Muhammad Ali (2021): Season 1, Episode 3 - Round Three: The Rivalry (1970-1974) - full transcript

ARE YOU A WISER MAN
NOW THAN YOU WERE?

MUCH WISER, MUCH WISER.

THEY HAVE A SAYING, "A WISE MAN
CHANGE, BUT A FOOL NEVER CHANGE."

AND I'VE CHANGED
BECAUSE I'VE BECOME WISER.

WELL, THEY SAY THAT
THE ROAD BACK IS A LOT

HARDER THAN THE
ROAD UP THE FIRST TIME.

DO YOU FEEL IT THAT WAY?

IN MY MIND IT'S EASIER, BUT IN MY
BODY IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARDER.

BUT I HAVE TO COME BACK.
I'M GOING TO COME BACK.

I'LL BE CONSIDERED MUCH
BETTER WHEN I COME BACK.

I HAVE TOO MUCH TO FIGHT
FOR, CAUSE TO FIGHT FOR.



I THINK THAT THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART OF POST-EXILE ALI

IS THIS QUEST TO BE MADE WHOLE.

THAT'S WHY THE CLIMB IS
SO IMPORTANT, SO VITAL.

THAT'S WHY VICTORY MATTERS,
IS TO SEND THAT MESSAGE THAT

HE'S THE ONE THAT YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO BREAK.

THE CROWD ROARS NOW

AS MUHAMMAD ALI
COMES DOWN THE AISLE.

A MAN WHO HAS EVOKED
ALL KINDS OF PASSION,

AGAINST AND FOR.

ALI WHO KNOWS THAT
HE'S GOTTA LOT TO PROVE.

CROWD ROARING THE CROWD REACTS!

AND THIS IS NOT THE
USUAL ALI STYLE AT ALL.

WHERE IS THAT ALI MOVEMENT?

STRANGE THING TO SEE,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.



ON DECEMBER 7, 1970,
MUHAMMAD ALI FOUGHT

OSCAR BONAVENA AT NEW YORK
CITY'S MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.

HE HAD ALREADY DEFEATED
JERRY QUARRY IN ATLANTA IN HIS

RETURN FROM A 3 1/2-YEAR
BANISHMENT BY BOXING OFFICIALS

FOR REFUSING INDUCTION INTO
THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES,

A CRIME FOR WHICH HE STILL
FACED 5 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON.

AS SOON AS ALI STEPPED BACK
INTO THE RING AFTER HIS EXILE,

BOXING AFICIONADOS,
TRAINERS, OTHER BOXERS NOTICED

IMMEDIATELY THAT HE WAS
DIFFERENT, THAT HE WAS SLOWER.

AND BECAUSE HE HAD
NEVER HAD GREAT TECHNIQUE,

BECAUSE HE HAD KEPT
HIS HANDS TOO LOW

AND HE HAD NEVER
LEARNED TO DUCK PUNCHES,

THIS MADE HIM MORE VULNERABLE.

HE WAS GOING TO BE ABSORBING
MORE PUNISHMENT NOW,

AND HE WAS GONNA HAVE TO
LEARN DIFFERENT WAYS TO WIN.

AND NOW ALI IS
BEHAVING LIKE THE OLD ALI.

IT'S OVER!

ALI IS THE KNOCKOUT WINNER
AT 2 MINUTES AND 3 SEC...

HE NEEDED 15 ROUNDS
TO BEAT BONAVENA.

"I TOOK EVERYTHING HE THREW,"

ALI TOLD REPORTERS
AFTER THE FIGHT.

"AND HE HITS HARD."

"THAT WAS WHEN ALI
DISCOVERED SOMETHING

WHICH WAS BOTH VERY
GOOD AND VERY BAD,"

HIS FIGHT DOCTOR,
FERDIE PACHECO, SAID.

"HE COULD TAKE A PUNCH."

♪

BY THE TIME MUHAMMAD
ALI HAD REGAINED

HIS BOXING LICENSE IN 1970,
MANY AMERICANS HAD GROWN TIRED

OF THE EVER-INCREASING BODY
COUNT, GRIM NEWS REPORTS,

AND GRAPHIC IMAGERY COMING
BACK FROM THE FRONT LINES

OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

CIVIL UNREST IN NEWARK,
CHICAGO, DETROIT, AND MANY

OTHER CITIES HAD FURTHER
LAID BARE AFRICAN-AMERICANS'

DEEP FRUSTRATION WITH
THEIR SECOND-CLASS STATUS,

WHILE THE NATION OF ISLAM,
THE SEPARATIST RELIGIOUS SECT

THAT ALI CONTINUED
TO SUPPORT, HAD,

SINCE THE DEATH OF MALCOLM X,
RETREATED FROM THE PUBLIC EYE,

AND NOW SEEMED LESS
THREATENING TO WHITE AMERICA.

♪

BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES
TAKING PLACE IN THE COUNTRY...

THE ANTI-VIETNAM WAR
MOVEMENT AND THE LIKE,

THE RISE OF BLACK
POWER IN THE COUNTRY,

THE RISE OF RADICALISM
IN THE COUNTRY,

ALI SUDDENLY HAS A REAL AUDIENCE
AND A REAL SET OF FOLLOWERS

IN A WAY THAT HE
DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE,

AND HE NO LONGER IS SOMEONE
WHO'S SEEN IN AMERICAN CULTURE

JUST AS TOTALLY A VILLAIN.

HE'S NOW A HERO TO A
SIZABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE,

AND HE'S GONNA PLAY TO
THAT PARTICULAR SEGMENT

OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.

ALI WAS DETERMINED TO
REGAIN THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE,

BUT HIS SENTENCE FOR
DRAFT EVASION LOOMED.

OVER THE PAST 3 1/2 YEARS, HE
HAD LOST APPEAL AFTER APPEAL.

NOW HIS LAST CHANCE
TO AVOID PRISON

LAY WITH THE UNITED
STATES SUPREME COURT,

IF THEY WOULD EVEN
AGREE TO HEAR HIS CASE.

RETURN OF THE CHAMPION...

ALI'S RETURN TO BOXING
HAD DEMONSTRATED THAT

HE WAS STILL AN
ENORMOUS ATTRACTION.

PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WERE EAGER
TO SEE THE MOST DOMINANT BOXER

OF THE 1960s FIGHT AGAIN.

MUHAMMAD ALI, CASSIUS CLAY...

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
THE GREATEST FIGHTS,

THERE ARE FIGHTS
THAT ARE PERFECT,

AND THEN THERE ARE
FIGHTS THAT ARE DRAMATIC.

HIS FIGHT EARLY ON AGAINST
CLEVELAND WILLIAMS OR ZORA FOLLEY

BEFORE HE'S TAKEN OUT
OF COMMISSION BECAUSE

OF THE DRAFT DRAMA ARE
EXQUISITE AND PERFECT.

THE SPEED IS THERE.
THE HAND SPEED IS THERE.

THAT'S THE ALI SHUFFLE.

HE DOESN'T MAKE A FALSE MOVE,

AND THEN HE FINISHES IT OFF.

THERE'S NO MORE
PERFECT PERFORMANCE.

BUT IT'S NOT HOMERIC IN SCALE.

IT DOESN'T COME WITH
SUFFERING AND GREAT OPPOSITION.

SO THAT COMES IN
THE EARLY SEVENTIES.

AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
ANY ATHLETE, IT'S NOT A REAL

DISCUSSION UNLESS
THEY HAVE SOME RIVALRY.

SO YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT
MUHAMMAD ALI WITHOUT TALKING

ABOUT JOE FRAZIER.

HIS RIVALRY IN ONE SENSE WAS
WITH THE SYSTEM, THE POWERS

THAT BE, THE GOVERNMENT,

BUT HIS SPORTS
RIVAL WAS JOE FRAZIER.

ON DECEMBER 30,
1970, MUHAMMAD ALI,

THE NUMBER-ONE HEAVYWEIGHT
CONTENDER, AND JOE FRAZIER,

THE REIGNING WORLD
CHAMPION, MET IN NEW YORK

TO ANNOUNCE THEIR
MUCH-ANTICIPATED TITLE FIGHT.

I PREDICT THAT WHEN
I MEET JOE FRAZIER,

THIS WILL BE LIKE A GOOD AMATEUR

FIGHTING A REAL PROFESSIONAL.

THIS WILL BE LIKE A KID OUT
OF THE OLYMPICS MEETING

THE FASTEST HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION THAT EVER LIVED.

THIS WILL BE NO CONTEST.

THEY'D SIGNED THE
LARGEST CONTRACT

IN THE SPORT'S HISTORY,
GUARANTEEING THEM EACH

$2.5 MILLION.

NEVER BEFORE HAD TWO
UNDEFEATED CHAMPIONS

FACED EACH OTHER FOR
THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.

IT WAS BILLED AS "THE
FIGHT OF THE CENTURY."

TWO WEEKS LATER, THE
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT

ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD
HEAR MUHAMMAD ALI'S APPEAL,

KEEPING ALIVE THE SLIM HOPE
THAT HE MIGHT AVOID PRISON.

JEAN KNIGHT'S "MR.
BIG STUFF" PLAYING

ON JANUARY 13, 1971, ALI
ARRIVED IN MIAMI BEACH

TO PREPARE FOR HIS
FIGHT WITH FRAZIER.

ANGELO DUNDEE, ALI'S
LONG-TIME TRAINER, HAD ARRANGED

FOR THE BOXER TO STAY AT AN
UPSCALE JEWISH RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

CALLED THE OCTAGON TOWERS.

HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN
EVER PERMITTED TO LIVE THERE.

MY MAN. HE FEEDS ME
KOSHER FOOD EVERY DAY.

YES, SIR. AND IT'S GOOD, TOO.

WHO ARE YOU FOR,
JOE FRAZIER OR ME?

THEY TELL ME JOE
FRAZIER'S THE NEW CHAMP.

WHAT DO YOU SAY?
NOW WHO ARE YOU?

I'M THE HEAVYWE... WHO AM I?

OHH!

♪ WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? ♪

♪ MR. BIG STUFF ♪

DUNDEE'S 5th STREET GYM,

WHERE ALI HAD FIRST
TRAINED A DECADE EARLIER,

BUSTLED WITH REPORTERS AND FANS,
EACH OF WHOM PAID $1.00 TO WATCH

THE FIGHTER ENTERTAIN.

ALI DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

♪ YOU MADE 'EM CRY,
MANY POOR GIRLS CRY ♪

HE TOLD JOKES, POSED
FOR PHOTOGRAPHS,

PERFORMED MAGIC TRICKS,

AND DREW LAUGHS WHEN HE
MOCKINGLY IMITATED JOE FRAZIER'S STYLE.

HE'S TAKING 20 HEADSHOTS.

"I NEVER WANTED TO WHUP
ANYBODY SO BAD," ALI SAID.

"THE PEOPLE OF THE WHOLE
WORLD GONNA SEE WHO'S KING."

♪ MR. BIG STUFF ♪

THOUGH ALI HAD FOUGHT TWICE
IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS, HE WAS

10 POUNDS OVER HIS PREFERRED
WEIGHT AND SEEMED UNINTERESTED

IN GETTING IN SHAPE.

"TRAINING WAS MOSTLY A PUBLICITY
STUNT," FERDIE PACHECO SAID.

"HE TRAINED A LITTLE BIT
AND THEN HE TALKED A LOT."

JOE'S GONNA COME OUT SMOKIN',
AND I AIN'T GONNA BE JOKIN'.

I'LL BE PECKIN' AND A POKIN',
POURING WATER ON HIS SMOKIN'.

THIS MIGHT SHOCK AND AMAZE
YA, BUT I WILL RETIRE JOE FRAZIER.

WHEN I USED TO WATCH
MUHAMMAD FIGHT,

I FELT CONFIDENT THAT HE
WAS GONNA WHOOP ANYBODY

THAT GOT IN THAT RING.

I DIDN'T HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT A THING.

"BUT YOU'RE GETTING COCKY
AND YOU'RE NOT TRAINING LIKE

"THE WAY YOU
SUPPOSED TO BE TRAINING.

"YOU JUST TRYING TO CONVINCE
YOURSELF THAT YOU GONNA WIN,

"BUT IT TAKES TRAINING AND HARD
WORK, AND YOU'RE GOOD AT THAT.

"AND NOW YOU'RE
NOT TRAINING RIGHT,

AND YOU MAKING ME WORRIED NOW."

HELLO, YOUNG LADY.

HELLO, SIR.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY? FINE.

GOOD.

THE CROWDS AND THE
CAMERAS WERE NOT

ALI'S ONLY DISTRACTION.

EVER SINCE HIS EXILE FROM
BOXING AND SUSPENSION FROM

THE NATION OF ISLAM,
HE HAD BEEN CHEATING

ON BELINDA FREQUENTLY.

NO MATTER WHERE HE WENT,
WOMEN SOUGHT HIS ATTENTION

AND AFFECTION, AND MEMBERS
OF HIS ENTOURAGE HELPED

FEED HIS INCREASING
APPETITE FOR CASUAL SEX.

BELINDA WAS HEARTBROKEN.

SHE BEGAN HAVING
HER OWN AFFAIRS.

WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES.

I'M NOT PERFECT, AND I DON'T
EXPECT FOR HIM TO BE PERFECT.

WHEN HE WAS TRAINING FOR
THE JOE FRAZIER FIGHT, GUYS WAS

COMING AROUND TO THE
CAMP, UP TO NO GOOD,

BRINGING HIM CHICKS.

I SAID "MAN, THIS IS
NOT GONNA WORK.

I PACKED MY BAGS, AND I
WENT BACK TO CHICAGO.

THEY DON'T COME TO SEE A TALKER.

THEY SEEIN' AND WATCHIN' A DOER.

THAT'S RIGHT.

NOW LET ME GO TO WORK NOW. YEAH.

WHEN ASKED BY A
REPORTER IF HE HAD

LOST A STEP, ALI REPLIED,
"I'M JUST AS SHARP...

"I JUST FIGHT DIFFERENT NOW.

"NOW I'M A MATURE
MAN, A STRONG MAN.

THE DANCING IS NO
LONGER NECESSARY."

I'M NOT JUST GONNA WHUP
FRAZIER, I'M GONNA WHUP ALL

THE SO-CALLED EXPERTS.

AFTER THIS ONE, THEY
WILL NEVER PREDICT AGAINST

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT.

NEVER AGAIN.

ALI DIDN'T THINK HE WAS
GONNA HAVE MUCH TROUBLE

WITH JOE FRAZIER.
FRAZIER WAS SMALLER,

HE WAS NOT A PRETTY FIGHTER.

HE WAS THE GUY WHO JUST BULLED
HIS WAY IN, GOT UNDER YOUR CHIN,

AND JUST POUNDED AND
POUNDED AND POUNDED.

FRAZIER IS PUTTING
EVERYTHING INTO EVERY PUNCH.

BUT HE HAD THIS LEFT HOOK,

AND WHEN HE THREW
THAT HOOK, IT JUST LANDED.

IT'S MAYBE THE GREATEST LEFT
HOOK IN ALL OF BOXING HISTORY.

THAT'S THE LEFT HOOK.

AND ALI HAD ALWAYS BEEN
VULNERABLE TO THE LEFT HOOK,

ALL HIS CAREER,
EVEN AS AN AMATEUR.

LEFT HOOK WAS THE PUNCH
THAT HE HAD A HARD TIME SEEING

AND HE'D BEEN HURT
BY IT MANY TIMES.

SO THIS WAS A
DIFFICULT MATCH-UP.

I WAS TALKING TO
MUHAMMAD ALI DOWN IN MIAMI

EARLIER THIS WEEK,

AND HE CALLED YOU A
GOOD STREET FIGHTER.

DOES THAT MAKE YOU MAD?

DON'T MAKE ME MAD AT ALL.

JOE FRAZIER WAS THE
YOUNGEST OF 10 CHILDREN

BORN TO A ONE-ARMED HANDYMAN
AND HIS WIFE, A FIELD HAND,

IN SOUTH CAROLINA'S LOW COUNTRY.

AT 6, HE HAD SEEN JOE LOUIS BOX

IN AN EXHIBITION FIGHT
IN NEARBY BEAUFORT.

LATER, HE FASHIONED A HEAVY
BAG FROM A BURLAP SACK,

FILLING IT WITH SAND, CORNCOBS,
BRICKS... WHATEVER HE COULD FIND...

THEN SPENT AN HOUR
A DAY WALLOPING IT.

HIS UNCLE CALLED
HIM LITTLE JOE LOUIS.

AT SCHOOL, UM, HE WAS THE
TOUGHEST GUY IN THE CLASS.

AND WHEN THE BULLIES
WOULD COME TO TAKE

THE OTHER KIDS' LUNCH MONEY,

HE WOULD DEFEND THEM.

FRAZIER QUIT SCHOOL AT 15,

AND AFTER BRIEF STINTS PICKING
CROPS, WORKING CONSTRUCTION,

AND LOADING CRATES
AT A COCA-COLA PLANT,

HE LEFT SOUTH CAROLINA IN
SEARCH OF SOMETHING BETTER.

IN PHILADELPHIA, HE MOVED
IN WITH AN AUNT, GOT A JOB

AT A SLAUGHTERHOUSE,
AND, HOPING TO LOSE WEIGHT,

BEGAN WORKING OUT AT A
POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE GYM

ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN.

