIRED HIM TO REPORT
TO LOCAL DRAFT BOARD NUMBER 47
IN HOUSTON AT
8:30 A.M. ON APRIL 28.
BEFORE HE LEFT LOUISVILLE,
ALI GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE
EXPLAINING HIS
POSITION AND HIS PLANS.
WHY SHOULD ME AND OTHER
SO-CALLED NEGROES GO
10,000 MILES AWAY FROM
HOME HERE IN AMERICA
TO DROP BOMBS AND
BULLETS ON OTHER INNOCENT
BROWN PEOPLE WHO'S
NEVER BOTHERED US?
AND I WILL SAY DIRECTLY,
NO, I WILL NOT GO 10,000 MILES
TO HELP KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE.
5 DAYS LATER,
MUHAMMAD ALI, FLANKED
BY HIS LAWYERS, ARRIVED AT
THE OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING
IN HOUSTON.
INSIDE, AS ALI
UNDERWENT HIS PHYSICAL,
HE JOKED WITH HIS FELLOW
RECRUITS, DEMONSTRATING
THE ALI SHUFFLE
IN HIS UNDERWEAR.
THEN AT THE INDUCTION
CEREMONY, ALI REFUSED TO
STEP FORWARD WHEN
HIS NAME WAS CALLED.
A NAVY LIEUTENANT
EXPLAINED THE PENALTY
SHOULD HE BE FOUND GUILTY
OF REFUSING INDUCTION...
A $10,000 FINE AND UP
TO 5 YEARS IN PRISON.
GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE
TO STEP FORWARD,
ALI REFUSED AGAIN.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
MR. MUHAMMAD ALI
HAS JUST REFUSED TO BE
INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED
STATES ARMED FORCES.
THE REACTION WAS
SWIFT AND SEVERE.
WITHIN HOURS, THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE NEW YORK STATE
ATHLETIC COMMISSION
DENOUNCED HIS CONDUCT
AS "DETRIMENTAL TO THE
INTERESTS OF BOXING,"
STRIPPING HIM OF HIS
LICENSE TO FIGHT IN NEW YORK.
ALMOST EVERY OTHER
BOXING COMMISSION
IN THE UNITED STATES
FOLLOWED SUIT.
THE WORLD BOXING
ASSOCIATION TOOK AWAY ALI'S
TITLE FOR A SECOND TIME.
WELL, AT THE TIME, I
WAS IN THE SERVICE,
AND, UM, I... ONE WOULD THINK
THAT I WOULD... WOULD THINK OF HIM
AS A TRAITOR OR SOMEONE
WHO DIDN'T WANT TO DO
WHAT I'M DOING, YOU KNOW,
BUT I WAS ALL FOR IT.
AND I FOUND THAT MANY
OF THE BLACK SERVICEMEN
WERE ALL FOR IT, AS WELL.
THEY APPRECIATED HIM
SPEAKING UP BECAUSE
AT THE TIME THERE
WAS A LOT OF DISSENT
AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN
SERVICEMEN.
THIS WAS THE VIETNAM ERA,
A LOT OF BLACK MEN WERE
BEING KILLED.
THEY WERE THINKING OF
THEMSELVES AS CANNON FODDER,
AND I MET SOME OF THE MORE...
SOME OF THE MOST RADICAL
FIGURES I'VE EVER MET
IN THE RANKS OF THE
AIR FORCE AND THE ARMY.
SO UH, WE... WE APPRECIATED
HIM SPEAKING OUT
AND SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT.
AS MUCH AS I THINK EVERYBODY
SHOULD PULL THEIR TOUR,
I THINK THEY ARE OVEREMPHASIZING
THE NEED TO BRING CASSIUS
CLAY INTO THE SERVICE
IF HE PROFESSES TO
BE A MUSLIM MINISTER.
HIS RELIGIOUS
BELIEFS ARE HIS OWN.
THIS COUNTRY WAS SET
UP ON THE BASIC CONCEPT
OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM,
OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE
SHOULD BE PERSECUTED
OR RIDICULED
BECAUSE OF HIS BELIEFS.
SIMPLY BECAUSE MUHAMMAD
ALI HAS THESE BELIEFS,
IT'S NO REASON WHY PEOPLE
SHOULD... SHOULD GO AGAINST HIM.
I THINK HE IS A GREAT CHAMPION,
AND, UH, THEY SHOULD
RESPECT HIS BELIEFS.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU THINK THEY'RE BEING
UNNECESSARILY HARSH ON HIM?
I THINK THEY ARE.
EVERYBODY KNEW THAT
IF HE HAD BEEN DRAFTED
INTO THE ARMY HE WOULD...
LIKE JOE LOUIS AND JACK DEMPSEY
AND EVERY OTHER
BOXER, HE'D GIVE SHOWS.
HE'D GO AND SHAKE HANDS.
HE'D BE IN CHARGE OF MORALE.
HE WASN'T GONNA BE
FIGHTING THE VIET CONG,
AND HE KNEW THAT.
EVERYBODY KNEW THAT.
SO WHAT HE WAS GIVING
UP HAD TO BE FOR PRINCIPLE,
COULDN'T BE FOR FEAR.
ON JUNE 4, 1967, JIM BROWN,
THE RETIRED FOOTBALL STAR,
CONVENED A CLOSED-DOOR SUMMIT
OF BLACK ATHLETES IN CLEVELAND.
THEY INVITED MUHAMMAD
ALI IN HOPES THAT HE MIGHT
ENTERTAIN A BACK-CHANNEL OFFER
FROM PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON
THAT WOULD KEEP HIM OUT
OF JAIL AND IN THE BOXING RING.
A NUMBER OF THE
PARTICIPANTS WERE MEMBERS
OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS.
BILL RUSSELL WAS THERE, MYSELF,
AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE
WHO WERE RELATED
TO SPORTS, BUT WE
ALL WANTED TO JUST SEE
WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
ALL ABOUT WITH REGARD
TO HIS STANCE ON VIETNAM.
JIM, WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF THE POSSIBILITY OF AH
THE CHAMP GOING TO JAIL,
AND WHAT AH, HOW DO
YOU FEEL ABOUT THE IMAGE
THIS MIGHT CREATE
AMONG NEGRO ATHLETES?
WELL AS YOU KNOW,
RELIGION IS BASED ON BELIEF.
WE'RE ALL ARE OF
VARIOUS RELIGIONS IN HERE,
AND ONCE THE CHAMP
CONVINCED US THAT IT WAS
SOLELY A RELIGIOUS MATTER AND
THAT HE BELIEVED COMPLETELY,
THEN I HAD TO LEAVE
IT AT THAT AND GIVE HIM
RESPECT AS FAR AS HIS BELIEF.
WE WERE UNIFIED.
YOU KNOW, WE STOOD BEHIND HIM.
WE WISHED HIM SUCCESS,
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS
NOTHING THAT WE COULD SAY
FORMALLY THAT WAS GONNA
MITIGATE WHAT HE HAD TO GO THROUGH.
"I'M NOT WORRIED
ABOUT MUHAMMAD ALI,"
BILL RUSSELL SAID.
"HE IS BETTER EQUIPPED THAN
ANYONE I KNOW TO WITHSTAND
"THE TRIALS IN STORE FOR HIM.
WHAT I'M WORRIED
ABOUT IS THE REST OF US."
ALL THE LIGHT IN
THE ROOM FOCUSED
ON HIM IT SEEMED.
YOU KNOW, HE KIND
OF ATTRACTED LIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THAT
WAS, UH, WHO HE WAS.
AND I SAW IN MUHAMMAD
ALI'S CHARACTER
THE WILLINGNESS TO
TAKE ON THE BURDENS
OF ALL BLACK AMERICANS
IN CONFRONTING THE RACISM
THAT WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
HE WAS WILLING TO TAKE THAT ON,
AND I WANTED TO
SUPPORT HIM IN THAT.
TO ME, IT FELT JUST LIKE I
FELT ABOUT JACKIE ROBINSON.
YOU KNOW, I WATCHED HIM,
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY,
AND IT SEEMED TO ME
THAT MUHAMMAD ALI
JUST TOOK UP THAT MANTLE.
TWO WEEKS LATER, AN
ALL-WHITE HOUSTON JURY
FOUND ALI GUILTY OF
REFUSING THE DRAFT.
THE JUDGE, IGNORING THE
MORE LENIENT RECOMMENDATION
OF THE PROSECUTOR,
SENTENCED HIM TO THE MAXIMUM...
5 YEARS IN PRISON
AND A $10,000 FINE,
AND HE WOULD HAVE TO
SURRENDER HIS PASSPORT.
ALI'S LAWYERS IMMEDIATELY
FILED AN APPEAL,
PREPARED TO GO ALL THE
WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT
IF NECESSARY, A PROCESS
THAT COULD TAKE YEARS.
ALI REMAINED FREE
BUT WITHOUT HIS TITLE
OR A LICENSE TO BOX.
HE FULLY EXPECTED THAT
HE WOULD ONE DAY GO TO JAIL
FOR HIS BELIEFS.
WE, WHO ARE FOLLOWERS OF
THE HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
THE RELIGION OF
ISLAM, WE BELIEVE
IN OBEYING THE LAWS OF THE LAND.
WE ARE TAUGHT TO OBEY
THE LAWS OF THE LAND
AS LONG AS IT DON'T CONFLICT
WITH OUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
WILL YOU GO INTO
SERVICE AS SUCH?
THIS WOULD BE A THOUSAND PERCENT
AGAINST THE TEACHINGS OF THE
HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
THE RELIGION OF ISLAM,
AND THE HOLY QURAN,
THE HOLY BOOK
THAT WE BELIEVE IN.
THIS WOULD ALL BE
DENOUNCING AND DEFYING
EVERYTHING THAT I STAND FOR.
THIS WOULD MEAN OF COURSE
THAT YOU STAND THE CHANCE
OF GOING TO JAIL AS A RESULT
OF NOT GOING INTO SERVICE.
WELL, WHATEVER THE PUNISHMENT,
WHATEVER THE PERSECUTION
IS FOR STANDING UP
FOR MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS,
EVEN IF IT MEANS FACING
MACHINE GUN FIRE THAT DAY,
I WILL FACE IT BEFORE
DENOUNCING ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AND THE RELIGION OF ISLAM.
I'M READY TO DIE. MM-HMM.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT HIM
SAYING, "IF THEY WAN TO PUT ME
"BEFORE A FIRING SQUAD
TOMORROW, I'M READY TO DIE
BEFORE I ABANDON MY RELIGION,"
UM...
THAT'S IT.
YOU CAN'T TEACH THAT KIND
OF THING IN LECTURES, IN BOOKS.
THAT KIND OF THING
HAS TO BE MODELED,
AND MODELS TURN INTO TRADITIONS,
AND TRADITIONS PROVIDE PEOPLE
WITH THE MECHANICAL MEMORY
TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
THAT'S WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI
REPRESENTED IN THAT MOMENT.
I MEAN, ANYBODY NOW
FACED WITH A MAJOR DECISION
IN WHICH THE RIGHT WAY IS CLEAR
AND THE WRONG WAY IS CLEAR
BUT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE
DIRE, NOW THEY HAVE A MODEL
THAT THEY CAN FALL
BACK ON PSYCHOLOGICALLY,
EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY.
THAT'S WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI
REPRESENTED IN THAT MOMENT,
AND THAT TO ME, THAT
MOMENT WILL LIVE ON FOREVER.
BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 1966,
WHILE IN CHICAGO BETWEEN
FIGHTS, ALI HAD BEEN DRIVING
AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE WITH
A GERMAN PHOTOJOURNALIST.
AFTER ALI REQUESTED
THAT HIS DRIVER RETURN
TO A NATION OF ISLAM
BAKERY FOR A THIRD TIME,
THE PHOTOGRAPHER FOLLOWED
HIM INSIDE AND REALIZED
THE REASON FOR
THE FREQUENT VISITS.
BEHIND THE COUNTER
STOOD A STRIKING 16-YEAR-OLD
NAMED BELINDA BOYD.
ALI WAS A VERY GORGEOUS GUY,
GOOD-LOOKING.
I WAS ATTRACTED
TO HIM RIGHT AWAY.
HE WAS A VERY WARM,
DOWN-TO-EARTH, KIND PERSON.
ALI IS VERY FLIRTATIOUS, TOO.
I THINK THAT... I THINK
THAT'S THE CHARM
THAT I LIKED ABOUT HIM.
HE WAS ALWAYS HAPPY.
THE DAUGHTER OF MUSLIMS,
BOYD HAD ATTENDED
ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ISLAM
IN CHICAGO AND HAD
BEEN A FREQUENT GUEST
AT THE HOME OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
HERBERT MUHAMMAD HAD
ENCOURAGED ALI TO PURSUE HER,
AND SOON THE TWO
WERE SEEING EACH OTHER
AWAY FROM THE BAKERY.
ON AUGUST 18, 1967,
MUHAMMAD AND BELINDA
WERE MARRIED AND MOVED
INTO A SMALL BRICK HOUSE
ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
BOTH WERE TALL AND ATHLETIC,
VOLUBLE AND CHARMING,
AND BELINDA, WHO
HAD LOVED MUHAMMAD
SINCE SHE WAS A YOUNG TEENAGER,
COULD MIMIC HIS CADENCE.
THE COUPLE WERE SO MUCH
ALIKE THAT ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
ONCE JOKED THAT ALI
HAD MARRIED HIS TWIN.
MY MOM AND MY DAD
WERE A LOT ALIKE.
I THINK SHE WAS GOOD
FOR HIM IN THE SENSE
THAT SHE WASN'T QUIET AND SHY.
SHE WAS STRONG, AND
SHE SPOKE HER MIND.
I THINK MY DAD WAS
ATTRACTED TO HER BECAUSE
SHE WAS A STRONG WOMAN
AND SHE WAS A MUSLIM
AND SHE HAD VALUES THAT
MY DAD RESPECTED AND LOVED.
WITHOUT INCOME FROM FIGHTS,
MONEY WAS TIGHT.
BELINDA SEWED HER
OWN CLOTHES AND DIPPED
INTO HER COLLEGE FUND
TO COVER EXPENSES.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'D GIVE US MONEY.
HE WOULD GIVE ME
MONEY TO SURVIVE,
AND I WOULDN'T LET HIM KNOW
IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT HIM
TO FEEL BAD AS A MAN, NOT
BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT US.
THEY STRUGGLED.
MY DAD COULDN'T MAKE ANY MONEY,
BUT MY MOM JUST DEEPLY,
JUST TRULY LOVED HIM,
AND SHE WOULD'VE...
SHE DIDN'T CARE
ABOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF.
SHE JUST REALLY LOVED HIM,
AND SHE'D FOLLOW HIM ANYWHERE.
SO MY DAD WENT ON
THE SPEAKING CIRCUIT,
AND HE STARTED TO
SPEAK AT COLLEGES
AS A WAYS TO MAKE MONEY.
WITHOUT ANY
FURTHER INTRODUCTION,
THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT
BOXING CHAMPION MUHAMMAD ALI!
FIRST OF ALL...
FIRST OF ALL, I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THE STUDENT GOVERNING
BODY FOR INVITING ME HERE
TO SPEAK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL
AND WORTHY OCCASION TONIGHT.
I WENT TO SOME OF
HIS COLLEGE CONCERTS,
AND IN THE BEGINNING,
THEY WERE TERRIBLE,
BUT THEN HE REALLY
STARTED EVOLVING.
HE HAD PREPARED HALF
A DOZEN SPEECHES BASED
ON THE TEACHINGS
OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AND THE POLITICAL
HUMOR OF THE ACTIVIST
AND COMEDIAN DICK GREGORY.
THE BLACK AND WHITE
PROBLEM IN AMERICA IS DIVINE.
IT'S NOT A RACIAL THING
WHERE SOME ORGANIZATION
IS GOING TO FREE US.
BLACK PEOPLE NEED
TO KNOW THEIR CULTURE.
BLACK PEOPLE NEED
TO KNOW THEIR NAME.
BLACK PEOPLE ARE MENTALLY DEAD.
THIS IS WHY ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
TEACHES US THAT JESUS SAID,
"YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH,
AND THE TRUTH ALONE
WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS DIDN'T SAY,
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN
WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS DIDN'T SAY, "THE CONGRESS
GONNA MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS DIDN'T SAY, "INTEGRATION
AND OPEN HOUSING
WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS DIDN'T SAY, "INTERMARRIAGE
WITH WHITE FOLKS
WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS SAID, "TRUTH
MAKE YOU FREE,"
AND BLACK PEOPLE
ARE NOT FREE TODAY
BECAUSE THEY DON'T
KNOW THE TRUTH,
AND ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
IS THE ONLIEST MAN
WITH THAT TRUTH.
I WORKED FOR "MUHAMMAD
SPEAKS" AT THE TIME.
WE FOLLOWED HIM PERIODICALLY.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE TOO
REVERENTIAL TOWARD HIM
BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE
OFFICIAL LINE OF THE NATION
WAS ANTI-SPORT AND PLAY,
AND SO WE DIDN'T
WANT TO, YOU KNOW,
PUSH THAT TOO FAR.
HE PREACHED AT MUSLIM MOSQUES
IN SAN FRANCISCO AND MIAMI,
HOUSTON AND NEW YORK,
LECTURED AT SCHOOLS,
INCLUDING APPALACHIAN STATE,
HOWARD UNIVERSITY, AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO,
AND ADDRESSED
ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS
AND A BLACK PANTHER RALLY.
SO THERE WERE THESE
CLASHING SENSIBILITIES
OUT THERE, AND
MUHAMMAD ALI COMING
FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM,
WHICH KIND OF REPRESENTED
THE BLACK MILITANT ASPECT
BUT YET RESISTING THE WAR,
WHICH COINCIDED
WITH THE HIPPIE THING,
AND SO I THINK THAT WAS
INDEED PART OF THE REASON
WHY HE BECAME SUCH
A GALVANIZING FIGURE.
HIS ABILITY TO EMBRACE
OTHER GROUPS,
EVEN AS HE PROFESSED THE KIND
OF RACIALIST DOCTRINE HIMSELF.
ONLY A FEW PEOPLE
WHO HAVE ACCESS
TO THAT KIND OF COMPLEXITY.
WE HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED.
WHEN YOU WENT TO
CHURCH TO LOOK AT JESUS,
YOU SAW A WHITE.
WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE
ANGELS, YOU SAW WHITES.
EVERYTHING WHITE.
EVERYTHING OF AUTHORITY WHITE.
WHITE OWL CIGARS,
WHITE SWAN SOAP,
KING WHITE SOAP, WHITE
CLOUD TISSUE PAPER,
WHITE RAIN HAIR RINSE...
WSHEWWW... WHITE TORNADO.
WHO EVER HEARD
OF A WHITE TORNADO?
TORNADOS ARE BLACK.
YOU CAN SEE THEM
WHEN THEY'RE COMING.
TORNADOS ARE BLACK.
AIN'T NO WHITE TORNADOS.
WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT BLACK?
SEE, YOU'VE BEEN TRICKED.
YOU'VE BEEN TRICKED TO LOVE
OTHERS AND HATE YOURSELF.
WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI DID
WAS REALLY TEAR THE MASK OFF
OF COMFORT OF
WHITE PEOPLE IN BEING
IN THE MOST POWERFUL
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
COMFORT OF OUR OWN
PRIVILEGE AND OUR OWN INABILITY
TO IDENTIFY WITH
PEOPLE OF COLOR,
AND HE DID IT WITH ALL
THE TOOLS THAT HE HAD.
I'M NOT GONNA HELP
NOBODY GET SOMETHING
MY NEGROES DON'T HAVE.
IF I'M GONNA TO DIE,
I'LL DIE RIGHT NOW
RIGHT HERE FIGHTING YOU.
IF I WANT TO DIE.
YOU MY ENEMY.
MY ENEMY IS THE WHITE
PEOPLE, NOT VIET CONGS
OR CHINESE OR JAPANESE.
YOU MY OPPOSER
WHEN I WANT FREEDOM.
YOU MY OPPOSER
WHEN I WANT JUSTICE.
YOU MY OPPOSER
WHEN I WANT EQUALITY.
YOU WON'T EVEN STAND
UP FOR ME IN AMERICA
FOR MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND
YOU WANT ME TO GO SOMEWHERE
AND FIGHT, BUT YOU
WON'T EVEN STAND UP
FOR ME HERE AT HOME.
HE USED HIS TONGUE
TO LACERATE RACISM
AND WHITE SUPREMACY
AND OPPRESSION
IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.
HE BECAME MORE
MILITANT, NOT LESS.
HE BECAME MORE
ASSERTIVE, NOT LESS.
HE BECAME MORE
CONFRONTATIONAL, NOT LESS.
HE'S NOT SUGAR COATING IT.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED
WHY WE TAKE SO MUCH HELL? HUH?
SERVED THE COUNTRY SO
FAITHFUL FOR 400 YEARS?
FOUGHT IN ALL OF THE WARS
AND STILL DYING IN THE WARS,
AND RIGHT IN MY OWN
HOMETOWN, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
TODAY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
BEAT UP, KICKED AROUND,
PREGNANT WOMEN KNOCKED AROUND
JUST FOR TRYING TO GET
A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY?
BECAUSE WE HAVE
NEVER HEARD THE TRUTH,
AND TRUTH MAKES YOU FREE.
CAN'T YOU LOOK AT ME
AND TELL THAT I'M FREE?
CAN'T YOU HEAR THE WAY I
TALK AND SEE THAT I'M FREE?
I DON'T HAVE NO BOSSES.
I HAVE ONE BOSS,
AND THIS IS HIM,
THE HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
IN APRIL 1968, "ESQUIRE"
MAGAZINE PUT ALI
ON ITS COVER, PORTRAYING
THE EXILED BOXER
AS ST. SEBASTIAN, A
CHRISTIAN MARTYR PERSECUTED
FOR HIS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
YOU HAVE TO BE SICK
MENTALLY TO WANT TO FORCE
YOURSELF INTO PLACES
WHERE YOU'RE NOT WANTED.
YOU SEE THE MAN HATE YOU.
YOU SEE THEY DON'T
WANT YOU DOWN THERE.
WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE THEM ALONE?
WE'LL GO ON SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU BECAME CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD,
EVERYBODY THOUGHT. "THIS
IS A REFRESHING YOUNG MAN."
WE FOUND OUT YOU WERE A MUSLIM,
AND PEOPLE GOT SCARED.
I GOT BAD ALL OF A SUDDEN.
I WAS A GOOD BOY
WHEN I WAS HOLLERING,
"I AM THE GREATEST!
"I CANNOT BE BEAT!
I AM PRETTY! I'M THE
KING! HEE HEE HEE!"
I WAS A GOOD BOY,
BUT WHEN I SAID, "I'M A MUSLIM,
MY RELIGION IS ISLAM,"
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW
AS ONE OF THE PROMINENT
BLACK PERSONS?
I CAN'T BE A LEADER, BUT I CAN
TELL THEM ABOUT THE LEADER.
ALL I CAN TELL THEM IS TO
JOIN ONTO THEIR OWN KIND,
ACCEPT THEIR OWN KIND.
JOIN ONTO THEIR TRUE
RELIGION, WHICH IS ISLAM.
JOIN ONTO THE MUSLIM
TEACHINGS, WHICH IS TAUGHT TO US
BY THE HONORABLE
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
THE ONLIEST BLACK MAN PREACHING
THE TRUTH TO BLACK PEOPLE.
CLEAN UP YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS
AND DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF.
QUIT BEGGING TO INTEGRATE
AND BEG TO SEPARATE.
YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH WHITES.
I DON'T THINK YOU ARE.
