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Help everyone explore
new worlds and ideas.
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Support your PBS station.
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ACTOR: (AS ALI) This is the
legend of Cassius Clay,
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the most beautiful
fighter in the world today.
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There'll never be another
Muhammad Ali.
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He was something fresh.
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He was something
we'd never seen.
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ACTOR: (AS ALI)
This I predict
and I know the score,
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I'll be champ
of the world in '64.
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NARRATOR:
Since he first fought his way
to public attention,
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he's been among
the most charismatic
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and polarizing
cultural figures
on the world stage.
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Big mouth, loud mouth,
Louisville lip.
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BOTH: Float like a butterfly,
sting like a bee. Ahhh!
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You said, "Muhammad Ali,"
you said, "Voice, mouth."
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And this might shock
and amaze ya,
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but I will destroy
Joe Frazier.
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Ali is the people's champ.
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Ali is the revolution.
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Cassius Clay is a name
no more, is that right?
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Yes, sir, it's Muhammad Ali.
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Here was this young
kid from Louisville
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telling the truth about
the way things were.
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He was gonna be very vocal
about the problems
this country had.
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NARRATOR: In a turbulent time,
he fearlessly fused sports,
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politics, race and religion.
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When Ali refused induction
into the United States army...
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So many people were
ready to crucify him
for his stance.
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NARRATOR:
Stripped of his title
and exiled from the ring,
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he became a symbol
of principled defiance.
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LL COOL J:
Three and a half years
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out of the game
because he did what he
believed was right.
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NARRATOR: In an epic comeback,
he beat the odds,
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his stunning victories
transcending the sport itself.
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JIM BROWN: When have you
ever had a fighter
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become bigger than life,
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defy the government and win
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and then come back
and become champion
of the world again?
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NARRATOR: This is the story
of Muhammad Ali.
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ACTOR: (AS ALI)
I am the greatest!
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NARRATOR: On the night
of July 19th, 1996,
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the whole world watches as
54-year-old Muhammad Ali
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sets the cauldron ablaze
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at the Olympic games
in Atlanta.
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The sight of the Olympic
gold medalist
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and three-time heavyweight
boxing champion
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defying Parkinson's disease
to light the Olympic flame
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warms public affection
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for a man who,
three decades earlier,
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was a racial and political
lightning rod.
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BROWN: It was a great thing
for the country,
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and it was a great
thing for Muhammad Ali.
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But if he were not sick,
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would America have
allowed him to do
the same thing?
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Muhammad Ali has
been beatified in some ways
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because he's
no longer threatening
to the establishment.
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People forgot
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that there was a time
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when Muhammad Ali
was very dangerous.
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NARRATOR:
He was dangerous in the ring.
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ANNOUNCER:
If he goes down again,
it's over!
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Hey, I'm the greatest
thing that ever lived!
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I shook up the world!
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I shook up the world!
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NARRATOR: But some
saw him as dangerous
outside the ring.
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Out of all people, it takes
a Uncle Tom negro
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to keep continually
calling me by a slave name,
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which is white name,
Cassius Clay.
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He was against the war when
for the first time,
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we, as Americans,
actually said,
"No this isn't right."
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He was a champion when
we were gaining black pride
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and civil rights.
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He was our moral conscience,
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he was our athletic dream.
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Muhammad Ali epitomized
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what we were all about
in the '60s.
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He was on a spiritual quest.
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Breaking out,
coming out of Louisville,
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going on that
search for meaning,
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going to the Olympics,
coming back, meeting
the dark forces.
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Three and a half
years of exile
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while he's fighting
for his life.
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And then coming out on top.
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It's the hero's journey, man.
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ACTOR: (AS ALI)
I'm going to save boxing.
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I'm good looking,
clean living,
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cultured, and I am modest.
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(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
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NARRATOR: The man who would
become Muhammad Ali
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is born Cassius Marcellus Clay
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in Louisville, Kentucky
in 1942,
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the era of the segregated
Jim Crow South.
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You know, a black man
was always supposed
to be subservient.
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Always supposed to say,
"Yes, sir, boss."
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And you're supposed
to just, you know,
play that game forever.
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When we woke up
in the morning,
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the first thing that
comes to your mind
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is that your blackness
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is gonna be what white America
is gonna look at
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and judge you by.
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THOMAS HAUSER:
Blacks, if they were lucky,
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could aspire to be teachers,
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but that was the top
of the social strata.
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Most often it was the
black citizens of Louisville
who raked manure
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into the backstretch
at Churchill Downs.