ONE DAY, A FORMER AMATEUR
FIGHTER NAMED "YANK" DURHAM

WATCHED FRAZIER
SLUG A HEAVY BAG.

THOUGH THE TEENAGER WAS
PIGEON TOED, OVERWEIGHT, AND HAD

SHORT ARMS FOR A FIGHTER,
DURHAM WAS IMPRESSED

AND OFFERED TO TRAIN HIM.

THE YOUNG BOXER PROVED
DEDICATED AND DISCIPLINED,

RUNNING EACH MORNING
BEFORE HIS SHIFT

AT THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE
AND TRAINING AT THE GYM

LATE INTO THE NIGHT.

WITHIN TWO MONTHS,
FRAZIER HAD ENTERED AND WON

THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC
GOLDEN GLOVES TOURNAMENT.

TWO YEARS LATER, IN 1964,
HE EARNED A GOLD MEDAL

FIGHTING AS A HEAVYWEIGHT
AT THE TOKYO OLYMPICS.

BACK IN PHILADELPHIA
THEY BEGAN CALLING HIM

"THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE KID."

IN AUGUST OF 1965, MARRIED
AND WITH 3 YOUNG CHILDREN,

FRAZIER, NOW 21 YEARS
OLD, TURNED PROFESSIONAL.

WILL IT BE MUCH OF A
DIFFERENCE FIGHTING PRO?

THE ONLY THING I CAN SEE,
THE GLOVES IS A LITTLE LIGHTER.

THAT'S ABOUT ALL.

AND THE MONEY?

WELL, UH, WELL,
THAT'LL BE GOOD, TOO.

WE ALL COULD USE SOME OF THAT,
YOU KNOW, EVERY NOW AND THEN.

JOE FRAZIER, FOUGHT
BEYOND WHAT HE WAS.

HE REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN THAT COMPETITIVE IN...

IN THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION,
CONSIDERING HIS SIZE, YOU KNOW,

CONSIDERING HIS
TALENTS, YOU KNOW?

BUT HE WAS, BECAUSE HE WAS
ALSO A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.

NOT A POLITICAL FORCE,
NOT AN INTELLECTUAL FORCE,

JUST A BOXING FORCE,
BUT A FORCE OF NATURE.

FRAZIER WON HIS
FIRST 24 FIGHTS AND HAD

ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A
CONTENDER FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPIONSHIP THAT HAD BEEN
STRIPPED FROM MUHAMMAD ALI.

THERE HAD BEEN A
TOURNAMENT TO SUCCEED ALI.

HIS OLD SPARRING PARTNER
AND FRIEND JIMMY ELLIS

WON THAT TOURNAMENT.

THEN ELLIS FOUGHT FRAZIER.

FRAZIER KNOCKED HIM
OUT IN THE 4th ROUND,

AND FRAZIER BECAME THE
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

SO A FRAZIER-ALI
FIGHT WAS INEVITABLE.

WHOEVER CLAIMED TO BE
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

WAS INAUTHENTIC, AUTOMATICALLY.

WITHOUT BEING CHALLENGED BY ALI,

THERE WAS NO
VALIDITY TO THEIR TITLE.

WELL, I CONSIDER
MYSELF THE HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPION OF THE WORLD UNTIL THE
CHAMP GETS BACK IN ACTION AGAIN.

JOE FRAZIER EMERGES AS THE GUY

PEOPLE THINK CAN BEAT ALI.

FRAZIER IS A VERY GOOD FIGHTER.

DOWN GOES ELLIS.

I THINK IT WAS NORMAN MAILER
WHO CALLED HIM "THE WAR MACHINE,"

AND, UH, THAT'S A VERY
APT, UH, EXPRESSION,

HE WAS A WAR MACHINE.

FRAZIER IS STRONG.

HE CAME AT YOU
VERY AGGRESSIVELY.

FRAZIER AGAIN WITH THE LEFT.

HE'S REALLY RELENTLESS.

ELLIS STANDING THERE, OH!

A TREMENDOUS
LEFT HOOK. IT IS OVER.

"I'M GONNA RETIRE,"
FRAZIER HAD SAID

AFTER KNOCKING OUT ELLIS.

"I'M GONNA SING ROCK 'N
ROLL UNTIL THAT MUHAMMAD ALI

OR CASSIUS CLAY OR WHATEVER
HIS NAME IS CAN FIGHT ME."

♪

MUHAMMAD ALI AND JOE FRAZIER
HAD BEEN CIRCLING EACH OTHER

EVER SINCE THEY'D MET AT
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN 1967.

THEN, THE YOUNGER
FIGHTER HAD ASKED ALI

FOR AN AUTOGRAPH AND
PROMISED THAT, IN TWO YEARS,

HE WOULD BE READY
TO FACE THE CHAMP.

DURING HIS EXILE, ALI HAD
HOUNDED FRAZIER MERCILESSLY,

TURNING UP AT HIS PHILADELPHIA
GYM, CHALLENGING HIM TO FIGHT,

TAUNTING HIM ON TV AND RADIO.

I JUST CANNOT WAIT
UNTIL THE BELL RING.

I'VE NEVER WANTED
TO WHUP A MAN SO BAD.

I'LL FIGHT... IN THE
ALLEY. ANYWHERE.

I WANT TO PROVE THAT JOE
FRAZIER'S NOT THE HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

WE HAVE TO WHUP JOE
FRAZIER BECAUSE JOE FRAZIER IS

TOO UGLY TO BE THE WORLD'S
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT
HAPPENS, MUHAMMAD,

IF INDEED THINGS DON'T WORK
OUT AS YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING TO

AND FRAZIER, UH, DOES YOU IN?

NEXT QUESTION.

JOE FRAZIER SET UP CAMP
AT THE CONCORD HOTEL

IN THE FRIGID CATSKILL
MOUNTAINS OF NEW YORK,

WHERE HE WOKE EACH MORNING
BEFORE DAWN AND RAN 4.5 MILES.

IN THE AFTERNOON, HE BATTERED
MULTIPLE SPARRING PARTNERS,

CHOSEN FOR THEIR ABILITY
TO MIMIC ALI'S SPEED AND STYLE.

WHEN A SNOWSTORM MADE
IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR FRAZIER TO

TRAIN OUTSIDE, HE RETURNED
TO HIS GYM IN PHILADELPHIA,

WHERE HIS FANS COULD WATCH AS
"YANK" DURHAM PUT HIM THROUGH

ONE GRUELING
EXERCISE AFTER ANOTHER.

"WHY IS IT THAT CLAY
GETS SO MUCH SPACE?"

FRAZIER COMPLAINED.

"HE SAYS SOMETHING,
AND IT'S IN THE PAPER,

FRONT, BACK AND SIDEWAYS."

A LOT OF THEM WANT ME
WHUPPED BECAUSE OF THE DRAFT.

A LOT OF THEM WANT ME
WHUPPED BECAUSE OF RELIGION.

A LOT OF THEM WANT ME
WHUPPED BECAUSE I'M BLACK...

AND FOR OTHER REASONS THAT
I MIGHT NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT.

ALI SCRIPTS THIS SORT
OF THING IN COMING BACK.

HE'S NOW THE, UH,
THE ANTI-WAR HERO.

HE'S THE PERSON WHO'S
SACRIFICED YEARS OF HIS CAREER

BECAUSE OF HIS BELIEFS.

SO HE'S NOT SEEN AS SOME
KIND OF ORDINARY DRAFT DODGER.

HE'S SEEN AS SOMEONE WHO
HAS STOOD UP FOR HIS BELIEFS

AND WAS WILLING TO PAY
THE PRICE FOR HIS BELIEFS.

YOU KNOW, HE SAID, "I'M
WILLING TO GO TO JAIL.

IF THEY WANT TO PUT ME IN
JAIL, I'M WILLING TO GO TO JAIL".

HE'S NOT SOMEBODY WHO'S
TRYING TO DUCK OUT OF ANY OF THIS.

SO HE, IN THIS WAY, BECOMES
A KIND OF MARTYR FIGURE.

THIS IS WHAT
FRAZIER IS UP AGAINST.

AS THE FIGHT APPROACHED,
ALI INCREASED HIS

ATTACKS ON FRAZIER, CALLING
HIM IGNORANT AND THE FAVORITE

OF WHITE SOUTHERNERS.

THE ONLY PERSON FRAZIER
WOULD HEAR FROM IF HE WON,

ALI CLAIMED, WAS RICHARD NIXON.

JOE FRAZIER,

THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD...

CLUMSY, UGLY,
FLATFOOTED JOE FRAZIER.

I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT
A REAL CHAMPION IS.

ALI, RELISHED THOSE
KINDS OF CONTRASTS.

FORGOT HOW GOOD I WAS...

HE MADE THEM ALL THE TIME.

HE MADE THEM WITH FRAZIER.

AND MANY WAYS, VERY
UGLY CONTRASTS, YOU KNOW.

HE CAN'T WHOOP
ME. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

IN MANY WAYS, RACIST.

BUT HE GOT AWAY WITH IT
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE WAS ALI

AND ANY ENEMY OF ALI IS
AN ENEMY OF MINE, YOU KNOW.

SPORTSWRITER DICK
YOUNG ACCUSED ALI

OF WHITEWASHING FRAZIER,
CALLING HIS VERBAL BARRAGE

"CRUEL AND UNWORTHY."

"HE'S GOT THEM SO FOOLED,"
FRAZIER SAID, "THEY DON'T KNOW

"IF THEY'RE COMING OR GOING.

"I WAS BORN UNDER
THIS RACISM THING.

I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY
PREACH TO ME THE DIFFERENCE."

IT WAS THE BIGGEST FIGHT
BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME

YOU'VE HAD A REALLY QUICK,
FAST-TALKING HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP

WHEN THE MOST OF 'EM
ANSWER THE QUESTION

"HOW DO YOU FEEL
CHAMP?" "DAH, DUH, DUH DAH."

HE TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING
AND SAY EVERYTHING

TO PUT ME DOWN, IN
WHICH I DON'T AGREE WITH IT

AND I THINK THAT THE GUY TALK

FROM THE SIDE OF HIS
MOUTH, AND HE'S A PHONY.

FRAZIER SAID,
"WHEN ALI WAS A KID,

"THEY STOLE HIS BIKE.

"SO HE HAD TO GO BECOME A BOXER.

WHO HAD A BIKE?"
HE WAS 13 YEARS OLD.

"I WAS WORKIN' IN THE FIELDS,
FOR A FULL DAY, 13 YEARS OLD.

"I LEFT THE SOUTH AT 15.

"I WORKED IN THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE.

"YOU KNOW, I WORKED IN
BLOOD UP TO MY ANKLES.

"AND THIS GUY NEVER
HAD A JOB IN HIS LIFE.

"HE WAS THE PAMPERED
DARLING OF THE RICH PEOPLE

OF LOUISVILLE."

SO JOE HAD A CHIP LIKE ATLAS
CARRIED ON HIS SHOULDER.

I THINK THAT JOE WAS
ALWAYS UPSET BY BEING

DISRESPECTED,
SPECIFICALLY IN THAT WAY.

NOW, ALI TRASH-TALKED EVERYBODY,

MADE UP NAMES FOR THEM.

BUT NEVER BEFORE SO, AH,
RACIALLY DISRESPECTFUL.

AND HE NEVER QUIT DOING IT.

AND HERE WAS JOE WHO
WANTED TO BE FRIENDS.

HERE WAS JOE WHO HAD LENT
HIM MONEY DURING THE EXILE.

HERE WAS JOE WHO, YOU KNOW,
REACHED OUT IN VARIOUS WAYS,

A GOOD-HEARTED MAN, AND HE WAS
CONSTANTLY BEING SLAPPED DOWN.

JOE FRAZIER'S SO UGLY, HIS
FACE SHOULD BE DONATED TO

THE BUREAU OF WILDLIFE.

ALI IS MAKING THE
SORT OF JOKES THAT

RACIST WHITE PEOPLE WOULD MAKE
ABOUT A BLACK PERSON'S APPEARANCE.

AND HE'S MAKING JOKES ABOUT
HIS LACK OF INTELLIGENCE.

THE ULTIMATE CONSCIOUS
BLACK GUY IS ENGAGING IN BANTER

THAT IS BASICALLY PLAYING
TO THE SIDE OF THE RACIST.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S A
CONTRADICTION BETWEEN

HIS PUBLIC POLITICS AND THE
WAY HE'S TREATING FRAZIER.

AND THIS IS COMPOUNDED BY THE
FACT THAT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE,

CONSERVATIVE WHITES,
FOR INSTANCE, FRAZIER IS

THE PERSON THEY'RE EMBRACING,
NOT BECAUSE THEY LIKE FRAZIER,

BUT BECAUSE HE'S
GOING AGAINST ALI.

AND SO I THINK IT'S HARD
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO EMBRACE ALI.

YOU WANT TO EMBRACE
WHAT HE REPRESENTS.

BUT LOOKING BACK ON IT IN
HINDSIGHT, I THINK THE WAY HE

PLAYED JOE FRAZIER WAS VERY
UNFORTUNATE AND REFLECTIVE

OF THE DARK SIDE
OF MUHAMMAD ALI.

HE COULD BE VERY CRUEL.

JOE FRAZIER WAS
NOT SO WELL-SPOKEN.

HE CERTAINLY WAS NOT
CHARISMATIC LIKE ALI.

I JUST FEEL LIKE IN THAT INSTANCE,
HE USED HIS POWERS FOR EVIL,

AS OPPOSED TO
USING THEM FOR GOOD.

NOW, YOU AIN'T THE CHAMP...

WHEN HE GETS INTO THE RING,

ALI EXPLAINED, "FRAZIER
WILL FEEL LIKE A TRAITOR.

"HE WILL REALIZE THAT
MUHAMMAD ALI IS THE REAL CHAMP.

"HE DON'T HAVE NOTHING.

BUT ME... I HAVE A CAUSE."

WAIT TILL I GET YOU IN THE RING.

A LOT OF IT CAME DOWN TO

WHO WAS AUTHENTICALLY BLACK.

THE WHOLE CONCERN AT THE
TIME WAS PART OF AN ANXIETY THAT

BLACK PEOPLE WERE GOING
THROUGH ABOUT THEIR IDENTITY

AND ABOUT WHO THEY WERE AND
ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT TO BE BLACK.

AND THIS... THIS ANXIETY
WOUND UP BEING PLAYED OUT

DRAMATICALLY IN THE RING
WITH THESE TWO FIGHTERS.

FRAZIER JUST WANTED TO KILL ALI,

I MEAN, REALLY KILL HIM.

HE SAID, "I'M GONNA PUNCH
HIM TILL HIS INTESTINES START

COMING OUT THE BACK."

HE WAS SO ANGRY.

AND ALI BELIEVED THAT THAT ANGER
WOULD WORK TO ALI'S ADVANTAGE,

NOT FRAZIER'S.

AS HE WOUND DOWN HIS TRAINING,

ALI'S NEIGHBORS AT THE
OCTAGON TOWERS THREW HIM

A GOING-AWAY PARTY.

THE RESIDENTS HAD GROWN
TO ADORE HIM AND SENT HIM OFF

WITH A CAKE FEATURING
ALI STANDING OVER

A FALLEN OPPONENT.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, A PRIZE
FIGHTER," MARVELED ONE WOMAN.

"HE SEEMS LIKE A
NICE JEWISH BOY."

ON MARCH 3rd, 5 DAYS BEFORE
THE FIGHT, A LIMOUSINE WHISKED ALI

FROM THE AIRPORT TO HIS
MIDTOWN MANHATTAN HOTEL

AND THEN TO MADISON
SQUARE GARDEN

FOR A PRE-FIGHT PHYSICAL.

WHEN A THRONG OF ADMIRERS
ENGULFED THE BOXER,

HIS BODYGUARDS AND THE POLICE

HAD TO OPEN A
PATH INTO THE ARENA,

WHERE HUNDREDS OF REPORTERS
AND PHOTOGRAPHERS AWAITED HIM.

IN THE DRESSING ROOM AFTER THE
EXAM, ALI'S HANDLERS STRUGGLED

TO KEEP THE CRUSH OF
CELEBRITIES, BOXING OFFICIALS,

ACQUAINTANCES,
MUSLIM ASSOCIATES,

AND AUTOGRAPH SEEKERS

FROM SMOTHERING THE BOXER,
WHO BARELY HAD ROOM TO

GET CHANGED BACK
INTO HIS STREET CLOTHES.

AS ALI'S LIMOUSINE INCHED AWAY
FROM THE ARENA, FANS YANKED

AT THE DOOR HANDLES, BEAT
ON THE WINDOWS, AND CLIMBED

ATOP THE ROOF.

ONE LONG-HAIRED ADMIRER IN A
TATTERED ARMY JACKET CHASED

THE CAR FOR BLOCKS, UNTIL
FINALLY, AT A STOPLIGHT,

ALI LOWERED THE WINDOW
AND OFFERED HIS HAND.

"HEY, CHAMP, YOU'RE MY
MAN!" THE YOUNG MAN YELLED.

♪ YOU JUMP IN
FRONT OF MY CAR... ♪

THE CITY WAS IN A
FEVERED FRENZY.

RINGSIDE SEATS HAD
GONE FOR $150... 1 1/2 TIMES

WHAT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
HAD EVER CHARGED BEFORE...

AND SCALPERS WERE
ASKING UP TO $700.