NO, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE. UH...
ARE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH ME RIGHT NOW?
NO, I'M COMFORTABLE.
I'M REAL COMFORTABLE
WITH YOU BECAUSE I KNOW
HOW FAR TO GO WITH YOU.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO
HOME WITH YOU NOW
AND FLIRT WITH YOUR DAUGHTER.
I'M NOT GOING TO
TRY TO PUSH YOU OUT
OF YOUR SUBURB.
I INTEGRATE SO FAR.
SEE, WE DON'T... THAT'S WHY
I LIKE GOVERNOR WALLACE.
HE TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT THINGS.
YOU LIKE GEORGE
WALLACE? YES, SIR.
THAT TRUTH HE TELLS WE LIKE.
HE TELLS THE TRUTH.
YOU BELIEVE THAT?
I SEE HIM TELLING THE TRUTH.
YOU DON'T BELIEVE HE'S
BEEN A TOUGH INFLUENCE
IN THIS COUNTRY
AND A BAD INFLUENCE?
WELL, I DON'T AGREE WITH
EVERYTHING NOBODY SAY,
BUT I LIKE WHAT HE SAY
WHEN HE SAYS THAT NEGROES
SHOULDN'T FORCE THEMSELVES
INTO WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS
AND WHITE PEOPLE SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO AH MOVE OUT
OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS
JUST BECAUSE ONE NEGRO COMES.
THEY DON'T WANT TO
SELL THE HOUSE TO HIM,
THEY SHOULDN'T, AND
THAT MAKES SENSE.
IF A PERSON DON'T WANT
YOU. WHY ARE YOU GOING
TO PUSH YOURSELF ON HIM?
AND WALLACE IS
ADMITTING THIS AIN'T RIGHT
AND LET THE PEOPLE DO
WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
WE WANT... WHITE POWER!
I THINK HIS TALK
ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE
RACIALLY SEGREGATING
HAS A RESONANCE
BECAUSE OF THE WHITE
BACKLASH THAT'S OCCURRING
WITH THIS ATTEMPT
AT INTEGRATION,
THAT BLACK PEOPLE
ARE SAYING, "LOOK.
"THESE WHITE
PEOPLE DON'T WANT US.
DO YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON?"
I DON'T EVEN THINK HE
EVER SAW IT IN THAT WAY.
HE JUST SAW IT AS BLACK PEOPLE,
UM, WANTING TO BECOME PEOPLE
OUT HERE IN THIS
WORLD THAT MATTERED
AND THAT THEY... AND
IN ORDER TO MATTER,
WE HAD TO HAVE OUR OWN LAND,
AND WE HAD TO BUILD UP
OURSELVES AS A PEOPLE.
♪ WALK WITH ME ♪
ON APRIL 4, 1968, WHILE STANDING
ON THE BALCONY OF
THE LORRAINE MOTEL
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
MARTIN LUTHER KING
WAS ASSASSINATED.
♪ WALK WITH ME ♪
♪ LORD ♪
"I AM IN MOURNING,"
ALI TOLD THE PRESS,
"FOR MY BLACK BROTHER."
♪ ALL ALONG ♪
♪ WALK WITH ME ♪
♪ THIS OLD, TEDIOUS JOURNEY ♪
♪ LORD ♪
♪ I WANT JESUS ♪
♪ JUST TO WALK WITH ME ♪
♪ WALK WITH ME ♪
IN JUNE, BELINDA GAVE
BIRTH TO A BABY GIRL.
AT ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S SUGGESTION,
THEY NAMED HER MARYUM.
IN AUGUST, A REPORTER
VISITED ALI'S HOME,
WHERE HE WAS SPENDING SOME
QUIET TIME WITH HIS DAUGHTER.
HIS LAWYERS HAD JUST
FILED A PETITION ASKING
THE SUPREME COURT TO
RECONSIDER HIS CONVICTION.
"I'M NOT AFRAID TO GO TO JAIL.
I'M READY TO DIE FOR MY PEOPLE,"
HE TOLD THE REPORTER.
THEN HE PICKED UP MARYUM.
"YOUR DADDY'S FIGHTING
FOR YOU," HE SAID.
"SOMEDAY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO WALK WITH YOUR HEAD
"HIGH AND NOT BEG FOR A JOB,
AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT."
THAT WINTER, THE
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
VOTED PRIVATELY TO
REJECT ALI'S PETITION,
A DECISION THAT SHOULD
HAVE IMMEDIATELY SENT
HIM TO PRISON.
THE CLERK WAS GOING TO
ANNOUNCE TO THE WORLD
THAT THE CASE HAD
BEEN DENIED REVIEW,
WHICH WOULD MEAN EVERYTHING'S
OVER, HE'S GOING TO JAIL,
BUT OVER THE WEEKEND,
A LETTER CAME IN
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
AND THAT LETTER STATED
THAT, UM, THEY HAD RECENTLY
DISCOVERED THAT MUHAMMAD ALI
HAD BEEN OVERHEARD ON WIRETAPS
THAT THE GOVERNMENT
HAD BEEN RUNNING
ON ELIJAH MUHAMMAD AND
ON MARTIN LUTHER KING,
AND THAT MEANT THAT ALI
WAS ENTITLED TO BE INFORMED
ABOUT THOSE WIRETAPS TO
SEE WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE
ANYTHING IN THEM THAT IS
EXCULPATORY TO HIS CASE.
THE SUPREME COURT SAYS,
"WE ARE SENDING THIS CASE
"BACK DOWN TO BE
REEXAMINED IN LIGHT
OF THE WIRETAPPING ISSUE."
SO AT THE VERY 11th
HOUR, ALI IS MORE OR LESS
PULLED OUT OF JAIL AND TOLD
YOU CAN START ALL OVER AGAIN.
IT HAD BEEN TWO YEARS
SINCE ALI'S LAST FIGHT.
REPORTERS WERE EAGER
TO KNOW IF THIS MEANT
THAT HE WOULD FIGHT AGAIN.
"I'M JUST THANKFUL,"
HE TOLD THEM.
"IT'S ALL IN THE
HANDS OF ALLAH."
YOU'RE STILL CONTENT,
YOU'RE STILL DETERMINED
TO RETURN TO THE RING
AND FIGHT ONCE AGAIN
REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS?
OH, YES, MAINLY TO
PAY BILLS, YOU KNOW.
THIS IS MY MAIN
MEANING OF LIVELIHOOD,
AND AH I WOULD RETURN MAINLY
TO PAY A LOT OF UNPAID DEBTS.
IF THE GOVERNMENT CLEARED
THIS THING UP, SAY, TONIGHT
AND YOU COULD FIGHT
A MONTH FROM NOW,
NAME ME ONE PERSON YOU'D
LIKE TO FIGHT RIGHT AWAY.
WELL, UH...
I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN
THEM ALL THESE...
I'M NOT OUT TO FIGHT
ANY OF THEM REALLY.
THEY ALL REALLY WANT
TO FIGHT ME BECAUSE
I CAN'T GAIN NO PRESTIGE...
WHICH ONE WOULD
MAKE THE BEST FIGHT,
AND DRAW THE BIGGEST CROWD?
JOE FRAZIER.
DESPITE HIS EXILE, MUHAMMAD ALI
HAD BEEN CLOSELY
WATCHING THE BOXING RANKS,
WHERE, IN HIS ABSENCE, JOE
FRAZIER WAS NOW RECOGNIZED
AS THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION IN 5 STATES.
"IF THE CONVICTION IS
OVERTURNED AND FRAZIER OFFERS,
I'LL FIGHT," ALI PROMISED.
BUT ALI'S CLAIM THAT ANY
FIGHT WOULD ONLY BE TO PAY
OFF HIS DEBTS UNDERCUT
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S TEACHING
THAT ALLAH WOULD ALWAYS PROVIDE.
THE NEXT DAY, ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD SUMMONED
ALI AND BELINDA TO HIS HOME.
HE SUSPENDED THE FAMILY
FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM
AND REVOKED MUHAMMAD ALI'S NAME.
"WE FIGHT FOR OUR FAMILIES,
"WE FIGHT FOR A LIVING.
WE DON'T FIGHT FOR MONEY."
SO IT'S JUST... IT'S JUST
A WAY YOU SAY THINGS,
AND HE GOT KICKED OUT,
AND WHEN HE GOT KICKED
OUT, I GOT KICKED OUT
BECAUSE WE'RE ONE.
IT WAS TORTURE TO ME
NOT BEING ABLE TO
GO TO THE MOSQUE,
NOT BEING ABLE TO GO
PRAY WITH EACH OTHER.
IN "MUHAMMAD SPEAKS,"
WHICH HAD ONCE
CELEBRATED THE BOXER
FOR HIS SUCCESS IN THE RING,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
NOW CHASTISED HIM
FOR HIS DESIRE TO FIGHT.
"CASSIUS CLAY MADE A
COMPLETE FOOL OF HIMSELF
FOR ACCEPTING THE SPORT
WHICH ALLAH CONDEMNS,"
THE LEADER WROTE.
ALI WAS OUTWARDLY REPENTANT.
"WHAT I SAID WAS OUT OF
PLACE," HE TOLD A REPORTER.
"HE IS THE BOSS.
"I WILL BE A MUSLIM
UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.
"I ONLY PRAY THAT
HE WILL FORGIVE ME
AND LET ME BACK."
ALI INSISTED THAT
HE WAS RETIRED.
"I'LL NEVER CLIMB INTO THE RING
OR GO IN AN ARENA AGAIN,"
BUT HE NEVER STOPPED
PLOTTING HIS RETURN TO BOXING.
MEANWHILE, IGNORING
HIS OWN FATHER,
HERBERT MUHAMMAD CONTINUED
TO SEARCH FOR A VENUE
WHERE THE BOXER
WOULD NOT BE BARRED.
HE TRIED CITY AFTER CITY.
NOTHING WORKED OUT.
THEN ATLANTA BEGAN
TO SHOW PROMISE.
LEROY JOHNSON, GEORGIA'S
FIRST BLACK STATE SENATOR
SINCE RECONSTRUCTION,
WAS EAGER TO SEE ALI'S
FIRST FIGHT IN MORE THAN 3
YEARS COME TO HIS HOMETOWN.
I WENT TO THE LAW BOOKS
AND BEGAN TO SEARCH THE LAW,
AND AFTER MAYBE A COUPLE
OF HOURS I DISCOVERED
THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE
GEORGIA STATUTE DEALING
WITH BOXING MATCHES.
THAT MEANT IT WAS
LEFT UP TO ATLANTA.
THE CITY OF ATLANTA
GAVE ITS APPROVAL.
THE GOVERNOR OF
GEORGIA WASN'T PLEASED.
I DON'T... I DON'T
SEE HOW THIS FIGHT
COULD TAKE PLACE REALLY ANYWHERE
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BY A MAN THAT HAS DENOUNCED
HIS COUNTRY'S UNIFORM
AND REFUSED TO BE INDUCTED
INTO THE SERVICE
OF THIS COUNTRY,
SO I'VE CALLED FOR A DAY OF
MOURNING BECAUSE OF THIS
THAT THIS TRAGIC
THING HAS HAPPENED
IN THIS UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA,
WHERE MEN HAVE FOUGHT SO LONG
AND THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN
HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH.
BEFORE LEAVING
CHICAGO, ALI RECEIVED
A PACKAGE CONTAINING A
DECAPITATED BLACK DOG
AND A NOTE READING,
"WE KNOW HOW TO HANDLE
BLACK DRAFT-DODGING
DOGS IN GEORGIA."
TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
ATLANTA COULD STAGE THE BOUT
WITHOUT POLITICAL
INTERFERENCE OR VIOLENCE,
SENATOR JOHNSON ARRANGED
FOR A PRE-FIGHT EXHIBITION MATCH
AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE.
ON SEPTEMBER 2,
1970, 2,700 PEOPLE,
INCLUDING MARTIN LUTHER
KING SR. AND RALPH ABERNATHY,
FILLED THE MOREHOUSE GYM
TO SEE MUHAMMAD ALI SPAR
WITH 3 UNDISTINGUISHED
OPPONENTS.
THE GYM WAS PACKED.
BLACK AND WHITE WAS THERE,
AND MOREHOUSE IS IN THE
HEART OF A BLACK COMMUNITY,
AND THAT SERVED
AS A CUSHION FOR US,
AND WE HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.
NOBODY TRIED TO INVADE
IT OR STOP THE FIGHT.
"THE ROOF DID NOT
FALL IN," REPORTED
"SPORTS ILLUSTRATED,"
"NO ONE THREW A BOMB.
FIRE AND BRIMSTONE
DID NOT RAIN DOWN."
SOON AFTER, PROMOTERS
ANNOUNCED THAT ALI
WOULD BE FIGHTING TOP-RANKED
CONTENDER JERRY QUARRY
IN ATLANTA ON OCTOBER 26.
I THINK IT'S FINE, I
THINK WE SHOULD HAVE
SOMETHING LIKE
THAT HERE IN ATLANTA.
I THINK IT'S TIME.
WELL, I DON'T LIVE
HERE IN ATLANTA,
BUT FRANKLY I'D JUST
AS SOON HE DIDN'T
FIGHT ANYWHERE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE
THE GREATEST THING
THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ATLANTA.
WELL, I JUST DON'T
LIKE TO SEE OUR...
US HAVE THAT IN OUR CITY.
WHY IS THAT?
JOE FRAZIER'S
MANAGER PROMISED ALI
A TITLE MATCH IF HE BEAT QUARRY.
"WE'LL FIGHT HIM ANYPLACE
IN THE UNITED STATES
HE CAN GET A LICENSE," HE SAID.
THOUGH THE BOUT IN
ATLANTA WOULD PROCEED,
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS STILL BARRED
FROM FIGHTING ANYWHERE ELSE.
AT THE SAME TIME,
LAWYERS FOR THE NAACP,
INCLUDING MICHAEL
MELTSNER, HAD FILED A LAWSUIT
AGAINST NEW YORK'S
BOXING COMMISSION,
CLAIMING THE COMMISSION
HAD ILLEGALLY SINGLED OUT ALI
AND GRANTED LICENSES TO OTHER
BOXERS CONVICTED OF CRIMES.
WE KNEW THAT SOME LICENSEES
HAD CRIMINAL RECORDS,
BUT WHEN WE GOT INTO THE FILES
OF THE ATHLETIC COMMISSION,
WE WERE SHOCKED AT THE NUMBERS
AND THE RANGE OF
CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
244 BOXERS HAD BEEN
LICENSED BY THE NEW YORK STATE
ATHLETIC COMMISSION
WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS,
AND THEY INCLUDED
CHAMPIONS AND CONTENDERS.
THEY INCLUDED MANSLAUGHTER,
SECOND DEGREE MURDER,
ARMED ROBBERY, AND THE LIKE.
IT CONFIRMED OUR SENSE
THAT ALI HAD BEEN PICKED OUT,
SINGLED OUT, FOR
TREATMENT BECAUSE
OF HIS IDENTITY, BECAUSE
OF HIS AFFILIATIONS
WITH THE NATION OF
ISLAM, AND BECAUSE HE WAS
A PROMINENT BLACK FIGURE.
JUDGE MANSFIELD
SAID, "THIS IS ARBITRARY.
IT VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION,
THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE,"
AND HE REQUIRED THE
STATE OF NEW YORK
TO GIVE ALI A LICENSE.
BY THAT TIME, PEOPLE
WERE REALIZING
WHAT A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE
THAT WHOLE THING HAD BEEN,
AND JUDGE MANSFIELD'S
DECISION WAS
THE FIRST JUDICIAL
DECISION ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO ALI GOT HIS LICENSE
FROM NEW YORK,
AND AT THAT POINT,
HERBERT CAME TO ME,
AND HE SAID, "BOB,
FORM A NEW COMPANY
AND START PROMOTING
ALI'S FIGHTS."
ONE AFTERNOON BEFORE HIS MATCH
WITH JERRY QUARRY IN ATLANTA,
ALI AND HIS ENTOURAGE
SCREENED A FILM
ON THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
JACK JOHNSON, WHO
HAD BEEN ARRESTED
ON RACIALLY MOTIVATED
CHARGES AND FLED
THE COUNTRY IN 1913.
"HIS FIGHTS WERE CANCELED, TOO?
THIS IS REALLY
SOMETHING," MARVELED ALI.
"MY CASE REVIVES HIS STORY."
CLAY, I FEEL, HAS
BEEN MESSED AROUND,
AND NOW'S THE CHANCE
TO PROVE HIMSELF.
IF SOMEONE WERE TO
GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LET HIM BE HIMSELF,
AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING
HE'S ASKED FOR ALL
THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
HE DIDN'T DO NOTHING NO MORE.
JUST LET HIM BE HIMSELF.
I LOVE FREEDOM FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THIS WILL FREE MUHAMMAD.
THANK YOU.
ON OCTOBER 26, 1970,
MUHAMMAD ALI FOUGHT
JERRY QUARRY BEFORE
5,000 SPECTATORS
AT ATLANTA'S
MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM.
IT WOULD BE HIS FIRST
PROFESSIONAL FIGHT
IN MORE THAN 3 1/2 YEARS.
♪
THAT NIGHT, BUNDINI
IS CONSTANTLY YELLING,
"GHOST IN THE HOUSE!
"THERE'S A GHOST IN THE HOUSE!
GHOST IN THE HOUSE!"
WELL, THAT GHOST IS,
OF COURSE, THE GHOST
OF JACK JOHNSON BECAUSE
JACK JOHNSON FOUGHT HIS BATTLES
AT AN EARLIER TIME
SURROUNDED BY ISSUES
OF WHAT IT MEANT TO BE
A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA
IN THE EARLIEST PART
OF THE 20th CENTURY.
IT IS NOW THE 1970s, AND IT
TURNS OUT MUHAMMAD ALI
IS FIGHTING A SIMILAR BATTLE.
SO THE GHOST OF JACK JOHNSON
IS THE SPIRIT THAT INFORMS
ALI'S RETURN AGAINST
JERRY QUARRY,
AND BUNDINI IS THE ONE
WHO GIVES VOICE TO THE FACT
THAT THIS GHOST IS
MOST INDEED IN THE HOUSE,
AND ALI FINISHED IT IN THE RING.
IN THE THIRD ROUND,
ALI OPENED A GASH
ABOVE QUARRY'S LEFT EYE.
THE CUT WAS SO SEVERE
THAT QUARRY'S TRAINER ASKED
THE REFEREE TO STOP THE FIGHT.
HE DID, AWARDING ALI
A TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT
BEFORE THE BELL RANG TO
OPEN THE FOURTH ROUND.
♪ HEY, AND YOUR BULLETS ♪
♪ KEEP KNOCKING ME DOWN ♪
AFTER THE FIGHT,
CORETTA SCOTT KING
AND RALPH ABERNATHY
PRESENTED ALI
WITH A DR. MARTIN LUTHER
KING MEMORIAL AWARD.
I WANTED TO SAY
THAT YOU ARE NOT ONLY
OUR CHAMPION IN THE BOXING AREA,
BUT YOU ARE ALSO A CHAMPION
OF JUSTICE AND PEACE...
THANK YOU. AND HUMAN DIGNITY.
THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
YOU ARE THE LIVING EXAMPLE
OF SOUL POWER.
THIS WAS THE MARCH ON
WASHINGTON ALL IN TWO FISTS.
- SO PROUD OF YOU.
- SAY IT AGAIN.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
MORE THAN 200 VENUES
HAD CARRIED THE FIGHT ON
CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION,
INCLUDING NEW YORK CITY'S
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
"IF THE CROWD AT THE
GARDEN WAS ANY INDICATION,"
OBSERVED MURRAY CHASS
OF THE "NEW YORK TIMES,"
"MUHAMMAD ALI COULD BE
ELECTED BOTH GOVERNOR
"AND UNITED STATES
SENATOR IF HE WERE RUNNING
IN NEXT TUESDAY'S ELECTION."
MUHAMMAD ALI'S RETURN TO
THE RING HAD BEEN A TRIUMPH,
BUT HIS FUTURE
REMAINED UNCERTAIN.
THOUGH DETERMINED TO
REGAIN THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE,
ALI STILL FACED 5 YEARS IN
PRISON ON DRAFT EVASION CHARGES,
AND HIS LENGTHY EXILE HAD
NOT COME WITHOUT A COST.
♪ AIN'T IT FUNNY HOW THE
TRUTH CAN WALK UP TO YOU ♪
AFTER THE QUARRY FIGHT, I
REMEMBER LEAVING THE RING,
LEAVING THE RINGSIDE THAT NIGHT,
WALKING WITH BUD SCHULBERG,
WHO KNEW A WHOLE LOT MORE
ABOUT BOXING THAN I DID, AND
SCHULBERG'S ONLY COMMENT
ON THE FIGHT WAS,
"HE'S LOST A STEP."
♪ DOWN, DOWN, DOWN ♪
WELL, WHEN YOU'RE
MUHAMMAD ALI AND YOU'VE
MADE YOUR CAREER BY STAYING
ONE STEP AHEAD OF EVERYBODY,
YOU CAN'T LOSE A STEP.
♪ OF THE DAWN ♪
♪ THE TRUTH IS GONNA
COME THIS WAY ♪
♪ OH, YES, IT IS ♪
♪ AND IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR
MIND TOGETHER, PEOPLE ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, YOU'RE
GONNA HAVE TO BEG ♪
♪ OH, YES, YOU ARE ♪
♪ YOU BETTER GET
YOUR SALVATION ♪
♪ THESE ARE THE
DAYS OF REVELATION ♪
♪ OH, YES, THEY ARE ♪
♪ EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE ♪
♪ AND NOBODY WANTS TO DIE ♪
♪ UNH, BUT THEY
WON'T LIVE THE TRUTH ♪
♪ THEY'D RATHER LIVE A LIE ♪
♪ YEAH, BUT TODAY,
THEY ARE LAUGHING ♪
♪ TOMORROW, THEY'RE
GONNA CRY, CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ BUT, PEOPLE, YOU CAN
MAKE IT IF YOU ONLY TRY ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH,
YOU GOT TO TRY ♪
♪ YOU GOT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER ♪
♪ OOH, OOH ♪
♪ YOU GOT TO TURN AROUND
AND LOVE YOUR BROTHER ♪
♪ OH, YES, YOU BETTER ♪
♪ DON'T YOU SEE WE DON'T
HAVE MUCH FURTHER ♪
♪ IF WE KEEP ON, KEEP ON
DESTROYING EACH OTHER? ♪
♪ OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ YOU BETTER GET
YOUR SALVATION ♪
♪ THESE ARE THE
DAYS OF REVELATION ♪
♪ OH, YES, THEY ARE ♪
♪ OOH ♪
♪ YEAH ♪
♪
♪ OOH ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, OOH ♪
♪ OH, NOW, NOW, OH ♪
♪ YEAH ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ IT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, YEAH ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, YEAH ♪
♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ DON'T YOU KNOW I
LOVE YOU, CHILD? ♪
♪ OH, YES, I DO ♪
♪ REACH OUT YOUR
HAND TO ME, CHILD ♪
♪ YOU KNOW I'LL UNDERSTAND,
OH, YES, I WILL NOW ♪
♪
♪ REACH OUT YOUR
HAND TO ME, CHILD ♪
♪ YEAH, YOU KNOW
I'LL UNDERSTAND ♪
♪ YES, I WILL NOW ♪
♪ WANT YOU TO REACH
OUT AND TOUCH MY HAND ♪
♪ YEAH, YOU KNOW THAT
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND ♪
♪ OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
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.
OF CASSIUS' VICTORY IN MIAMI?
I THINK IT WAS A GREAT VICTORY.