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NARRATOR: Cassius and his
younger brother, Rudy,
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are raised in Louisville's
struggling black middle class.
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Cassius Clay didn't
grow up in a ghetto.
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His family lived in
a very modest but
comfortable house.
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He had two parents at home.
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There was always
enough to eat.
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He always had money
for clothes.
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NARRATOR:
Clay's father is a skilled
sign painter.
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A proud and volatile man.
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MAY MAY ALI:
You know, my grandfather,
Cassius Clay Sr,
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you know, he's kind
of my father's genes,
you know?
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Very extroverted
and bold and loved himself,
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so he got a lot
of that from his father.
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HAUSER: Odessa Clay was
a very sweet nurturing woman.
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And when you
looked at Cassius,
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you saw the two parents
fused into one personality.
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NARRATOR:
As with many classic heroes,
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the origin of Muhammad Ali
involves a twist of fate.
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In 1954,
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12-year-old Cassius Clay
rides his brand new bicycle
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to a black business expo
in downtown Louisville.
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Cassius spent some time
walking around,
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getting free candy,
seeing what was there.
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When it was time to leave,
he went outside,
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and his new red and white
Schwinn bicycle
had been stolen.
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Somebody told him
there was a policeman
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in the basement
of the building
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teaching youngsters
how to box.
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NARRATOR:
Furious young Clay finds
Officer Joe Martin
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in the Columbia Gym.
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Clay is ready to fight
whoever stole his bike.
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Martin calms him down
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and suggests that
if he wants to fight,
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he should first learn how.
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Martin teaches the
89-pound Clay how to box.
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And his teenage student
is eager to learn.
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Within weeks, young Clay
wins his first amateur bout.
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It's the start
of something bigger
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than either of them
can possibly imagine.
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There was another
black trainer
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at a black gym
named Fred Stoner
who he also worked with.
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But Joe Martin was the person
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that was held up
and put out front
for the publicity.
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Here's the white policeman.
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He taught this young
fellow how to box.
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It's a feel good story.
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NARRATOR: Ambitious,
driven, Cassius Clay
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becomes a National
Golden Gloves champion.
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ANNOUNCER: It's a
TKO decision for Cassius Clay.
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NARRATOR: Rock and roll
pioneer Lloyd Price
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often gigs in Louisville.
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But despite the fact
that his song,
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Stagger Lee is topping
the charts,
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he's got to find lodging
in a guest house
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on the black side of town.
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LLOYD PRICE:
There was a corner spot
called Rivers Lounge.
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And I would go there
because it wasn't far
from the guesthouse.
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And this young Cassius Clay
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would always come by there.
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And him and his brother,
Rudolph was his name.
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And, uh, he said
that he's gonna be
the champion of the world.
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He always had a big mouth,
you know.
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"I'm gonna be the champion
of the world."
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You know,
he had all this energy.
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And he was ambitious and
young guys at that time, uh,
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wasn't thinking like
he was thinking.
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NARRATOR:
John F. Kennedy is running
for President in May of 1960
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as 18-year-old Golden Gloves
champ Cassius Clay
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wins the US Olympic trials
in San Francisco,
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then goes on to take
the light heavyweight
gold medal
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at the summer games in Rome.
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1960, I'm in the
Olympic Village in Rome,
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and this person
is sitting on some steps,
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and he's got a gold medal
around his neck,
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and he's talking about what
he's going to do with his life
in very loud terms.
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And the thing that caught me
about him, I noticed,
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all the women turned around
when they got five yards away
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to take a second look.
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NARRATOR:
But despite all the attention
he gets in Rome,
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Clay finds that Olympic gold
still won't buy him
a place at the table
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in his own hometown.
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Here we were being idolized as
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00:08:58,505 --> 00:09:00,540
competing athletes
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00:09:00,641 --> 00:09:02,442
on one hand,
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and then on the other hand
there were certain restaurants
you couldn't go in.
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00:09:07,014 --> 00:09:08,348
You know, it's not fun
for people to tell you,
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00:09:08,448 --> 00:09:09,850
"Yo, you can't eat here."
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It's irritating when people
try to hold you down.
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You don't get up and
start chanting, you know.
(CHUCKLES)
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You know, you get up
and start swinging.
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NARRATOR:
Boxing in 1960 has been
a notoriously corrupt sport,
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00:09:30,103 --> 00:09:34,041
rife with mob influence
and crooked managers.
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00:09:34,141 --> 00:09:37,177
Into this cesspool
step 11 prominent
Louisville businessmen,
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00:09:37,277 --> 00:09:39,279
backing their hometown
Olympic hero.