WHEN THE GARDEN PUT THE
FINAL 4,000 TICKETS ON SALE, FANS,

WHO HAD WAITED OVERNIGHT IN
NEAR-FREEZING TEMPERATURES,

BOUGHT THEM ALL
WITHIN TWO HOURS.

300 MILLION PEOPLE ON 5
CONTINENTS WERE EXPECTED TO

SEE THE BOUT THROUGH
CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION

OR BY SATELLITE BROADCAST.

♪ I CAN SEE YOU
HAD YOUR FUN... ♪

MORE THAN HALF OF
THE 1,500 REQUESTS

FOR MEDIA CREDENTIALS
HAD TO BE DENIED.

THERE WAS NO ROOM.

♪ STRAIGHT UP AHEAD... ♪

"IT'S A CLASSIC CONFRONTATION
IN PRIZE FIGHTING

"BETWEEN A MAN WHO CAN
HIT AND A MAN WHO IS ADEPT

AT NOT GETTING HIT,"
ARGUED ONE SPORTSWRITER,

"THE BEST OF ALL
POSSIBLE MATCHMAKING."

NOW I THINK CLAY'S
GONNA WIN. I REALLY DO.

WHY?

I JUST THINK HE'S
IN BETTER SHAPE.

CLAY SHOULD BEAT HIM WITH
SPEED AND JAB HIM GOOD.

WELL, I THINK IT'LL BE FRAZIER.

I SORTA LIKE CLAY.
I LIKE TO HEAR HIM.

♪ LOOK OUT... ♪

"MUHAMMAD ALI
TRANSCENDS THE FIGHTER.

HE IS WITHOUT PEER," WROTE
THE SPORTSWRITER MARK KRAM,

WHO ALSO CALLED JOE
FRAZIER "THE FINEST GLADIATOR...

"IN THE PUREST
SENSE OF THE WORD...

IN HEAVYWEIGHT HISTORY."

LAS VEGAS ODDSMAKERS
GAVE FRAZIER THE EDGE.

I'M COOL MAN, YEAH.

I'M READY FOR THIS ONE.

IT WAS THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT TWO
UNDEFEATED CHAMPIONS HAD EVER MET.

ALI WAS CHAMPION WHEN
HE WAS STRIPPED OF HIS TITLE

AND HAD NEVER LOST.

FRAZIER HAD WON THE OLYMPICS
IN '64 AND HAD NEVER LOST

AND IT WAS A $5 MILLION PURSE,
WHICH WAS JUST UNHEARD OF.

ALI WOULD MAKE MORE MONEY
IN ONE FIGHT THAN HANK AARON

EARNED IN HIS ENTIRE CAREER
PLAYING MORE THAN TWO DECADES

OF BASEBALL.

SO THIS WAS AN
UNBELIEVABLE SPECTACLE.

ON THE EVE OF THE FIGHT, JOE
FRAZIER STRUMMED A GUITAR

AND RELAXED WITH
FRIENDS IN HIS SUITE

AT AN UNDISCLOSED HOTEL WHERE
HE HAD BEEN MOVED AFTER THREATS

WERE MADE AGAINST HIS LIFE.

AT THE HOTEL NEW YORKER,
MUHAMMAD ALI AND HIS ENTOURAGE

HAD TAKEN OVER
THE ENTIRE 25th FLOOR.

THE LOBBY BUSTLED WITH
REPORTERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD,

MANY STILL SEEKING
CREDENTIALS FOR THE FIGHT.

UPSTAIRS, ALI, SURROUNDED BY
HIS INNER CIRCLE, ENTERTAINED

A HANDFUL OF WRITERS.

"MY PEOPLE ARE FOR
ME," HE TOLD THEM.

"THEY IDENTIFY WITH MY STRUGGLE.

"SAME ONE THEY'RE FIGHTING
EVERY DAY IN THE STREETS

"AND AGAINST THE POLICE.

"IF I WIN, THEY WIN.

IF I LOSE, THEY LOSE."

EARLY ON THE EVENING OF MARCH
8, 1971, MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

BEGAN TO FILL UP.

♪

THIS WAS, LIKE, THE
ACADEMY AWARDS

AND THE GRAMMYS AND
A GREAT PRIZE FIGHT.

ALL THESE THINGS
ROLLED INTO ONE.

PEOPLE WOULD GO HANG OUT

EVEN IF THEY COULDN'T
GET IN TO SEE THE FIGHT,

SO WHAT'S GOING ON
OUTSIDE THE ARENA, I THINK,

IS MAYBE AS INTERESTING AS
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ARENA,

AND ALI IS THE
REASON FOR ALL THAT.

HE'S THE ONE WHO GENERATES
ALL THIS EXCITEMENT.

ALI'S GONNA WIN. I FEEL IT.

IT CLEARLY WAS THE PLACE TO BE.

MUHAMMAD ALI.

WRITER NORMAN MAILER,

BANDLEADER COUNT BASIE,

BROADCASTER ED SULLIVAN,

FILM DIRECTOR WOODY ALLEN
AND ACTOR DIANE KEATON,

SINGERS MARVIN GAYE,
ISAAC HAYES, AND BOB DYLAN,

FORMER CHAMPION JOE LOUIS,

PLAYBOY PUBLISHER HUGH HEFNER,

AND FRANK SINATRA,

WHO WAS TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS
FOR "LIFE" MAGAZINE,

ALL TURNED OUT.

♪ TOGETHER, WE'RE
TRULY BLACK POWER ♪

♪ POWER ♪

♪ LEARNING TO
TRUST BY THE HOUR ♪

♪ HOUR ♪

♪ LOVING OUR WOMEN... ♪

GWENDOLYN BROOKS,

THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN
TO WIN A PULITZER PRIZE,

WAS ASKED TO WRITE A POEM
FOR THE OFFICIAL PROGRAM.

"LET BLACK LOVE SURVIVE THE
CHALLENGE AND THE BLOOD,"

SHE URGED THE BOXERS.

♪ WE'VE GOT LOVE... ♪

AT THE WHITE HOUSE,

A CLOSED-CIRCUIT LINE
HAD BEEN INSTALLED

SO THAT PRESIDENT RICHARD
NIXON COULD WATCH THE FIGHT.

♪ WE'VE GOT LOVE ♪

IN HIS DRESSING ROOM, ALI
REVEALED HIS PREDICTION,

WRITTEN DAYS EARLIER
AND SEALED IN AN ENVELOPE.

"BOXING EXPERTS WILL BE
SHOCKED AT HOW EASY I WILL

BEAT JOE FRAZIER," ALI
ANNOUNCED TO THE TV CAMERAS.

"FRAZIER FALLS IN 6."

MAIN EVENT.

15 ROUNDS FOR THE UNDISPUTED
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

OF THE WORLD.

INTRODUCING, FROM
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY...

THE CHALLENGER, IN
HIS "ALI SHUFFLE SHOES,"

WHITE WITH RED TASSELS THAT HE
BELIEVED MADE HIM APPEAR FASTER,

ENTERED FIRST.

HERE IS MUHAMMAD ALI!

HIS OPPONENT...

JOE FRAZIER, HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD,

WEARING A GREEN ROBE
WITH HIS NAME AND THOSE

OF HIS 5 CHILDREN STITCHED
IN GOLD ON THE BACK,

CAME NEXT.

THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD,

JOE FRAZIER!

INSIDE THE RING, REFEREE
ARTHUR MERCANTE GAVE

THE BOXERS INSTRUCTIONS AS
THEY GLARED AT EACH OTHER.

SHAKE HANDS NOW, MEN.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU,"
FRAZIER TOLD ALI.

♪

FRAZIER WILL TRY TO
BORE IN AND CATCH HIS MAN.

MUHAMMAD ALI OPENING UP FAST.

FRAZIER JUST FIGHTS ONE WAY.
HE POURS IN AND HE PUNISHES.

JOE WAS A SLUGGER,

WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A GUY
WHO COMES FORWARD LIKE

A SHERMAN TANK ON
FULL ATTACK MODE

AND IS WILLING TO TAKE
2 OR 3 TO LAND 1 OR 2,

WHEREAS MUHAMMAD
WAS A GLIDER, A CRAFTSMAN.

I'M GONNA HIT YOU MORE
TIMES THAN YOU CAN HIT ME,

AND YOU CAN'T EVEN FIND ME.

THOUGH THE JUDGES SCORED
THE FIRST 2 ROUNDS FOR ALI,

HE STRAYED FROM THE STYLE
THAT HAD ONCE SERVED HIM SO WELL.

INSTEAD OF STAYING
UP ON HIS TOES, DANCING,

HE STOOD FLAT-FOOTED
LIKE FRAZIER,

THROWING JABS AND COMBINATIONS.

HE MAY BE TRYING
TO SLUG WITH JOE.

ALI IS RECOGNIZING HE'S
NOT COMFORTABLE DANCING

LIKE HE DID 5 YEARS AGO.

HE'S NOT DANCING TONIGHT.

HE'S NOT MOVING
LIKE HE'S IN CONTROL

OF THE RING'S GEOGRAPHY.

FRAZIER HAS CAUGHT HIM AGAIN!

HE'S MOVING JUST TO GET
AWAY FROM THE STORM

WITHOUT HAVING
CONTROL OF THE STORM,

AND THAT ESSENTIALLY
TRAPS MUHAMMAD

AND JOE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

MUHAMMAD ALI IS NOT
KEEPING JOE FRAZIER

AWAY FROM HIM,

AND HE GETS CAUGHT ON THE
ROPES WHICH HE SHOULD NOT DO.

HE COULDN'T PLAY
WITH JOE FRAZIER.

FRAZIER WOULD HURT HIM.

THERE WAS ONE POINT
IN THAT FIGHT WHERE ALI...

ALI SHAKES HIS HEAD. - LEANED IN

AGAINST THE ROPES AND
LOOKED DOWN AT THE PRESS ROW

AND SAID, "NO CONTEST,"
WHILE FRAZIER IS BEATING ON HIM,

JUST KIND OF GIVING
AWAY A ROUND.

HE COULD DO THAT WITH LESSER
PEOPLE, BUT NOT WITH FRAZIER.

FRAZIER STAYED LOW,
BOBBING AND DUCKING,

BUT FORCING HIS WAY
FORWARD RELENTLESSLY,

REDUCING THE
DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM,

NEUTRALIZING ALI'S LONGER REACH.

FRAZIER IS BOBBING AND
WEAVING ALL THE TIME.

FRAZIER'S CONSTANT HEAD
MOVEMENT DOESN'T GIVE MUHAMMAD

AN EASY TARGET, AND THAT'S EXHAUSTING,
PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY.

MUHAMMAD ALI HAS BEEN MISSING.

THIS GUY'S IN FRONT OF YOU

AND HE'S BOBBING
AND WEAVING LIKE THAT,

AND YOU CAN'T HIT HIM.

FRAZIER'S JUST LAUGHING AT HIM.

AND HE'S MOCKING YOU?
- TALKING TO HIM.

THAT'S A NIGHTMARE.

HE SAID HE WOULD GO
TO THE BODY AND HE IS.

HIS THEORY WAS TO STAY
CLOSE TO MUHAMMAD,

DON'T LET HIM BREATHE
AND CONSTANTLY PUNCH,

PUNCH HIM EVERYWHERE...

ON THE BICEPS,

ON THE HIP BONE,

ON THE ASS BONE.

OOH, THAT MUST HAVE HURT.

IF THE REFEREE IS BEHIND
YOU AND HE CAN'T SEE

WHERE THE SHOT IS LANDING,
HIT HIM ON THIS HIP BONE.

IT'S BELOW THE BELT BUT IF
THE REFEREE DON'T SEE IT,

GUESS WHAT. IT'S NOT A FOUL.

WHAT A ROUND.

TWO UNDEFEATED FIGHTERS.

NEITHER ONE HAS EVER FOUGHT
A FIGHTER OF THE CALIBER

OF THE OPPONENT TONIGHT.

THIS FIGHT SO FAR RANKS
WITH THE GREAT ONES.

BOTH FIGHTERS CAME
OUT HARD IN THE 6th,

ALI INTENDING TO FULFILL HIS
PREDICTION, FRAZIER EAGER TO

MAKE A LIAR OF ALI.

♪

AT THE END OF THE ROUND,
FRAZIER WAS STILL STANDING.

AFTER THE 7th ROUND, THE
FANS CHANTED "ALI, ALI, ALI!"

THE CROWD IS CHANTING, "ALI!"

AND JOE SAYS, "COME
ON OUT AND FIGHT."

AFTER THE 8th, IT
WAS "JOE, JOE, JOE!"

I DON'T KNOW ANYONE
WHO GETS THE SHEER JOY

OF COMBAT THE WAY
JOE FRAZIER DOES.

ALI COULD STILL MOVE
FOR 2 MINUTES A ROUND,

2.5 MINUTES A ROUND.

HE FOUND WAYS TO REST,
BUT FRAZIER HIT HIM A LOT.

IN SAYING THAT, HE DIDN'T
HIT ALI NEARLY AS MUCH

AS ALI HIT HIM.

FRAZIER HAS TAKEN A GOOD
BATTERING IN THIS ROUND.

BY THE END OF THAT
FIGHT, FRAZIER'S FACE

WAS A GARGOYLE'S FACE,

JUST BUMPS AND
BRUISES EVERYWHERE.

JOE FRAZIER JUST
SPIT SOME BLOOD.

WAVING FRAZIER ON.

THAT ONE HURT. SO DID THAT.

MUHAMMAD ALI STAGGERS!
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS ROCKED!

THE WILLPOWER OF THE
FIGHTER IS WHAT REALLY

DETERMINES WHO WINS AND LOSES.

30 SECONDS TO GO IN
THE ROUND. 30 SECONDS.

IT'S NEVER CLEARER THAN
THIS FIGHT RIGHT HERE.

MUHAMMAD ALI IN REAL TROUBLE.

EVERY PUNCH THAT JOE
FRAZIER IS THROWING,

YOU CAN BEST BELIEVE
THAT HE'S SAYING,

"THIS IS FROM AN UNCLE
TOM. AM I AN UNCLE TOM NOW?"

MUHAMMAD ALI
ROCKED TO THE ROPES!

THAT'S THE KIND OF
VENOM YOU HAVE TO HAVE.

HE ALMOST WENT DOWN.

JOE WANTED IT MORE
THAN MUHAMMAD.

MUHAMMAD WANTED IT...

10 SECONDS...

BUT JOE NEEDED IT,

AND MUHAMMAD IS BEING
PUSHED TO THE BRINK.

THE ROUND IS OVER.

THE ROUND IS OVER. WHAT A ROUND.

MUHAMMAD ALI HAS NEVER
TAKEN SUCH A BATTERING.

IT COULD BE A TOUGH
FIGHT TO SCORE.

AS THE FIGHT HEADED INTO
THE 15th AND FINAL ROUND,

FRAZIER'S FACE WAS SWOLLEN,
HIS RIGHT EYE NEARLY SHUT.

ALI'S CORNER MEN, WORRIED
HE WAS LOSING ON POINTS,

TOLD HIM HE NEEDED A KNOCKOUT.

15th AND FINAL ROUND.

ALI WAS TOLD THE
END OF THE ROUND,

"YOU GOTTA KNOCK HIM OUT.

YOU CAN'T WIN IF YOU
DON'T KNOCK HIM OUT."

AND IT'S TRUE.

SO ALI'S OUT THERE.

POP, BOOM, POP,
COMBINATIONS, THIS, THAT.

AND FRAZIER DUCKS INSIDE.

BOOM, LEFT HOOK, DOWN,

GETS UP QUICK, BUT
THAT ENDED ANY CHANCE

HE HAD TO WIN THE FIGHT.

HE TAKES THE MANDATORY 8 COUNT.

THE ONLY KNOCKDOWN OF THE FIGHT.

MUHAMMAD ALI WAS
FLAT ON HIS BACK,

BUT HE'S A
WELL-CONDITIONED ATHLETE.

MUHAMMAD ALI GAMELY FIGHTS BACK.

THE CROWD IS IN A BEDLAM.

WE'RE GOING TO AWAIT THE
DECISION BY THE TWO JUDGES

AND THE REFEREE.

AND THE RING IS
STARTING TO CROWD UP.

DESPITE THE SECURITY
MEASURES TAKEN, THE PEOPLE ARE

COMING IN THE RING, AND THIS
WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

AH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
REFEREE ARTHUR MERCANTE

SCORES IT 8-6, ONE
EVEN FOR FRAZIER.

ARTIE AIDALA 9 TO 6 FOR FRAZIER.

BILL RECHT 11
ROUNDS FOR FRAZIER,

4 ALI, 11 AND 4,

THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS
DECISION AND STILL...

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD, JOE FRAZIER!

♪

IT WAS MUHAMMAD ALI'S
FIRST PROFESSIONAL LOSS.

HE RETURNED TO HIS DRESSING
ROOM, HIS JAW GROTESQUELY SWOLLEN,

WHERE HIS MOTHER, ODESSA,
HELD HIM, MURMURING,

"HE'LL BE ALL RIGHT."

THE SINGER DIANA ROSS
CAME TO CHECK ON HER FRIEND.

SO DID THE PHOTOGRAPHER GORDON
PARKS, WHO TOOK NO PICTURES.

CONCERNED THAT ALI'S JAW WAS
BROKEN, FERDIE PACHECO SENT HIM

TO FLOWER 5th AVENUE
HOSPITAL FOR X-RAYS.