HE PROVED HE WAS THE BEST MAN.
AND DO YOU THINK
THAT CASSIUS' BEING
A BLACK MUSLIM HAS HAD
ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS VICTORY?
WELL, I HAVEN'T HEARD HIM
SAY HE WAS A BLACK MUSLIM.
HE'S A CLEAN-LIVING YOUNG MAN,
AND THIS IS THE MAIN THING THAT
THE HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
DOES TEACH IN SPREADING THE
RELIGION OF ISLAM THROUGHOUT THE...
AMONG OUR PEOPLE
IN THIS COUNTRY.
MR. X, HOW LONG HAS
CASSIUS BEEN A BLACK MUSLIM?
DO YOU KNOW THAT?
UH, WELL I DON'T KNOW.
CASSIUS IS PROBABLY...
PROBABLY MORE CAPABLE
OF SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF
THAN ANY OTHER
MAN IN THIS COUNTRY.
♪
ON THE MORNING
OF FEBRUARY 26, 1964,
CASSIUS CLAY RETURNED TO
THE MIAMI BEACH
CONVENTION CENTER,
WHERE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT
HE HAD BEATEN SONNY LISTON
TO CLAIM THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.
HE WAS JUST 22 YEARS OLD.
CLAY GAVE A VERY
GENTLEMANLY INTERVIEW.
"I DON'T HAVE TO BE
WILD AND CRAZY ANYMORE.
I CAN BE A NICE GENTLEMAN,"
AND ALL THE OLDER
REPORTERS LEFT VERY SATISFIED.
THE YOUNGER REPORTERS,
WE STAYED TALKING TO HIM.
"WHAT'S THIS ABOUT YOU
AND THE BLACK MUSLIMS?"
AND SUDDENLY HE SAID, "RED
BIRDS STAY WITH RED BIRDS,
"AND BLUE BIRDS WITH BLUE BIRDS.
"YOU STAY WITH PEOPLE
OF YOUR OWN KIND.
THAT'S NATURE."
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, ALL RIGHT?
AND THAT REALLY SOUNDED
LIKE AN ATHLETIC DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE, SOMETHING
THAT WE HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE
IN ANY SPORT,
AND IT WAS A REALLY A
VERY POWERFUL MOMENT,
AND THEN HE WENT ON.
I WASN'T FORCING MYSELF
IN NO NEIGHBORHOODS
I'M NOT WANTED.
I WASN'T BUSTING DOWN NO
SCHOOLS AND SHAMING AMERICA.
I WASN'T DOING NOTHING.
I WAS JUST AROUND
COLORED PEOPLE,
AND NOW I'M CATCHING MORE
HELL THAN ALL THE PEOPLE
WHO'S RAISING HELL.
I LIKE EVERYBODY, BUT ONE
NEGRO COMING TO SCHOOL
AND THE POLICE FORCE IS
OUT THERE AND THE MAYOR
AND THE GOVERNOR AND
THE FIREMEN WITH THE HOSES
AND RACE RIOTS
AND WHOOPING THEM.
DO YOU THINK IT'S AWFUL?
YES, AWFUL. THAT'S
WHY I'M NOT AROUND IT.
I MIGHT GET KILLED.
THE NEXT DAY, HE
TOLD A REPORTER,
"MY RELIGION IS ISLAM.
"I BELIEVE ALLAH IS GOD.
"I THINK THIS IS THE TRUE
WAY TO SAVE THE WORLD,
WHICH IS ON FIRE WITH HATE."
HE'S 22 YEARS OLD,
AND HE'S STANDING UP TO
THE WHOLE ESTABLISHMENT.
"I AM THE WORLD CHAMPION.
"I HAVE CHANGED MY RELIGION,
AND YOU'RE SIMPLY GOING
TO HAVE TO ACCEPT IT."
HIS JOINING A FAITH COMMUNITY,
WHICH IS IN ESSENCE WHAT HE DID,
IT WASN'T ACCEPTED.
IT WAS SEEN MORE AS
SOMETHING POLITICAL
BECAUSE OF THE
RACIAL ASPECT OF IT.
IT WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO
MANY, MANY, WHITE PEOPLE,
OF THE TIME.
HE WAS VILIFIED,
AND IT WAS THOUGHT
THAT IT WAS, UM...
HE WAS UN-AMERICAN.
THAT WAS THE BIG THING.
HE WAS UN-AMERICAN.
♪
DEMONSTRATIONS OF ALL TYPES
ARE PROHIBITED.
CURFEW AT 9 PM.
GUARDSMEN USED
TEARGAS TO BREAK UP
ANOTHER NEGRO PROTEST.
IN THE 4 YEARS IT HAD
TAKEN CASSIUS CLAY
TO RISE FROM LITTLE-KNOWN
OLYMPIC HOPEFUL
TO HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF
THE WORLD, AFRICAN-AMERICANS
HAD WAGED A NON-VIOLENT
CAMPAIGN FOR INTEGRATION,
ORGANIZING FREEDOM RIDES,
CHALLENGING THE UNLAWFUL
SEGREGATION OF SCHOOLS,
AND STAGING A
MASSIVE DEMONSTRATION
ON THE MALL IN WASHINGTON D.C.
THERE WILL BE NEITHER REST
NOR TRANQUILITY IN AMERICA
UNTIL THE NEGRO IS GRANTED
HIS CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS.
♪
THEY WERE MET BY A WHITE AMERICA
VIOLENTLY DETERMINED TO
MAINTAIN THE RACIAL STATUS QUO.
2-4-6-8, WE DON'T
WANT TO INTEGRATE.
THE WINNER BY A TKO
IN THE SEVENTH
ROUND CASSIUS CLAY!
CLAY THRILLED
THOSE WHO IDENTIFIED
WITH HIS STRONG
SENSE OF RACIAL PRIDE,
BUT MANY OTHERS
WERE ANGERED BY WHAT
THEY REGARDED AS
HIS LACK OF HUMILITY,
HIS REFUSAL TO ABIDE
BY THE OLD SOCIAL ORDER,
AND HIS ASSOCIATION
WITH THE NATION OF ISLAM,
WHICH PREACHED THE
SEPARATION OF THE RACES.
TO THEM, CASSIUS CLAY WAS
UNGRATEFUL AND OFFENSIVE
AND A THREAT THAT
NEEDED TO BE STOPPED.
♪
I WAS AS A CHILD
AFRAID OF CASSIUS CLAY
BECAUSE HE CALLED
UP VIOLENT EMOTIONS
IN BLACK MEN SPECIFICALLY
IN THE COMMUNITY.
I LIVED IN WATTS AT THE TIME,
AND WHAT I SAW IN HIM
WAS SOMETHING THAT
COULD CAUSE ANYTHING TO HAPPEN,
AND IT WAS TRUE
OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.
CERTAINLY EVERYBODY
WAS AFRAID OF MALCOLM X
BECAUSE HE SAID,
"THEY'RE STEALING FROM US.
"THEY ROBBING FROM
US. THEY HATE US.
THEY KILL US."
WE ALL KNEW IT, BUT
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE SAYING THAT,
AND YOU COULD SEE IT
RESONATING IN PEOPLE,
THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE
LIVING IN THAT 500 YEARS
OF OPPRESSION.
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS A
SPARK, AND I WAS STANDING
IN A FIELD OF GASOLINE
AND THINKING, "OH, NO."
I DON'T... I'M GONNA
BE IN TROUBLE.
ON FEBRUARY 26, 1964,
AT AN ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
IN CHICAGO, THE NATION
OF ISLAM'S HEAD MINISTER
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
PRAISED CASSIUS CLAY
FOR DEFEATING SONNY LISTON.
HE WAS ABLE BY CONFESSING
ALLAH IS GOD AND
MUHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER.
THAT HE WHIPPED A MUCH
TOUGHER MAN THAN HE.
THE ENEMY WANTED HIM
TO COME OUT ALL BLASTED.
YES, SIR! YES, SIR!
THEY HAD SAID THAT
HE WOULD... HEH HEH...
LISTON WOULD TEAR UP
THAT PRETTY FACE OF YOURS...
BUT ALLAH AND
MYSELF SAID NO, NO.
THOUGH ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD HAD ALWAYS
CONDEMNED SPORTS AS
FRIVOLOUS ENTERTAINMENT,
HE NOW ORDERED THE EDITOR
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM'S
NEWSPAPER "MUHAMMAD
SPEAKS" TO ADD 4 ADDITIONAL PAGES
DEDICATED TO THE NEW CHAMPION.
"MUHAMMAD SPEAKS."
WHAT'S UP, MY BROTHER?
SUDDENLY ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
HAS TO THINK ABOUT THIS GUY
A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY
BECAUSE HAD HE
LOST TO SONNY LISTON,
AS EVERYONE EXPECTED,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD COULD'VE
BRUSHED HIM UNDER THE RUG,
BUT NOW HE'S THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD,
AND SUDDENLY ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD REALIZES THAT
THIS COULD BE AN ASSET.
THIS COULD HELP
HIM WITH RECRUITING,
THAT MAYBE HE SHOULDN'T
BE SO FAST TO DISMISS THIS KID.
ON MARCH 1, CASSIUS CLAY DROVE
TO NEW YORK, WHERE HE
CHECKED INTO THE HOTEL THERESA
IN HARLEM, AND
REUNITED WITH MALCOLM X,
THE MUSLIM MINISTER WHO HAD
BECOME HIS SPIRITUAL ADVISOR
AND CLOSE FRIEND.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD HAD
SUSPENDED MALCOLM
FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM,
AND WITH LITTLE CHANCE
OF BEING REINSTATED, HE HAD
QUIETLY BEGUN MAKING PLANS
TO FORM HIS OWN
MOVEMENT, ONE THAT HE HOPED
WOULD INCLUDE CASSIUS CLAY.
THAT EVENING, THE TWO MEN
JOINED A CROWD OF 500 PEOPLE
AT THE TRANS-LUX
THEATRE IN MIDTOWN
FOR A SCREENING OF
CLAY'S FIGHT WITH LISTON.
IN THE MORNING, MALCOLM
TOOK CASSIUS TO THE OFFICES
OF THE "AMSTERDAM NEWS,"
WHERE THE BOXER TOLD REPORTERS
THAT HE HAD RENOUNCED
THE NAME CLAY,
WHICH THE NATION OF ISLAM
CONSIDERED A "SLAVE NAME,"
AND WOULD NOW GO BY CASSIUS X.
HERE'S MY BUDDY.
ON MARCH 5, THEY VISITED
THE UNITED NATIONS.
"I'M CHAMPION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD," CASSIUS TOLD
DELEGATES FROM AFRICA AND ASIA,
WHO EAGERLY OFFERED TO
HOST HIM IN THEIR COUNTRIES.
THE BOXER ALSO ANNOUNCED
THAT HE INTENDED TO MOVE
TO NEW YORK.
WELL, YES, I'M LOOK...
SCOUTING NOW,
AND SOME HOME ON
THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN
I'LL SOON BE PICKING.
IS THIS THE REASON FOR YOUR...
THIS PARTICULAR
TRIP TO NEW YORK?
WELL, YES, I HAVE
ENTERPRISE SET UP HERE.
I'M INCORPORATED NOW,
AND I HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS
TO ATTEND TO.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS
THE CENTER OF THE WORLD.
A WHOLE LOT IS GOING ON HERE.
IN CHICAGO, ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD FUMED.
HE ORDERED CLAY TO STOP
SEEING MALCOLM IMMEDIATELY.
THE NEXT DAY, ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD MADE A MOVE
INTENDED TO SECURE
THE BOXER'S ALLEGIANCE
AND PERMANENTLY
MARGINALIZE MALCOLM X.
"THIS CLAY NAME HAS
NO DIVINE MEANING,"
HE DECLARED IN A RADIO ADDRESS.
"I HOPE HE WILL
ACCEPT BEING CALLED
"BY ANOTHER NAME.
"MUHAMMAD ALI IS
WHAT I WILL GIVE TO HIM
AS LONG AS HE BELIEVES
IN ALLAH AND FOLLOWS ME."
FOR ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
IT WAS A BRILLIANT STROKE
BECAUSE IT PULLED MUHAMMAD
ALI TOWARD ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AT A TIME WHEN HE
COULD'VE GONE EITHER WAY.
HE COULD'VE GONE TOWARD MALCOLM.
HE COULD'VE SPLIT FROM
THE NATION OF ISLAM,
BUT ELIJAH MUHAMMAD, BY
GRANTING ALI THIS HONOR,
THIS SPECIAL NAME WAS
SAYING, "YOU'RE MY SON.
YOU ARE, SPECIAL TO ME," AND
THAT CEMENTED THEIR BOND.
MEANWHILE, MALCOLM
TRIED REPEATEDLY TO REACH
THE BOXER BY PHONE
AT THE HOTEL THERESA,
BUT EACH CALL WAS ANSWERED
BY ONE OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S MEN.
THEY REFUSED TO LET
MALCOLM SPEAK TO HIS FRIEND.
WHY DO YOU INSIST
ON BEING CALLED
MUHAMMAD ALI NOW?
THAT'S THE NAME GIVEN
TO ME BY MY LEADER
AND TEACHER, THE
HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
THAT'S MY ORIGINAL NAME,
THAT'S A BLACK MAN NAME.
CASSIUS CLAY WAS MY SLAVE NAME.
I'M NO LONGER A SLAVE.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
MUHAMMAD MEANS
"WORTHY OF ALL PRAISES,"
AND ALI MEANS "MOST HIGH."
DO YOU INTEND TO
FIGHT UNDER THAT NAME?
YES, SIR. I WANT TO BE
CALLED BY THAT NAME,
I WRITE AUTOGRAPHS
WITH THAT NAME.
I WANT TO BE KNOWN ALL
OVER THE WORLD AS THAT NAME,
ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT
ASIA AND AFRICA
BECAUSE THAT'S THE NAMES
OF OUR PEOPLE OVER HOME.
MALCOLM X, YOU'VE
BEEN VERY CLOSE
TO THE NEW HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION CASSIUS CLAY.
DO YOU EXPECT THAT HE MIGHT
LEAVE THE NATION OF ISLAM WITH YOU?
NO. AS I STATED EARLIER TODAY,
IT'S NOT MY INTENTION TO
ENCOURAGE ANY MUSLIM
WHO FOLLOWS THE
HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
TO LEAVE HIM.
IN FACT, IT'S MY INTENTION
TO ENCOURAGE ALL MUSLIMS
TO REMAIN UNDER THE
SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
OF THE HONORABLE
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
THAT INCLUDES CASSIUS CLAY.
HAVING WON
MUHAMMAD ALI'S LOYALTY,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD CUT
OFF MALCOLM X ENTIRELY,
FORCING HIM AND HIS
FAMILY FROM THE HOME
THE NATION OF
ISLAM HAD PROVIDED.
FOLLOWED EVERYWHERE BY
MEMBERS OF THE FRUIT OF ISLAM,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S
SECURITY FORCE,
MALCOLM X PUBLICLY
QUIT THE SECT.
HE REMAINED A MUSLIM
BUT WOULD CREATE
HIS OWN MOVEMENT
COMMITTED TO REACHING
ALL AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
IN THE MONTHS AHEAD,
MALCOLM WOULD MAKE
A PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA THAT
WOULD RESHAPE HIS ATTITUDES
TOWARD ISLAM.
HE WAS WILLING NOW TO COOPERATE
WITH NON-VIOLENT
CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS,
AND HE WOULD LIVE EACH
DAY UNDER THE THREAT
OF VIOLENCE FROM
THE NATION OF ISLAM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT
YOU'RE HEADED FOR CHICAGO
LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON TO
MEET WITH ELIJAH MUHAMMAD?
YES, SIR. HAVING
DINNER WITH HIM.
UH-HUH. ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS
IS YOUR FRIENDSHIP
WITH MALCOLM X
FOR YOU JOINING THE
BLACK MUSLIMS, WASN'T IT?
NO, I WAS A MUSLIM 4 YEARS
BEFORE I MET MALCOLM X.
OH, REALLY?
HE'S A FRIEND OF YOURS
NOW THOUGH, ISN'T HE?
MM-HMM. YES. HE'S
A BROTHER OF MINE.
HE'S MY BROTHER. WHATEVER
HE DO, HE'S MY BROTHER.
UH-HUH. NOW THAT HE'S SPLIT
AWAY FROM THE MUSLIMS...
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT SPLITTING.
I'LL HAVE TO SEE A HIGHER
AUTHORITY ON THAT.
THAT'S ONE OF MY MAIN
REASONS FOR GOING
IS TO FIND OUT THE REAL STORY.
I DON'T BELIEVE NOTHING
THE PRESS AND PEOPLE WRITE.
AT HIS CHICAGO MANSION,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
LECTURED ALI AND HIS
BROTHER RUDY ON ALLAH,
DISCUSSED THE BOXER'S
FUTURE, AND PROMISED
TO FIND HIM A MUSLIM
WOMAN TO MARRY.
HE ALSO INTRODUCED ALI TO
HIS SON HERBERT, THE OWNER
OF A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO AND
EDITOR OF "MUHAMMAD SPEAKS."
IN TIME, ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AND HIS SON WOULD CONTROL
NEARLY EVERY
ASPECT OF ALI'S LIFE.
BACK IN NEW YORK,
THE NEW CHAMPION
WAS BESIEGED BY REPORTERS,
MOST OF WHOM FORGOT...
OR DECLINED... TO CALL
HIM BY HIS NEW NAME.
CASSIUS, WHEN THE FIGHT WAS
OVER, YOU RAISED YOUR HANDS...
ATTENDING A FIGHT AT
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN,
HE INSISTED ON BEING
INTRODUCED AS MUHAMMAD ALI.
THE BOUT'S PROMOTERS REFUSED.
"I PITY CLAY AND ABHOR
WHAT HE REPRESENTS,"
WROTE THE VETERAN
SPORTSWRITER JIMMY CANNON.
HE ACCUSED THE
BOXER OF USING HIS FAITH
AS A "WEAPON OF WICKEDNESS
IN AN ATTACK ON THE SPIRIT."
MARTIN LUTHER KING
JR. CHARGED THAT ALI
HAD BECOME "A CHAMPION
OF RACIAL SEGREGATION."
FORMER CHAMPION FLOYD
PATTERSON, A CATHOLIC,
COMPARED THE NATION OF
ISLAM TO THE KU KLUX KLAN
AND OFFERED TO FIGHT
FOR FREE IN ORDER TO WREST
THE TITLE FROM CLAY
AND THE BLACK MUSLIMS.
WELL, I MADE, THE
CHALLENGE TO CASSIUS CLAY
BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THE
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
BELONGS TO ALL AMERICANS,
AND IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF,
ALL AMERICANS
SHOULD BE PROUD OF.
I ALSO FEEL THAT IT SHOULD NOT
BE IN THE HANDS OF ONE GROUP
OF PEOPLE, AND
THAT'S THE MUSLIMS.
BEFORE HE LEFT TOWN,
ALI LEARNED THAT, DUE
TO HIS LOW SCORE
ON AN APTITUDE TEST
HE WAS UNQUALIFIED
TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY.
MADE IT FRONT PAGE NEWS.
"I JUST SAID I WAS THE
GREATEST," ALI SAID.
"I NEVER SAID I
WAS THE SMARTEST."
IN MAY, ALI BEGAN
A MONTH-LONG TOUR
OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
IN ACCRA, THE CAPITAL OF
GHANA, THOUSANDS GATHERED
AT THE AIRPORT TO CATCH
A GLIMPSE OF THE WORLD'S
NEW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
OUTSIDE HIS HOTEL, ALI
HEARD A FAMILIAR VOICE.
"BROTHER MUHAMMAD,"
CALLED MALCOLM X, WHO WAS
ON HIS OWN OVERSEAS TOUR.
HE GREETED ALI ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
"I STILL LOVE YOU,"
HE TOLD THE BOXER.
"YOU LEFT THE HONORABLE
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD," ALI SAID.
"THAT WAS THE
WRONG THING TO DO."
THERE WAS LITTLE ELSE TO SAY.
MALCOLM WALKED AWAY.
ALI MET WITH GHANAIAN
PRESIDENT KWAME NKRUMAH,
SPARRED WITH HIS BROTHER
RUDY, NOW KNOWN AS RAHMAN,
BEFORE THOUSANDS AT
A LOCAL SPORTS STADIUM,
AND TOOK EVERY OPPORTUNITY
TO ENGAGE THE ADMIRERS
WHO TURNED UP
EVERYWHERE ALI WENT.
HE ALSO SPOKE OUT
AGAINST INTEGRATION
IN AMERICA, ADVOCATING
FOR A SEPARATE STATE
FOR BLACK PEOPLE,
AND DISMISSED THE
SWEEPING CIVIL RIGHTS BILL
UNDER CONSIDERATION
IN THE U.S. CONGRESS
AS "COUNTERFEIT MONEY."
LATER, HE VISITED
NIGERIA AND EGYPT,
WHERE HE AND
HERBERT MUHAMMAD MET
WITH PRESIDENT GAMAL
ABDEL NASSER AND PRAYED
WITH 1,500 WORSHIPPERS AT
CAIRO'S AL-HUSSEIN MOSQUE.
THE DEEP AFFECTION
AFRICANS SHOWERED ON ALI
DURING HIS 5-WEEK TRIP SHOWED
THAT HIS SUCCESS IN THE RING
AND OUTSPOKENNESS BEYOND IT
HAD WON HIM AN ENORMOUS FOLLOWING
WELL BEYOND THE UNITED STATES.
WELL, REMEMBER THAT THE
AFRICAN CONTINENT ITSELF
WAS IN THE THROWS OF
LIBERATION, YOU KNOW,
FROM COLONIAL STATUS.
IT WAS LIBERATION TIME,
AND MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
A FIGURE OF LIBERATION.
BEFORE LEAVING
AFRICA, ALI RECEIVED
A CABLE FROM HIS FORMER
FRIEND AND MENTOR.
"BECAUSE A BILLION OF
OUR PEOPLE IN AFRICA, ASIA,
"AND ARABIA LOVE YOU
BLINDLY, YOU MUST NOW BE
FOREVER AWARE OF YOUR
TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY TO THEM,"
MALCOLM X WROTE.
"YOU MUST NEVER DO OR SAY
ANYTHING THAT WILL PERMIT
"YOUR ENEMIES TO DISTORT
THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGE YOU HAVE
HERE AMONG OUR PEOPLE."
I FRANKLY BELIEVE
THAT CASSIUS IS
IN A BETTER POSITION THAN
ANYONE ELSE TO RESTORE
THE UH, UH... A SENSE
OF RACIAL PRIDE
TO NOT ONLY OUR
PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY
BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD,
AND HE IS TRYING HIS
BEST TO LIVE A CLEAN LIFE
AND PROJECT A CLEAN
IMAGE, BUT DESPITE THIS,
YOU FIND THE PRESS IS
CONSTANTLY TRYING TO PAINT HIM
AS SOMETHING OTHER
THAN WHAT HE ACTUALLY IS.
HE DOESN'T SMOKE,
HE DOESN'T DRINK.
IN FACT, IF HE WAS WHITE, THEY
WOULD BE REFERRING TO HIM
AS THE ALL-AMERICAN BOY.
♪ DON'T WANT MY MAMMY ♪
♪ I DON'T NEED A FRIEND ♪
♪ MY HEART IS BROKEN,
IT WON'T EVER MEND ♪
♪ I AIN'T MUCH CARING
JUST WHERE I WILL END ♪
♪ I MUST HAVE THAT MAN ♪
REMEMBER, FROM 12 YEARS
OLD, HE'S THIS BOXER IN TRAINING,
AND I SUSPECT THAT UNTIL
HE MARRIED HIS FIRST WIFE
HE HAD NOT HAD A LOT
OF SEXUAL ADVENTURES.