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00:09:39,379 --> 00:09:41,314
BOB ARUM:
The Louisville
Sponsoring Group,
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00:09:41,414 --> 00:09:43,717
were composed of white men,
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00:09:43,817 --> 00:09:45,886
uh, who had good intentions.
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DAVE KINDRED:
They were gonna help Clay
be something,
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00:09:48,622 --> 00:09:52,392
keep him out
of the clutches of evil.
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00:09:52,492 --> 00:09:54,662
NARRATOR:
With the sponsoring group
in his corner,
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00:09:54,762 --> 00:09:56,964
the former amateur
Olympian begins
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00:09:57,064 --> 00:10:01,201
his professional career
on October 29th, 1960.
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00:10:01,301 --> 00:10:05,138
Tunney Hunsaker is
the first to fall victim
to Clay's raw talent.
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00:10:07,908 --> 00:10:10,043
Realizing their promising
young fighter
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00:10:10,143 --> 00:10:12,345
needs an experienced
professional trainer,
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00:10:12,445 --> 00:10:16,249
the group sends Clay to Miami
to work with Angelo Dundee,
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00:10:16,349 --> 00:10:19,352
who had trained world
champion Carmen Basilio.
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00:10:19,452 --> 00:10:22,455
BOBBY GOODMAN:
Few people in the history
of our game were ever
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00:10:22,555 --> 00:10:24,892
finer cornermen
than Angelo Dundee.
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00:10:24,992 --> 00:10:29,262
Angelo used to say,
"This kid does
everything wrong,
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00:10:29,362 --> 00:10:30,931
"does everything wrong.
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00:10:31,765 --> 00:10:33,701
"But it comes out right."
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He did everything, what they
would characterize as being
wrong fundamentally.
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00:10:37,738 --> 00:10:40,674
He kept his hands down,
he swayed back and forth.
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00:10:40,774 --> 00:10:44,745
He'd just pull out punches
just by millimeters.
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NARRATOR:
Over the next two years,
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00:10:48,381 --> 00:10:52,052
Dundee guides
the unorthodox Clay
to 19 victories in a row
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00:10:52,152 --> 00:10:54,387
against a parade
of heavyweights.
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00:10:54,487 --> 00:10:57,124
Some are a challenge
for the flashy young fighter.
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00:10:58,859 --> 00:11:00,227
Most are not.
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00:11:02,262 --> 00:11:05,098
Heavyweights were not known
to be that fast
227
00:11:05,198 --> 00:11:07,667
and that mobile
and that fluid.
228
00:11:07,768 --> 00:11:09,737
And guys couldn't hit him,
especially heavyweights.
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00:11:09,837 --> 00:11:12,205
He might be big
and he might be tall,
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00:11:12,305 --> 00:11:15,075
but if he mess with me
he sure will fall.
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00:11:16,576 --> 00:11:18,111
NARRATOR:
Gaining self-confidence,
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00:11:18,211 --> 00:11:21,448
Clay starts predicting
the round his
opponents will fall.
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00:11:21,548 --> 00:11:23,683
PRICE: That he's gonna
knock 'em out in the fourth.
He did it.
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00:11:23,784 --> 00:11:25,886
He's gonna knock 'em
out in five. He did it.
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00:11:25,986 --> 00:11:27,755
Seven, he did it.
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00:11:27,855 --> 00:11:29,622
You know,
that self-confidence,
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00:11:29,723 --> 00:11:31,725
it's amazing
what it will do to you.
238
00:11:31,825 --> 00:11:33,660
You want to make
a prediction in rhyme
239
00:11:33,761 --> 00:11:35,328
or are you gonna work on that
for a while?
240
00:11:35,428 --> 00:11:38,065
Well, it'll have to be
in rhyme every time.
241
00:11:38,165 --> 00:11:40,801
MAY MAY: My father had
to market his fights
242
00:11:40,901 --> 00:11:43,270
and doing poetry and making
rhymes and...
243
00:11:43,370 --> 00:11:45,238
I'll never forget.
I said, "Dad, where did
you get that from?"
244
00:11:45,338 --> 00:11:46,373
And he says, you know...
245
00:11:46,473 --> 00:11:49,042
He goes, "There was
a wrestler, Gorgeous George."
246
00:11:49,142 --> 00:11:50,811
BELINDA ALI:
Gorgeous George.
247
00:11:50,911 --> 00:11:54,247
He would say, "He was
pretty and he would
comb his blond hair
248
00:11:54,347 --> 00:11:56,516
"and have two
chicks on his arm..."