THERE WAS NO FRACTURE,
BUT DOCTORS STILL WANTED HIM

TO REMAIN THERE OVERNIGHT.

ALI REFUSED, UNWILLING TO GIVE
JOE FRAZIER THE SATISFACTION

OF HAVING PUT HIM
IN THE HOSPITAL.

WHAT DID MUHAMMAD
ALI SAY WHEN YOU GOT TO

THE DRESSING ROOM?

HE JUST WANT TO KNOW
DID HE PUT UP A GREAT FIGHT.

BUNDINI BROWN APPEARED
AT THE POST-FIGHT

PRESS CONFERENCE IN ALI'S PLACE.

"WE AIN'T THROUGH YET," HE SAID.

"MUHAMMAD JUST
BEEN OUT 3 YEARS."

WE SEE HIS DECLINE WHEN
HE FIGHTS JOE FRAZIER 'CAUSE

HIS LEGS WHICH WERE
HIS PRIMARY INSTRUMENTS,

THEY WERE NO MORE.

THEY WERE DEAD.

"TONIGHT THE BLACK WORLD
WEEPS THAT THEIR KING

HAS PASSED AWAY," LAMENTED A
BLACK NATIONALIST FROM BRITAIN.

PRESIDENT MUAMMAR
EL-QADDAFI OF LIBYA

DECLARED A DAY OF MOURNING.

IT WAS "A VERY PAINFUL
EXPERIENCE IN EVERY WAY,"

WROTE HUNTER S. THOMPSON,

WHO CALLED ALI'S DEFEAT "A
PROPER END TO THE SIXTIES."

THOUGH ALI FANS AROUND
THE WORLD DESPAIRED,

MOST AGREED THAT THE BOUT
HAD LIVED UP TO ITS IMMENSE HYPE.

"THE MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR
FIGHT... WAS WORTH EVERY

GLORIOUS, HEARTBREAKING
PENNY," WROTE ARTHUR DALEY

IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES."

MORE THAN 5,000 PEOPLE HAD
BRAVED 18-DEGREE TEMPERATURES

TO ATTEND A
CLOSED-CIRCUIT BROADCAST

AT PITTSBURGH'S OPEN-AIR
THREE RIVERS STADIUM.

OH, THERE HE GOES!

LONDONERS HAD STAYED UP
ALL NIGHT FOR A BROADCAST THAT

BEGAN JUST BEFORE 5 A.M.

AND IN VIETNAM, AMERICAN TROOPS

HAD LISTENED IN ON
THEIR TRANSISTOR RADIOS.

JOE FRAZIER OUT-POINTED
MUHAMMAD ALI TONIGHT

AND RETAINED THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD.

ALI, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YOUR
PROFESSIONAL CAREER, HAVE LOST?

I FEEL YOU HAVE
OBLIGATION TO MANY

THOUSANDS OF FANS WHO ARE
PULLING FOR YOU, WHO ARE CRYING

AND THEY'RE WORRYING
ABOUT YOU AND HOW YOU FEEL.

AND I THINK IF THEY CAN
SEE THAT YOU REALIZE THAT

I'M HUMAN AND I REALIZE
THAT WE ALL HAVE TO LOSE

AND LIFE STILL GOING ON,
THEN THEY'LL FEEL STRONGER.

I THINK A CELEBRITY OR ANY
SO-CALLED GREAT PERSON

HAVE OBLIGATION TO FULFILL TO
TAKE DEFEAT LIKE A MAN SO THEY

CAN TAKE THEIR DEFEATS
WHEN THEY HAVE THEM.

BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GONNA
HAVE VARIOUS DEFEATS IN LIFE,

WHETHER WE LOST OUR LOVED
ONES OR WEALTH OR TITLES.

AND MANY PEOPLE JUST CAN'T
STAND THESE PRESSURES AND THEY

CRACK UP ON THEM.

AND WHEN A MAN CAN COME
THROUGH THIS AFTER SO MANY

YEARS OF VICTORY AND BEING
SO SUPREME IN HIS FIELD AND ABLE

TO HANDLE THE DEFEAT ALSO
VICTORIOUS, AND THIS MAKE HIM

- A BIGGER MAN.
- DO YOU...

I JUST LOST A FIGHT, THAT'S ALL.

THE NEXT DAY, ALI
LOOKED LIKE HE HAD BEEN

IN A FIGHT.

I'D NEVER SEEN HIM
BEFORE LOOKING LIKE THAT.

♪ YOU THINK IF YOU PRAY SOMETHING
WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS... ♪

JOE FRAZIER JUSTIFIABLY
GOT THE DECISION,

BUT I THINK IN A SENSE
ALI WON AMERICA.

AND THE REASON HE
WON AMERICA WAS THAT

IT WAS NOW VERY CLEAR
HOW MUCH HE HAD SACRIFICED.

I THINK LOSING TO JOE
FRAZIER IS ONE OF THE MOST

IMPORTANT THINGS THAT
EVER HAPPENED TO ALI.

BECAUSE HE'S HUMAN NOW.

PEOPLE HATED HIM WHEN HE
REFUSED TO FIGHT FOR HIS COUNTRY.

THEY HATED HIM WHEN
HE CHANGED HIS NAME.

BUT NOW THEY SEE
HIM LYING ON HIS BACK.

AND AS SOON AS HE GETS
KNOCKED DOWN BY FRAZIER,

HE'S UP ON HIS FEET AGAIN.

AND HE CONTINUES AND HE LASTS
THROUGH THE REST OF THE FIGHT

AND THEN THE
DECISION IS FOR FRAZIER.

SO ALI IS A LOSER,
BUT HE'S HUMAN NOW.

AND HE'S TRYING TO FIGHT
HIS WAY BACK TO ANOTHER SHOT

AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

AND THIS IS WHEN ALI REALLY
BECOMES POPULAR IN AMERICA.

AND NOW YOU'RE STARTING TO
SEE KIDS LIKE ME PUT HIS POSTER

ON THE WALL.

JOE FRAZIER STRUGGLED
TO RECOVER FROM

THE BRUTAL POUNDING
HE HAD RECEIVED.

HE WAS UNABLE TO
WALK OR EVEN STAND UP.

THE NEXT DAY, HIS EYES REMAINED
SWOLLEN AND SENSITIVE TO LIGHT,

AND HE COULDN'T URINATE.

HE FAILED TO SHOW UP AT A
TELEVISION STUDIO WHERE HE

AND ALI WERE SCHEDULED TO DISCUSS
THEIR BOUT WITH HOWARD COSELL,

CLAIMING HE WAS
STRICKEN WITH THE FLU.

A WEEK AFTER THE FIGHT,

HE CHECKED INTO A
PHILADELPHIA HOSPITAL,

WHERE DOCTORS PUT
HIM ON A RESTRICTED DIET

AND TREATED HIM FOR HIGH
BLOOD PRESSURE AND EXHAUSTION.

A RUMOR CIRCULATED
THAT HE WAS NEAR DEATH.

10 DAYS LATER, FRAZIER
FINALLY RETURNED HOME.

I GO DOWN TO
PHILADELPHIA TO JOE'S GYM.

WE'RE STANDING ON THE SIDEWALK.

3 KIDS COME RUNNING DOWN
THE STREET, LITTLE KIDS,

8 YEARS OLD, BLACK KIDS.
"JOE FRAZIER, JOE FRAZIER!"

HE SAYS TO A GOPHER, "GO GET
THE PICTURES OUT OF THE CAR,"

YOU KNOW, PATS 'EM ON THE HEAD.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, ONE KID LOOKS
UP AND SAYS, "MY DADDY SAYS

MUHAMMAD ALI WAS DRUGGED."

FRAZIER LEANS IN.

I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA
PUSH HIM OR SOMETHING.

AND THEN HE SAID, "YOU GO HOME
AND TELL YOUR DADDY HE'S RIGHT.

"HE WAS DRUGGED. I DRUG
HIM WITH A LEFT HOOK.

NOW GET OUTTA HERE."

ALI RETURNED TO THE
SPANISH-STYLE RANCH HOUSE

ON 4 ACRES HE AND BELINDA
HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED

IN CHERRY HILL, NEW JERSEY,
JUST ACROSS THE DELAWARE RIVER

FROM PHILADELPHIA.

HE HELPED BELINDA CHOOSE
FURNISHINGS, KEPT UP

WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS BY
TELEPHONE, AND OCCASIONALLY

ENTERTAINED HIS 3 CHILDREN...
MARYUM AND THE TWINS

JAMILLAH AND RASHEDA.

BUT HE WAS HAPPIEST ON THE ROAD.

I'M NEVER HOME MUCH,
AND THEY DON'T KNOW ME.

MY MARYUM, THE
OLDER ONE, KNOW ME,

BUT RASHEDA AND JAMILLAH...
THEY DON'T KNOW ME TOO WELL.

THEY ABOUT A YEAR OLD AND
THEY GIVE ME A LOT OF TROUBLE,

AND I PICK THEM UP, BUT I HAVE
TO START STAYING HOME MORE.

BUT I THINK THAT THE WIFE OR
THE MOTHER SHOULD TRAIN 'EM,

AND BY THE TIME THEY'RE 3
YEARS OLD, THEY SHOULD BE READY

TO GO TO SOME TYPE SCHOOL
WITH ENOUGH HOME TRAINING TO

GIVE THEM A GOOD START.

HE LIKES KIDS, HE LIKES
TO BE AROUND THEM

FOR 20 MINUTES AND THEN
HE READY TO PUT 'EM DOWN.

BUT UH, HE CAN'T, YOU KNOW,
HE DON'T STAY THAT LONG.

HE JUST... HE JUST FOR
THE MOMENT AND HE'S DONE.

BUT HE WAS A GREAT FATHER.

HE MADE SURE EVERYBODY
HAD WHAT THEY NEEDED,

AND HE WAS A GREAT FATHER
WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR DADDY'S
THE BADDEST MAN IN THE WORLD?

DO YOU KNOW YOUR DADDY CAN
WHOOP ALL THE MEN IN THE WHOLE WORLD

AND YOU DON'T CARE?

REPORTERS TURNED UP AT
THE HOUSE EAGER TO KNOW

WHEN THE BOXER WOULD
FIGHT FRAZIER AGAIN.

"HE'S RESTING. I'M RESTING.

THE PUBLIC NEEDS A
REST, TOO," ALI SAID.

HE ALSO CLAIMED THAT A
REMATCH WOULD BE HIS FINAL FIGHT

BEFORE HE QUIT BOXING
TO FOCUS FULL-TIME

ON SPREADING THE TEACHINGS
OF ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.

IT HAD BEEN NEARLY TWO YEARS

SINCE THE NATION OF ISLAM'S
LEADER HAD SUSPENDED ALI

AND REVOKED HIS MUSLIM NAME.

"IF BOXING'S IN YOUR BLOOD,"
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD HAD TOLD HIM,

"GET IT OUT."

"I CAN'T REPRESENT THE MUSLIMS
AGAIN UNTIL I QUIT SPORTS,"

ALI SAID.

BUT HE HAD CONTINUED
TO USE HIS MUSLIM NAME

AND CONTINUED TO ASSOCIATE WITH
MEMBERS OF THE NATION OF ISLAM,

NOW PLAGUED BY INCREASING
VIOLENCE AND CORRUPTION

AS SOME LIEUTENANTS
POSITIONED THEMSELVES

TO SUCCEED THEIR AGING LEADER.

AND IN SPITE OF ALI'S
BANISHMENT, HERBERT MUHAMMAD,

ELIJAH'S SON, REMAINED
THE BOXER'S MANAGER,

POCKETING 1/3 OF ALI'S
BOXING INCOME, AS WELL AS

A PERCENTAGE OF THE CLOSED-
CIRCUIT TELEVISION PROFITS

FROM EACH BOUT.

IN THE DECADE SINCE HE HAD
TURNED PROFESSIONAL, ALI HAD

BURNED THROUGH MUCH OF
HIS $7 MILLION IN EARNINGS,

CARING FOR HIS FAMILY AND
HIS ENTOURAGE, MAINTAINING

MULTIPLE HOUSES AND A
FLEET OF CARS THAT INCLUDED

TWO ROLLS-ROYCES, A COLLECTION
OF CADILLACS, AND A BUS.

HE ALSO GAVE PLENTY OF IT AWAY.

THERE WAS A GUY CAME INTO THE GYM
IN A WHEELCHAIR AND A DODGERS HAT

AND HE HAD NO LEGS.

AND ANGELO WENT OVER TO
ALI AND SAID, "ALI THAT GUY'S

"GONNA TELL YOU HE'S ROY
CAMPANELLA AND HE'S GONNA HIT

"YOU UP FOR MONEY,
HE'S A HUSTLER.

HE COMES IN HERE ALL THE
TIME. DON'T GIVE HIM ANY MONEY."

AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
DUNDEE LOOKS OVER AND HE SEES

ALI REACHING INTO HIS POCKET,
TAKING OUT A BIG WAD OF CASH

AND HANDING IT TO THE GUY.

AND ANGELO COMES OVER
AFTERWARDS AND SAYS,

"WHAT'D YOU DO THAT FOR?
I TOLD YOU HE'S A HUSTLER."

AND ALI SAYS,
"ANG, WE GOT LEGS."

HERE COME THIS DRUNK,
JUST SHAKING, AND HE SAY,

"MR. ALI, CAN I GET SOME MONEY
TO GET ME SOMETHING TO EAT?"

AND ALI HAD JUST BOUGHT
A CASHMERE OVERCOAT.

HE TOOK THAT COAT OFF AND
WRAPPED IT IN HIM AND TOLD ME,

"GIVE HIM $10,"
AND I GAVE HIM $10.

♪

IN ALI'S PRESENCE, YOU
ALWAYS FELT THAT HE CARED.

THAT MOMENT THAT HE WAS
WITH YOU, THERE WAS NOBODY ELSE

IN THE WORLD.

I'M NOT SO SURE THAT THAT'S
TRUE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.

WE SAW AT A YOUNG AGE
THAT DADDY, EVERY TIME HE

WOKE UP IN THE MORNING, I
THINK HE REALLY FELT LIKE,

"HOW AM I GOING TO
HELP SOMEBODY TODAY?"

AND HE DID THAT ALL THE TIME.

HE WOULD HAVE ROLEX WATCHES
AND HE WOULD JUST TAKE IT OFF

AND GIVE IT TO PEOPLE.

HE'D HAVE MONEY IN HIS PO...

AND WE'D BE LIKE, "DADDY
DON'T DO THAT, YOU CAN'T."

HE'D HAVE MONEY IN HIS POCKET,

AND HE'D JUST HAND IT TO PEOPLE.

ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS
ASK, AND HE WOULD GIVE THEM

WHATEVER THEY WANTED,

BECAUSE DADDY'S PURPOSE WAS
JUST TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SPECIAL

AND HELP PEOPLE.

ALI COULD HAVE $30,000 IN
HIS POCKET ONE AFTERNOON,

HE COME BACK, HE HAVE NOTHIN'.

SOMEBODY GIVE HIM A SAD STORY,
HE WOULD FALL IN AND TAKE CARE

OF THEIR KID AND TAKE
CARE OF THEIR HOUSE,

THEY LOSIN' THEY HOUSE.

HE JUST LOVE TO GIVE.

IF SOMEBODY'S HURTING,
HE LOVED TO HELP THE PAIN.

I THINK... I THINK
HE'LL GO TO PARADISE

BECAUSE OF THAT, 'CAUSE
HE DID GIVE A LOT OF CHARITY!

♪

HOW DO YOU STAND
NOW WITH THE POSSIBILITY

OF GOING TO JAIL?

OH, I DON'T KNOW.

I'M JUST WAITING, ANY DAY NOW.

DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?

WHENEVER PEOPLE WANT
TO REALLY MAKE PROGRESS,

SOME HAVE TO SACRIFICE A LOT.

AND I LIKE TO SAY, UM...
WHITE AMERICA RIGHT NOW IS

SPENDING $30
MILLION A DAY IN ASIA,

BLACK AND WHITE BOYS ARE
DYING UNJUSTLY FOR NOTHING.

SO WHY SHOULD I WORRY
ABOUT GOING TO LITTLE OLD JAIL

TO FREE MY POOR PEOPLE WHO'S BEEN
CATCHING HELL HERE FOR 400 YEARS?

ON APRIL 19, 1971,
CHAUNCEY ESKRIDGE,

A LAWYER WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY
REPRESENTED MARTIN LUTHER KING,

APPEARED BEFORE THE
SUPREME COURT ON BEHALF

OF MUHAMMAD ALI, ARGUING
THAT HIS CONVICTION FOR REFUSING

THE DRAFT SHOULD BE OVERTURNED.

THE JUSTICES HAD NOT INITIALLY
PLANNED TO HEAR THE CASE.

THEY WERE AGAIN
PREDISPOSED TO JUST DENY IT

BECAUSE THERE DIDN'T SEEM
TO BE ANY BIG LEGAL ISSUE HERE,

BUT JUSTICE BRENNAN MADE
AN IMPASSIONED PLEA THAT THEY

SHOULD AT LEAST HEAR THE CASE,
BECAUSE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY
SOMEBODY WHO WAS ADVANCING

A CLAIM LIKE THIS, WHO HAD
THE STATURE AND IMPORTANCE

OF MUHAMMAD ALI,
HADN'T HAD A DAY IN COURT.