ONE AFTERNOON IN
THE SUMMER OF 1964,
WHILE MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
STAYING AT THE ROBERTS MOTEL
IN CHICAGO, HERBERT
MUHAMMAD STOPPED BY
FOR A VISIT.
HE WAS NOT ALONE.
SONJI ROI WAS A 27-YEAR-OLD
COCKTAIL WAITRESS
AND SOMETIME FASHION MODEL
WHO HAD POSED FOR HERBERT
AT HIS SOUTH SIDE
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO.
ALI LEAPT UP.
"I SWEAR TO GOD,
HERBERT," HE EXCLAIMED,
"I WAS LYING ACROSS THE BED
PRAYING TO ALLAH FOR A WIFE,
AND HERE SHE COMES
THROUGH THE DOOR."
THAT EVENING, THE TWO
WENT FOR ICE CREAM,
THEN DINNER, AND
FINALLY RETURNED
TO SONJI'S APARTMENT,
WHERE THEY SPENT THE NIGHT.
HERBERT HAD NOT MEANT
FOR ALI TO FALL IN LOVE
WITH SONJI, A NON-MUSLIM,
BUT THE TWO BECAME
INSTANTLY INSEPARABLE.
JUST 6 WEEKS AFTER
MEETING, THEY WERE MARRIED
IN GARY, INDIANA, BY A
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY INFATUATED.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY
TIMES I WAS TALKING TO HIM
AND YOU WOULD
HEAR THIS LITTLE VOICE
AT THE HOTEL DOOR SAYING, "ALI,"
AND HE WOULD, "I'LL
TALK TO YOU GUYS LATER."
ON THEIR FIRST
TRIP TO LOUISVILLE,
ALI'S PARENTS QUICKLY TOOK
TO SONJI, WHO HELPED ODESSA
PREPARE FRIED CHICKEN,
PORED OVER ALI'S SCRAPBOOKS,
AND BURST INTO LAUGHTER
WHEN ODESSA CALLED
HER SON BY AN OLD
NICKNAME, "TINKY BABY."
FOR CASSIUS SR. AND ODESSA,
UNABLE TO ABIDE THEIR
SON'S RELIGIOUS CONVERSION
AND WORRIED THAT
THE NATION OF ISLAM
WOULD TAKE HIS BOXING
EARNINGS, SONJI OFFERED HOPE
THAT ALI'S DEVOTION
TO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
WOULD BE SHORT-LIVED.
HIS PARENTS WERE NOT
ALONE IN THEIR CONCERN.
EVER SINCE ALI HAD PUBLICLY
CONFIRMED HIS MEMBERSHIP
IN THE NATION OF ISLAM,
THE WEALTHY
LOUISVILLE BUSINESSMEN
WHO MANAGED HIS
CAREER HAD STRUGGLED
TO ADJUST TO THEIR
BOXER'S NEW FAITH.
I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT
IT HAS COST CASSIUS
A GREAT DEAL OF OUTSIDE MONEY.
BY OUTSIDE, I MEAN OF
COURSE OUTSIDE THE RING.
MEMBERS OF THE LOUISVILLE
SPONSORING GROUP TOLD HIM
RIGHT AWAY "THIS
IS CAREER SUICIDE.
"WE HAVE BUSINESS
DEALS ON OUR DESK.
COCA-COLA WANTS YOU TO DO ADS,"
AND IN FACT, THOSE
CONTRACTS ALL GO AWAY.
HE SAYS HE DOESN'T CARE.
HE'S DOING WHAT HE BELIEVES IN.
WOULD YOU CARE
TO MAKE AN ESTIMATE
OF HOW MUCH MONEY YOU
THINK IT MIGHT HAVE COST HIM?
WELL, UH, MY OWN
PERSONAL OPINION
IS THAT WE COULD
HAVE MADE FOR HIM...
AFTER TAXES... AND THAT'S
IMPORTANT AS YOU KNOW, HARRY...
I BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE
MADE HIM $1.5 MILLION.
AND THIS HE HAS SACRIFICED?
AND THIS, I'M AFRAID, HE
HAS SACRIFICED SO FAR.
DOES IT NOT ALSO EMBARRASS
THE KENTUCKY BUSINESSMEN?
AFTER ALL, HERE YOU'VE GOT A
GROUP OF KENTUCKY CHRISTIANS
WITH A MUSLIM MOUTHPIECE.
WELL, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT
IT'S BEEN THAT EMBARRASSING.
NATURALLY, IT'S BEEN STARTLING.
BUT, UH, IN THE FIRST PLACE,
MOST OF US FEEL
THAT A MAN HAS A RIGHT
TO HIS OWN RELIGION,
TO HIS OWN FAITH,
AND SECOND PLACE... AND I
HAVE REPEATED THIS MANY TIMES...
IF THE BLACK
MUSLIMS MEAN HATRED,
THEN CASSIUS WILL NEVER
BE A TRUE BLACK MUSLIM
BECAUSE HE HAS NO
HATRED FOR ANYBODY
IN HIS SOUL OR IN HIS MIND.
HE IS A VERY CLEAN,
FINE, NICE YOUNG MAN.
UNTIL THEIR CONTRACT
EXPIRED IN 1966,
IT REMAINED THE LOUISVILLE
GROUP'S JOB TO ARRANGE
ALI'S FIGHTS, A TASK COMPLICATED
BY SOME BOXING OFFICIALS
TROUBLED BY ALI'S ASSOCIATION
WITH THE NATION OF ISLAM.
"CLAY'S CONDUCT," THE PRESIDENT
OF THE WORLD BOXING
ASSOCIATION SAID,
"HAS BEEN UNBECOMING
OF A CHAMPION."
WHEN ALI'S SPONSORS
ANNOUNCED A NOVEMBER REMATCH
WITH SONNY LISTON
IN BOSTON, THE W.B.A.
REFUSED TO SANCTION THE BOUT
AND THEN STRIPPED
ALI OF THEIR TITLE.
DO YOU THINK YOU'RE
BEING PERSECUTED
FOR SOME REASON?
IF I'M CONDEMNED
FOR BEING A MUSLIM,
YOU CONDEMNING ME BECAUSE
YOU HATE TO SEE A BLACK MAN
STAND ON HIS OWN TWO FEET.
YOU TELLING THE BLACK WORLD
THAT YOU NEVER WANT TO SEE
A BLACK MAN INDEPENDENT,
AND THIS IS ALL YOU'RE
DOING, AND JUST ONE...
THIS ONLY MAKES ME BIGGER.
PROMOTERS WENT AHEAD WITH PLANS
FOR THE FIGHT ANYWAY.
OTHER BOXING ORGANIZATIONS
AND MOST SPORTSWRITERS
AND FANS STILL RECOGNIZED HIM
AS THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
ALI RETURNED TO MIAMI TO TRAIN.
SINCE HIS FIRST FIGHT
WITH LISTON IN FEBRUARY,
ALI HAD GROWN
HALF AN INCH TO 6'3"
AND ADDED TWO
INCHES TO HIS BICEPS
AND ONE INCH TO HIS FOREARMS.
"I'M SO BEAUTIFUL,"
ALI DECLARED,
"I SHOULD BE CHISELED IN GOLD."
THIS WILL BE THE
GREATEST PREDICTION
IN THE HISTORY OF ALL BOXING.
I'VE NEVER BEEN WRONG.
TO ALL OF MIAMI,
CHANNEL 4 MADE ME GREAT.
THAT'S WHY I'LL
STOP LISTON IN 8.
HOW WE GONNA GET
HIM? GONNA DANCE.
FLOAT LIKE A
BUTTERFLY... BUTTERFLY...
AND STING LIKE A BEE. AHH!
RUMBLE, YOUNG MAN RUMBLE! AHH!
SONNY LISTON,
DETERMINED TO AVENGE
HIS EARLIER LOSS, TRAINED
FURIOUSLY FOR THE REMATCH.
HE SWORE OFF ALCOHOL,
RAN IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST
OF HIS DENVER HOME,
AND TOOK INSTRUCTION
IN MARTIAL ARTS.
BY NOVEMBER, HE
WAS 10 POUNDS LIGHTER
THAN HE HAD BEEN IN MIAMI.
3 DAYS BEFORE THE FIGHT
AT THE BOSTON GARDEN,
ALI AND HIS ENTOURAGE HAD DINNER
IN HIS SUITE AT THE
SHERRY BILTMORE HOTEL.
SOON, ALI BEGAN TO COMPLAIN
OF PAIN IN HIS STOMACH.
AND HE SAID "GET ME...
GET ME TO A DOCTOR."
SO AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW,
AS I SAY, WE WAS HATED.
I THOUGHT SOMEBODY
HAD POISONED HIM.
HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION CASSIUS CLAY IS
AT THIS MOMENT UNDERGOING
AN EMERGENCY OPERATION
FOR AN INCARCERATED HERNIA
AT BOSTON CITY HOSPITAL.
CLAY WAS RUSHED TO THE
HOSPITAL EARLY TONIGHT.
THE OPERATION WAS A SUCCESS,
BUT IT WOULD BE 3
MONTHS BEFORE ALI COULD
RESUME HEAVY TRAINING.
THE FIGHT WAS POSTPONED.
MR. CLAY, YOU LET US
KNOW IF YOU GET TIRED, OK?
SONNY LISTON HAD GOTTEN
INTO THE BEST SHAPE
OF HIS LIFE.
"THAT DAMNED FOOL," HE
SAID WHEN HE HEARD THE NEWS.
THEN HE MIXED
HIMSELF A SCREWDRIVER.
MALCOLM, A STORY UNDER
THE BYLINE OF AUBREY BARNETT
IN A CURRENT ISSUE
OF A NATIONAL MAGAZINE
SAYS THAT THE BLACK
MUSLIMS ARE A FRAUD.
WHAT IS YOUR COMMENT ON THIS?
WELL, UH, AUBREY BARNETT IS A
VERY INTELLIGENT, UH, PERSON,
AND HE HAS A FINE
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND,
AND I THINK THAT THE STORY
IN ITSELF WAS VERY ANALYTICAL,
AND IT WAS OBJECTIVE,
AND IT WAS TRUE.
HE SAYS THEY'RE ANOTHER
LITTLE MONEY-GRABBING SCHEME,
FEEDING ON NEGRO FRUSTRATIONS.
IS THIS TRUE?
WELL, IF IT IS... AND IT IS...
THAT'S WHAT IT HAS
DETERIORATED TO.
UH, YOU STILL CAN'T,
UH, BLAME THE NEGRO,
AND YOU CAN'T
BLAME THE MOVEMENT.
YOU HAVE TO BLAME
THE SOCIETY THAT LETS
SUCH FRUSTRATIONS
DEVELOP UNTIL, UH, THIS IS
THE RESULT OF IT.
ON FEBRUARY 21, 1965,
WHILE ADDRESSING
A CROWD AT THE AUDUBON
BALLROOM IN MANHATTAN,
MALCOLM X WAS SHOT DEAD.
AT 3:21 P.M., NEW YORK TIME,
8:21 IN THE EVENING OVER HERE,
MALCOLM X ROSE TO SPEAK
TO HIS FOLLOWERS IN HARLEM.
ONE MINUTE LATER, HE WAS
SHOT DOWN BY 10 BULLETS.
18 MINUTES LATER, HE WAS DEAD.
THOUGH IT WAS UNCLEAR WHO
ORDERED THE ASSASSINATION,
ALL 3 OF THE GUNMEN WHO
WERE ARRESTED WERE MEMBERS
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM.
THE WAY I SEE IT MALCOLM IS
THE VICTIM OF HIS OWN PREACHING.
HE PREACHED VIOLENCE,
AND SO HE BECOME
THE VICTIM OF IT.
MR. MEL FISHER HERE
FROM UNITED PRESS.
MRS. MALCOLM X, YOUR HUSBAND
HAD A GREAT MANY FOLLOWERS.
WHAT WILL BE THEIR
REACTION TO WHAT
HAS HAPPENED TO HIM?
NEXT QUESTION.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THE POLICE
NOW HAVE IN THEIR CUSTODY
THE MAN OR MEN WHO ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH
OF, UH, YOUR HUSBAND?
THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL,
MUHAMMAD ALI BOXED
IN AN EXHIBITION MATCH
AT A NATION OF ISLAM
EVENT IN CHICAGO.
MALCOLM X AND ANYBODY
ELSE WHO ATTACKS OR TALKS
ABOUT ATTACKING ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD WILL DIE.
NO MAN CAN OPPOSE THE
MESSENGER OF ALMIGHTY GOD
VERBALLY OR PHYSICALLY
AND GET AWAY WITH IT.
♪
IN MAY OF 1965, MUHAMMAD ALI
AND HIS ENTOURAGE
RETURNED TO MASSACHUSETTS,
WHERE HE CONTINUED TRAINING
FOR HIS REMATCH WITH SONNY LISTON.
I'M GONNA RUN
THE BEAR UP A TREE.
IT'S UP TO YOU TO GET
HIM OUT OF THE TREE.
JUST POINT HIM OUT.
I'LL SHOW HIM TO YOU.
BUT LESS THAN 3
WEEKS BEFORE THE BOUT,
BOSTON'S DISTRICT
ATTORNEY, CONCERNED
ABOUT THE PROMOTERS' MOB
TIES, SUED TO STOP THE FIGHT.
BEFORE A JUDGE COULD
RULE, A PAWNSHOP OWNER
AND SOMETIME BOXING
PROMOTER IN LEWISTON, MAINE,
OFFERED THE TOWN'S HOCKEY RINK.
THE MATCH IS SET
FOR THE ARENA THAT IS
THE HOME ICE OF THE FLYING
DOM'S CYO HOCKEY TEAM,
AND NOBODY IN LEWISTON
WAS OPPOSED TO ALI.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO HE WAS
AT THAT POINT.
3 DAYS BEFORE THE FIGHT,
ABC's HOWARD COSELL,
A LAWYER TURNED
SPORTSCASTER FROM BROOKLYN,
BROUGHT A CAMERA CREW
TO ALI'S TRAINING CAMP.
HOWARD COSELL CALLED
HIM CASSIUS CLAY FOR A WHILE,
BUT HE GOT IT EARLY.
HE GOT IT EARLIER,
CERTAINLY THAN MOST,
CERTAINLY THAN MOST WHITE
PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ON TELEVISION,
AND ALI APPRECIATED THIS,
AND ALI STARTED
GIVING HIM ACCESS
AND STARTED MAKING HIM
HIS KIND OF MEDIA WINGMAN.
THEY WERE GOOD FOR EACH
OTHER, AND THEY BOTH KNEW IT.
AND HERE FULLY ROBED
AFTER THE WORKOUT
YOU'VE JUST SEEN COMES
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD HIMSELF.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, CHAMP.
HOWARD COSELL, THE WORLD'S
GREATEST NEWSCASTER.
HOW'RE YOU FEELING?
YOU'RE VERY KIND, CHAMP,
BUT LET'S GET TO CASES.
YOU LOOK ALMOST
LIKE YOU'RE READY
FOR THE FIGHT RIGHT NOW.
YOU ABOUT RIGHT. ALMOST READY.
AFTER ANOTHER WEEK.
I'M A LITTLE TIRED
NOW, I'M WORKING HARD,
BUT FOR THE BIG
NIGHT, I'LL BE READY.
I NOTICED YOU'VE
STOPPED WITH THE POETRY.
YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY
PREDICTIONS. HOW COME?
WELL, I'M JUST... I HAVE A
PREDICTION FOR THE FIGHT,
BUT, UH, I'M... I THINK I'LL
BE WISE NOT TO RELEASE IT
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE
BELIEVE IN MY PREDICTIONS,
AND THEY HAVE BEEN
ACCURATE UP TO DATE.
I'M AFRAID THAT I MIGHT
HURT THE GATE IF I LET THEM
KNOW WHAT'S GONNA
HAPPEN, SO I'LL JUST HOLD
THE SURPRISE FOR THEM.
LET ME SAY THIS
TO YOU. GOOD LUCK.
I HOPE IT'S NOT AN
ACT. I HOPE YOU MEAN IT.
IF IT'S AN ACT, JUST LOOK
AT MY RECORD AND SEE.
HAVE THE OTHER FIGHTS BEEN ACTS?
HAVE THEY BEEN ACTS? NOT SO FAR.
WELL, WHAT MAKES
YOU THINK I'M ACTING?
AHH!
AND WITH THAT FINAL
STAGE OF THE ACT,
WE LEAVE THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD
MUHAMMAD ALI OR
CASSIUS CLAY, AS YOU WILL,
HERE AT HIS TRAINING CAMP
IN CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS.
WE'RE GOING TO
TAKE YOU FOR A VISIT
TO THE CHALLENGER'S CAMP
IN POLAND SPRING, MAINE,
RIGHT AFTER THIS MESSAGE.
AS THE MATCH NEARED, RUMORS FLEW
THAT SONNY LISTON WOULD
BE KILLED BY MEMBERS
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM
UNLESS HE THREW THE FIGHT
AND THAT A CARLOAD OF
MALCOLM X's FOLLOWERS,
BENT ON REVENGE, WERE
DRIVING NORTH WITH PLANS
TO SHOOT ALI.
WHAT DO I CARE
ABOUT SOME PISTOLS?
CAN'T SCARE ME WITH NO PISTOLS.
I WALK THROUGH HELL
EVERY DAY, NO GUARDS,
DON'T NEED THEM.
THIS ONLY PROPAGANDA TO
MAKE ME THINK THAT I HAVE
AN ENEMY IN THE RING
AND ONE BEHIND MY BACK
BECAUSE COMMON NATURE TELLS
YOU AND THE NEGRO HERE IN AMERICA
YOU HAVE PUT FEAR IN HIM
EVER SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE,
AND THE ONLY THING YOU
HOPE IS SOME OF IT'S STILL
IN ME, BUT IT AIN'T.
ON THE DAY OF THE
BOUT, OFFICIALS COMBED
THE ARENA ONE LAST TIME IN
SEARCH OF POISON GAS BOMBS
THAT HAD REPORTEDLY BEEN
HIDDEN AMONG THE SUPPORTS.
"IT WILL BE A SHORT
FIGHT," ALI TOLD A REPORTER
WHO RODE WITH HIM FROM
HIS HOTEL TO THE ARENA.
SONNY LISTON HAD SPENT
THE DAY GRIPPED BY DIARRHEA,
HIS WIFE CONCERNED
THAT HE WASN'T HIMSELF.
RECENT TRAINING SESSIONS
HAD BEEN LACKLUSTER,
AND HE HAD RESUMED DRINKING.
LET'S GO TO THE CENTRAL
MAINE YOUTH CENTER
AND FIGHT ANNOUNCER
JOHNNY ADDIE.
FROM ST. DOMINIC'S
ARENA, LEWISTON, MAINE.
THE WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT
BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP.
CASSIUS CLAY, NOW BOUNCING
IN FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE
ARENA, LOOSE AND LIMBER
WITH HIS VERY SHORT
TERRYCLOTH ROBE.
COMING INTO THE RING,
UP THE RING STAIRS,
AND HE'S BEING BOOED.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE JUST
ABOUT READY TO GO.
MUHAMMAD ALI SAYING A PRAYER
IN HIS CORNER BEFORE COMING OUT
TO MEET THE CHALLENGER,
AND NOW LET'S GET TO
THE OTHER TELEVISION
COMMENTATOR STEVE ELLIS.
AS YOU KNOW, 15 ROUNDS OR LESS,
THE WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT
TITLE, THE BIG FIGHT,
THE BIG NIGHT, UNUSUAL
LOCALE, LEWISTON, MAINE.
ROUND NUMBER ONE.
IF YOU'RE GONNA SCORE WITH
US, WELL, GET YOUR PENCIL
AND PAD HANDY.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT
BELL FOR ROUND ONE.
HERE WE GO.
THE FIGHT BEGAN AT 10:40 P.M.
LISTON WAS AGAIN
THE FAVORITE, 9-TO-5.
HE KNEW THAT THE
ONLY WAY HE COULD WIN
WAS TO GET TO ALI EARLY.
LISTON COMES TEARING
OUT THE CORNER,
AND HE'S THROWING PUNCHES,
AND IF YOU LOOK AT
THE FOO... YOU KNOW.
WHEN HE MISSES A PUNCH...
ANYBODY MISSES A PUNCH,
THEY'RE OFF BALANCE.
YOU'LL NOTE THAT
CASSIUS WANTS TO STAY OUT
IN THE CENTER OF THE
RING, WHERE HE HAPPENS
TO BE THE KING.
BEAUTIFUL RIGHT-HAND
SHOT THAT YOU SAW.
THAT WAS THE BEST
PUNCH THUS FAR LANDED
BY THE CHAMPION.
WE NOTE THAT EARLY, HALFWAY
THROUGH THIS FIRST ROUND,
THAT SONNY IS SHOOTING
MOSTLY TOWARD THAT BODY.
YOU KNOW THE OLD STORY.
YOU KILL THE BODY, AND
THE HEAD MIGHT FOLLOW.
KNOCKED DOWN,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WITH A RIGHT-HAND SHOT.
A RIGHT-HAND SHOT ON THE CHIN.
2:12 INTO THE FIRST ROUND,
SONNY LISTON WENT DOWN.
SONNY CANNOT MOVE.
IT WAS ALL OVER.
THERE WAS A PUNCH.
WAS IT GONNA KEEP
HIM DOWN? HELL, NO.
HE LOOKED UP, AND
THIS GUY WOULD NOT GO
TO A NEUTRAL CORNER,
AND HE'S SCREAMING.
"GET UP SUCKER, NO
ONE'S GONNA BELIEVE IT."
HE GOT HIT HARD.
I HIT HIM WITH A PUNCH
THAT JACK JOHNSON USED
CALLED THE ANCHOR PUNCH.
HOW DOES IT GO?
IT'S A SNAP PUNCH,
AND YOU CAN'T PUNCH IT
UNTIL THE MAN IS
COMING IN AT YOU.
THAT'S ALL. JUST TWIST.
AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT,
BUT IF YOU WERE HIT WITH IT,
ALL OF YOU WOULD BE OUT.
SONNY, DID THE
PUNCH SURPRISE YOU?
CLAY SAYS... YES, IT DID.
CLAY SAYS IT WAS A NEW TACTIC...
THE COUNTER RIGHT.
IT WAS A SURPRISING PUNCH.
IT WAS CLEAN SHOT,
BUT IT WASN'T THE KIND OF
CLEAN SHOT TO KNOCK
OUT SONNY LISTON.
WHEN HE GETS KNOCKED
DOWN, IT'S... IT'S BAD ACTING, MAN.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, HORRIBLE
ACTING, AND HE'S, LIKE,
TURNING OVER ON THE...
COME ON, MAN. REALLY SERIOUSLY?
THERE WAS NO WAY IN THE
WORLD THAT MUHAMMAD ALI,
NO MATTER HOW GREAT HE
WAS, WOULD EVER KNOCK OUT
SONNY LISTON WITH ONE SHOT.
TO THIS DAY, THIS IS ONE
OF THE GREAT MYSTERIES
OF THE HISTORY OF SPORTS.
WAS THAT FIGHT FIXED?
DID... DID LISTON TAKE A FALL?
WAS, IN FACT, THE PUNCH
SO IMMENSELY SWIFT
AND DEVASTATING AND HIT
AT JUST THE RIGHT POINT THAT
IT, IN FACT, WAS A
KNOCKOUT PUNCH?