249
00:11:56,616 --> 00:11:58,418
"And people would
just hate him."
250
00:12:01,621 --> 00:12:05,358
"They would just fill
the whole auditorium
just to see this guy get hit."
251
00:12:07,795 --> 00:12:09,963
NARRATOR:
Inspired by Gorgeous George,
252
00:12:10,063 --> 00:12:13,333
Clay creates his own
supremely confident persona.
253
00:12:13,433 --> 00:12:17,537
BOTH: Float like a butterfly,
sting like a bee! Ahhh!
254
00:12:17,637 --> 00:12:20,774
Rumble, young man, rumble!
Ahhh!
255
00:12:20,874 --> 00:12:23,676
LL COOL J:
Ali's the archetype
for a rapper.
256
00:12:23,777 --> 00:12:25,645
Cockiness, the brashness,
257
00:12:25,745 --> 00:12:28,715
the offensiveness,
the abrasiveness.
258
00:12:28,816 --> 00:12:30,818
Hip-hop is about revolution.
259
00:12:30,918 --> 00:12:32,719
Hip-hop is a voice
for the people.
260
00:12:32,820 --> 00:12:34,354
Ali is the people's champ.
261
00:12:34,454 --> 00:12:36,523
Ali is the revolution.
262
00:12:36,623 --> 00:12:40,260
The real dive will come
on November, the 16th
263
00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,796
and in your heart
you know I'm right.
264
00:12:42,896 --> 00:12:44,464
He's new to this game,
265
00:12:44,564 --> 00:12:46,433
he's got all these
microphones and
cameras in his face.
266
00:12:46,533 --> 00:12:49,002
He knows that there's
a portion of the country
267
00:12:49,102 --> 00:12:51,071
that despises him
and hates him.
268
00:12:51,171 --> 00:12:52,505
Ali was completely hip-hop.
269
00:12:54,307 --> 00:12:57,811
NARRATOR: By 1963,
Clay's audacious antics
270
00:12:57,911 --> 00:13:02,015
make him unpopular
with many sportswriters
and boxing fans.
271
00:13:02,115 --> 00:13:05,218
There wasn't much that
the older generation liked
272
00:13:06,019 --> 00:13:07,454
about Cassius Clay.
273
00:13:07,554 --> 00:13:09,556
The way he dissed them,
274
00:13:09,656 --> 00:13:11,658
laughed at their questions.
275
00:13:11,758 --> 00:13:14,127
A hint to the wise
is sufficient.
276
00:13:14,227 --> 00:13:16,129
I remember seeing
a Joe Lewis fight.
277
00:13:16,229 --> 00:13:18,498
Um, they asked him
his reaction, he said,
"I glad I win."
278
00:13:18,598 --> 00:13:21,835
Suddenly there was this guy
who was not only articulate,
279
00:13:21,935 --> 00:13:23,470
but almost poetic
280
00:13:23,570 --> 00:13:25,572
and with a great deal
of braggadocio to boot.
281
00:13:25,672 --> 00:13:28,008
ACTOR: (AS ALI) I am the man
this poem is about,
282
00:13:28,108 --> 00:13:30,577
the next champ of the world,
there isn't a doubt.
283
00:13:30,677 --> 00:13:31,778
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
284
00:13:31,879 --> 00:13:34,414
If he told funny poems,
it would be one thing,
285
00:13:34,514 --> 00:13:36,850
but he tells funny poems,
he tells you how great he is
286
00:13:36,950 --> 00:13:38,986
to have written them
and how great a fighter he is.
287
00:13:39,086 --> 00:13:40,787
And he's the greatest
of all time.
288
00:13:40,888 --> 00:13:42,622
That rubbed some
people the wrong way.
289
00:13:42,722 --> 00:13:44,524
He was the best at everything,
290
00:13:44,624 --> 00:13:47,227
he was the most beautiful
and he hadn't really proven
himself yet.
291
00:13:47,327 --> 00:13:51,164
So all the people are
looking at him like,
"Who does he think he is?"
292
00:13:51,264 --> 00:13:54,067
NARRATOR:
But the example of a proud,
confident black man
293
00:13:54,167 --> 00:13:56,769
appeals to a young
generation who admire the fact
294
00:13:56,870 --> 00:13:59,372
that Clay isn't afraid
to represent.
295
00:14:01,074 --> 00:14:04,211
To African Americans,
he was a source of pride
296
00:14:04,311 --> 00:14:06,813
in that he took great delight
in who he was
297
00:14:06,914 --> 00:14:09,049
and in broadcasting
it to everyone.