AND SO THE COURT AGREED TO
HEAR THE CASE, FULLY EXPECTING

THAT THEY WERE PROBABLY
GOING TO AFFIRM THE CONVICTION.

"THE PETITIONER JUST
DOESN'T WANT TO FIGHT

THE WHITE MAN'S WAR, AND
I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT,"

SOLICITOR GENERAL ERWIN GRISWOLD
TOLD THE SUPREME COURT ON BEHALF

OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

"BUT THAT'S NOT THE
SAME AS BEING A PACIFIST."

ALI'S OPPOSITION TO FIGHTING,
ARGUED HIS LAWYER, WASN'T

RACIAL OR POLITICAL,
BUT ROOTED IN SINCERE

RELIGIOUS BELIEF.

THURGOOD MARSHALL
CANNOT VOTE BECAUSE HE HAD

WORKED FOR THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT WHEN ALI

WAS FIRST CHARGED.

SO HE'S GOTTA RECUSE HIMSELF.

SO NOW WE HAVE AN 8-JUDGE COURT.

THEY SIT DOWN AND
HAVE THEIR CONFERENCE.

THEY VOTE 5-3, HE GOES TO JAIL.

DURING THE PERIOD
WHILE THE ALI CASE WAS

UP AT THE SUPREME COURT THE
SECOND TIME, I WAS A LAW CLERK

TO ONE OF THE JUSTICES,
TO JUSTICE HARLAN.

THE CHIEF JUSTICE CHOSE JUSTICE
HARLAN TO WRITE THE OPINION,

AND THEY ALL EXPECTED HE
WAS GOING TO WRITE AN OPINION

TO AFFIRM THE CONVICTION.

TOM KRATTENMAKER
HAD BEEN READING ABOUT

THE NATION OF ISLAM

AND BELIEVED THAT ALI'S
CLAIM OF RELIGIOUS OPPOSITION

TO FIGHTING IN WARS WAS NO
DIFFERENT THAN THE ARGUMENT

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES HAD
SUCCESSFULLY PRESENTED TO

THE COURT IN THE 1950s.

THE LAW CLERK OF
JUSTICE HARLAN GOES IN

AND SAYS, "LISTEN, WITH
ALL DUE RESPECT MR. JUSTICE,

"I'VE GOT SOME STUFF HERE
ABOUT THE NATION OF ISLAM

AND WHAT IT BELIEVES."

I THOUGHT ONCE
HE GOT DEEPER INTO

THE DOCUMENTS AND INTO
THE UNDERLYING MATERIALS

IN THE CASE, HE WOULD
FIND THAT ALI DID IN FACT HAVE

A SINCERE OBJECTION
TO FIGHTING ALL WARS.

WHAT ALI SAID IS, I AM A
MEMBER OF THE LOST-FOUND

NATION OF ISLAM.

IT IS PART OF OUR
RELIGIOUS TENET THAT WE

WILL NOT FIGHT ANY WARS IN
WHICH HUMAN LIFE IS BEING TAKEN,

UNLESS I'M COMMANDED
TO FIGHT BY ALLAH.

AND, THOSE VIEWS ARE, A
RELIGIOUSLY BASED OBJECTION

TO PARTICIPATION
IN WAR IN ALL FORMS.

AND ONE DAY, JUSTICE
HARLAN WALKED IN AND SAID,

"YOU KNOW, I'VE DECIDED
YOU GUYS ARE RIGHT."

IT'S PRETTY UNUSUAL FOR
JUSTICES TO CHANGE THEIR MIND.

IN THIS CASE, IT WAS
QUITE A BOMBSHELL.

NO ONE EXPECTED IT.

EVERYONE ON THE COURT
THOUGHT THIS CONVICTION

WAS GOING TO BE AFFIRMED.

CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN
BURGER WAS LIVID,

CALLING HARLAN "AN APOLOGIST
FOR THE BLACK MUSLIMS."

THE VOTE, NOW SPLIT 4-4,
MEANT THAT ALI'S CONVICTION

WOULD BE UPHELD, BUT THE
JUSTICES WOULD PUBLISH NO OPINION.

IT WOULD BE AS IF THEY HAD
NEVER EVEN TAKEN THE CASE.

THEN, ANOTHER JUSTICE,
POTTER STEWART, DISCOVERED

A PROCEDURAL ERROR BY THE
KENTUCKY APPEALS BOARD THAT HE

BELIEVED THE COURT COULD
USE TO OVERTURN ALI'S CONVICTION

WITHOUT SETTING A PRECEDENT.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
STATE APPEAL BOARD USED

AS A REASON FOR DENYING ALI
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR STATUS,

BECAUSE THEY GAVE NO REASONS.

THEY JUST TURNED HIM DOWN.

AND SO THAT DENIED DUE PROCESS
OF LAW TO THIS ONE PERSON,

MUHAMMAD ALI.

ONCE JUSTICE STEWART LATCHED
ON TO THIS PROCEDURAL POINT,

HE AND HIS LAW
CLERKS DRAFTED IT UP

AND SENT IT AROUND,

AND ONE BY ONE, JUSTICES
STARTED JOINING IT.

THE FINAL PERSON TO
JOIN WAS THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

AND SO, BY THE END, IT
WAS UNANIMOUS TO REVERSE

ALI'S CONVICTION. HA HA!

THE COURT UNANIMOUSLY THREW OUT

THE CONVICTION OF BOXER
MUHAMMAD ALI, OR CASSIUS CLAY...

ON JUNE 28, 1971, AS ALI
WAS LEAVING A CORNER STORE

ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO,
THE SHOPKEEPER HEARD THE NEWS

AND RAN AFTER HIM
TO LET HIM KNOW.

WELL I WAS ON 79th STREET
ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND JUST

BOUGHT ME AN ORANGE
IN A GROCERY STORE,

AND THE GROCERY OWNER
CAME OUT AND GRABBED ME

AND HUGGED ME WITH
TEARS IN HIS EYES,

LITTLE BLACK FELLA, AND
TOLD ME THAT "YOU'VE JUST

"BEEN VINDICATED AND YOU FREE.

8 JUDGES ALL VOTED
IN YOUR FAVOR."

AND HE JUST HUGGED
ME AND SQUEEZED ME.

HOW DO YOU FEEL
ABOUT OUR SYSTEM NOW?

WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHO
WILL BE ASSASSINATED TONIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW WHO WILL BE
ENSLAVED OR MISTREATED.

I DON'T KNOW WHO WILL BE
DEPRIVED OF SOME OTHER JUSTICE

OR EQUALITY, SO I
CAN'T SAY NOTHING.

ALL I CAN TALK ABOUT IS MY CASE.

AND I'M THANKFUL THAT THE
COURTS RECOGNIZED MY SINCERITY

OF MY BELIEFS IN THIS CASE.

THAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.
OH, THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

I CRIED BECAUSE I WAS SO HAPPY.

MY BROTHER FACING
PRISON, PRISON SENTENCE

IF HE FOUND GUILTY,

HE WASN'T FOUND GUILTY.
THEY LET HIM GO. HE WAS RIGHT.

THE SUPREME COURT
SAID HE WAS RIGHT.

IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

IT SHOWS... IT SHOWS
THERE'S A GOD.

IT WAS EASY FOR HIM.

YOU KNOW WHY IT WAS
EASY, YOU KNOW WHY?

BECAUSE IN HIS MIND, HE
WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING.

DO THE RIGHT THING
IN LIFE, YOU'RE HAPPY,

NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY.

DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT.

SOMEBODY ASKED ME
ONCE IN HIGH SCHOOL,

"WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT THE WAR IN VIETNAM

AND MAYBE GOING OVER
THERE AND FIGHTING?"

AND I SAID, "LISTEN.

"I CAN'T SEE ANY REASON
THAT I'D BEEN SHOOTING THESE

"VIETNAMESE MEN AND WOMEN.

"WHY WOULD I BE DOING
THAT? WHY WOULD I GO THERE?

WHY WOULD I SUPPORT THAT?"

I THOUGHT IT WAS MY OWN THOUGHT.

THAT SHOWS HOW
POWERFUL MUHAMMAD ALI IS.

IT WAS A THOUGHT THAT I HAD
GOTTEN FROM HIM, BUT I DIDN'T

EVEN KNOW I'D
GOTTEN IT FROM HIM.

WHEN HE SAYS, "NO VIET
CONG EVER CALLED ME NIGGER,"

I MEAN, SOMEHOW THAT GOT
INTO MY HEAD, BUT NOT UN...

NOT ON PURPOSE, NOT CONSCIOUSLY.

AND THAT'S A REAL LEADER.

HE INFLUENCES YOU, AND YOU
DON'T KNOW IT'S HAPPENING.

SUPPOSE YOU DO FIGHT FRAZIER
AGAIN AND BEAT HIM, THEN WHAT?

SUPPOSE I BEAT HIM?
I'M GONNA WHOOP HIM.

I WHOOPED HIM THE FIRST TIME,
I WHOOPED HIM FOR 9 ROUNDS,

BEAT HIM SO TERRIBLE,
THEY PUT HIM IN THE HOSPITAL.

THAT'S WHEN I WAS OFF.

WHEN THEY TOOK MY TITLE,
IF I FOUGHT JOE FRAZIER THEN,

HE'D HAVE BEEN SLAUGHTERED.

YOU LET ME GET IN THE RING
WITH JOE FRAZIER ONE MORE TIME,

AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT
I DO WITH JOE FRAZIER.

I'M TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT IT!

YOU'LL SEE WHAT I
DO WITH JOE FRAZIER!

JOE FRAZIER WAS IN
NO HURRY TO FIGHT ALI

OR ANYONE ELSE.

HE LOVED BEING THE UNDISPUTED
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD

AND TOURED EUROPE WITH
HIS SOUL BAND, THE KNOCKOUTS.

♪ OHH, MY LOVE,
MY LOVE, MY LOVE ♪

♪ IS LIKE A KNOCKOUT DROP ♪

HE APPEARED BEFORE THE
SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE,

ONE OF THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO DO SO

SINCE RECONSTRUCTION.

WE MUST SAVE OUR PEOPLE.

AND HE PURCHASED A 366-ACRE
FORMER RICE PLANTATION

OUTSIDE BEAUFORT, WHERE
HE MOVED HIS MOTHER, DOLLY.

ONE AIDE CLAIMED HE WAS
UNLIKELY TO BOX AGAIN THAT YEAR.

THE FACT IS THAT
YOU'RE A CROWD PULLER

AND FRAZIER'S NOT,
IS HE? WHY IS THAT?

WELL, NUMBER ONE, HE'S UGLY.

HE HAS NO RHYTHM, NO FOOTWORK,
NO CLASS, HE CANNOT TALK.

AND WHO TOLD HIM HE COULD SING?

HE CANNOT SING.

BEGINNING IN JULY OF
1971, ALI, NOW FREE TO BOX

WHENEVER AND WHEREVER
HE PLEASED, FOUGHT 9 TIMES

IN 15 MONTHS WHILE WAITING
FOR ANOTHER SHOT AT FRAZIER.

HIS OPPONENTS... OFTEN SMALLER,
SLOWER, OR PAST THEIR PRIME...

WERE CAREFULLY CHOSEN TO
PROTECT ALI FROM A SECOND DEFEAT

THAT WOULD HAVE DESTROYED
HIS CAREER BEFORE HE COULD

FACE FRAZIER AGAIN.

FIRST, HE DEFEATED
HIS BOYHOOD FRIEND

AND LONGTIME SPARRING
PARTNER JIMMY ELLIS

AT THE ASTRODOME IN HOUSTON.

ALI, WHO OUTWEIGHED ELLIS
BY 31 POUNDS, LOOKED LISTLESS

AND UNPREPARED.

FRAZIER, WHO HAD WATCHED
A CLOSED-CIRCUIT SHOWING

IN PHILADELPHIA,
WAS UNIMPRESSED.

HE CALLED ALI A CLOWN AND
ACCUSED HIM OF HIKING UP

HIS OVER-SIZED TRUNKS

TO CONCEAL A LAYER
OF FAT AROUND HIS WAIST.

♪ LIKE A KNOCKOUT DROP ♪

BUSTER MATHIS.

JURGEN BLIN.

MAC FOSTER.

GEORGE CHUVALO.

JERRY QUARRY.

ALVIN LEWIS.

HE BEAT THEM ALL.

♪ I CAN, OH... ♪

LIFE ON THE ROAD WAS CHAOTIC.

BETWEEN WORKOUTS, ALI
GOOFED OFF WITH BUNDINI,

PLAYED PRANKS ON
UNSUSPECTING COMPANIONS,

AND SPENT HOURS IN
FRONT OF THE TELEVISION.

HE ALSO SOUGHT TO
FULFILL HIS NEAR-INSATIABLE

CRAVING FOR SEX, REGULARLY
CHEATING ON HIS WIFE,

AT TIMES PAYING WOMEN FOR SEX.

HIS RENDEZVOUS WERE
OFTEN ARRANGED BY THE MEN

IN HIS ENTOURAGE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A THEORY THAT

THE MORE YOU SAY
HOW GREAT YOU ARE,

IT REALLY MEANS THAT YOU
DON'T THINK YOU'RE SO GREAT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK
IS WRONG WITH YOU?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?
WHAT ARE YOUR FAULTS?

WELL, I HAVE A LOT OF FAULTS.

LIKE WHAT? WHAT'S THE WORST?

I CAN'T TELL YOU MY WORST
FAULT BECAUSE I'M MARRIED.

YOU FIGURE IT OUT.

I THINK HE HAD A GREAT MORAL
COMPASS AS BEING HONEST

AND CHARITABLE.

NOW, IF YOU SAY DID HE HAVE
A MORAL COMPASS BEING...

UH, OBSERVING
FIDELITY WITH HIS WIFE?

NO. NOT AT ALL.

YOU'RE NOT MARRIED YET, ARE YOU?

ALI WAS A WOMANIZER.

THAT'S KNOWN, AND I'M NOT
TELLING TALES OUT OF SCHOOL.

MUHAMMAD ALI FAN.

I'M SORRY THAT I DID NOT...

UM, STEP IN AND...

I JUST ALLOWED HIM TO DO
WHATEVER HE WANTED TO DO.

I... I... I'M SORRY FOR THAT.

SEE YOU ON TELEVISION.

YOU WANNA SHOW ME
LOVE AND GIVE ME A HUG?

I JUST LET HIM DO
WHAT HE HAD TO DO.

IN SEPTEMBER 1972,

ALI DEFEATED AN AGING FLOYD
PATTERSON A SECOND TIME.

IT WOULD BE
PATTERSON'S FINAL FIGHT.

JOE FRAZIER, INTRODUCED
BEFORE THE BOUT, HAD STOOD

AT THE CENTER OF THE
RING AND SMILED, WHILE ALI,

RESTRAINED BY BUNDINI BROWN,

PRETENDED TO LUNGE
AT THE CHAMPION.

MUHAMMAD ALI IS
PUTTING ON HIS ACT.

"LET ME AT HIM. LET ME AT HIM."

"LET'S STOP ALL THIS AND DO

WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT,"
ALI TOLD REPORTERS.

"TELL FRAZIER TO
QUIT DUCKING ME."

♪

DESPITE ALI'S VICTORIES,
SOME SPORTSWRITERS SAW

A DIMINISHED FIGHTER
WHO NOW WON ON GUILE,

ABSORBED TOO MANY BLOWS
OVER TOO MANY ROUNDS,

AND DID NOT DESERVE A
REMATCH WITH FRAZIER.

"HE'S STILL VERY FAST," GEORGE
CHUVALO SAID, "BUT HE MISSED

"A LOT MORE PUNCHES THIS TIME.

I DEFINITELY HURT HIM."

"JOE FRAZIER WOULD SLAUGHTER
ALI," WROTE DICK YOUNG.

"HE'S JUST A MEMORY OF THE
GREATEST. A GRIM MEMORY."

BUT HIS TRAINER ANGELO
DUNDEE, WHO HAD WORRIED

THAT HIS FIGHTER HAD JUST
BEEN GOING THROUGH THE MOTION,

WAS SURE THAT ANOTHER FRAZIER
FIGHT WOULD BRING OUT ALI'S BEST.

THEN, IN NOVEMBER, JOE
FRAZIER, UNDER PRESSURE FROM

BOXING OFFICIALS TO DEFEND HIS
TITLE AGAINST A TOP CONTENDER,

SIGNED TO FIGHT AN
UNDEFEATED 23-YEAR-OLD

NAMED GEORGE FOREMAN.

ALI'S REMATCH WITH
FRAZIER WOULD HAVE TO WAIT.

GO GET HIM!

KNOCK HIM DOWN.

IN THE SPRING OF 1972,

MUHAMMAD ALI HAD
PURCHASED 6 ACRES

ATOP A RIDGE NEAR
DEER LAKE, PENNSYLVANIA

AND BEGUN BUILDING
HIS OWN TRAINING CAMP

EQUIPPED WITH A BOXING
GYM, MOSQUE, MESS HALL,

AND ENOUGH LODGING
FOR HIS ENTIRE ENTOURAGE.

ALI AND BELINDA, WHO GAVE
BIRTH THAT MAY TO THEIR 4th CHILD,

MUHAMMAD ALI JR.,
SCOURED THE AREA

FOR FURNISHINGS TO
OUTFIT THE COMPOUND.