DID LISTON SEE AFTER
WATCHING ALI DANCE
AROUND THE RING, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
"I'M NOT GONNA CHASE THIS GUY.
"ENOUGH'S ENOUGH,
AND THE FIRST TIME HE
HITS ME, I'M OUT OF HERE."
SO I... I CAN'T PRETEND
TO KNOW FOR CERTAINTY.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
IT'LL HAVE... I THINK, I THINK
IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS
THAT'S GONNA REMAIN A MYSTERY.
LISTON BOXED FOR 5 MORE YEARS.
ON JANUARY 5, 1971, HIS WIFE
GERALDINE RETURNED HOME
TO FIND HER HUSBAND DEAD
AT THE FOOT OF THEIR BED.
THOUGH DRUGS HAD
BEEN FOUND AT THE SCENE
AND SOME SPECULATED THAT THE
MOB HAD ORDERED A HIT ON THE BOXER,
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER RULED
THAT SONNY LISTON HAD DIED
OF A HEART ATTACK.
I DON'T THINK THAT
LISTON COULD'VE AVOIDED
WHAT HE BECAME.
THERE WAS SOMETHING, THERE
WAS AN INNER LIGHT TO ALI,
AND THAT LIGHT
WAS GOING TO SHINE,
AND PEOPLE WERE
GOING TO LOVE HIM,
AND THERE WAS AN INNER
DARKNESS TO LISTON,
PUT IN IT BY 500 YEARS
OF PICKING COTTON.
YOU KNOW?
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY...
THEY PLAYED THE CARDS
THEY WERE DEALT.
♪
MEANWHILE, ALI'S
MARRIAGE WAS UNRAVELING.
ALONE IN THEIR CHICAGO
APARTMENT, ALI HAD ALLOWED
SONJI TO WEAR THE
MINI-SKIRTS SHE PREFERRED,
AND HE WOULD
SERENADE HER WITH SONGS
BY SAM COOKE AND BEN E.
KING WHILE SHE COOKED DINNER,
BUT HE NOW GREW UPSET
WHEN SHE APPEARED IN PUBLIC
DRESSED IN A FASHION HE
BELIEVED INAPPROPRIATE
FOR THE WIFE OF A
PRACTICING MUSLIM.
IN JUNE OF 1965, ALI FILED TO
HAVE THEIR MARRIAGE ANNULLED,
COMPLAINING THAT SONJI
HAD FALSELY PROMISED
TO CONVERT TO ISLAM.
"THEY'VE STOLEN MY
MAN'S MIND," SAID SONJI,
WHO BLAMED ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD FOR THE COLLAPSE
OF THEIR MARRIAGE.
"I LOVED HER ONLY IF
SHE WOULD FOLLOW ME
"IN MY WAY OF LIFE.
NEXT TIME I MARRY, IT'LL
BE A GIRL OF 17 OR 18,"
ALI VOWED, "ONE I RAISE
TO MY WAY OF THINKING."
♪
ALI'S COMMITMENT TO
THE NATION OF ISLAM
CONTINUED TO DEEPEN.
HE HAD GROWN ESPECIALLY
CLOSE TO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S
SON HERBERT, WHO WAS
PLAYING AN INCREASINGLY
DECISIVE ROLE IN
ALI'S BOXING CAREER.
HERBERT HAD A KNACK
FOR MAKING MONEY,
SOMETIMES IN WAYS THAT
VIOLATED HIS FATHER'S TEACHINGS.
ACCORDING TO FBI AGENTS,
HE PHOTOGRAPHED WOMEN
IN THE NUDE, MADE
PORNOGRAPHIC FILMS,
AND SIPHONED MONEY FROM
HIS FATHER'S BUSINESSES.
HERBERT MUHAMMAD IS THE
SON OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
SO IN MANY WAYS,
HE'S ALI'S CONNECTION
TO THE RELIGION, AND HE
MENTORS ALI IN THE WAYS
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
HE'S A BUSINESSMAN
WHO REALLY LIKES MONEY,
REALLY LIKES FOOD,
REALLY LIKES WOMEN.
HE LOVED ALI, AND THEY DEVELOPED
THIS UNBELIEVABLE CLOSENESS.
DURING TRIPS TO
LOUISVILLE, ALI NOW STAYED
AT A HOTEL AND SPENT
LESS TIME WITH HIS PARENTS.
"THE MUSLIMS KEEP HIM
AWAY FROM ME," COMPLAINED
CASSIUS SR., WHO
CALLED HERBERT "DIRTY"
AND WARNED HIS SON THAT HE
WAS GOING TO WIND UP BROKE.
IN SEPTEMBER 1965, ALI
TRAVELED TO NEW YORK
TO ANNOUNCE THAT
HIS NEXT OPPONENT
WOULD BE THE FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION FLOYD PATTERSON.
PATTERSON, NOW 30,
HAD BEEN CAMPAIGNING
FOR A SHOT AT ALI EVER
SINCE HE WON THE TITLE.
HE SAW HIS CHALLENGE
AS A MORAL CRUSADE.
"THE IMAGE OF A BLACK
MUSLIM AS CHAMPION
IS NOT GOOD," HE TOLD THE PRESS.
"CASSIUS MUST BE BEATEN."
PATTERSON SAID HE INTENDED
TO "WIN THE TITLE BACK
FOR AMERICA."
ALI WAS LIVID.
"I'M AN AMERICAN," HE SAID,
"BUT HE'S A DEAF, DUMB,
AND BLIND SO-CALLED NEGRO
WHO NEEDS A SPANKING."
THE PRESS ATE IT UP.
"IT IS CHRISTIAN
AGAINST BLACK MUSLIM.
IT IS GOOD GUY AGAINST
BAD GUY," WROTE DICK YOUNG
OF THE "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS,"
WHO CALLED THE MATCHUP
A HOLY WAR.
FLOYD CAME ACROSS AS
THE WHITE MAN'S APOLOGIST,
AND FOR US AT THAT
TIME, THAT WAS ENOUGH.
THIS WAS DURING THE PERIOD
OF THE LONG, HOT SUMMER RIOTS.
REBELLION WAS IN THE AIR.
PEOPLE THOUGHT
THAT REVOLUTION WAS
A REAL POSSIBILITY, YOU KNOW?
THE SMELL OF BURNING
CITIES MADE THAT
A SERIOUS PLAUSIBILITY,
AND SO THIS WAS A DIFFERENT ERA.
♪ GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT ♪
♪ THAT OUR FLAG
WAS STILL THERE ♪
♪ O SAY DOES THAT
STAR-SPANGLED BANNER ♪
♪ YET WAVE ♪
♪ O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE ♪
♪ AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE ♪
FROM NEW YORK CITY,
WEARING BLACK TRUNKS
THE CHALLENGER FLOYD PATTERSON.
FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
WEARING WHITE TRUNKS,
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD MUHAMMAD ALI.
ROUND 1, 15 ROUNDS,
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.
♪
NOW THE ROUND BEGINS.
♪
AT FIRST, ALI JEERED
HIS CHALLENGER
AS HE DANCED PLAYFULLY AND
THREW SOFT, GLANCING PUNCHES.
"COME ON, AMERICAN!"
ALI TAUNTED PATTERSON.
"COME ON, WHITE AMERICAN!"
WE THOUGHT THAT FLOYD
NEEDED TO BE TORTURED.
HE NEEDED HIS COMEUPPANCE,
AND WHO BETTER THAN ALI
TO GIVE IT TO HIM?
IT INDICATED SOME OF THE
CRUELTY THAT WOULD LATER
SURFACE IN ALI'S LIFE, YOU KNOW,
BUT I THINK AS A BOXER,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE
AN INHERENT SENSE
OF CRUELTY SOMEWHERE
IF YOU'RE GOING TO
BE SUCCESSFUL, I THINK.
AS THE FIGHT ADVANCED,
ALI ADDED HOOKS
AND UPPERCUTS TO HIS
ASSAULT, WHILE PATTERSON
STRUGGLED TO LAND
ANY BLOWS OF HIS OWN.
I LOVED MUHAMMAD ALI.
I DID NOT LIKE EVERYTHING
HE DID AND SAID.
HE PUNCHED FLOYD JUST
HARD ENOUGH TO HURT HIM
BUT NOT TO KNOCK HIM OUT.
HE KEPT THE FIGHT GOING
ROUND AFTER ROUND,
PUNISHING HIM.
FLOYD PATTERSON
REFUSED TO CALL HIM
BY HIS NEW RIGHTFUL
NAME MUHAMMAD ALI,
UH, YOU KNOW, REFUSED TO
GIVE HIM ANY KIND OF RESPECT.
FLOYD'S STILL IN THERE.
DR. DONALD ROMEO IS IN THE
CORNER AT THE PRESENT TIME
TALKING WITH FLOYD,
ASKING ABOUT HIS BACK.
THAT'S THE DOCTOR ON
THE OUTSIDE OF THE RING.
BEFORE ROUND 11, A
DOCTOR WAS ORDERED
TO EXAMINE THE
CHALLENGER IN HIS CORNER.
PATTERSON INSISTED
THAT THE MATCH GO ON.
NUMBER 12 COMING UP.
♪
THIS MAN IS THROWING
A VARIETY OF SHOTS.
♪
BEAUTIFUL PUNCHES
BY CASSIUS CLAY,
THE WORLD CHAMPION.
BEAUTIFUL SHOTS ALL THE WAY.
IT WAS CRUEL, AND
IT WAS HUMILIATING,
AND I DON'T THINK THAT
ANYBODY REALLY DESERVED THAT,
EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW,
FLOYD HAD BROUGHT IT ON HIMSELF.
ANGELO DUNDEE, TIRED OF WATCHING
HIS FIGHTER TOY WITH PATTERSON,
SCREAMED, "KNOCK HIM OUT
FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!"
HE'S WOBBLING.
HE'S HURT.
HE'S ON THE RECEIVING
END OF GOOD PUNCHES
ALL THE WAY.
♪
WHAT A MARKSMAN. A
MINUTE TO GO IN NUMBER 12.
WHAT A MARKSMAN CASSIUS CLAY IS.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE
GOING TO STOP IT.
SOMEBODY GET A CHAIR
DOWN THERE, PLEASE.
I'M VERY, VERY SORRY BECAUSE
OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE TONIGHT.
I HAD HOPED THAT I
COULD GIVE ALL OF YOU,
AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE ALL OVER
THE WORLD AND IN THE AUDIENCE,
A MUCH BETTER FIGHT.
NO, I COULDN'T KNOCK HIM OUT.
- WHY NOT?
I TOOK MY BEST PUNCHES.
HE WOULDN'T FALL.
SURPRISED ME.
HE'S A GOOD FIGHTER,
DETERMINED... GOOD FIGHTER.
STRONG, SURPRISED ME.
I GOT TWO SWOLLEN HANDS. SEE?
WHO ARE YOU FIGHTING NEXT?
WHO DO YOU WANT ME TO FIGHT?
YOU PICK WHO YOU WANT TO FIGHT.
WHO DOES THE PRESS
WANT ME TO FIGHT?
WHO DO YOU THINK
YOU SHOULD FIGHT?
THE BEST MAN. WHO
IS THE BEST MAN?
WHO DO YOU THINK? I
DON'T KNOW. FIND HIM.
ALI WAS IRREFUTABLY
IN A CLASS OF HIS OWN.
"COMPARISONS WITH
HEAVYWEIGHTS OF THE PAST
ARE HARDLY RELEVANT,"
WROTE ONE SPORTSWRITER.
"PATTERSON HAD AS MUCH
CHANCE OF BEATING HIM
AS THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS WOULD
HAVE HAD AGAINST A JET FIGHTER."
YOU'RE PLANNING ON
FIGHTING THIS YEAR
BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT?
WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I MIGHT RETIRE.
I'M CONSIDERING RETIRING.
I'M REALLY TIRED OF FIGHTING.
AT YOUR AGE? YEAH. I'M TIRED.
I DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT NO MORE.
DO YOU THINK YOU'LL RETIRE
BEFORE YOU HAVE ANOTHER FIGHT?
I'M GETTING TOO GREAT.
I CAN'T EVEN FLY
PLANES WITHOUT CROWDS
WAITING FOR ME.
DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT
RETIRE WITHOUT ANOTHER FIGHT?
THAT'S RIGHT. I
DON'T LIKE BOXING.
BOXING MEANS NOTHING TO ME.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE?
AH, WELL I LIKE JUST... I
LIKE WHAT ALL NEGROES LIKE,
AND WHAT THEY'RE
FIGHTING FOR IS FREEDOM.
IF YOU QUIT FIGHTING,
WOULD YOU GO
FULL-TIME INTO
CIVIL RIGHTS WORK?
NO, I DON'T KNOW IF I
CALL IT CIVIL RIGHTS.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO
FOR AN OCCUPATION
IF YOU STOP FIGHTING?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO.
GOD'S GOT ME HERE FOR SOMETHING.
I CAN FEEL IT.
I WAS BORN FOR EVERYTHING
THAT I'M DOING NOW.
♪ OHH ♪
RIGHT AFTER THE SIGNING
OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
IS THE BEGINNING
OF THE WATTS RIOTS,
AND THE WATTS RIOTS
COME TO SYMBOLIZE THE FACT
THAT THINGS ARE FAR
FROM BEING SOLVED.
THERE'S UNREST THAT
THESE BILLS WON'T REACH.
IN THE URBAN NORTH, WE
WERE A LITTLE BIT ESTRANGED
FROM THE STYLISTIC METHODS
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT,
WHICH WAS PRIMARILY
A SOUTHERN-BASED
AND AGRARIAN-BASED
KIND OF THING.
THEY WOULD HAVE OVERALLS ON.
THEY WOULD BE SINGING
HYMNS AND APPEAL
TO CLERGY-ORIENTED
KINDS OF THINGS.
THIS WASN'T OUR STYLE, YOU KNOW.
WE WERE MORE SECULAR.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO WEAR
OVERALLS, YOU KNOW?
AND SO WE WANTED
ANOTHER FORM OF ACTIVISM,
AND THE NATION OF ISLAM AND
AND MALCOLM X HAD ALREADY BEEN
VERY INFLUENTIAL
IN THE URBAN NORTH,
AND BLACK... UH, I
THINK, BLACK ACTIVISTS
WERE MORE ATTRACTED
TO THAT KIND OF ACTIVISM
THAN THEY WERE TO
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MODE,
AND SO MUHAMMAD ALI FIT
PERFECTLY WITH THAT MODEL.
BY 1966, MUHAMMAD ALI HAD BECOME
THE HIGHEST-PAID
ATHLETE IN THE WORLD.
EAGER TO CAPITALIZE
ON THAT SUCCESS,
ALI AND HERBERT MUHAMMAD,
ALONG WITH FOOTBALL
STAR JIM BROWN
AND A FORMER PROSECUTOR
FROM QUEENS NAMED BOB ARUM,
FORMED MAIN BOUT, INC.
TO MANAGE SUPPLEMENTAL
RIGHTS TO ALL OF ALI'S FIGHTS,
INCLUDING CLOSED-CIRCUIT
BROADCASTS.
CLOSED-CIRCUIT
WAS, IN THE SIXTIES,
THE EQUIVALENT OF WHAT
PAY-PER-VIEW IS TODAY.
WE WERE LIMITED AT THE
TIME TO 350 LOCATIONS...
THEATERS, ARENAS...
WHERE WE COULD SHOW
THE TELECAST OF THE FIGHT.
WHILE THERE HAD
BEEN CLOSED-CIRCUIT
BEFORE MUHAMMAD ALI,
MUHAMMAD ALI PUT CLOSED-CIRCUIT
INTO ANOTHER PLATEAU.
THE LOUISVILLE
GROUP WAS NOT A PART
OF THE NEW ENTERPRISE.
ALI HAD TOLD HIS BACKERS
THAT HE INTENDED TO RENEW
THEIR AGREEMENT WHEN IT
EXPIRED LATER THAT YEAR,
BUT IT WAS CLEAR TO EVERYONE
THE NEAR-TOTAL INFLUENCE
THE NATION OF ISLAM
HAD OVER THEIR BOXER.
"WE HAD HOPED TO
BE COMPLETELY FREE
OF UNDERWORLD CONNECTIONS,"
ONE MEMBER WROTE THE GROUP,
"BUT WE SEEM TO HAVE
NEW ONES IN CHICAGO."
ALI STILL LIKES THESE
GUYS, AND HE STILL
REALLY TRUSTS THEM, AND
THEY'VE TREATED HIM WELL,
AND HE CONTINUES TO SAY HE
LOVES AND SUPPORTS THESE GUYS,
AND FOR A WHILE, HERBERT WORKS
WITH THE LOUISVILLE
SPONSORING GROUP,
BUT THAT BECOMES TOO
DIFFICULT AFTER A WHILE
AND, EVENTUALLY, THE
LOUISVILLE SPONSORING GROUP
GIVES UP, CUTS ITS TIES,
AND HERBERT BECOMES
ALI'S FULL-TIME MANAGER.
FIRST ONE, SET UP
A RING OF SECURITY.
AFTER THE UNITED
STATES ESCALATED
ITS INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM
BY COMMITTING COMBAT SOLDIERS
IN 1965, THE DEMAND
FOR TROOPS INCREASED.
THE SELECTIVE SERVICE
LOWERED ITS STANDARDS.
MUHAMMAD ALI, ONCE
DISQUALIFIED, WAS NOW
ELIGIBLE FOR THE DRAFT.
I WAS IN MIAMI TO DO SOME
FEATURE STORY ABOUT HIM,
AND HE COMES OUT,
AND HE IS STEAMING.
HE HAD JUST HEARD THAT HE
HAD BEEN RECLASSIFIED 1-A.
I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND
HOW THEY COULD
RECLASSIFY ME AS 1-A
WHEN THEY WERE THE ONES
WHO SAID... THE GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS WERE THE ONES
WHO SAID THAT I WAS 1-Y,
AND THAT I WASN'T QUALIFIED.
IT WAS THEIR DECISION.
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN,
I'M 1-A WITHOUT ANY TEST,
WITHOUT NOTIFYING
ME OR CHECKING TO SEE
IF I'M ANY WISER THAN I WAS
THE LAST TIME OR ANY WORSER.
IF YOU ARE DRAFTED
WILL YOU FIGHT
FOR YOUR COUNTRY?
I'M NOT SAYING
NOTHING ABOUT THINGS
THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SAY.
I DON'T HAVE TO SAY
NOTHING ABOUT THAT.
UH, THEY HAVEN'T DRAFTED ME YET,
AND IT'S A TOUCHY THING,
A TOUCHY QUESTION,
AND I RATHER NOT SAY NOTHING.
THE NEXT MORNING,
MUHAMMAD ALI OFFERED
A MORE COHERENT ARGUMENT
AGAINST JOINING THE MILITARY.
"I AM A MEMBER OF THE MUSLIMS,
AND WE DON'T GO TO WARS
UNLESS THEY ARE
DECLARED BY ALLAH HIMSELF,"
HE TOLD A REPORTER FOR
THE "CHICAGO DAILY NEWS."
"I DON'T HAVE NO PERSONAL
QUARREL WITH THOSE VIET CONGS."
"I AIN'T GOT NOTHIN'
AGAINST THEM VIET CONG,"
AND IT WAS LIKE
THE WORLD STOPPED.
THERE WAS A REAL
FEELING THAT HE WAS NOT
THE RIGHT CHAMPION FOR AMERICA.
HOW COULD A
BOXER, A VIOLENT MAN,
REFUSE TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY?
WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
WAS JUST HOW DESPISED
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
PEOPLE WHO FELT THAT
THEY WERE PATRIOTS,
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO WERE
SENDING THEIR SONS TO WAR,
WHO HAD FOUGHT THEMSELVES
IN WORLD WAR II AND KOREA,
WHICH WAS NOT THAT FAR BACK,
REALLY SAW THIS
REPREHENSIBLE CHARACTER
WHO WAS, YOU KNOW,
MAKING MILLIONS,
TAKING EVERYTHING FROM AMERICA,
AND GIVING NOTHING BACK.
IN 1966, AN
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
OF AMERICAN CITIZENS
SUPPORTED THE VIETNAM WAR.
JIM MURRAY OF THE
"LOS ANGELES TIMES"
CALLED ALI "THE GREATEST
AMERICAN PATRIOT
SINCE BENEDICT ARNOLD."
"GO TO SOME MOTHER IN
IOWA," MURRAY URGED ALI,
AND "SUGGEST SHE
SEND HER SON INSTEAD."
ANOTHER WRITER CALLED
HIM THE WORST INFLUENCE
ON PEOPLE SINCE ADOLF HITLER.
LATER THAT MONTH,
MUHAMMAD ALI APPLIED
FOR CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTOR STATUS BASED
ON HIS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
HE WAS EMULATING
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
WHO HAD REFUSED TO
ENTER THE SERVICE HIMSELF
IN THE FORTIES.
HE WAS FOLLOWING THE
DICTATES OF THE NATION OF ISLAM,
AND THAT DEFINITELY
DIMINISHED HIS POPULARITY
IN AMERICA IN GENERAL
AND NOT JUST IN THE
WHITE COMMUNITY.
THERE WERE A LOT OF
AFRICAN-AMERICANS,
A LOT OF BLACK
PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT
THAT HE WAS INSUFFICIENTLY LOYAL
AND INAPPRECIATIVE OF
THE OPPORTUNITIES HE'S HAD
AS AN AMERICAN,
AND HE SHOULD SHOW
HIS DEDICATION TO THE
COUNTRY AND BE WILLING TO FIGHT.
ALI'S NEXT FIGHT
HAD BEEN SCHEDULED
FOR MARCH 29, 1966, IN CHICAGO
AGAINST THE 6'6" ERNIE TERRELL,
THE BOXER WHO HAD BEEN AWARDED
THE WORLD BOXING
ASSOCIATION TITLE
AFTER THEY HAD
STRIPPED IT FROM ALI.
MOST BOXING FANS
STILL VIEWED ALI
AS THE REAL CHAMP,
AND A DEFEAT OF TERRELL
WOULD CEMENT HIS CLAIM.
"I WANT OUR SOLDIERS
AND MARINES TO SEE
WHAT A REAL CHAMPION
LOOKS LIKE," SAID TERRELL,
WHO PROMISED TO SIGN
UP FOR AN EXHIBITION TOUR
IN VIETNAM AFTER DEFEATING ALI.
AND WE ANNOUNCED THE FIGHT,
AND TICKETS WERE
GOING VERY WELL,
AND WE WERE SECURING
CLOSED-CIRCUIT EXHIBITORS
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I HAD HOPED IT WOULD BE THE
BIGGEST ALI PROMOTION EVER
AT THAT POINT.
WHEN ALI, SAID, "I GOT NOTHING
AGAINST THE VIET CONG,"
MAYOR DALEY
IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED
THE ILLINOIS ATHLETIC
COMMISSION AND TOLD THEM TO
THROW US OUT OF CHICAGO.
TO SALVAGE THE
FIGHT, ALI BACKED AWAY
FROM HIS STATEMENTS
AND OFFERED TO COME
BEFORE THE ILLINOIS
STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION
TO APOLOGIZE,
BUT AFTER HAVING BREAKFAST
WITH ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
BEFORE THE HEARING,
HE REVERSED COURSE.
I'M ASKING YOU IF YOU APOLOGIZE
FOR THE UNPATRIOTIC
REMARKS THAT YOU MADE.
ANYTHING... I'M NOT
APOLOGIZING FOR NOTHING
LIKE THAT BECAUSE
I DON'T HAVE TO.
I'M APOLOGIZING TO
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
IN CHARGE OF THE
SELECTIVE SERVICE.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT
WE'LL TAKE THIS UP WITH THEM.