298
00:14:09,149 --> 00:14:12,252
Just to say that you
love yourself
and have self-pride,
299
00:14:12,352 --> 00:14:14,087
showed people that
they can do the same.
300
00:14:14,187 --> 00:14:17,157
He made me feel proud
to be a black man.
301
00:14:17,257 --> 00:14:20,060
He just represented
a symbol of strength to me.
302
00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,495
ACTOR: (AS ALI) I am going to
make boxing popular again,
303
00:14:22,595 --> 00:14:25,498
me with my beautiful,
colorful personality.
304
00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,669
NARRATOR: 21-year-old Clay
is eager to prove
305
00:14:29,769 --> 00:14:31,404
he's more than
a pretty face.
306
00:14:31,504 --> 00:14:33,373
Now a top
heavyweight contender,
307
00:14:33,473 --> 00:14:35,875
he campaigns to fight
the reigning champ,
308
00:14:35,976 --> 00:14:37,210
Sonny Liston.
309
00:14:37,310 --> 00:14:40,813
He went after Sonny
with a vengeance.
310
00:14:40,914 --> 00:14:42,682
I want that bear.
311
00:14:42,782 --> 00:14:43,951
-And what's going
to happen to him?
-I want that bear.
312
00:14:44,051 --> 00:14:44,985
REPORTER: What's gonna
happen to him?
313
00:14:45,085 --> 00:14:46,719
He might be great,
but he'll fall in eight.
314
00:14:46,819 --> 00:14:50,757
He's driving a bus
onto Sonny's lawn
315
00:14:50,857 --> 00:14:52,892
and he's yelling,
"I want the bear!
316
00:14:52,993 --> 00:14:55,262
"Get the bear out here.
Come on, bear."
317
00:14:55,362 --> 00:14:57,464
It was starting to get
under Sonny's skin.
318
00:14:57,564 --> 00:14:59,332
That big, ugly bear.
I'm tired of hearing this.
319
00:14:59,432 --> 00:15:01,234
And everywhere I go
they're talking about Liston.
320
00:15:01,334 --> 00:15:03,436
I can't wait for him and
he's gonna fall in eight.
321
00:15:03,536 --> 00:15:05,505
HAUSER:
He really tormented Liston.
322
00:15:05,605 --> 00:15:08,441
And finally Liston said,
"Yeah, I'll fight him.
323
00:15:08,541 --> 00:15:10,577
"It'll be easy money."
324
00:15:10,677 --> 00:15:15,515
Everybody believed that Liston
would annihilate this guy
325
00:15:15,615 --> 00:15:18,285
because he was all talk.
326
00:15:18,385 --> 00:15:22,189
If Sonny Liston
whoops me, I'll kiss
his feet in the rain!
327
00:15:22,289 --> 00:15:24,257
NARRATOR:
With a record of 36-1,
328
00:15:24,357 --> 00:15:26,526
Liston is a fearsome champion,
329
00:15:26,626 --> 00:15:29,862
a former mob
enforcer with ties
to organized crime.
330
00:15:29,963 --> 00:15:31,298
BRYANT GUMBEL:
He was frightening.
331
00:15:31,398 --> 00:15:35,602
Sonny was a guy
who was meant to hurt people.
332
00:15:35,702 --> 00:15:38,071
Sonny Liston was Godzilla.
333
00:15:38,171 --> 00:15:42,442
Sonny Liston was going
to reign for 1000 years.
334
00:15:44,044 --> 00:15:46,413
NARRATOR:
Adding to the foreboding
sense of drama
335
00:15:46,513 --> 00:15:50,517
was the presence of members
of the controversial
Nation of Islam.
336
00:15:50,617 --> 00:15:54,287
Nation of Islam was
an isolationist group.
337
00:15:54,387 --> 00:15:58,558
Uh, Elijah Mohammad wanted
his own nation
338
00:15:58,658 --> 00:16:01,028
inside the United States.
339
00:16:01,128 --> 00:16:03,030
You know, so it was...
It was scary.
340
00:16:03,130 --> 00:16:04,564
NARRATOR:
For the past few years,
341
00:16:04,664 --> 00:16:07,600
Clay has been
studying the tenants
of the Nation of Islam,
342
00:16:07,700 --> 00:16:10,270
as espoused by its leader,
Elijah Muhammad,
343
00:16:10,370 --> 00:16:14,807
who preaches that
white people are devils
created by an evil scientist.
344
00:16:14,907 --> 00:16:19,146
But Clay is drawn
to the basic message
of black empowerment.