THEY BOUGHT ANTIQUE
FURNITURE FOR THE CABINS,

A 150-YEAR-OLD HORSE-DRAWN
WAGON FOR THE YARD,

AND A REPLICA OF
THE LIBERTY BELL,

WHICH THE BOXER PLANNED
TO RING EACH MORNING AT 4:30

TO HERALD THE START OF HIS DAY.

ALI HAD HIS FATHER PAINT
MASSIVE BOULDERS SCATTERED

ACROSS THE GROUNDS WITH
THE NAMES OF CHAMPIONS...

JOE LOUIS, SONNY LISTON,
ARCHIE MOORE, JACK JOHNSON.

NOW, MUHAMMAD ALI DID
NOT MEET THE PRESIDENT,

BUT HE HAPPENED TO BE PASSING
BY MT. RUSHMORE ONE DAY,

AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. OK.

DO NOT BE SHOCKED, BECAUSE
IT WILL SOON BE THE TRUTH.

ONE DAY, WHILE ALI

WAS TRAINING IN A MAKESHIFT
GYM NEAR THE HALF-BUILT CAMP,

A 22-YEAR-OLD AMATEUR FIGHTER
FROM NEARBY EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA

NAMED LARRY HOLMES, SHOWED
UP, EAGER TO MEET HIS IDOL.

ONE OF 12 KIDS RAISED BY HIS
MOTHER FLOSSIE IN PUBLIC HOUSING

ON EASTON'S SOUTH SIDE,
HOLMES HAD FIRST BOXED FOR

HOT DOGS AND SODAS IN THE
CITY'S WEDNESDAY-NIGHT BAR FIGHTS

AT JUST 10 YEARS OLD.

WHEN I LEFT SCHOOL, I
WAS IN THE 7th GRADE.

IT WAS EITHER QUIT
OR GET THROWN OUT.

THEREFORE, I JUST DECIDED TO GO.

YOU KNOW, I WORKED IN THE
CAR WASH, I SHINED SHOES,

I DID WHATEVER I COULD DO TO
HELP BRING IN MONEY TO THE HOUSE.

AND THEN I MET A GUY BY
THE NAME OF ERNIE BUTLER

TEACHING KIDS HOW TO BOX, AND
I STARTED LEARNING HOW TO BOX.

BY THE TIME HOLMES
ARRIVED AT DEER LAKE,

HE WAS HOPING TO
MAKE THE OLYMPIC TEAM.

ALI PUT UP HIS HAND. HE
SAID, "LET ME SEE YOUR JAB."

AND LARRY'S HITTING IT.

"OH, THAT'S GOOD."

I SAID, "LARRY, DO YOU
HAVE YOUR BOXING STUFF?"

"YEAH, I HAVE IT."

ALI SAID, "GOOD. I NEED
A GOOD WORKOUT."

SO WE GO DOWN, AND THEY SPAR.

AND LARRY GOT A SHINER.

AND I SAID, "LARRY, LET
ME PUT SOME ICE ON THIS."

"NO, NO, NO.

"I'M GOING BACK TO
EASTON, I'M GOING TO TELL

"ALL THE PEOPLE,
MUHAMMAD ALI PUT THIS HERE.

I'M SO PROUD OF THIS."

AND THEN I INVITED LARRY
TO OUR TRAINING CAMP.

I WOULD COME IN HERE AND
WASH DISHES IN THE KITCHEN.

I WOULD SIT IN HIS DRESSING ROOMS,
TALK TO HIM, AND ASK HIM QUESTIONS,

AND YOU KNOW, HE
PROBABLY GOT TIRED OF ME

FOR ASKING A LOT OF
QUESTIONS, BUT I DID IT ANYWAY.

THE QUICKNESS AND THE
MOBILITY THAT HE HAD.

HE COULD DUCK, PULL AWAY
FROM PUNCHES AND STUFF, BLOCK...

YOU COULDN'T HIT HIM.

HELLO AGAIN, EVERYONE.

I'M HOWARD COSELL
ALONG WITH MUHAMMAD ALI

BRINGING YOU THE
OLYMPIC BOXING TRIALS,

AND YOU'LL BE
SEEING LARRY HOLMES.

A LOT OF THE STUFF
THAT ALI DID, I COPY.

AND EVERYBODY SAY,
"YOU'RE A COPYCAT."

"OK, SO? AND? WHAT'S NEXT?"

HE REMINDS ME OF
MYSELF IN FOOTWORK,

THE WAY HE'S CONSTANTLY
MOVING AND CIRCLING...

I'M GONNA LEARN FROM THE BEST.

THIS MAN IS THE BEST.

SO I'M GONNA DO...
I'M GONNA COPY IT.

GOOD LEFT BY HOLMES.

IF I CAN'T GET IT, AT
LEAST I GAVE IT A SHOT,

BUT I'VE WORKED IT
OUT PRETTY GOOD.

HOLMES FAILED TO
MAKE THE OLYMPIC TEAM,

BUT CONTINUED TRAINING
WITH ALI AT DEER LAKE,

EVENTUALLY BEGINNING
A PROFESSIONAL CAREER

THAT WOULD ONE DAY LEAD
HIM BACK TO HIS MENTOR.

WE'RE BACK AT RINGSIDE
AND GEORGE FOREMAN,

THE CHALLENGER, HAS
JUST COME INTO THE RING.

THERE'S NO FEAR IN EITHER MAN.

THERE IS NO FEAR
IN GEORGE FOREMAN.

HE'S A BIG, STRONG BOY.

DOWN GOES FRAZIER!

DOWN GOES FRAZIER!

ON JANUARY 23, 1973,
IN KINGSTON, JAMAICA,

GEORGE FOREMAN SENT JOE
FRAZIER TO THE CANVAS 6 TIMES

BEFORE THE REFEREE STOPPED
THE FIGHT AT 1:35 OF ROUND 2.

THERE HE GOES, 3 TIMES!

IT IS OVER! IT IS OVER!

IT IS OVER IN THE 2nd ROUND.

FOREMAN WAS NOW THE
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

OF THE WORLD.

THEY'RE CARRYING GEORGE FOREMAN.

THEY'RE CARRYING GEORGE
FOREMAN ON THEIR SHOULDERS,

RIGHT OUT OF THE RING.

JOE FRAZIER IS...

"I COMPLETELY
UNDERESTIMATED HIM,"

FRAZIER SAID,
FIGHTING BACK TEARS.

THE NEXT MORNING, PROMOTERS
FROM NEW YORK TO HONOLULU

RUSHED TO OFFER FOREMAN A
CHANCE TO DEFEND HIS NEW TITLE

AGAINST MUHAMMAD ALI, WHILE
OBSERVERS SPECULATED HOW MUCH

THE MATCH WOULD FETCH.

ALI, WHO HAD BEEN ASLEEP AT
HIS CAMP IN DEER LAKE DURING

THE FIGHT, WAS SURE THAT
FRAZIER HAD COST THEM BOTH

AN ENORMOUS PAY DAY
BY NOT FIGHTING HIM FIRST.

HE PROMISED TO ANNIHILATE
FOREMAN, BUT NOT BEFORE FACING

A STRING OF CONTENDERS
HE'D ALREADY AGREED TO FIGHT.

5 WEEKS LATER, IN SAN DIEGO,

HE WOULD FIGHT
6TH-RANKED KEN NORTON,

A 6'3" EX-MARINE, WHO
HAD BEEN PAID JUST

$300 FOR HIS PREVIOUS BOUT.

MUHAMMAD ALI WILL BE COMING
TO YOU ON HOME TELEVISION, LIVE...

WHEN THE MATCH-UP FAILED TO SELL

ENOUGH CLOSED-CIRCUIT
TICKETS, THE PROMOTERS DECIDED

TO AIR IT LIVE ON ABC'S
"WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS."

ALI, FIGHTING THE
6th-RANKED HEAVYWEIGHT

KENNY NORTON.

YOU HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH ABOUT
NORTON AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO

BE A ROUTINE EXERCISE FOR ALI.

ALI ENTERED THE ARENA
WEARING A BEJEWELED ROBE

WITH THE WORDS "PEOPLE'S
CHOICE" INSCRIBED ON THE BACK.

IT HAD BEEN A GIFT
FROM ELVIS PRESLEY.

GOOD LEFT THERE BY NORTON.
THAT EXCITED THE CROWD.

KEN NORTON DIDN'T ALLOW
MUHAMMAD TO GET INTO HIS HEAD.

HE WASN'T INTIMIDATED BY ALI.

HE WAS A MARINE.

ALTHOUGH HE STARTED BOXING
LATE, HE HAD GOOD MECHANICS

AND HE WAS A GOOD ATHLETE.

THE RIGHT GOT INTO
ALI AND THEN A LEFT.

HIS PUNCHES CAME
FROM EVERYWHERE.

IF NOTHING ELSE, NORTON'S
CONFIDENCE IS GROWING.

HE JABBED WITH HIS LEFT
HAND DOWN LIKE ALI DID,

AND ALI NEVER SAW
SOMEONE LIKE THAT BEFORE.

AND HE OUT-JABBED HIM.

AND A STRONG JAB IS GONNA
DISCOURAGE YOU FROM THROWING

YOUR JAB OR THROWING
PUNCHES PERIOD.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOUR
FOOT OUT THE BACK DOOR.

SO YOU'RE OFF-BALANCE.

JOE FRAZIER'D BE LIKE THIS,
YOU KNOW, COMING AND MOVING,

BOBBING AND WEAVING,
WHEREAS NORTON WAS THIS WAY,

BLOCKING THE JAB, BLOCKING
THE JAB, BLOCKING THE JAB.

YOU KNOW, POW! POW! LIKE THIS.

SO MUHAMMAD HAD NO
CHOICE BUT TO TRY TO GO IN,

LEAVING HIMSELF TOTALLY EXPOSED.

NOT TO MENTION THAT
KEN NORTON COULD CRACK.

AND HE CAN GET YOUR ATTENTION.

WHEN YOU THROW SHOTS LIKE
THAT, THAT SPEAKS TO YOUR

LEVEL OF DISRESPECT FOR THE GUY.

HE'S WALKING MUHAMMAD
DOWN, DISRESPECTFULLY.

I THINK KEN NORTON THOUGHT
THAT HE WAS ON THE SAME LEVEL

AS MUHAMMAD ALI.

THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH
MOVEMENT BY ALI IN THIS FIGHT.

WHY? IT'S HARD TO FIGURE.

HAS HE GONE BACK THAT FAR?
THAT'S NOT EASILY BELIEVABLE.

YOU HAVE TO WONDER IF HE'S
TAKING NORTON TOO LIGHTLY.

IN ROUND 8, HOWARD COSELL
NOTICED THAT A NEAR-SILENT ALI

HAD BEGUN MOVING
HIS MOUTH AWKWARDLY.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE
BACK FOR ROUND 8,

AND ALI JUST HASN'T BEEN RIGHT.

AND I THINK HE MAY HAVE
CRACKED A TOOTH IN HIS MOUTH

JUDGING BY THE WAY
HE'S HOLDING HIS MOUTH.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET
DR. FERDIE PACHECO TO TELL US.

FERDIE, IS THERE ANYTHING
WRONG WITH MUHAMMAD'S MOUTH?

NO, I THINK, UH, HE'S
LOOSENED A TOOTH

BUT THERE'S NO FRACTURE,
THERE'S NO BROKEN ANYTHING.

THERE'S NOTHING, YOU KNOW.

BUT PACHECO KNEW BETTER.

A 2nd-ROUND BLOW BY NORTON

HAD BROKEN ALI'S
LOWER LEFT JAWBONE,

THE JAGGED EDGES
DIGGING INTO THE INSIDE

OF HIS CHEEK.

A GOOD RIGHT!
HE IS ALL OVER ALI.

EVERY TIME NORTON HIT HIM,

IT WAS JUST PAIN, PAIN, PAIN.

THERE'S BLOOD IN ALI'S MOUTH.

BECAUSE OF THE JAW,
EVERY PUNCH WAS PAIN.

ONE HAS TO WONDER,
IS HE NOW BUT A RELIC

OF THE FIGHTER HE WAS?

ALI STILL BELIEVED HE
COULD BEAT KEN NORTON.

LET'S GO, CHAMP!

ALI IS LANDING IN THIS
ROUND, AS YOU CAN SEE.

HE IS SCORING.

HOWEVER, NORTON
KEEPS COMING AT ALI,

AND ALI IS AGAINST THE ROPES.

"YOU MISSED ME, SUCKER!"

NORTON JEERED ALI.

"YOU AIN'T HIT
NOTHIN' BUT A GHOST."

THIS CROWD IS GOING WILD.

THEY ARE SENSING A DECISION IN
FAVOR OF UNKNOWN KENNY NORTON.

NOBODY CAN REALLY
BELIEVE WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN.

IT IS A TIRED ALI
AND A HURT ALI.

REFEREE FRANK RUSTITCH SCORES IT

7 POINTS NORTON, 5 POINTS ALI!

THERE IT IS! THERE IT IS!

ONE OF THE GREATEST UPSETS
AGAIN IN BOXING HISTORY. KENNY...

BUNDINI BROWN AND ANGELO DUNDEE

RUSHED ALI FROM THE RING,

AS NORTON EMBRACED HIS OLD
SPARRING PARTNER JOE FRAZIER.

ALI'S MOUTH FILLED WITH BLOOD.

ALI GETS A JAW OPERATED
ON, AND I STAYED

THERE WITH HIM ALL NIGHT.

WHEN HE WOKE UP IN THE
MORNING, HE WAS ALL WIRED UP.

IT WOULD BE AT LEAST 3 MONTHS

BEFORE HE COULD
EVEN TRAIN AGAIN.

THE NEXT DAY, KEN NORTON
STOPPED BY ALI'S HOSPITAL ROOM

TO PAY HIS RESPECTS.

HE BROUGHT A PHOTOGRAPHER.

THE IMAGE OF ALI, STRETCHED
OUT ON A HOSPITAL BED

WITH NORTON HOVERING OVER HIM,

APPEARED IN
NEWSPAPERS EVERYWHERE.

HOWARD COSELL
DECLARED HIM FINISHED.

RED SMITH CALLED THE BOXER
A LIMP EFFIGY OF MUHAMMAD ALI.

IT HAD BEEN NEARLY A
DECADE SINCE HE HAD STOPPED

SONNY LISTON TO BECOME
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

MANY OBSERVERS WONDERED IF HIS
FOOT AND HAND SPEED WERE GONE,

IF HE STILL POSSESSED
THE WILL TO TRAIN PROPERLY,

IF HIS BRUTAL BOUT WITH FRAZIER HAD
CAUSED MORE HARM THAN ACKNOWLEDGED,

IF HE COULD EVER
BE THE SAME FIGHTER.

JUST BEFORE HE'D FACED NORTON,
HERBERT MUHAMMAD HAD CHIDED ALI

FOR POOR CONDITIONING
AND OVERCONFIDENCE.

HE'D TRAINED FOR JUST 3
WEEKS, SKIPPED ROADWORK,

AND HAD APPEARED OUT OF BREATH
WHILE PUNCHING THE HEAVY BAG

AND JUMPING ROPE DURING
WORKOUTS IN SAN DIEGO.

HE HAD ALSO SPENT THE
HOURS LEADING UP TO THE FIGHT

IN BED WITH TWO WOMEN.

BEFORE LEAVING THE HOSPITAL,
THE NURSES HAD GIVEN ALI

A STACK OF LETTERS
ADDRESSED TO HIM.

"THE BUTTERFLY HAS
LOST ITS WINGS," READ ONE.

"THE BEE HAS LOST ITS STING.

YOUR MOUTH HAS BEEN
SHUT UP FOR ALL TIMES."

LATER, HE WOULD TAPE IT TO
THE GYM WALL FOR INSPIRATION.

AND WOULD YOU WELCOME,
THE INCREDIBLE MUHAMMAD ALI.

IN SPITE OF ALL THE
DOUBTS AND THE INJURY THAT

LEFT HIM MUZZLED AND
TEMPORARILY UNABLE TO TRAIN,

ALI REMAINED BOXING'S
BIGGEST ATTRACTION, THE MOST

COMPELLING ATHLETE ANYWHERE.

I HEARD YOU WOULDN'T
BE ABLE TO TALK

FOR QUITE A WHILE.

NO. THE DOCTOR TOLD
ME I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO,

BUT I TOLD HIM HE'S WRONG.

IF THEY TOLD YOU TOMORROW

THAT YOU COULD NOT FIGHT AGAIN,

IF THEY HAD A LOOK
AT YOUR JAW AND SAID

"IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS,"

WOULD YOU... WOULD YOU CRY?

NO. I'D REJOICE.

I'D BE GLAD THAT I FOUND
OUT BEFORE I KILLED MYSELF.

WHEN ALI AND NORTON
AGREED TO A REMATCH

IN LOS ANGELES IN SEPTEMBER
OF 1973, EVEN PERSISTENT CRITICS,

EAGER TO FILL THEIR
NOTEBOOKS AGAIN WITH ALI'S QUIPS

AND PREDICTIONS, REJOICED.

THIS AIN'T NO BIG THING
BEATIN' KEN NORTON.

THIS MAN WASN'T NOBODY
AND STILL AIN'T NOBODY.

I JUST MADE HIM SOMEBODY
BY NOT TRAINING AND COMIN' IN

TOO FAT AND
GETTING' MY JAW BROKE

AND COULDN'T PULL OUT OF IT.

THIS TIME, IT'LL BE NO MATCH.