I'M NOT IN COURT NOW FOR THAT.
I'M A CHAMP OF THE WORLD,
THIS IS ATHLETIC COMMISSIONER,
AND I'M HERE TO
FIGHT FOR THE TITLE,
AND I'M JUST APOLOGIZING
FOR WHAT I SAID
TO THE NEWSPAPERS
AND TO THE PRESS
WHEN I SHOULD'VE HAD
THESE THINGS TO SAY,
AND THEY WILL
FROM NOW ON BE SAID
WITH THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE IN CHARGE OF THIS.
MR. CLAY, WHEN YOU...
MUHAMMAD ALI, SIR.
MR. CLAY...
MUHAMMAD ALI, SIR.
OR MR. MUHAMMAD ALI, EITHER ONE.
I'M JUST MUHAMMAD ALI, SIR.
WHEN YOU APPEARED BEFORE
THIS COMMISSION BEFORE,
IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, YOU SAID
YOU WERE THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION.
YES, SIR.
DO YOU THINK THAT
YOU'RE ACTING LIKE
A PEOPLE'S CHAMPION?
YES, SIR.
♪ I WAS BORN BY THE RIVER ♪
IS THE FIGHT ON OR OFF?
IS THE FIGHT ON OUR OFF?
THAT SAME DAY, THE
ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL
DECLARED THE FIGHT ILLEGAL.
WE DETERMINED
THAT THE APPLICATION
AND THE LICENSE
VIOLATED STATE LAW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND
OF STATEMENTS CLAY MADE.
THE ONLY THING I CAN
FIGURE OUT ABOUT CLAY IS HE'S
GUILTY OF BEING STUPID.
AND ONCE WE GOT OUT
OF CHICAGO, EVERY CITY
IN THE UNITED STATES
VIRTUALLY DID A PILE-ON,
AND THE PILE-ON WAS, "KALAMAZOO
WILL NOT ACCEPT THE FIGHT!"
YOU KNOW, NOBODY ASKED
THEM, SO IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO ME
THAT WE COULDN'T DO THE
FIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES.
ARUM EVENTUALLY FOUND
A VENUE FOR THE FIGHT
IN TORONTO, CANADA,
BUT TERRELL REJECTED THE
TERMS OF THE NEW CONTRACT
AND PULLED OUT.
WITH LESS THAN 3 WEEKS TO
GO, PROMOTERS SCRAMBLED
TO FIND ANOTHER OPPONENT.
GEORGE CHUVALO, THE
CANADIAN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION,
AGREED TO TAKE TERRELL'S PLACE.
HE'S GONNA FIGHT GEORGE
CHUVALO IN TORONTO
BECAUSE THAT PATRIOTIC
MAYOR DALEY OF CHICAGO
HAD SAID HE CAN'T
ABIDE A TRAITOR'S
FIGHTING IN HIS MIDST.
SO I GO UP THERE, AND I
COME TO SULLY'S AC GYM.
I GO IN THE BACK.
AND LUIS SARRIA,
THE CUBAN EXILE,
IS GIVING HIM A MASSAGE.
HE SAID, "WHAT ARE
YOU DOING HERE?"
I SAID, "WELL, SOMEBODY
SAID THERE'S A FIGHT."
HE SAID, "NO, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS NOT MUCH OF A FIGHT."
I SAID, "WELL, I'LL
TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
"MUHAMMAD, I'M NOT
GONNA LIE TO YOU.
"A LOT OF YOUNG AMERICAN
MEN WHO DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT
"IN THIS WAR FOR REASONS
OF CONSCIENCE OR RELIGION
"OR WHATEVER ELSE
ARE COMING TO CANADA,
"AND THEY'VE BEEN
GRANTED POLITICAL ASYLUM,
SO I'M HERE TO SEE
IF YOU GO HOME."
HE GOT OFF THAT THING
SO FAST AND GOT IN MY FACE,
I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA HIT ME.
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW
BETTER THAN THAT."
HE SAID, "LOOK"... AND
THESE ARE THE WORDS.
I REMEMBER THEM SO WELL.
"AMERICA IS MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
"NO ONE'S GONNA CHASE ME
OUT OF MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
"I BELONG IN MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
"NOW I DON'T MAKE THE
LAWS IN MY BIRTH COUNTRY.
"SO IF THE LAW SAYS
I GOT TO GO TO JAIL,
"I'LL GO TO JAIL.
"ELIJAH DID. I WILL DO IT,
"BUT I'M GOING HOME
TO MY BIRTH COUNTRY,
AND YOU COULD TELL
THAT TO EVERYBODY."
I WAS POSITIVE HE'D
GO TO JAIL IF HE HAD TO.
♪ THAT I KNOW ♪
GEORGE CHUVALO
LASTED ALL 15 ROUNDS,
GIVING ALI WHAT HE CALLED
HIS "TOUGHEST FIGHT YET."
SINCE DEFEATING LISTON,
ALI HAD DEFENDED HIS TITLE
ONLY 3 TIMES IN 2
YEARS, BUT NOW,
BROKE AND BEHIND ON
ALIMONY PAYMENTS TO SONJI,
ALI FOUGHT 6 TIMES
OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
WE WENT TO ENGLAND TO
FIGHT HENRY COOPER AGAIN.
WE GOT UP AROUND NOON.
THE HOTEL WAS IN
PICCADILLY CIRCUS.
CAME OUTSIDE, AND
THERE WERE 5,000 PEOPLE
CHANTING HIS NAME,
AND YOU CAN'T BELIEVE
WHAT A TONIC THAT WAS...
BECAUSE HE WAS SO UNPOPULAR
IN THE UNITED STATES...
TO GO OVER TO ENGLAND AND
TO BE GREETED BY THE PEOPLE
IN LONDON WITH THAT
TYPE OF ADMIRATION.
I MEAN, THAT REALLY PRESAGED
THE WAY HE WOULD
BE LOVED YEARS LATER.
YES, HENRY COOPER'S LEFT EYE
IS BADLY CUT.
A REALLY BAD ONE, WHICH
IS A RIGHT-HAND CLIP THERE
IN THE FAR CORNER.
♪
NO. IT'S ALL OVER.
ALI DEFEATED HENRY COOPER
BY TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT
JUST AS HE HAD IN
THEIR PREVIOUS MATCH
AND WENT ON TO BEAT TWO
MORE MEDIOCRE OPPONENTS
IN EUROPE.
♪ NEVER SHALL BE SLAVES ♪
BETWEEN FIGHTS, ALI HAD
RETURNED TO LOUISVILLE
FOR A HEARING ON HIS APPLICATION
FOR CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTOR STATUS.
ALI WOULD HAVE TO PROVE THAT
HE WAS OPPOSED TO ALL WARS,
THAT HIS OPPOSITION WAS
BASED ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS,
AND THAT HE WAS SINCERE
IN HOLDING THOSE BELIEFS.
THE FBI HAD INTERVIEWED HIS
FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS,
MANY OF WHOM QUESTIONED
HIS JUDGMENT FOR JOINING
THE NATION OF ISLAM
BUT NOT HIS SINCERITY.
THE HEARING EXAMINER,
WHO WAS A RETIRED
KENTUCKY CIRCUIT COURT
JUDGE, CONCLUDED THAT ALI WAS
INDEED ENTITLED TO
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR STATUS
AND RECOMMENDED
THAT HE BE GIVEN A C.O.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT,
NOTWITHSTANDING
THAT RECOMMENDATION, SENT A
LONG LETTER TO THE DRAFT BOARD,
UM, ARGUING THAT ALI
SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR STATUS.
THE KENTUCKY APPEAL
BOARD COULD HAVE REJECTED
THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE LETTER,
BUT IT DIDN'T.
IT CONTINUED TO DENY
HIS C.O. APPLICATION
AND DIDN'T GIVE ANY REASONS WHY.
IT JUST SAID, "NO.
YOU'RE STILL 1-A,"
AND AS THE CASE UNFOLDED,
IT BECAME IMPORTANT
THAT THE KENTUCKY APPEAL
BOARD HADN'T EXPLAINED
WHY IT DID WHAT IT DID.
THE DECISION MEANT THAT
THE ARMY COULD DRAFT
MUHAMMAD ALI AT ANY TIME.
AFTER 4 FIGHTS
ABROAD, ALI'S PROMOTERS
HAD FINALLY MANAGED TO
SECURE AN AMERICAN VENUE,
THE ASTRODOME IN HOUSTON, TEXAS,
A BRAND-NEW AND
FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND
DOMED STADIUM DUBBED THE
EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD.
ALI HAD AGREED TO FIGHT
CLEVELAND "BIG CAT" WILLIAMS,
AN ARMY VETERAN
WHO'D ONCE BEEN SHOT
BY A POLICE OFFICER DURING
A DRUNK DRIVING ARREST.
WILLIAMS HAD KNOCKED
OUT 51 OF HIS 71 OPPONENTS.
IT WOULD BE THE LARGEST AUDIENCE
FOR AN INDOOR BOXING
MATCH IN HISTORY.
I THINK HIS MASTERPIECE
IS WITH CLEVELAND WILLIAMS.
THAT'S PICASSO, RIGHT?
THAT'S BARYSHNIKOV, RIGHT?
THAT'S MILES DAVIS.
HE THROWS, LIKE, A
10-PUNCH COMBINATION.
HE'S GOING BACKWARDS, MAN.
NOW LOOK. HA HA! LOOK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEFINE
THAT. I'M NOT A SCIENTIST,
BUT, LIKE, THAT, THAT KIND
OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, ARTISTRY
WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN.
WHEN HE DID THAT, UM,
IT LOOKED EFFORTLESS,
AND, UH, IT LOOKED LIKE, UM...
HE CAME OUT OF THE
WOMB DOING THAT.
INTRODUCING A NEW
MOVE HE'D DUBBED
THE "ALI SHUFFLE," HE PEPPERED
WILLIAMS WITH JAB AFTER JAB
AS THE "BIG CAT" STRUGGLED
TO LAND A SINGLE PUNCH.
ALI FLOORED HIS
CHALLENGER 3 TIMES
IN THE SECOND ROUND.
IT WAS "A TWO-FISTED ASSAULT
OF VICIOUS EFFECTIVENESS,"
WROTE FREQUENT
CRITIC ARTHUR DALEY,
WHO DECLARED THAT ALI HAD
"WON OVER ALL THE DOUBTERS."
A MINUTE INTO THE THIRD ROUND,
THE REFEREE ENDED THE FIGHT.
THE CHAMPION CASSIUS
CLAY WILL DEFEND
THAT TITLE ONCE AGAIN,
AND TONIGHT HE
SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED IT
AGAINST THE MAN WHO WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE THE HARDEST HITTER.
I INTENDED TO TAKE A
REST AFTER THE HARD, UH,
6 TITLE FIGHTS I JUST HAD,
AT LEAST 6 MONTHS' REST,
BUT I JUST COULDN'T REST AT
NIGHT STAYING HOME SLEEPING
AND THINKING ABOUT TERRELL
CLAIMING HALF OF THE TITLE.
ALL OF IT. ALL OF IT.
I SAY THAT'LL MAKE IT WORSER.
CLAIMING ALL THE TITLE, AND
EVERYWHERE I GO SINCERELY
THROUGHOUT THE STREETS
OF AMERICA, NORTH AND SOUTH,
BLACK AND WHITE, AS FAR
AS RACE IS CONCERNED,
OLD AND YOUNG, WOMEN AND MEN,
EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT IT.
"WHAT ABOUT ERNIE TERRELL?"
"WHEN ARE YOU GOING
TO FIGHT TERRELL?
"WHEN ARE YOU GOING
TO FIGHT TERRELL?"
IN DECEMBER, ALI AND
ERNIE TERRELL APPEARED
ON ABC's "WIDE WORLD
OF SPORTS" TO PROMOTE
THEIR BOUT, SCHEDULED
FOR FEBRUARY 6, 1967,
AT THE ASTRODOME.
WHY DON'T YOU CALL
ME BY MY NAME, MAN?
WELL, WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
YOU TOLD ME YOUR NAME WAS
CASSIUS CLAY A FEW YEARS AGO.
I NEVER TOLD YOU MY
NAME WAS CASSIUS CLAY.
WELL... MY NAME IS MUHAMMAD ALI,
AND YOU WILL
ANNOUNCE IT RIGHT THERE
IN THE CENTER OF THAT
RING AFTER THE FIGHT
IF YOU DON'T DO IT NOW.
FOR THE BENEFIT
OF THIS BROADCAST,
HIM, ALL RIGHT? UH...
YOU ACTING JUST
LIKE A OLD UNCLE TOM,
ANOTHER FLOYD PATTERSON.
I'M GONNA PUNISH YOU... LET
ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, MAN.
YOU AIN'T GOT NO
BUSINESS CALLING ME NO...
BACK OFF OF ME, BACK OFF OF ME.
DON'T CALL ME NO UNCLE TOM, MAN.
THAT'S WHAT YOU
ARE. AN UNCLE TOM.
WHY YOU GONNA
CALL ME A UNCLE TOM?
I DIDN'T DO NOTHING
TO YOU... YOU HEARD ME.
FOR YOU TO CALL ME NO UNCLE
TOM. JUST BACK OFF OF ME!
AND SO LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN... UNCLE TOM!
AS THE TWO CONTESTANTS
PREPARE FOR BATTLE RIGHT NOW...
BACK OFF OF ME, MAN.
BACK OFF OF ME, MAN!
ANOTHER INTERVIEW
HAS BEEN RECORDED
FOR POSTERITY...
"I WANT TO TORTURE HIM,"
ALI SAID BEFORE THE FIGHT.
"I WANT TO GIVE HIM THE
PATTERSON HUMILIATION
AND PUNISH HIM."
PERFECT, THAT'S IT.
COME ON, MAN. WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
COME ON, COME. KEEP SHOOTING.
THE BELL FOR ROUND ONE.
♪
THIS GUY WANTED TO
CRUCIFY THIS "UNCLE TOM."
HE WOULD THROW
A JAB AND TWIST IT.
IT'S DAMAGING.
YOU KNOW, EVERY
TIME THREW A JAB,
HE'S, LIKE, SAYING, "FUCK YOU."
I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER
SEEN MUHAMMAD DISPLAY
THAT KIND OF CONTEMPT
FOR SOMEBODY.
MUHAMMAD ALI NOW
AT HIS MOST TAUNTING.
GOT HIM WITH A RIGHT HAND
AT THE END OF THAT FLURRY.
SOME SOUTHPAW IN HIM.
REALLY TRYING TO
PERPLEX AND WORRY
AND TORMENT TERRELL.
AT THAT POINT IN
MUHAMMAD'S LIFE,
HIM NOT BEING CALLED
MUHAMMAD ALI FROM A BLACK MAN,
HOW DO WE DEAL WITH UNCLE TOMS?
WE'RE GONNA
PUBLICLY HUMILIATE YOU,
AND THAT'S WHAT MUHAMMAD DID.
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
YOU'RE GONNA RESPECT ME.
WHAT'S MY NAME?
AND NOW ALI TELLING
TERRELL TO FIGHT,
"COME ON, FIGHT"
HE SAYS, OPEN UP.
THIS IS WHEN MUHAMMAD ALI IS
AT HIS LEAST SPORTSMAN-LIKE.
THIS IS HIS TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF A MAN HE KNOWS
HE'S GOT WHIPPED I THINK.
"COME ON, TERRELL"
HE SAYS, "FIGHT, FIGHT."
HEY!
♪
WHAT'S MY NAME?
"WHAT'S MY NAME?"
HE'S ASKING HIM
"WHAT'S MY NAME?"
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT.
♪
WHAT'S MY NAME HUH?
WHAT'S MY NAME? WHAT'S MY NAME?
TERRELL GOES FOR HIM.
OH, DEAR. THIS IS NOT SPORT,
BUT THIS IS MUHAMMAD
ALI NOW DOING JUST
WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO,
AND THE CORNER... THE TERRELL
CORNER NOW HAVING TO WORK
DESPERATELY, FURIOUSLY
FAST TO STAUNCH THE FLOW
OF BLOOD FROM THE RIGHT EYE.
LOOKS LIKE A BAD CUT TO
ME, RIGHT UP OVER THE EYE
JUST UNDER THE EYEBROW.
ROUND 9.
AND THERE HE GOES AGAIN.
♪
THESE ARE SOME OF THE
MOST ASTONISHING SCENES
THAT YOU'VE EVER SEEN
IN A WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT.
♪
THE CHANCES HE TAKES.
♪
I WAS THRILLED THAT HE HE
WAS... HE BEAT UP TERRELL
AND SAID, "WHAT'S MY
NAME? WHAT'S MY NAME?"
I JUST THOUGHT THAT IT
WAS A SIGN THAT A NEW KIND
OF BLACK ATHLETE HAD APPEARED,
A WHOLE NEW KIND OF BLACK
CONSCIOUSNESS HAD APPEARED.
IT WAS A WHOLE NEW KIND
OF BLACK MALE DISPENSATION
THAT HAD COME ABOUT
AS A RESULT OF THAT FIGHT,
SO THAT THAT FIGHT
TO ME... AND I THINK
FOR MANY OTHER
YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE
SUCH AS MYSELF AT THAT TIME...
WAS A KIND OF TURNING POINT.
AFTER 15 PUNISHING ROUNDS,
THE DECISION WAS UNANIMOUS.
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS NOW 28-0.
ALI'S PERFORMANCE WAS
"A BARBAROUS DISPLAY
OF CRUELTY," WROTE TEX
MAULE IN "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED."
OTHER COLUMNISTS CALLED
HIM "MEAN AND MALICIOUS,"
"COCKY" AND "ARROGANT."
THE "NEW YORK TIMES"
RECOMMENDED THAT
THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE
OUTLAW BOXING ALTOGETHER.
AND I THINK THIS
PROVES TO THE PUBLIC
AND ALL OF THE DOUBTERS
OUT THERE THAT ERNIE TERRELL
HAS NO CLASS WHATSOEVER
AND YOU CANNOT COMPARE HIM
EVEN IN MY, UH, RANKING.
I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE
TO SAY THAT REALLY,
THE MAN FOUGHT A
COURAGEOUS FIGHT.
YOU WOULD SAY
EVERYTHING IF I HAD LOST,
ESPECIALLY YOU.
NOW, I WON AND
LET ME HAVE MY SAY.
TERRELL... LOOK. I PROVED
THAT HE WASN'T NOTHING.
ALL RIGHT. IT'S A JOKE
CALLING HIM A CHAMPION,
AND HE BETTER PRONOUNCE
MY NAME RIGHT FROM NOW ON.
I'M TIRED OF TALKING. ALL RIGHT.
THE CHAMP IS TIRED.
MUHAMMAD, COME HERE.
LET ME CONGRATULATE YOU.
JOE LOUIS TONIGHT SAID
YOU'RE "A GREAT FIGHTER".
I DON'T NEED JOE LOUIS TO
TELL ME I'M A GREAT FIGHTER.
I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU
FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS.
♪
IN MARCH, HE WOULD
FACE ZORA FOLLEY
AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
WHILE TRAINING IN
THE ARENA'S BASEMENT,
ALI WAS APPROACHED
BY AN UP-AND-COMING
23-YEAR-OLD HEAVYWEIGHT
FROM PHILADELPHIA
WHO'D WON HIS FIRST
14 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS.
"I THOUGHT YOU
WERE MUCH LARGER,"
JOE FRAZIER SAID TO ALI.
"YOU LOOK PRETTY SMALL TO ME."
WHEN ALI SAID HE'D BE
HAPPY TO FIGHT FRAZIER
IN TWO YEARS, THE YOUNGER
BOXER PROMISED TO BE READY.
BEFORE LEAVING, FRAZIER
BOUGHT A $2.00 GLOSSY PRINT
OF ALI AND HAD THE
CHAMPION SIGN IT.
♪ HOLD ME IN YOUR ARMS ♪
HIS LAST FIGHT WAS
WITH ZORA FOLLEY.
HE KNOCKED HIM OUT.
TOOK 6 OR 7 ROUNDS.
THE NEXT MORNING, WE'RE IN
THE LOWE'S MIDTOWN HOTEL,
AND HE COMES IN,
AND I REMEMBER HE CUT
HIMSELF SHAVING.
HE'S GOT A BAND AID
HERE, AND HE LOOKS AT US,
AND HE SAYS, "FELLAS, I DON'T
WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY NEXT FIGHT
BECAUSE I GOT A MUCH
BIGGER FIGHT COMING."
BEFORE THE FOLLEY FIGHT,
ALI HAD RECEIVED WORD
THAT HE HAD BEEN
DRAFTED AND WOULD HAVE
TO REPORT FOR INDUCTION
THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
WHILE HIS LAWYERS PREPARED
TO CHALLENGE THE DRAFT ORDER,
ALI MET PRIVATELY WITH
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
IN LOUISVILLE.
KING WAS IN TOWN
TO PROTEST THE CITY'S
SEGREGATED HOUSING.
THOUGH THE TWO MEN DIFFERED
ABOUT BLACK SEPARATISM,
THEY FOUND COMMON
GROUND IN THEIR VIEWS
ON THE WAR IN VIETNAM.
WHAT DID YOU DISCUSS
BACK IN THE HOTEL ROOM?
NOTHING. JUST FRIENDS.
JUST LIKE KHRUSHCHEV AND KENNEDY
AND EVERYBODY.
WHEN PEOPLE... POLITICIANS
OF ALL OTHER WHITE
RACES COME TOGETHER,
AND THEY, ALTHOUGH
THEY BELIEVE DIFFERENT,
THEY THINK DIFFERENT,
WHITES CAN COME TOGETHER
AND DISCUSS THE COMMON CAUSE,
BUT WHENEVER A FEW
OF US COME TOGETHER,
THE WORLD IS SHOOK UP,
AND I SAY WHATEVER WENT
BACK THERE IS OUR BUSINESS.
REVEREND KING, DO YOU AGREE?
OH, YES, YES.
WE HAD A VERY GOOD
DISCUSSION ON MANY MATTERS,
AND OF COURSE
THESE ARE NOT THINGS
THAT WE WOULD DISCUSS HERE,
BUT WE DO HAVE COMMON PROBLEMS
AND COMMON CONCERNS,
AND ABOVE ALL, AS
MUHAMMAD ALI HAS JUST SAID,
WE ARE ALL VICTIMS OF THE
SAME SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION,
AND EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE
DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS,
THIS DOES NOT AT ALL BRING ABOUT
A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS
OF OUR CONCERNS.
STILL BROTHERS, STILL BROTHERS.
DO YOU SHARE THE SAME...
ONE MORE QUESTION.
DO YOU SHARE THE SAME
CONCERN THAT MUHAMMAD HAS
FOR HIS DRAFT STATUS?
OH, I CERTAINLY DO.
MY VIEWS ON THE
DRAFT ARE VERY CLEAR.
I'M AGAINST IT,
AND I THINK THE SOONER
OUR COUNTRY DOES AWAY
WITH THE DRAFT, THE BETTER
IT WILL BE FOR EVERYBODY.
GET OUT, GET OUT,
GET OUT OF VIETNAM...
IN APRIL OF 1967,
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS
MARCHED IN NEW YORK CITY,
BUT MOST AMERICANS
STILL SUPPORTED THE WAR,
AND CRITICIZING U.S.
POLICY ON VIETNAM REMAINED
POLITICALLY TREACHEROUS,
ESPECIALLY FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
MEANWHILE, MUHAMMAD
ALI'S LAWYERS
HAD DELAYED HIS INDUCTION DATE
BY CLAIMING THE BOXER RESIDED
IN HOUSTON, WHERE HE HAD
TRAINED FOR HIS RECENT FIGHTS.