345
00:16:19,246 --> 00:16:23,616
It made him understand
and promote,
"What is your history?
346
00:16:23,716 --> 00:16:26,019
"What is your African history?
Who are you?
347
00:16:26,119 --> 00:16:28,455
"What is your name?
Why do you have that name?"
348
00:16:28,555 --> 00:16:33,593
I'd never heard anything
like I heard going
to the meetings with Ali.
349
00:16:33,693 --> 00:16:35,562
About, you are somebody.
350
00:16:35,662 --> 00:16:39,299
A black man got
as much right to live
as any other man.
351
00:16:39,399 --> 00:16:41,568
For the first time in my life,
352
00:16:41,668 --> 00:16:46,339
as a grown man who had
been a star, had sold
millions of records,
353
00:16:46,439 --> 00:16:49,376
you start to feel like
you are somebody.
354
00:16:49,476 --> 00:16:52,745
And I can understand
how he got hooked.
355
00:16:52,845 --> 00:16:56,049
NARRATOR: Clay is inspired
by the Nation's assertion
of black pride,
356
00:16:56,149 --> 00:17:00,787
but the presence in his
camp of the Nation of Islam's
controversial Malcolm X
357
00:17:00,887 --> 00:17:02,589
threatens the Liston fight.
358
00:17:02,689 --> 00:17:05,892
Malcolm X, I want to talk
with you briefly
359
00:17:05,992 --> 00:17:07,294
about your affiliation
with Cassius.
360
00:17:07,394 --> 00:17:08,961
How long have you known him?
361
00:17:09,062 --> 00:17:10,330
About three years.
362
00:17:10,430 --> 00:17:11,898
NARRATOR:
Just months before,
363
00:17:11,998 --> 00:17:13,566
Malcolm X caused an uproar
364
00:17:13,666 --> 00:17:16,303
by suggesting that
President Kennedy's
assassination
365
00:17:16,403 --> 00:17:19,772
was a case of quote,
"The chickens coming
home to roost."
366
00:17:19,872 --> 00:17:22,375
REPORTER: You did not say
that you were glad
the President was killed?
367
00:17:22,475 --> 00:17:24,277
No, that's what
the press said.
368
00:17:24,377 --> 00:17:26,813
NARRATOR:
The promoter fears that
negative publicity
369
00:17:26,913 --> 00:17:28,181
will kill ticket sales.
370
00:17:28,281 --> 00:17:30,950
So Clay's camp gets Malcolm
to leave Miami
371
00:17:31,050 --> 00:17:32,952
until the day of the fight.
372
00:17:33,052 --> 00:17:35,888
February 25th, 1964.
373
00:17:35,988 --> 00:17:38,225
Boxing experts and fans
agree that
374
00:17:38,325 --> 00:17:41,161
Liston will clobber
the Louisville Lip.
375
00:17:41,261 --> 00:17:44,164
They thought, "Well,
even if it's gonna be fast,
376
00:17:44,264 --> 00:17:47,334
"it's gonna be really
ugly and bloody,
377
00:17:47,434 --> 00:17:50,103
"just what we
fight fans want."
378
00:17:50,203 --> 00:17:52,539
NARRATOR: It was fast
and it was bloody,
379
00:17:52,639 --> 00:17:55,408
but it was not what most
fight fans expected.
380
00:17:55,508 --> 00:17:58,911
ANNOUNCER: The challenger from
Louisville, Kentucky,
381
00:17:59,011 --> 00:18:01,814
Cassius Clay!
382
00:18:01,914 --> 00:18:04,351
ROBERT LIPSYTE:
When the two men
entered the ring,
383
00:18:04,451 --> 00:18:09,222
we suddenly realized that
David was bigger than Goliath.
384
00:18:09,322 --> 00:18:11,158
ANNOUNCER:
Another jarring
right hand attack.
385
00:18:11,258 --> 00:18:12,259
There goes another one!
386
00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:14,994
Sonny wobbles! Sonny wobbles!
387
00:18:15,094 --> 00:18:16,529
Cassius has him hurt.
388
00:18:16,629 --> 00:18:18,598
NARRATOR:
Clay dominates Liston
from the bell,
389
00:18:18,698 --> 00:18:20,533
dancing around
the slower champion,
390
00:18:20,633 --> 00:18:23,035
and opening a cut
under his left eye.
391
00:18:23,136 --> 00:18:25,238
After seven punishing rounds,
392
00:18:25,338 --> 00:18:27,207
Liston claims
an injured shoulder
393
00:18:27,307 --> 00:18:29,376
and won't come out
for round eight,
394
00:18:29,476 --> 00:18:32,645
making Cassius Clay
the new heavyweight champ.