"THE NORTON FIGHT
WAS GOD'S WARNING,"

ALI TOLD THE PRESS.

"HE WAS PUNISHING ME FOR
DOING THINGS NOT ACCORDING

TO MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS."

IN LATE MAY, ALI, NOW 31 YEARS
OLD, WITH A RECORD OF 41 WINS

AND 2 LOSSES... TO JOE
FRAZIER AND KEN NORTON...

WITHDREW TO DEER
LAKE TO BEGIN TRAINING.

AFTER I ANNIHILATE KEN NORTON,

GOING TO JAKARTA, INDONESIA

TO WHUP THIS RUDIE LUBBERS,

THE DUTCH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

I WANNA COME BACK AND
SETTLE THIS WHOLE THING

WITH GEORGE FOREMAN,
AND FOR OLD TIMES' SAKES,

I'M GONNA WHUP JOE
FRAZIER AGAIN RIGHT THERE

IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.

AND I'M TIRED. I
GOTTA GO TO WORK.

I AIN'T GOT NO
TIME TO BE TALKING.

ALI PLANNED TO RUN 4
MILES A DAY, AND HE WOULD

REFRAIN FROM SPARRING
UNTIL 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE FIGHT.

"I CAN'T PLAY NO MORE," HE SAID.

"I'LL BE DAMN SERIOUS
RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING."

♪ SOLDIERS KEEP ON WARNIN' ♪

♪ WORLD... ♪

CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEEING?

LOOK LIKE I'M 20 YEARS
OLD, GOING BACK IN TIME.

AT THE CAMP, ALI
WAS NEVER ALONE.

HIS ASSOCIATE GENE KILROY
MADE ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS.

LUIS SARRIA, ALI'S MASSEUR,
WORE THE BOXER OUT WITH HIS

DEMANDING EXERCISE ROUTINES.

BUNDINI BROWN RAISED
EVERYONE'S SPIRITS,

WHILE LANA SHABBAZ KEPT THE
ENTIRE ENTOURAGE WELL FED.

BELINDA BROUGHT THEIR KIDS
UP FROM CHERRY HILL OFTEN,

BUT SELDOM STAYED LONG.

ALI'S PARENTS VISITED
REGULARLY, HELPING

IN THE KITCHEN, AND
HIS BROTHER, RAHAMAN

SERVED AS A SPARRING PARTNER.

HOWARD BINGHAM
PHOTOGRAPHED IT ALL.

"THESE PEOPLE ARE LIKE A
LITTLE TOWN FOR MUHAMMAD ALI,"

HERBERT MUHAMMAD SAID.

"HE'S THE SHERIFF, THE JUDGE,
THE MAYOR, AND THE TREASURER."

I'M TRIM. MY JAW IS READY.

LOOK AT MY BODY. LOOK
AT IT. IN PERFECT SHAPE.

212 POUNDS, SAME WEIGHT
I FOUGHT SONNY LISTON.

I CHOPPED DOWN 85
TREES FOR THIS FIGHT.

TALKIN' BOUT NORTON
CLOSING MY MOUTH.

YOU TELL NORTON HE
OPENED MY MOUTH WIDER.

DON'T BELIEVE THAT STUFF.
PREDICTIN' ON THE PREDICTER.

I'M GONNA BE SO FAST.

WATCH WHAT IMMA DO WITH MY
HANDS IN THE RING THAT NIGHT.

IMMA BE SO FAST, IF NORTON
DOING THE DIRTY STUFF,

IMMA REACH FROM NOWHERE
AND PULL OUT A LONG CANE.

AND I...

MY DAD WOULD

ACTUALLY DRIVE HIS BLUEBIRD
BUS FROM CHERRY HILL

TO DEER LAKE.

AND WE WOULD ALL PACK IN
THE BUS AND HIS ENTOURAGE

AND THE BABYSITTERS
AND ALL OF US WOULD GO,

AND MY MOM AND ALL
OF US WOULD BE THERE.

DADDY HAD A WAGON.

HE WOULD DRAG US IN THE WAGON.

WE HAD PONIES
THERE. WE WOULD RIDE.

I CAN SMELL THE CEDAR WOOD.

FOND MEMORIES.

I'VE JUST COME TO SEE
MY DAUGHTER FOR A...

MOST EVENINGS AFTER DINNER,

THE GYM BECAME A
MAKESHIFT MOVIE HOUSE

AS EVERYONE PILED
IN FOR A SCREENING.

OCCASIONALLY, ON CLEAR
NIGHTS, WHEN BELINDA VISITED,

SHE AND ALI WOULD SIT IN THE
QUARRY WAGON AND SEARCH

THE SKIES FOR THE MOTHERSHIP
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD HAD PROMISED

WAS ORBITING ABOVE.

YOU MRS. MUHAMMAD ALI.

BY THE TIME HIS TRAINER ANGELO
DUNDEE ARRIVED 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE FIGHT,

ALI WAS WELL-RESTED,
IN HIGH SPIRITS,

AND IN EXCELLENT SHAPE.

♪

ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1973,
ALI FACED KEN NORTON AGAIN

AT THE FORUM IN
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

ALI HAS NOT STOPPED
DANCING FOR A SECOND.

THIS IS THE BEST I'VE SEEN ALI
LOOK SINCE GOING BACK BEFORE

THE JOE FRAZIER FIGHT.

IT'S THE OLD ALI.

YES, IT IS.

ALI STAYED ON HIS TOES
THIS TIME AND SHOWED

MORE STAMINA THAN
HE HAD IN YEARS.

WHAT A FIGHT!

BOTH MEN HAVE BEEN HURT.

THE CROWD IS GOING
ABSOLUTELY BERSERK,

AS THESE FINE
HEAVYWEIGHTS UNLEASH...

FIGHT OF THE YEAR!

THE TWO FIGHTERS
BATTLED TO A DRAW

OVER THE FIRST 11 ROUNDS.

12th AND FINAL ROUND.

BUT IN THE 12th, ALI
UNLEASHED A BARRAGE

TO NORTON'S HEAD,
OVERWHELMING HIS OPPONENT

AND TILTING THE
DECISION IN HIS FAVOR.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE
WITH MUHAMMAD HERE.

CHAMP, A GREAT FIGHT.

YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN
THIS KIND OF CONDITION

I'M SURE FOR MANY
YEARS AND YOU HAD TO BE.

RIGHT. I'M IN GOOD CONDITION,

BUT I'M TIREDER THAN
USUAL BECAUSE OF MY AGE.

NO SOONER HAD HE BEEN
DECLARED THE WINNER

THAN THE PRESS TURNED ITS
ATTENTION TO A LONG-ANTICIPATED FIGHT,

FINALLY IN THE PLANNING
STAGES: A REMATCH BETWEEN ALI

AND JOE FRAZIER.

SOME WRITERS SAW IT
AS A BATTLE OF HAS-BEENS,

WHOSE FAILURE TO FIGHT YEARS
EARLIER HAD COST THEM MILLIONS.

BUT THE REMATCH
WOULD BE A HUGE DRAW,

AND THE WINNER WOULD BE IN
LINE TO FIGHT GEORGE FOREMAN.

IT'S "TWO MEN ON A PRECIPICE,"
WROTE SPORTSWRITER MARK KRAM,

"AND POSSIBLY ONLY ONE WILL
PICK UP HIS TALENT AND GO ON."

I'LL TAKE HIM. I
KNOW I'LL TAKE HIM.

AND WHERE?

ANYWHERE! THE STREET
FIGHT AND THE RING.

KEEPS CALLING ME CLAY!

HE'S STILL CALLING ME CLAY!

I'M GOING TO GET ALL THE
UNCLE TOMS OUT OF BOXING.

I'M TIRED OF ALL THESE
UNCLE TOM NEGROES.

YOU A ONE-SIDED GUY.

YOU... YOU TALK FROM
TWO SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH!

ONE TO THE WHITE
AND ONE TO THE BLACK.

IN THE 2 1/2 YEARS
SINCE THEIR FIRST FIGHT,

THE TWO MEN HAD MADE LITTLE EFFORT
TO EASE THE ACRIMONY BETWEEN THEM.

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING,
BOY. SOMEBODY TOLD ME...

I DUNNO, WHAT'S THAT WORD?

OH.

DO YOU REALLY DISLIKE ALI?

WELL, YA KNOW.

NOTHING TO WRITE HOME
TO MOMMA ABOUT, YA KNOW.

I GOT A SPARRING PARTNER.

LET HIM OUT! LET HIM OUT!

"WE WANT EACH OTHER
BAD," SAID FRAZIER,

WHO CONTINUED TO
REFER TO ALI AS CLAY.

"IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND THIS
GUY LONG ENOUGH, YOU CAN HAVE

A LOT OF HATE IN YOUR
HEART WHEN THE BELL RINGS."

THIS GETS ME READY
FOR JOE FRAZIER.

HE RESEMBLES JOE FRAZIER.

TIME!

JOE, DOES THIS GET YOU

MORE DETERMINED TO BEAT HIM?

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.

SO WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER,

THERE'S NO TITLE AT STAKE.

AND I ASKED ALI, "WHY WOULD
PEOPLE COME TO THIS FIGHT

"WITHOUT A TITLE, YOU KNOW,

AFTER FRAZIER GOT BEAT
SO BADLY BY FOREMAN?"

AND I WAS OUT 4 YEARS AND
CAME BACK AND WHOOPED YOU.

HE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE COME TO SEE ME,

BUT IF THERE'S NO JOE FRAZIER,
THEY CAN'T SEE ME AT MY BEST."

PEOPLE ASK ME, WHAT
WAS ALI'S BEST FIGHT?

SECOND FRAZIER FIGHT.

ALI TRAINED REAL WELL.

HEAVY BAG, SPEED BAG,
GOOD SPARRING PARTNERS

IN THE COLD WEATHER, RAN.

HIS MOM AND DAD WERE
COOKING AT THE CAMP,

HIS BROTHER RAHAMAN, EVERYBODY.

EVERYTHING WAS
HITTING, EVERYTHING.

ALI HAD THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS.

I'M READY TO WHOOP
JOE FRAZIER AGAIN...

BUT THIS TIME I'LL
MAKE IT MORE CLEAR.

I'M SERIOUS THIS TIME.

JOE FRAZIER, WHO HAD
DEFENDED HIS TITLE JUST TWICE

BEFORE LOSING IT TO FOREMAN, TRAINED
WITH A SINGLE-MINDED ZEAL AS WELL,

SHAPING HIS BODY,
ONE WRITER SAID,

"LIKE A MAN HAMMERING
A STRIP OF HOT STEEL."

ON JANUARY 23rd, 5 DAYS BEFORE
THE FIGHT, THE TWO MEN JOINED

HOWARD COSELL TO TAPE A SEGMENT

FOR ABC'S "WIDE
WORLD OF SPORTS."

THAT SHOWS HOW DUMB YOU ARE

HOW COME PEOPLE...

HE BROUGHT UP THE HOSPITAL.

HE GONNA BRING UP THE
HOSPITAL. SO IGNORANT.

WHAT DIFFERENCE? WHY
DO YOU THINK I'M IGNORANT?

I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL FOR...

WHY YOU THINK I'M IGNORANT?

HOW WOULD I KNOW?

WHY YOU THINK I'M IGNORANT?

MAN, SET DOWN. SET DOWN.

SET DOWN, JOE.

WHY YOU THINK I'M IGNORANT?

SET DOWN, JOE. SET DOWN, QUICK.

WHY YOU THINK I'M IGNORANT?

THE BROTHERS ARE HERE.

YOU IN THIS, TOO?

SET DOWN, QUICK, JOE!

THIS KIND OF THING HAS
BEEN GOING ON ALL ALONG

IN TERMS OF
PROMOTION OF THE FIGHT,

AND THIS TIME IT
SEEMS TO BE FOR REAL,

BECAUSE JOE FRAZIER
IS REALLY ANGRY.

MUHAMMAD CALLED HIM
IGNORANT AND HE'S REALLY ANGRY.

I DON'T THINK THIS ONE
IS CLOWNING AT ALL.

IT'S A BAD AND AN UGLY SCENE...

YOU HAVE TO BE CRUEL

TO BE A FIGHTER, TO BEGIN WITH.

YOU HAVE TO BE
CRUEL IN THE RING.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
CRUEL OUTSIDE THE RING.

MY DIME STORE PSYCHOLOGY
ON THE WHOLE THING WAS THAT

ALI WAS CRUELEST WHEN
HE WAS MOST AFRAID,

AND I THINK HE WAS MOST
AFRAID OF JOE FRAZIER.

THE DEPLORABLE CONDUCT OF
MUHAMMAD ALI AND JOE FRAZIER...

AFTER THE TUSSLE, EACH
BOXER WAS FINED $5,000

BY THE NEW YORK STATE
ATHLETIC COMMISSION.

THIS TIME, LAS VEGAS
ODDSMAKERS FAVORED ALI.

HERE HE COMES!

AT 10:26 P.M. ON
JANUARY 28, 1974,

BEFORE A SOLD-OUT
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN,

MUHAMMAD ALI ENTERED THE RING.

HERE COMES JOE
FRAZIER. SMOKIN' JOE.

FRAZIER FOLLOWED A MINUTE LATER.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MAN
MANY CONSIDER THE MOST

SPECTACULAR ATHLETE OF
ALL TIME... MUHAMMAD ALI.

JOE FRAZIER GETS A CHANCE TO
PROVE TONIGHT WHAT HE THOUGHT

HE PROVED 3 YEARS AGO...

THAT HE'S A BETTER
FIGHTER THAN MUHAMMAD ALI.

JOE'S COMING OFF THE LOSS
AGAINST GEORGE FOREMAN.

SO THAT'S GONNA AFFECT
THE LEVEL OF THE CRAFT.

BUT WITH ALI AND JOE, IT WAS
ALWAYS HUGELY PERSONAL.

THESE GUYS DESPISE EACH OTHER.

THEY'RE FOES FOR LIFE.

IN THE 1st ROUND, ALI
SHUFFLED AND JABBED

AND KEPT FRAZIER FROM
FINDING HIS RHYTHM.

FRAZIER'S COMING IN WIDE OPEN.

WIDE OPEN!

THE QUESTION IS IF FRAZIER CAN
HOLD UP UNDER THIS PUNISHMENT

AND ALI SLOWS DOWN.

LATE IN THE 2nd, ALI
WOBBLED FRAZIER

WITH A STIFF RIGHT TO HIS HEAD.

ALI IS DOMINATING THE FIGHT.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THIS FIGHT AND THE FIRST FIGHT

IS THAT MUHAMMAD IS
FOCUSED ON MAKING JOE FIND HIM

THROUGH HIS MOVEMENT.

AND WHEN YOU'RE TRYING
TO MAKE A GUY FIND YOU,

YOU CAN DISRUPT HIS RHYTHM.

BECAUSE IF I'M MOVING, YOU
DON'T CONTROL WHEN I PUNCH.

I CONTROL WHEN YOU PUNCH.

ALI KEEPING FRAZIER OFF-BALANCE.

AS THE FIGHT WENT
ON, ALI MIXED HIS JABS

WITH HOOKS AND COMBINATIONS,
AND RELIED ON CLINCHES

TO STIFLE FRAZIER'S ATTACK.

ALI DOING THE HOLDING.

IN THE FIRST FIGHT, JOE WAS
LIKE THE TASMANIAN DEVIL.

HE WAS... HE NEVER
STOPPED PUNCHING.

AND IF ALI HELD HIM, YOU COULD
SEE JOE LIKE TAKE HIS HANDS

AND PUT 'EM DOWN AND
JUST PUN... KEPT ON PUNCHING.

WHEN ALI HELD JOE
IN THE SECOND FIGHT,

YOU NEVER SAW
JOE REACT LIKE THAT.

HE'S COOPERATING WITH MUHAMMAD.

ALI IS OUTSMARTING FRAZIER.

FRAZIER CAN'T AFFORD TO
GIVE ANY MORE ROUNDS AWAY.

FRAZIER JUST KEPT COMING,
ABSORBING ALI'S PUNCHES

AS HE ATTEMPTED TO GET
UNDER ALI'S ARMS AND LAND HIS

LETHAL LEFT HOOK.

OH! GOT HIM THERE!

WHAT WAS HOLDING FRAZIER
BACK WAS THE GHOSTS

OF GETTING KNOCKED OUT BY
GEORGE FOREMAN A YEAR PRIOR.

AND WHEN YOU'RE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION AND YOU GO TO JAMAICA

AND YOU END UP GETTING
KNOCKED OUT BY THIS GUY...

DOWN GOES FRAZIER!

IT MAKES YOU PLUMMET.

THAT'S SOMETHING
YOU'LL NEVER FORGET.

SO THIS JOE FRAZIER
AND THE ONE FROM '71,

TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

IF YOU'RE JOE FRAZIER,
EVERY TIME YOU GET HIT,

LIKE A SOLID SHOT,

YOU THINK ABOUT THE LAST
TIME YOU GOT KNOCKED OUT.

IN ROUNDS 7 AND 8,
FRAZIER BROKE THROUGH,

TAGGING ALI WITH SEVERAL
DEVASTATING PUNCHES,

INCLUDING ONE THAT
SENT ALI TO THE ROPES

AS THE BELL RANG TO
SIGNAL THE END OF THE 8th.

OH! GOT HIM, THAT HURT HIM.