NOW A NEW ORDER
REQUIRED HIM TO REPORT
TO LOCAL DRAFT BOARD NUMBER 47
IN HOUSTON AT
8:30 A.M. ON APRIL 28.
BEFORE HE LEFT LOUISVILLE,
ALI GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE
EXPLAINING HIS
POSITION AND HIS PLANS.
WHY SHOULD ME AND OTHER
SO-CALLED NEGROES GO
10,000 MILES AWAY FROM
HOME HERE IN AMERICA
TO DROP BOMBS AND
BULLETS ON OTHER INNOCENT
BROWN PEOPLE WHO'S
NEVER BOTHERED US?
AND I WILL SAY DIRECTLY,
NO, I WILL NOT GO 10,000 MILES
TO HELP KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE.
5 DAYS LATER,
MUHAMMAD ALI, FLANKED
BY HIS LAWYERS, ARRIVED AT
THE OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING
IN HOUSTON.
INSIDE, AS ALI
UNDERWENT HIS PHYSICAL,
HE JOKED WITH HIS FELLOW
RECRUITS, DEMONSTRATING
THE ALI SHUFFLE
IN HIS UNDERWEAR.
THEN AT THE INDUCTION
CEREMONY, ALI REFUSED TO
STEP FORWARD WHEN
HIS NAME WAS CALLED.
A NAVY LIEUTENANT
EXPLAINED THE PENALTY
SHOULD HE BE FOUND GUILTY
OF REFUSING INDUCTION...
A $10,000 FINE AND UP
TO 5 YEARS IN PRISON.
GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE
TO STEP FORWARD,
ALI REFUSED AGAIN.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
MR. MUHAMMAD ALI
HAS JUST REFUSED TO BE
INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED
STATES ARMED FORCES.
THE REACTION WAS
SWIFT AND SEVERE.
WITHIN HOURS, THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE NEW YORK STATE
ATHLETIC COMMISSION
DENOUNCED HIS CONDUCT
AS "DETRIMENTAL TO THE
INTERESTS OF BOXING,"
STRIPPING HIM OF HIS
LICENSE TO FIGHT IN NEW YORK.
ALMOST EVERY OTHER
BOXING COMMISSION
IN THE UNITED STATES
FOLLOWED SUIT.
THE WORLD BOXING
ASSOCIATION TOOK AWAY ALI'S
TITLE FOR A SECOND TIME.
WELL, AT THE TIME, I
WAS IN THE SERVICE,
AND, UM, I... ONE WOULD THINK
THAT I WOULD... WOULD THINK OF HIM
AS A TRAITOR OR SOMEONE
WHO DIDN'T WANT TO DO
WHAT I'M DOING, YOU KNOW,
BUT I WAS ALL FOR IT.
AND I FOUND THAT MANY
OF THE BLACK SERVICEMEN
WERE ALL FOR IT, AS WELL.
THEY APPRECIATED HIM
SPEAKING UP BECAUSE
AT THE TIME THERE
WAS A LOT OF DISSENT
AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN
SERVICEMEN.
THIS WAS THE VIETNAM ERA,
A LOT OF BLACK MEN WERE
BEING KILLED.
THEY WERE THINKING OF
THEMSELVES AS CANNON FODDER,
AND I MET SOME OF THE MORE...
SOME OF THE MOST RADICAL
FIGURES I'VE EVER MET
IN THE RANKS OF THE
AIR FORCE AND THE ARMY.
SO UH, WE... WE APPRECIATED
HIM SPEAKING OUT
AND SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT.
AS MUCH AS I THINK EVERYBODY
SHOULD PULL THEIR TOUR,
I THINK THEY ARE OVEREMPHASIZING
THE NEED TO BRING CASSIUS
CLAY INTO THE SERVICE
IF HE PROFESSES TO
BE A MUSLIM MINISTER.
HIS RELIGIOUS
BELIEFS ARE HIS OWN.
THIS COUNTRY WAS SET
UP ON THE BASIC CONCEPT
OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM,
OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE
SHOULD BE PERSECUTED
OR RIDICULED
BECAUSE OF HIS BELIEFS.
SIMPLY BECAUSE MUHAMMAD
ALI HAS THESE BELIEFS,
IT'S NO REASON WHY PEOPLE
SHOULD... SHOULD GO AGAINST HIM.
I THINK HE IS A GREAT CHAMPION,
AND, UH, THEY SHOULD
RESPECT HIS BELIEFS.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU THINK THEY'RE BEING
UNNECESSARILY HARSH ON HIM?
I THINK THEY ARE.
EVERYBODY KNEW THAT
IF HE HAD BEEN DRAFTED
INTO THE ARMY HE WOULD...
LIKE JOE LOUIS AND JACK DEMPSEY
AND EVERY OTHER
BOXER, HE'D GIVE SHOWS.
HE'D GO AND SHAKE HANDS.
HE'D BE IN CHARGE OF MORALE.
HE WASN'T GONNA BE
FIGHTING THE VIET CONG,
AND HE KNEW THAT.
EVERYBODY KNEW THAT.
SO WHAT HE WAS GIVING
UP HAD TO BE FOR PRINCIPLE,
COULDN'T BE FOR FEAR.
ON JUNE 4, 1967, JIM BROWN,
THE RETIRED FOOTBALL STAR,
CONVENED A CLOSED-DOOR SUMMIT
OF BLACK ATHLETES IN CLEVELAND.
THEY INVITED MUHAMMAD
ALI IN HOPES THAT HE MIGHT
ENTERTAIN A BACK-CHANNEL OFFER
FROM PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON
THAT WOULD KEEP HIM OUT
OF JAIL AND IN THE BOXING RING.
A NUMBER OF THE
PARTICIPANTS WERE MEMBERS
OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS.
BILL RUSSELL WAS THERE, MYSELF,
AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE
WHO WERE RELATED
TO SPORTS, BUT WE
ALL WANTED TO JUST SEE
WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
ALL ABOUT WITH REGARD
TO HIS STANCE ON VIETNAM.
JIM, WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF THE POSSIBILITY OF AH
THE CHAMP GOING TO JAIL,
AND WHAT AH, HOW DO
YOU FEEL ABOUT THE IMAGE
THIS MIGHT CREATE
AMONG NEGRO ATHLETES?
WELL AS YOU KNOW,
RELIGION IS BASED ON BELIEF.
WE'RE ALL ARE OF
VARIOUS RELIGIONS IN HERE,
AND ONCE THE CHAMP
CONVINCED US THAT IT WAS
SOLELY A RELIGIOUS MATTER AND
THAT HE BELIEVED COMPLETELY,
THEN I HAD TO LEAVE
IT AT THAT AND GIVE HIM
RESPECT AS FAR AS HIS BELIEF.
WE WERE UNIFIED.
YOU KNOW, WE STOOD BEHIND HIM.
WE WISHED HIM SUCCESS,
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS
NOTHING THAT WE COULD SAY
FORMALLY THAT WAS GONNA
MITIGATE WHAT HE HAD TO GO THROUGH.
"I'M NOT WORRIED
ABOUT MUHAMMAD ALI,"
BILL RUSSELL SAID.
"HE IS BETTER EQUIPPED THAN
ANYONE I KNOW TO WITHSTAND
"THE TRIALS IN STORE FOR HIM.
WHAT I'M WORRIED
ABOUT IS THE REST OF US."
ALL THE LIGHT IN
THE ROOM FOCUSED
ON HIM IT SEEMED.
YOU KNOW, HE KIND
OF ATTRACTED LIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THAT
WAS, UH, WHO HE WAS.
AND I SAW IN MUHAMMAD
ALI'S CHARACTER
THE WILLINGNESS TO
TAKE ON THE BURDENS
OF ALL BLACK AMERICANS
IN CONFRONTING THE RACISM
THAT WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
HE WAS WILLING TO TAKE THAT ON,
AND I WANTED TO
SUPPORT HIM IN THAT.
TO ME, IT FELT JUST LIKE I
FELT ABOUT JACKIE ROBINSON.
YOU KNOW, I WATCHED HIM,
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY,
AND IT SEEMED TO ME
THAT MUHAMMAD ALI
JUST TOOK UP THAT MANTLE.
TWO WEEKS LATER, AN
ALL-WHITE HOUSTON JURY
FOUND ALI GUILTY OF
REFUSING THE DRAFT.
THE JUDGE, IGNORING THE
MORE LENIENT RECOMMENDATION
OF THE PROSECUTOR,
SENTENCED HIM TO THE MAXIMUM...
5 YEARS IN PRISON
AND A $10,000 FINE,
AND HE WOULD HAVE TO
SURRENDER HIS PASSPORT.
ALI'S LAWYERS IMMEDIATELY
FILED AN APPEAL,
PREPARED TO GO ALL THE
WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT
IF NECESSARY, A PROCESS
THAT COULD TAKE YEARS.
ALI REMAINED FREE
BUT WITHOUT HIS TITLE
OR A LICENSE TO BOX.
HE FULLY EXPECTED THAT
HE WOULD ONE DAY GO TO JAIL
FOR HIS BELIEFS.
WE, WHO ARE FOLLOWERS OF
THE HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
THE RELIGION OF
ISLAM, WE BELIEVE
IN OBEYING THE LAWS OF THE LAND.
WE ARE TAUGHT TO OBEY
THE LAWS OF THE LAND
AS LONG AS IT DON'T CONFLICT
WITH OUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
WILL YOU GO INTO
SERVICE AS SUCH?
THIS WOULD BE A THOUSAND PERCENT
AGAINST THE TEACHINGS OF THE
HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
THE RELIGION OF ISLAM,
AND THE HOLY QURAN,
THE HOLY BOOK
THAT WE BELIEVE IN.
THIS WOULD ALL BE
DENOUNCING AND DEFYING
EVERYTHING THAT I STAND FOR.
THIS WOULD MEAN OF COURSE
THAT YOU STAND THE CHANCE
OF GOING TO JAIL AS A RESULT
OF NOT GOING INTO SERVICE.
WELL, WHATEVER THE PUNISHMENT,
WHATEVER THE PERSECUTION
IS FOR STANDING UP
FOR MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS,
EVEN IF IT MEANS FACING
MACHINE GUN FIRE THAT DAY,
I WILL FACE IT BEFORE
DENOUNCING ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AND THE RELIGION OF ISLAM.
I'M READY TO DIE. MM-HMM.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT HIM
SAYING, "IF THEY WAN TO PUT ME
"BEFORE A FIRING SQUAD
TOMORROW, I'M READY TO DIE
BEFORE I ABANDON MY RELIGION,"
UM...
THAT'S IT.
YOU CAN'T TEACH THAT KIND
OF THING IN LECTURES, IN BOOKS.
THAT KIND OF THING
HAS TO BE MODELED,
AND MODELS TURN INTO TRADITIONS,
AND TRADITIONS PROVIDE PEOPLE
WITH THE MECHANICAL MEMORY
TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
THAT'S WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI
REPRESENTED IN THAT MOMENT.
I MEAN, ANYBODY NOW
FACED WITH A MAJOR DECISION
IN WHICH THE RIGHT WAY IS CLEAR
AND THE WRONG WAY IS CLEAR
BUT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE
DIRE, NOW THEY HAVE A MODEL
THAT THEY CAN FALL
BACK ON PSYCHOLOGICALLY,
EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY.
THAT'S WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI
REPRESENTED IN THAT MOMENT,
AND THAT TO ME, THAT
MOMENT WILL LIVE ON FOREVER.
BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 1966,
WHILE IN CHICAGO BETWEEN
FIGHTS, ALI HAD BEEN DRIVING
AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE WITH
A GERMAN PHOTOJOURNALIST.
AFTER ALI REQUESTED
THAT HIS DRIVER RETURN
TO A NATION OF ISLAM
BAKERY FOR A THIRD TIME,
THE PHOTOGRAPHER FOLLOWED
HIM INSIDE AND REALIZED
THE REASON FOR
THE FREQUENT VISITS.
BEHIND THE COUNTER
STOOD A STRIKING 16-YEAR-OLD
NAMED BELINDA BOYD.
ALI WAS A VERY GORGEOUS GUY,
GOOD-LOOKING.
I WAS ATTRACTED
TO HIM RIGHT AWAY.
HE WAS A VERY WARM,
DOWN-TO-EARTH, KIND PERSON.
ALI IS VERY FLIRTATIOUS, TOO.
I THINK THAT... I THINK
THAT'S THE CHARM
THAT I LIKED ABOUT HIM.
HE WAS ALWAYS HAPPY.
THE DAUGHTER OF MUSLIMS,
BOYD HAD ATTENDED
ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ISLAM
IN CHICAGO AND HAD
BEEN A FREQUENT GUEST
AT THE HOME OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
HERBERT MUHAMMAD HAD
ENCOURAGED ALI TO PURSUE HER,
AND SOON THE TWO
WERE SEEING EACH OTHER
AWAY FROM THE BAKERY.
ON AUGUST 18, 1967,
MUHAMMAD AND BELINDA
WERE MARRIED AND MOVED
INTO A SMALL BRICK HOUSE
ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
BOTH WERE TALL AND ATHLETIC,
VOLUBLE AND CHARMING,
AND BELINDA, WHO
HAD LOVED MUHAMMAD
SINCE SHE WAS A YOUNG TEENAGER,
COULD MIMIC HIS CADENCE.
THE COUPLE WERE SO MUCH
ALIKE THAT ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
ONCE JOKED THAT ALI
HAD MARRIED HIS TWIN.
MY MOM AND MY DAD
WERE A LOT ALIKE.
I THINK SHE WAS GOOD
FOR HIM IN THE SENSE
THAT SHE WASN'T QUIET AND SHY.
SHE WAS STRONG, AND
SHE SPOKE HER MIND.
I THINK MY DAD WAS
ATTRACTED TO HER BECAUSE
SHE WAS A STRONG WOMAN
AND SHE WAS A MUSLIM
AND SHE HAD VALUES THAT
MY DAD RESPECTED AND LOVED.
WITHOUT INCOME FROM FIGHTS,
MONEY WAS TIGHT.
BELINDA SEWED HER
OWN CLOTHES AND DIPPED
INTO HER COLLEGE FUND
TO COVER EXPENSES.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'D GIVE US MONEY.
HE WOULD GIVE ME
MONEY TO SURVIVE,
AND I WOULDN'T LET HIM KNOW
IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT HIM
TO FEEL BAD AS A MAN, NOT
BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT US.
THEY STRUGGLED.
MY DAD COULDN'T MAKE ANY MONEY,
BUT MY MOM JUST DEEPLY,
JUST TRULY LOVED HIM,
AND SHE WOULD'VE...
SHE DIDN'T CARE
ABOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF.
SHE JUST REALLY LOVED HIM,
AND SHE'D FOLLOW HIM ANYWHERE.
SO MY DAD WENT ON
THE SPEAKING CIRCUIT,
AND HE STARTED TO
SPEAK AT COLLEGES
AS A WAYS TO MAKE MONEY.
WITHOUT ANY
FURTHER INTRODUCTION,
THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT
BOXING CHAMPION MUHAMMAD ALI!
FIRST OF ALL...
FIRST OF ALL, I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THE STUDENT GOVERNING
BODY FOR INVITING ME HERE
TO SPEAK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL
AND WORTHY OCCASION TONIGHT.
I WENT TO SOME OF
HIS COLLEGE CONCERTS,
AND IN THE BEGINNING,
THEY WERE TERRIBLE,
BUT THEN HE REALLY
STARTED EVOLVING.
HE HAD PREPARED HALF
A DOZEN SPEECHES BASED
ON THE TEACHINGS
OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
AND THE POLITICAL
HUMOR OF THE ACTIVIST
AND COMEDIAN DICK GREGORY.
THE BLACK AND WHITE
PROBLEM IN AMERICA IS DIVINE.
IT'S NOT A RACIAL THING
WHERE SOME ORGANIZATION
IS GOING TO FREE US.
BLACK PEOPLE NEED
TO KNOW THEIR CULTURE.
BLACK PEOPLE NEED
TO KNOW THEIR NAME.
BLACK PEOPLE ARE MENTALLY DEAD.
THIS IS WHY ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
TEACHES US THAT JESUS SAID,
"YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH,
AND THE TRUTH ALONE
WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS DIDN'T SAY,
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN
WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS DIDN'T SAY, "THE CONGRESS
GONNA MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS DIDN'T SAY, "INTEGRATION
AND OPEN HOUSING
WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS DIDN'T SAY, "INTERMARRIAGE
WITH WHITE FOLKS
WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
JESUS SAID, "TRUTH
MAKE YOU FREE,"
AND BLACK PEOPLE
ARE NOT FREE TODAY
BECAUSE THEY DON'T
KNOW THE TRUTH,
AND ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
IS THE ONLIEST MAN
WITH THAT TRUTH.
I WORKED FOR "MUHAMMAD
SPEAKS" AT THE TIME.
WE FOLLOWED HIM PERIODICALLY.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE TOO
REVERENTIAL TOWARD HIM
BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE
OFFICIAL LINE OF THE NATION
WAS ANTI-SPORT AND PLAY,
AND SO WE DIDN'T
WANT TO, YOU KNOW,
PUSH THAT TOO FAR.
HE PREACHED AT MUSLIM MOSQUES
IN SAN FRANCISCO AND MIAMI,
HOUSTON AND NEW YORK,
LECTURED AT SCHOOLS,
INCLUDING APPALACHIAN STATE,
HOWARD UNIVERSITY, AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO,
AND ADDRESSED
ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS
AND A BLACK PANTHER RALLY.
SO THERE WERE THESE
CLASHING SENSIBILITIES
OUT THERE, AND
MUHAMMAD ALI COMING
FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM,
WHICH KIND OF REPRESENTED
THE BLACK MILITANT ASPECT
BUT YET RESISTING THE WAR,
WHICH COINCIDED
WITH THE HIPPIE THING,
AND SO I THINK THAT WAS
INDEED PART OF THE REASON
WHY HE BECAME SUCH
A GALVANIZING FIGURE.
HIS ABILITY TO EMBRACE
OTHER GROUPS,
EVEN AS HE PROFESSED THE KIND
OF RACIALIST DOCTRINE HIMSELF.
ONLY A FEW PEOPLE
WHO HAVE ACCESS
TO THAT KIND OF COMPLEXITY.
WE HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED.
WHEN YOU WENT TO
CHURCH TO LOOK AT JESUS,
YOU SAW A WHITE.
WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE
ANGELS, YOU SAW WHITES.
EVERYTHING WHITE.
EVERYTHING OF AUTHORITY WHITE.
WHITE OWL CIGARS,
WHITE SWAN SOAP,
KING WHITE SOAP, WHITE
CLOUD TISSUE PAPER,
WHITE RAIN HAIR RINSE...
WSHEWWW... WHITE TORNADO.
WHO EVER HEARD
OF A WHITE TORNADO?
TORNADOS ARE BLACK.
YOU CAN SEE THEM
WHEN THEY'RE COMING.
TORNADOS ARE BLACK.
AIN'T NO WHITE TORNADOS.
WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT BLACK?
SEE, YOU'VE BEEN TRICKED.
YOU'VE BEEN TRICKED TO LOVE
OTHERS AND HATE YOURSELF.
WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI DID
WAS REALLY TEAR THE MASK OFF
OF COMFORT OF
WHITE PEOPLE IN BEING
IN THE MOST POWERFUL
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
COMFORT OF OUR OWN
PRIVILEGE AND OUR OWN INABILITY
TO IDENTIFY WITH
PEOPLE OF COLOR,
AND HE DID IT WITH ALL
THE TOOLS THAT HE HAD.
I'M NOT GONNA HELP
NOBODY GET SOMETHING
MY NEGROES DON'T HAVE.
IF I'M GONNA TO DIE,
I'LL DIE RIGHT NOW
RIGHT HERE FIGHTING YOU.
IF I WANT TO DIE.
YOU MY ENEMY.
MY ENEMY IS THE WHITE
PEOPLE, NOT VIET CONGS
OR CHINESE OR JAPANESE.
YOU MY OPPOSER
WHEN I WANT FREEDOM.
YOU MY OPPOSER
WHEN I WANT JUSTICE.
YOU MY OPPOSER
WHEN I WANT EQUALITY.
YOU WON'T EVEN STAND
UP FOR ME IN AMERICA
FOR MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND
YOU WANT ME TO GO SOMEWHERE
AND FIGHT, BUT YOU
WON'T EVEN STAND UP
FOR ME HERE AT HOME.
HE USED HIS TONGUE
TO LACERATE RACISM
AND WHITE SUPREMACY
AND OPPRESSION
IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.
HE BECAME MORE
MILITANT, NOT LESS.
HE BECAME MORE
ASSERTIVE, NOT LESS.
HE BECAME MORE
CONFRONTATIONAL, NOT LESS.
HE'S NOT SUGAR COATING IT.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED
WHY WE TAKE SO MUCH HELL? HUH?
SERVED THE COUNTRY SO
FAITHFUL FOR 400 YEARS?
FOUGHT IN ALL OF THE WARS
AND STILL DYING IN THE WARS,
AND RIGHT IN MY OWN
HOMETOWN, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
TODAY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
BEAT UP, KICKED AROUND,
PREGNANT WOMEN KNOCKED AROUND
JUST FOR TRYING TO GET
A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY?
BECAUSE WE HAVE
NEVER HEARD THE TRUTH,
AND TRUTH MAKES YOU FREE.
CAN'T YOU LOOK AT ME
AND TELL THAT I'M FREE?
CAN'T YOU HEAR THE WAY I
TALK AND SEE THAT I'M FREE?
I DON'T HAVE NO BOSSES.
I HAVE ONE BOSS,
AND THIS IS HIM,
THE HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
IN APRIL 1968, "ESQUIRE"
MAGAZINE PUT ALI
ON ITS COVER, PORTRAYING
THE EXILED BOXER
AS ST. SEBASTIAN, A
CHRISTIAN MARTYR PERSECUTED
FOR HIS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
YOU HAVE TO BE SICK
MENTALLY TO WANT TO FORCE
YOURSELF INTO PLACES
WHERE YOU'RE NOT WANTED.
YOU SEE THE MAN HATE YOU.
YOU SEE THEY DON'T
WANT YOU DOWN THERE.
WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE THEM ALONE?
WE'LL GO ON SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU BECAME CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD,
EVERYBODY THOUGHT. "THIS
IS A REFRESHING YOUNG MAN."
WE FOUND OUT YOU WERE A MUSLIM,
AND PEOPLE GOT SCARED.
I GOT BAD ALL OF A SUDDEN.
I WAS A GOOD BOY
WHEN I WAS HOLLERING,
"I AM THE GREATEST!
"I CANNOT BE BEAT!
I AM PRETTY! I'M THE
KING! HEE HEE HEE!"
I WAS A GOOD BOY,
BUT WHEN I SAID, "I'M A MUSLIM,
MY RELIGION IS ISLAM,"
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW
AS ONE OF THE PROMINENT
BLACK PERSONS?
I CAN'T BE A LEADER, BUT I CAN
TELL THEM ABOUT THE LEADER.
ALL I CAN TELL THEM IS TO
JOIN ONTO THEIR OWN KIND,
ACCEPT THEIR OWN KIND.
JOIN ONTO THEIR TRUE
RELIGION, WHICH IS ISLAM.
JOIN ONTO THE MUSLIM
TEACHINGS, WHICH IS TAUGHT TO US
BY THE HONORABLE
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD,
THE ONLIEST BLACK MAN PREACHING
THE TRUTH TO BLACK PEOPLE.
CLEAN UP YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS
AND DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF.
QUIT BEGGING TO INTEGRATE
AND BEG TO SEPARATE.
YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH WHITES.
I DON'T THINK YOU ARE.
NO, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE. UH...
ARE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH ME RIGHT NOW?
NO, I'M COMFORTABLE.
I'M REAL COMFORTABLE
WITH YOU BECAUSE I KNOW
HOW FAR TO GO WITH YOU.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO
HOME WITH YOU NOW
AND FLIRT WITH YOUR DAUGHTER.
I'M NOT GOING TO
TRY TO PUSH YOU OUT
OF YOUR SUBURB.
I INTEGRATE SO FAR.
SEE, WE DON'T... THAT'S WHY
I LIKE GOVERNOR WALLACE.
HE TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT THINGS.
YOU LIKE GEORGE
WALLACE? YES, SIR.
THAT TRUTH HE TELLS WE LIKE.
HE TELLS THE TRUTH.
YOU BELIEVE THAT?
I SEE HIM TELLING THE TRUTH.
YOU DON'T BELIEVE HE'S
BEEN A TOUGH INFLUENCE
IN THIS COUNTRY
AND A BAD INFLUENCE?
WELL, I DON'T AGREE WITH
EVERYTHING NOBODY SAY,
BUT I LIKE WHAT HE SAY
WHEN HE SAYS THAT NEGROES
SHOULDN'T FORCE THEMSELVES
INTO WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS
AND WHITE PEOPLE SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO AH MOVE OUT
OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS
JUST BECAUSE ONE NEGRO COMES.
THEY DON'T WANT TO
SELL THE HOUSE TO HIM,
THEY SHOULDN'T, AND
THAT MAKES SENSE.
IF A PERSON DON'T WANT
YOU. WHY ARE YOU GOING
TO PUSH YOURSELF ON HIM?
AND WALLACE IS
ADMITTING THIS AIN'T RIGHT
AND LET THE PEOPLE DO
WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
WE WANT... WHITE POWER!
I THINK HIS TALK
ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE
RACIALLY SEGREGATING
HAS A RESONANCE
BECAUSE OF THE WHITE
BACKLASH THAT'S OCCURRING
WITH THIS ATTEMPT
AT INTEGRATION,
THAT BLACK PEOPLE
ARE SAYING, "LOOK.
"THESE WHITE
PEOPLE DON'T WANT US.
DO YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON?"
I DON'T EVEN THINK HE
EVER SAW IT IN THAT WAY.
HE JUST SAW IT AS BLACK PEOPLE,
UM, WANTING TO BECOME PEOPLE
OUT HERE IN THIS
WORLD THAT MATTERED
AND THAT THEY... AND
IN ORDER TO MATTER,
WE HAD TO HAVE OUR OWN LAND,
AND WE HAD TO BUILD UP
OURSELVES AS A PEOPLE.
♪ WALK WITH ME ♪
ON APRIL 4, 1968, WHILE STANDING
ON THE BALCONY OF
THE LORRAINE MOTEL
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
MARTIN LUTHER KING
WAS ASSASSINATED.
♪ WALK WITH ME ♪
♪ LORD ♪
"I AM IN MOURNING,"
ALI TOLD THE PRESS,
"FOR MY BLACK BROTHER."
♪ ALL ALONG ♪
♪ WALK WITH ME ♪
♪ THIS OLD, TEDIOUS JOURNEY ♪
♪ LORD ♪
♪ I WANT JESUS ♪
♪ JUST TO WALK WITH ME ♪
♪ WALK WITH ME ♪
IN JUNE, BELINDA GAVE
BIRTH TO A BABY GIRL.
AT ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S SUGGESTION,
THEY NAMED HER MARYUM.
IN AUGUST, A REPORTER
VISITED ALI'S HOME,
WHERE HE WAS SPENDING SOME
QUIET TIME WITH HIS DAUGHTER.
HIS LAWYERS HAD JUST
FILED A PETITION ASKING
THE SUPREME COURT TO
RECONSIDER HIS CONVICTION.
"I'M NOT AFRAID TO GO TO JAIL.
I'M READY TO DIE FOR MY PEOPLE,"
HE TOLD THE REPORTER.
THEN HE PICKED UP MARYUM.
"YOUR DADDY'S FIGHTING
FOR YOU," HE SAID.
"SOMEDAY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO WALK WITH YOUR HEAD
"HIGH AND NOT BEG FOR A JOB,
AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT."
THAT WINTER, THE
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
VOTED PRIVATELY TO
REJECT ALI'S PETITION,
A DECISION THAT SHOULD
HAVE IMMEDIATELY SENT
HIM TO PRISON.
THE CLERK WAS GOING TO
ANNOUNCE TO THE WORLD
THAT THE CASE HAD
BEEN DENIED REVIEW,
WHICH WOULD MEAN EVERYTHING'S
OVER, HE'S GOING TO JAIL,
BUT OVER THE WEEKEND,
A LETTER CAME IN
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
AND THAT LETTER STATED
THAT, UM, THEY HAD RECENTLY
DISCOVERED THAT MUHAMMAD ALI
HAD BEEN OVERHEARD ON WIRETAPS
THAT THE GOVERNMENT
HAD BEEN RUNNING
ON ELIJAH MUHAMMAD AND
ON MARTIN LUTHER KING,
AND THAT MEANT THAT ALI
WAS ENTITLED TO BE INFORMED
ABOUT THOSE WIRETAPS TO
SEE WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE
ANYTHING IN THEM THAT IS
EXCULPATORY TO HIS CASE.
THE SUPREME COURT SAYS,
"WE ARE SENDING THIS CASE
"BACK DOWN TO BE
REEXAMINED IN LIGHT
OF THE WIRETAPPING ISSUE."
SO AT THE VERY 11th
HOUR, ALI IS MORE OR LESS
PULLED OUT OF JAIL AND TOLD
YOU CAN START ALL OVER AGAIN.
IT HAD BEEN TWO YEARS
SINCE ALI'S LAST FIGHT.
REPORTERS WERE EAGER
TO KNOW IF THIS MEANT
THAT HE WOULD FIGHT AGAIN.
"I'M JUST THANKFUL,"
HE TOLD THEM.
"IT'S ALL IN THE
HANDS OF ALLAH."
YOU'RE STILL CONTENT,
YOU'RE STILL DETERMINED
TO RETURN TO THE RING
AND FIGHT ONCE AGAIN
REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS?
OH, YES, MAINLY TO
PAY BILLS, YOU KNOW.
THIS IS MY MAIN
MEANING OF LIVELIHOOD,
AND AH I WOULD RETURN MAINLY
TO PAY A LOT OF UNPAID DEBTS.
IF THE GOVERNMENT CLEARED
THIS THING UP, SAY, TONIGHT
AND YOU COULD FIGHT
A MONTH FROM NOW,
NAME ME ONE PERSON YOU'D
LIKE TO FIGHT RIGHT AWAY.
WELL, UH...
I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN
THEM ALL THESE...
I'M NOT OUT TO FIGHT
ANY OF THEM REALLY.
THEY ALL REALLY WANT
TO FIGHT ME BECAUSE
I CAN'T GAIN NO PRESTIGE...
WHICH ONE WOULD
MAKE THE BEST FIGHT,
AND DRAW THE BIGGEST CROWD?
JOE FRAZIER.
DESPITE HIS EXILE, MUHAMMAD ALI
HAD BEEN CLOSELY
WATCHING THE BOXING RANKS,
WHERE, IN HIS ABSENCE, JOE
FRAZIER WAS NOW RECOGNIZED
AS THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION IN 5 STATES.
"IF THE CONVICTION IS
OVERTURNED AND FRAZIER OFFERS,
I'LL FIGHT," ALI PROMISED.
BUT ALI'S CLAIM THAT ANY
FIGHT WOULD ONLY BE TO PAY
OFF HIS DEBTS UNDERCUT
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S TEACHING
THAT ALLAH WOULD ALWAYS PROVIDE.
THE NEXT DAY, ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD SUMMONED
ALI AND BELINDA TO HIS HOME.
HE SUSPENDED THE FAMILY
FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM
AND REVOKED MUHAMMAD ALI'S NAME.
"WE FIGHT FOR OUR FAMILIES,
"WE FIGHT FOR A LIVING.
WE DON'T FIGHT FOR MONEY."
SO IT'S JUST... IT'S JUST
A WAY YOU SAY THINGS,
AND HE GOT KICKED OUT,
AND WHEN HE GOT KICKED
OUT, I GOT KICKED OUT
BECAUSE WE'RE ONE.
IT WAS TORTURE TO ME
NOT BEING ABLE TO
GO TO THE MOSQUE,
NOT BEING ABLE TO GO
PRAY WITH EACH OTHER.
IN "MUHAMMAD SPEAKS,"
WHICH HAD ONCE
CELEBRATED THE BOXER
FOR HIS SUCCESS IN THE RING,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
NOW CHASTISED HIM
FOR HIS DESIRE TO FIGHT.
"CASSIUS CLAY MADE A
COMPLETE FOOL OF HIMSELF
FOR ACCEPTING THE SPORT
WHICH ALLAH CONDEMNS,"
THE LEADER WROTE.
ALI WAS OUTWARDLY REPENTANT.
"WHAT I SAID WAS OUT OF
PLACE," HE TOLD A REPORTER.
"HE IS THE BOSS.
"I WILL BE A MUSLIM
UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.
"I ONLY PRAY THAT
HE WILL FORGIVE ME
AND LET ME BACK."
ALI INSISTED THAT
HE WAS RETIRED.
"I'LL NEVER CLIMB INTO THE RING
OR GO IN AN ARENA AGAIN,"
BUT HE NEVER STOPPED
PLOTTING HIS RETURN TO BOXING.
MEANWHILE, IGNORING
HIS OWN FATHER,
HERBERT MUHAMMAD CONTINUED
TO SEARCH FOR A VENUE
WHERE THE BOXER
WOULD NOT BE BARRED.
HE TRIED CITY AFTER CITY.
NOTHING WORKED OUT.
THEN ATLANTA BEGAN
TO SHOW PROMISE.
LEROY JOHNSON, GEORGIA'S
FIRST BLACK STATE SENATOR
SINCE RECONSTRUCTION,
WAS EAGER TO SEE ALI'S
FIRST FIGHT IN MORE THAN 3
YEARS COME TO HIS HOMETOWN.
I WENT TO THE LAW BOOKS
AND BEGAN TO SEARCH THE LAW,
AND AFTER MAYBE A COUPLE
OF HOURS I DISCOVERED
THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE
GEORGIA STATUTE DEALING
WITH BOXING MATCHES.
THAT MEANT IT WAS
LEFT UP TO ATLANTA.
THE CITY OF ATLANTA
GAVE ITS APPROVAL.
THE GOVERNOR OF
GEORGIA WASN'T PLEASED.
I DON'T... I DON'T
SEE HOW THIS FIGHT
COULD TAKE PLACE REALLY ANYWHERE
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BY A MAN THAT HAS DENOUNCED
HIS COUNTRY'S UNIFORM
AND REFUSED TO BE INDUCTED
INTO THE SERVICE
OF THIS COUNTRY,
SO I'VE CALLED FOR A DAY OF
MOURNING BECAUSE OF THIS
THAT THIS TRAGIC
THING HAS HAPPENED
IN THIS UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA,
WHERE MEN HAVE FOUGHT SO LONG
AND THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN
HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH.
BEFORE LEAVING
CHICAGO, ALI RECEIVED
A PACKAGE CONTAINING A
DECAPITATED BLACK DOG
AND A NOTE READING,
"WE KNOW HOW TO HANDLE
BLACK DRAFT-DODGING
DOGS IN GEORGIA."
TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
ATLANTA COULD STAGE THE BOUT
WITHOUT POLITICAL
INTERFERENCE OR VIOLENCE,
SENATOR JOHNSON ARRANGED
FOR A PRE-FIGHT EXHIBITION MATCH
AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE.
ON SEPTEMBER 2,
1970, 2,700 PEOPLE,
INCLUDING MARTIN LUTHER
KING SR. AND RALPH ABERNATHY,
FILLED THE MOREHOUSE GYM
TO SEE MUHAMMAD ALI SPAR
WITH 3 UNDISTINGUISHED
OPPONENTS.
THE GYM WAS PACKED.
BLACK AND WHITE WAS THERE,
AND MOREHOUSE IS IN THE
HEART OF A BLACK COMMUNITY,
AND THAT SERVED
AS A CUSHION FOR US,
AND WE HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.
NOBODY TRIED TO INVADE
IT OR STOP THE FIGHT.
"THE ROOF DID NOT
FALL IN," REPORTED
"SPORTS ILLUSTRATED,"
"NO ONE THREW A BOMB.
FIRE AND BRIMSTONE
DID NOT RAIN DOWN."
SOON AFTER, PROMOTERS
ANNOUNCED THAT ALI
WOULD BE FIGHTING TOP-RANKED
CONTENDER JERRY QUARRY
IN ATLANTA ON OCTOBER 26.
I THINK IT'S FINE, I
THINK WE SHOULD HAVE
SOMETHING LIKE
THAT HERE IN ATLANTA.
I THINK IT'S TIME.
WELL, I DON'T LIVE
HERE IN ATLANTA,
BUT FRANKLY I'D JUST
AS SOON HE DIDN'T
FIGHT ANYWHERE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE
THE GREATEST THING
THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ATLANTA.
WELL, I JUST DON'T
LIKE TO SEE OUR...
US HAVE THAT IN OUR CITY.
WHY IS THAT?
JOE FRAZIER'S
MANAGER PROMISED ALI
A TITLE MATCH IF HE BEAT QUARRY.
"WE'LL FIGHT HIM ANYPLACE
IN THE UNITED STATES
HE CAN GET A LICENSE," HE SAID.
THOUGH THE BOUT IN
ATLANTA WOULD PROCEED,
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS STILL BARRED
FROM FIGHTING ANYWHERE ELSE.
AT THE SAME TIME,
LAWYERS FOR THE NAACP,
INCLUDING MICHAEL
MELTSNER, HAD FILED A LAWSUIT
AGAINST NEW YORK'S
BOXING COMMISSION,
CLAIMING THE COMMISSION
HAD ILLEGALLY SINGLED OUT ALI
AND GRANTED LICENSES TO OTHER
BOXERS CONVICTED OF CRIMES.
WE KNEW THAT SOME LICENSEES
HAD CRIMINAL RECORDS,
BUT WHEN WE GOT INTO THE FILES
OF THE ATHLETIC COMMISSION,
WE WERE SHOCKED AT THE NUMBERS
AND THE RANGE OF
CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
244 BOXERS HAD BEEN
LICENSED BY THE NEW YORK STATE
ATHLETIC COMMISSION
WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS,
AND THEY INCLUDED
CHAMPIONS AND CONTENDERS.
THEY INCLUDED MANSLAUGHTER,
SECOND DEGREE MURDER,
ARMED ROBBERY, AND THE LIKE.
IT CONFIRMED OUR SENSE
THAT ALI HAD BEEN PICKED OUT,
SINGLED OUT, FOR
TREATMENT BECAUSE
OF HIS IDENTITY, BECAUSE
OF HIS AFFILIATIONS
WITH THE NATION OF
ISLAM, AND BECAUSE HE WAS
A PROMINENT BLACK FIGURE.
JUDGE MANSFIELD
SAID, "THIS IS ARBITRARY.
IT VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION,
THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE,"
AND HE REQUIRED THE
STATE OF NEW YORK
TO GIVE ALI A LICENSE.
BY THAT TIME, PEOPLE
WERE REALIZING
WHAT A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE
THAT WHOLE THING HAD BEEN,
AND JUDGE MANSFIELD'S
DECISION WAS
THE FIRST JUDICIAL
DECISION ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO ALI GOT HIS LICENSE
FROM NEW YORK,
AND AT THAT POINT,
HERBERT CAME TO ME,
AND HE SAID, "BOB,
FORM A NEW COMPANY
AND START PROMOTING
ALI'S FIGHTS."
ONE AFTERNOON BEFORE HIS MATCH
WITH JERRY QUARRY IN ATLANTA,
ALI AND HIS ENTOURAGE
SCREENED A FILM
ON THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
JACK JOHNSON, WHO
HAD BEEN ARRESTED
ON RACIALLY MOTIVATED
CHARGES AND FLED
THE COUNTRY IN 1913.
"HIS FIGHTS WERE CANCELED, TOO?
THIS IS REALLY
SOMETHING," MARVELED ALI.
"MY CASE REVIVES HIS STORY."
CLAY, I FEEL, HAS
BEEN MESSED AROUND,
AND NOW'S THE CHANCE
TO PROVE HIMSELF.
IF SOMEONE WERE TO
GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LET HIM BE HIMSELF,
AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING
HE'S ASKED FOR ALL
THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
HE DIDN'T DO NOTHING NO MORE.
JUST LET HIM BE HIMSELF.
I LOVE FREEDOM FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THIS WILL FREE MUHAMMAD.
THANK YOU.
ON OCTOBER 26, 1970,
MUHAMMAD ALI FOUGHT
JERRY QUARRY BEFORE
5,000 SPECTATORS
AT ATLANTA'S
MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM.
IT WOULD BE HIS FIRST
PROFESSIONAL FIGHT
IN MORE THAN 3 1/2 YEARS.
♪
THAT NIGHT, BUNDINI
IS CONSTANTLY YELLING,
"GHOST IN THE HOUSE!
"THERE'S A GHOST IN THE HOUSE!
GHOST IN THE HOUSE!"
WELL, THAT GHOST IS,
OF COURSE, THE GHOST
OF JACK JOHNSON BECAUSE
JACK JOHNSON FOUGHT HIS BATTLES
AT AN EARLIER TIME
SURROUNDED BY ISSUES
OF WHAT IT MEANT TO BE
A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA
IN THE EARLIEST PART
OF THE 20th CENTURY.
IT IS NOW THE 1970s, AND IT
TURNS OUT MUHAMMAD ALI
IS FIGHTING A SIMILAR BATTLE.
SO THE GHOST OF JACK JOHNSON
IS THE SPIRIT THAT INFORMS
ALI'S RETURN AGAINST
JERRY QUARRY,
AND BUNDINI IS THE ONE
WHO GIVES VOICE TO THE FACT
THAT THIS GHOST IS
MOST INDEED IN THE HOUSE,
AND ALI FINISHED IT IN THE RING.
IN THE THIRD ROUND,
ALI OPENED A GASH
ABOVE QUARRY'S LEFT EYE.
THE CUT WAS SO SEVERE
THAT QUARRY'S TRAINER ASKED
THE REFEREE TO STOP THE FIGHT.
HE DID, AWARDING ALI
A TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT
BEFORE THE BELL RANG TO
OPEN THE FOURTH ROUND.
♪ HEY, AND YOUR BULLETS ♪
♪ KEEP KNOCKING ME DOWN ♪
AFTER THE FIGHT,
CORETTA SCOTT KING
AND RALPH ABERNATHY
PRESENTED ALI
WITH A DR. MARTIN LUTHER
KING MEMORIAL AWARD.
I WANTED TO SAY
THAT YOU ARE NOT ONLY
OUR CHAMPION IN THE BOXING AREA,
BUT YOU ARE ALSO A CHAMPION
OF JUSTICE AND PEACE...
THANK YOU. AND HUMAN DIGNITY.
THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
YOU ARE THE LIVING EXAMPLE
OF SOUL POWER.
THIS WAS THE MARCH ON
WASHINGTON ALL IN TWO FISTS.
- SO PROUD OF YOU.
- SAY IT AGAIN.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
MORE THAN 200 VENUES
HAD CARRIED THE FIGHT ON
CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION,
INCLUDING NEW YORK CITY'S
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
"IF THE CROWD AT THE
GARDEN WAS ANY INDICATION,"
OBSERVED MURRAY CHASS
OF THE "NEW YORK TIMES,"
"MUHAMMAD ALI COULD BE
ELECTED BOTH GOVERNOR
"AND UNITED STATES
SENATOR IF HE WERE RUNNING
IN NEXT TUESDAY'S ELECTION."
MUHAMMAD ALI'S RETURN TO
THE RING HAD BEEN A TRIUMPH,
BUT HIS FUTURE
REMAINED UNCERTAIN.
THOUGH DETERMINED TO
REGAIN THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE,
ALI STILL FACED 5 YEARS IN
PRISON ON DRAFT EVASION CHARGES,
AND HIS LENGTHY EXILE HAD
NOT COME WITHOUT A COST.
♪ AIN'T IT FUNNY HOW THE
TRUTH CAN WALK UP TO YOU ♪
AFTER THE QUARRY FIGHT, I
REMEMBER LEAVING THE RING,
LEAVING THE RINGSIDE THAT NIGHT,
WALKING WITH BUD SCHULBERG,
WHO KNEW A WHOLE LOT MORE
ABOUT BOXING THAN I DID, AND
SCHULBERG'S ONLY COMMENT
ON THE FIGHT WAS,
"HE'S LOST A STEP."
♪ DOWN, DOWN, DOWN ♪
WELL, WHEN YOU'RE
MUHAMMAD ALI AND YOU'VE
MADE YOUR CAREER BY STAYING
ONE STEP AHEAD OF EVERYBODY,
YOU CAN'T LOSE A STEP.
♪ OF THE DAWN ♪
♪ THE TRUTH IS GONNA
COME THIS WAY ♪
♪ OH, YES, IT IS ♪
♪ AND IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR
MIND TOGETHER, PEOPLE ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, YOU'RE
GONNA HAVE TO BEG ♪
♪ OH, YES, YOU ARE ♪
♪ YOU BETTER GET
YOUR SALVATION ♪
♪ THESE ARE THE
DAYS OF REVELATION ♪
♪ OH, YES, THEY ARE ♪
♪ EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE ♪
♪ AND NOBODY WANTS TO DIE ♪
♪ UNH, BUT THEY
WON'T LIVE THE TRUTH ♪
♪ THEY'D RATHER LIVE A LIE ♪
♪ YEAH, BUT TODAY,
THEY ARE LAUGHING ♪
♪ TOMORROW, THEY'RE
GONNA CRY, CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ BUT, PEOPLE, YOU CAN
MAKE IT IF YOU ONLY TRY ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH,
YOU GOT TO TRY ♪
♪ YOU GOT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER ♪
♪ OOH, OOH ♪
♪ YOU GOT TO TURN AROUND
AND LOVE YOUR BROTHER ♪
♪ OH, YES, YOU BETTER ♪
♪ DON'T YOU SEE WE DON'T
HAVE MUCH FURTHER ♪
♪ IF WE KEEP ON, KEEP ON
DESTROYING EACH OTHER? ♪
♪ OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ YOU BETTER GET
YOUR SALVATION ♪
♪ THESE ARE THE
DAYS OF REVELATION ♪
♪ OH, YES, THEY ARE ♪
♪ OOH ♪
♪ YEAH ♪
♪
♪ OOH ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, OOH ♪
♪ OH, NOW, NOW, OH ♪
♪ YEAH ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ IT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, YEAH ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, YEAH ♪
♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ DON'T YOU KNOW I
LOVE YOU, CHILD? ♪
♪ OH, YES, I DO ♪
♪ REACH OUT YOUR
HAND TO ME, CHILD ♪
♪ YOU KNOW I'LL UNDERSTAND,
OH, YES, I WILL NOW ♪
♪
♪ REACH OUT YOUR
HAND TO ME, CHILD ♪
♪ YEAH, YOU KNOW
I'LL UNDERSTAND ♪
♪ YES, I WILL NOW ♪
♪ WANT YOU TO REACH
OUT AND TOUCH MY HAND ♪
♪ YEAH, YOU KNOW THAT
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND ♪
♪ OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
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.