395
00:18:33,980 --> 00:18:35,282
I don't have a mark
on my face,
396
00:18:35,382 --> 00:18:37,049
and I upset Sonny Liston,
397
00:18:37,150 --> 00:18:38,918
and I just turned
22 years old.
398
00:18:39,018 --> 00:18:40,620
I must be the greatest.
399
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,189
I told the world.
400
00:18:42,289 --> 00:18:44,791
There were a number of people
who immediately said,
401
00:18:44,891 --> 00:18:46,593
"Oh, the fix was in."
402
00:18:46,693 --> 00:18:48,928
HAUSER:
Sonny Liston quit against
Cassius Clay.
403
00:18:49,028 --> 00:18:50,830
He was just getting beaten up.
404
00:18:50,930 --> 00:18:52,199
He didn't like it.
405
00:18:52,299 --> 00:18:54,901
He was a bully
and he couldn't take it.
406
00:18:55,001 --> 00:18:57,170
NARRATOR:
After his stunning
upset of Liston,
407
00:18:57,270 --> 00:19:01,508
Clay holds a press
conference that would
only amplify the shock factor.
408
00:19:01,608 --> 00:19:06,813
Somebody said, "Are you
a card-carrying member
of the Black Muslims?"
409
00:19:06,913 --> 00:19:09,482
And he blew up.
410
00:19:09,582 --> 00:19:12,885
NARRATOR: Clay confirms
that he's a member
of the Nation of Islam.
411
00:19:12,985 --> 00:19:18,458
And he said,
"I don't have to be
what you want me to be.
412
00:19:18,558 --> 00:19:21,994
"I'm free to be who I want."
413
00:19:22,094 --> 00:19:28,501
This is about as revolutionary
a statement as I've ever
heard in sports.
414
00:19:28,601 --> 00:19:31,037
NARRATOR: Now the heavyweight
boxing champion, Cassius Clay,
415
00:19:31,137 --> 00:19:33,273
is free to be himself.
416
00:19:33,373 --> 00:19:37,410
No one could get their mind
around the idea
417
00:19:37,510 --> 00:19:40,112
that this great kid
from Louisville
418
00:19:40,213 --> 00:19:42,849
raised by a Baptist mother
419
00:19:42,949 --> 00:19:44,517
was suddenly announcing
420
00:19:44,617 --> 00:19:46,886
that he was a member
of the Nation of Islam.
421
00:19:46,986 --> 00:19:48,355
NARRATOR:
A few weeks later,
422
00:19:48,455 --> 00:19:50,257
public opinion of the new
heavyweight champ
423
00:19:50,357 --> 00:19:53,226
goes from bad to worse.
424
00:19:53,326 --> 00:19:55,295
Cassius Clay is a name
no more, is that right?
425
00:19:55,395 --> 00:19:57,196
Yes, sir, it's Muhammad Ali.
426
00:19:57,297 --> 00:19:59,332
Muhammad means
"worthy of all praises"
427
00:19:59,432 --> 00:20:02,869
and Ali means "most high"
in a Asian-African language.
428
00:20:02,969 --> 00:20:05,171
LIPSYTE:
This was the toughest guy
on the planet.
429
00:20:05,272 --> 00:20:09,676
He turns his back
on Christianity.
430
00:20:09,776 --> 00:20:13,780
He turns his back
on his family name.
431
00:20:14,514 --> 00:20:17,350
And it began the split
432
00:20:17,450 --> 00:20:20,820
between people who loved him
and people who hated him.
433
00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:22,088
My name is Muhammad,
434
00:20:22,188 --> 00:20:23,523
you all keep
calling me Cassius.
435
00:20:23,623 --> 00:20:25,425
I'm tired of telling you.
You know, you're intelligent.
436
00:20:25,525 --> 00:20:27,093
My name is Muhammad Ali.
437
00:20:27,193 --> 00:20:28,595
Not Cassius.
438
00:20:28,695 --> 00:20:30,263
Is there anybody special
who gave you the name?
439
00:20:30,363 --> 00:20:33,065
Yes, sir, my leading teacher,
the most honorable,
Elijah Muhammad.
440
00:20:33,165 --> 00:20:36,336
NARRATOR: Elijah Muhammad's
influence is growing.
441
00:20:36,436 --> 00:20:38,538
Not only does he give
Ali his new name,
442
00:20:38,638 --> 00:20:41,374
he introduces him
to Sonji Roi,
443
00:20:41,474 --> 00:20:44,644
who becomes Ali's first wife
in August of '64.