ALI'S FACE IS GETTING PUFFY.

THAT'S BY FAR THE BEST
ROUND FOR JOE FRAZIER.

FRAZIER IS SO
CONFIDENT AT THIS POINT.

IN THE 9th, HIS FACE SWOLLEN
FROM FRAZIER'S BLOWS

AND HIS NOSE TRICKLING BLOOD,
ALI CONNECTED WITH 10 PUNCHES

FOR EVERY ONE LANDED BY FRAZIER,

INSPIRING CHANTS OF "ALI!"
FROM THE ELECTRIFIED CROWD.

THIS IS AS GOOD
AS THE LAST FIGHT.

PLENTY OF EXCITEMENT AT
OLD MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.

THIS IS THE LAST ROUND.

THERE'S NO TOMORROW,
ONLY TONIGHT.

THE BOUT COULD END IN A DRAW.

"YOU GOTTA STOP HIM TO WIN!"

DUNDEE SHOUTED AT ALI, AS
FRAZIER CHASED AFTER HIM,

DESPERATELY
LAUNCHING LEFT HOOKS.

YOU GOT TO WIN
THIS ROUND, CHAMP!

TREMENDOUS LEFT HOOKS!

FRAZIER'S TEEING OFF.

NOW FRAZIER IS GETTING CARELESS.

THEY'RE PUTTING
EVERYTHING INTO THIS.

NOW IT'S A BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL.

WHAT A FINISH!

♪

THERE IT IS.

IT'S ALL OVER.

THE JUDGES WILL HAVE THEIR
WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

MAY I HAVE YOUR
ATTENTION, PLEASE?

HERE IS YOUR DECISION.

THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS
DECISION IS MUHAMMAD ALI!

3 YEARS AFTER LOSING
THE "FIGHT OF THE CENTURY,"

MUHAMMAD ALI HAD AVENGED
HIS LOSS TO JOE FRAZIER.

HE'S NOT THE SAME FIGHTER
HE WAS AGAINST LISTON.

HE'S NOT UNDEFEATED
ANYMORE BECAUSE FRAZIER

ALREADY BEAT HIM.

WE KNOW HE CAN BE HURT
BECAUSE NORTON BROKE HIS JAW.

SO WHO IS THIS FIGHTER?

THIS IS THE COMPELLING
PART OF ALI AS WELL,

THE COMPETITOR WHO HAS
SOMETHING NEW FOR YOU

TO SHOW YOU THAT
THIS IS A GREAT FIGHTER.

THIS IS A GREAT MAN, AND HE
COULD ONLY DO THAT AGAINST

SOMEBODY LIKE FRAZIER.

YOU GOTTA HAVE REAL COMPETITION
TO PROVE YOUR GREATNESS.

AFTER THE FIGHT, FRAZIER
ASSURED REPORTERS

THAT HE WAS NOT FINISHED.

"I WANT HIM AGAIN," HE
TOLD THEM, "ONE MORE TIME."

"I'M GONNA GIVE JOE
ANOTHER CHANCE," SAID ALI.

"I'M NOT GONNA DUCK HIM."

I THINK THIS FIGHT WAS MUCH
BETTER THAN THE FIRST FIGHT.

YOU TALKIN' ABOUT
SUPER FIGHT NUMBER TWO...

TWO FIGHTERS THAT ARE NOT CHAMPIONS
WHO PUNCHED EACH OTHER TO DEATH.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY AGAIN
FOR THE SURPRISE OF ALL OF YOU,

WE JUST PUT ON ANOTHER
FIGHT THAT CAN'T BE TOPPED BY NO

HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT IN HISTORY.

PROMOTERS, WRITERS AND
FANS WERE EAGER TO SEE

THE TWO EX-CHAMPIONS SQUARE
OFF IN A THIRD MATCH TO SETTLE THEIR

RIVALRY ONCE AND FOR ALL.

BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING,
ALI WANTED TO REGAIN

THE HEAVYWEIGHT CROWN.

TO DO THAT, HE WOULD NEED
TO DEFEAT THE CURRENT CHAMP

GEORGE FOREMAN.

♪

GEORGE FOREMAN HAD PUT
THE FEAR OF GOD INTO PEOPLE

IN BOXING CIRCLES
BECAUSE ALI FOUGHT FRAZIER,

FRAZIER KNOCKED ALI DOWN
AND WON THE FIRST FIGHT,

FRAZIER FOUGHT GEORGE FOREMAN...

FOREMAN IS ALL OVER JOE FRAZIER.

AND IN THE FIRST 2
ROUNDS OF THE FIGHT,

GOT DEMOLISHED.

IT IS OVER! IT IS OVER
IN THE 2nd ROUND.

GEORGE FOREMAN, NOT
ONLY WAS HE BEATING PEOPLE,

HE WAS DESTROYING PEOPLE.

HE WAS KNOCKING PEOPLE
OUT LIKE IT WAS NOTHING.

♪ SO I PLAY THE PART I FEEL... ♪

25-YEAR-OLD GEORGE
FOREMAN STOOD 6'4"

AND WEIGHED 225 POUNDS.

HE HAD WON ALL 39 OF HIS
FIGHTS, 36 BY KNOCKOUT.

♪ ...IN THIS CRAZY TOWN ♪

RAISED POOR AND HUNGRY

IN A FLOOD-PRONE,
CRIME-RIDDEN SECTION

OF HOUSTON KNOWN
AS "THE BLOODY FIFTH,"

FOREMAN WAS FREQUENTLY
IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW

BEFORE HE JOINED
THE JOB CORPS AT 16,

WHERE HE GOT HIS GED,
TRAINED TO BE A CARPENTER

AND A BRICKLAYER,
AND TOOK UP BOXING.

I GOT A LOT OF WORK TO
DO BEFORE I TURN PRO,

BUT WHEN I DO START,
I'M GOING ALL THE WAY UP.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN
BY ALL THE WAY UP?

ALL THE WAY UP TO
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

OF THE WORLD, FOR REAL.

BY 20, HE HAD WON A
GOLD MEDAL AT THE 1968

MEXICO CITY OLYMPICS
AND TURNED PROFESSIONAL.

♪ IN THIS CRAZY TOWN... ♪

THE WAY TO BEAT FOREMAN,
WROTE THE SCOTTISH SPORTSWRITER

HUGH McILVANNEY,
"INVOLVES SHELLING HIM

FOR 3 DAYS AND THEN
SENDING IN THE INFANTRY."

"HE'S NOT THE REAL CHAMP,"
SCOFFED ALI, WHO CALLED

FOREMAN A "SISSY FIGHTER."

"I'M THE REAL CHAMP."

♪

"THERE'LL BE A FIGHT WHEN
GEORGE FOREMAN TELLS US

HE WANTS TO FIGHT," SAID ALI'S
PROMOTER AND ATTORNEY BOB ARUM,

WHO BELIEVED THAT IT
WOULD TAKE $10 MILLION,

$5 MILLION TO EACH BOXER,
TO GET THE MATCH MADE.

BUT ARUM WAS NOT THE
ONLY PROMOTER WITH PLANS

FOR MUHAMMAD ALI.

DON KING HAD ONCE RUN
AN ILLEGAL NUMBERS GAME

IN CLEVELAND, OHIO
BEFORE HE WAS FOUND GUILTY

OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER

FOR STOMPING A FORMER
ASSOCIATE TO DEATH

OUTSIDE A BAR IN 1966
OVER AN UNPAID DEBT.

WHEN THE JUDGE UNEXPECTEDLY
REDUCED HIS LIFE SENTENCE,

KING ENDED UP SERVING
LESS THAN 4 YEARS IN PRISON.

AFTER HIS RELEASE, HE
CONVINCED ALI TO BOX

AT A BENEFIT FOR A FAILING
CLEVELAND HOSPITAL.

THOUGH THEIR EFFORTS RAISED
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS,

FOREST CITY HOSPITAL
SAW LITTLE OF IT

AND CLOSED 5 YEARS LATER.

BUT DON KING HAD
DISCOVERED HIS CALLING.

I AM VERY HAPPY
TO BE A PART OF THIS,

AND I AM AN
EXTRAORDINARY HUSTLER.

SO THEREFORE, I FEEL THAT
I AM LIKENED TO ONLY 2 OR 3

GIANT PROMOTERS IN THE
LIFETIME THAT WE HAVE LIVED IN,

AND THAT'S P.T. BARNUM AND
MICHAEL TODD AND YOURS TRULY.

LOUD AND BLUSTERY, DON KING
SPOKE IN RHYTHMIC TORRENTS,

QUOTED SHAKESPEARE LIBERALLY,
AND KEPT HIS SAVINGS IN CASH,

SO THAT THE WHITE MAN
COULD NOT TAKE HIS MONEY

AND NO ONE COULD FIND
OUT HOW MUCH HE HAD.

HE WAS PERSISTENT AND
PERSUASIVE, AND AS AN EMERGING

BLACK PROMOTER IN A
WHITE-CONTROLLED PROFESSION,

HE COULD OFFER A POWERFUL MESSAGE
TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOXERS

WHO DOMINATED THE SPORT...
THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THEM

IN WAYS WHITE
PROMOTERS NEVER COULD.

KING BOUGHT A STAKE IN SEVERAL
UP-AND-COMING HEAVYWEIGHTS,

STAGED DRAMATIC
PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS,

DOUBLE-CROSSED HIS PARTNERS,

STIFFED THE BOXERS, AND DROPPED
THEM AS SOON AS THEY LOST.

BUT BEFORE HE COULD
REPRESENT ALI, KING NEEDED TO

GET APPROVAL FROM ELIJAH
MUHAMMAD, WHO HAD QUIETLY

EMBRACED THE BOXER AGAIN.

AT A MEETING IN CHICAGO, KING
ASKED THE NATION OF ISLAM'S LEADER

WHY HE ALLOWED A
WHITE MAN, BOB ARUM,

TO PROMOTE ALI'S FIGHTS.

DON KING ASSURED HIM
THAT HE COULD DO IT BETTER.

EVEN THOUGH KING REJECTED AN
INVITATION TO JOIN THE NATION OF ISLAM,

ELIJAH MUHAMMAD GAVE
THE PROMOTER HIS BLESSING.

KING'S PITCH WITH EVERY
BLACK ATHLETE WAS, "DON'T DO

"BUSINESS WITH THE
JEW, DO BUSINESS WITH ME.

I'M THE SAME KIND AS YOU."

DON KING TOLD ALI AND
HERBERT MUHAMMAD THAT HE

WOULD GET ALI AND GEORGE
FOREMAN $5 MILLION EACH...

TWICE WHAT ALI AND FRAZIER
MADE IN THEIR TITLE FIGHT.

KING PROMISED ALI AN ADVANCE
AND AGREED THAT IF HE FAILED

TO MAKE ANY OF THE SUBSEQUENT
PAYMENTS, ALI COULD WALK AWAY

AND KEEP WHATEVER
HE'D ALREADY BEEN PAID.

AND, HERBERT CAME TO ME
AND SAID, "WHAT SHOULD HE DO?"

I SAID, "GET A DOWN
PAYMENT, TAKE THE MONEY,

"AND IT'S EASY MONEY.

"YOU'LL... YOU'LL GET THE
DOWN PAYMENT AND WALK AWAY.

NO WAY HE'S GONNA
GET THE MONEY."

"THIS ISN'T JUST ANOTHER
FIGHT," KING TOLD ALI.

"FREEDOM. JUSTICE.

"THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL BE GAINING
FOR YOUR PEOPLE BY GETTING

THE TITLE BACK."

ON FEBRUARY 14, 1974,
KING FLEW TO CALIFORNIA,

WHERE GEORGE FOREMAN
WAS TRAINING FOR AN UPCOMING

BOUT WITH KEN NORTON.

THE PROMOTER CORNERED THE
CHAMPION IN THE PARKING LOT

OF HIS HOTEL.

RECENTLY DIVORCED, HIS
FINANCES IN DISARRAY AFTER

HEEDING THE SHABBY ADVICE
OF HIS HANDLERS, AND UNABLE TO

FIGHT IN THE U.S. DUE TO LIENS
ON HIS EARNINGS, FOREMAN WAS

IN A FOUL MOOD.

THE MEN PACED THE LOT FOR
TWO HOURS AS KING MADE HIS PITCH.

"I KNOW PEOPLE BEEN SCREWIN'
YOU," KING TOLD THE CHAMP,

"BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A
CHANCE TO MAKE $5 MILLION."

KING ALSO PROMISED
FOREMAN HE COULD DELIVER ALI.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT
FOR GEORGE FOREMAN.

WHEN I WENT TO GEORGE
FOREMAN AND I PRESENTED THAT

ALI WAS MY FRIEND AND THAT I
COULD DELIVER HIM, YOU KNOW,

HE SAY, "WHAT CAN I WIN
BEATING UP AN OLD MAN?"

HE SAYS, "IF I HURT HIM,
EVERYBODY GONNA LOOK AT ME

"WITH DISDAIN BECAUSE
THE PEOPLE LOVE HIM.

AND BESIDES THAT,
HE TALKS TOO MUCH."

AND I SAY, "THAT'S
IT, GEORGE. THAT'S IT.

"I HAVE TO AGREE WITH
YOU THERE. SHUT HIS MOUTH."

"THIS IS MY
PROMOTION," SAID KING,

POINTING TO THE SKIN ON HIS ARM.

"I'M GIVING YOU MY
TRUST," FOREMAN TOLD HIM.

"YOU GOT THE FIGHT."

BEFORE PARTING WAYS, KING
HAD FOREMAN SIGN 3 BLANK PAGES,

PROMISING HE WOULD FILL IN
THE DETAILS LATER AND THEN SEND

THE AGREEMENT TO
FOREMAN'S LAWYER.

GEORGE HITS MUCH
HARDER THAN I DO.

ON MARCH 26, 1974,
MUHAMMAD ALI SAT

RINGSIDE IN CARACAS, VENEZUELA
AS FOREMAN STOPPED KEN NORTON

2 MINUTES INTO ROUND 2.

I'M SURE THAT WHEN I
MEET GEORGE FOREMAN,

THIS IS GONNA BE A TOUGH FIGHT,

BUT I'M SURE AND CONFIDENT
AFTER WATCHING THIS THAT

I'LL BE THE NEXT WORLD
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

WILL YOU BE FIGHTING HIM IN
AFRICA IN SEPTEMBER AS REPORTED?

YES, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM IN A
PLACE WHERE YOU CAN'T COME.

HOWARD, I'M GONNA
FIGHT HIM IN THE CONGO

WHERE THE LUMUMBA BOYS ARE.

AND IF YOU COME OVER THERE
AGITATIN', YOU'LL GET COOKED!

IN THE WEEKS SINCE ALI AND
FOREMAN HAD SIGNED WITH KING,

THE PROMOTER HAD CHASED
FINANCING FROM WALL STREET

TO DALLAS TO MADISON SQUARE
GARDEN AND EVENTUALLY TO PARIS,

WHERE HE CONVINCED
REPRESENTATIVES

OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAIRE,
A FORMER BELGIAN COLONY

IN CENTRAL AFRICA,
TO BACK THE FIGHT.

ON THE FLIGHT HOME FROM
CARACAS, MUHAMMAD ALI HAD

QUIZZED THE FORMER
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION JOE LOUIS.

"DID YOU EVER CHOP WOOD WHEN
YOU WERE IN TRAINING?" HE ASKED.

"ALL THE TIME," RESPONDED LOUIS.

"I THINK I'LL CHOP SOME BEFORE
THE FOREMAN FIGHT," SAID ALI.

"BETTER CHOP A
LOT," LOUIS ADVISED.

♪ I WATCHED WITH GLEE WHILE
YOUR KINGS AND QUEENS ♪

♪ FOUGHT FOR 10 DECADES
FOR THE GODS THEY MADE ♪

♪ I SHOUTED OUT, "WHO
KILLED THE KENNEDYS?" ♪

♪ WHEN AFTER ALL,
IT WAS YOU AND ME ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ LET ME PLEASE
INTRODUCE MYSELF ♪

♪ I'M A MAN OF
WEALTH AND TASTE ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ AND I LAID TRAPS
FOR TROUBADOURS ♪

♪ WHO GET KILLED BEFORE
THEY REACH BOMBAY ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ PLEASED TO MEET YOU,
HOPE YOU GUESSED MY NAME ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ OH, YEAH ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ BUT WHAT'S PUZZLING YOU ♪

♪ IS THE NATURE OF MY GAME ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ AW, YEAH ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ GET DOWN WITH IT ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ BA DUM DUM DUM ♪

♪ BA DUM DUM BA
BUM BA DOOM DOOM ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ AH, YEAH ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ TELL ME BABY ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ WHAT'S MY NAME? ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ TELL ME, HONEY ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ CAN YOU GUESS MY NAME? ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ TELL ME, BABY ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ WHAT'S MY NAME? ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ I TELL YOU ONE TIME ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ YOU'RE TO BLAME ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪
♪ UH-HUH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ WHOO! ALL RIGHT ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH OOH, OOH OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH OOH, OH, YEAH ♪

♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OH, OH, WHAT'S MY NAME? ♪
♪ OOH OOH ♪

♪ BABY, BABY, OH,
WHAT'S MY NAME? ♪

♪ TELL ME, SWEETIE,
OH, WHAT'S MY NAME? ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH OOH, OOH OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH, OOH OOH ♪

♪ OOH OOH... ♪

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.