444
00:20:44,744 --> 00:20:46,513
IZENBERG:
Muhammad Ali had four wives.
445
00:20:47,246 --> 00:20:48,881
Sonji,
446
00:20:48,981 --> 00:20:51,284
Khalilah, Veronica
447
00:20:51,384 --> 00:20:53,119
and now Lonnie.
448
00:20:53,219 --> 00:20:57,490
I found the first wife,
in a strange way, maybe
the most interesting.
449
00:20:57,590 --> 00:21:00,192
She was very
firmly in love with him.
450
00:21:00,293 --> 00:21:02,329
Their honeymoon
is short-lived.
451
00:21:02,429 --> 00:21:04,531
HAUSER:
We no longer had Cassius Clay.
452
00:21:04,631 --> 00:21:06,666
We now had Muhammad Ali
453
00:21:06,766 --> 00:21:10,069
who was a member
of the Nation of Islam,
454
00:21:10,169 --> 00:21:12,171
which made him very unpopular.
455
00:21:12,271 --> 00:21:15,842
It was getting very hard
to find a place
where he could fight.
456
00:21:15,942 --> 00:21:20,547
Originally the Liston rematch
was set for Boston,
457
00:21:20,647 --> 00:21:23,082
then Muhammad
suffered a hernia.
458
00:21:23,182 --> 00:21:25,452
The fight was postponed.
459
00:21:25,552 --> 00:21:27,954
Boston washed its hands of it,
460
00:21:28,054 --> 00:21:30,823
and it finally wound up
in Lewiston, Maine,
461
00:21:30,923 --> 00:21:33,593
which is one of the few
places that would take it.
462
00:21:33,693 --> 00:21:35,595
NARRATOR: Then, two months
before the rematch,
463
00:21:35,695 --> 00:21:40,833
Malcolm X, who had
broken with Elijah Muhammad
to embrace orthodox Islam
464
00:21:40,933 --> 00:21:43,803
is gunned down by members
of the Nation of Islam
465
00:21:43,903 --> 00:21:46,406
on February 21st, 1965.
466
00:21:52,579 --> 00:21:55,314
HAUSER:
Muhammad Ali had
broken from Malcolm
467
00:21:55,415 --> 00:21:58,618
and sided
with Elijah Muhammad,
468
00:21:58,718 --> 00:22:02,655
so there was concern that
Malcolm's followers
469
00:22:02,755 --> 00:22:05,525
might exact retribution
against Ali.
470
00:22:05,625 --> 00:22:07,460
The rumor had been spread
471
00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,329
that there was
a carload of gunmen
472
00:22:10,430 --> 00:22:12,432
coming up from New York
473
00:22:12,532 --> 00:22:16,403
to kill Muhammad Ali
in the ring.
474
00:22:17,904 --> 00:22:20,006
HAUSER:
Ali-Liston Two was a mess.
475
00:22:20,106 --> 00:22:23,910
It was a mess outside the ring
and it was a mess once
the fight started.
476
00:22:27,547 --> 00:22:29,148
NARRATOR:
Midway through round one,
477
00:22:29,248 --> 00:22:30,883
Ali hits Liston with a blow
478
00:22:30,983 --> 00:22:34,120
that would become
infamous as
the "Phantom Punch."
479
00:22:37,056 --> 00:22:39,759
ANNOUNCER:
Did you see the punch?
Did you see it?
480
00:22:39,859 --> 00:22:41,561
Was it the punch heard
around the world?
481
00:22:41,661 --> 00:22:44,096
It wasn't even a punch
seen around the world.
482
00:22:44,196 --> 00:22:47,967
HAUSER:
The punch was hard enough
to knock Liston down,
483
00:22:48,067 --> 00:22:51,203
but he thought Liston
could've gotten up.
484
00:22:51,303 --> 00:22:55,307
IZENBERG:
It took about eight seconds
after nine and 10
485
00:22:55,408 --> 00:22:57,810
that the crowd
began to chant,
"Fix! Fix! Fix!"
486
00:22:59,879 --> 00:23:02,915
NARRATOR:
Ali's second disputed
win over Liston
487
00:23:03,015 --> 00:23:05,485
does little to win over
his boxing critics.
488
00:23:05,585 --> 00:23:08,087
He has other critics as well.
489
00:23:08,187 --> 00:23:10,790
BROWN:
A certain portion of black
America loved him.
490
00:23:10,890 --> 00:23:13,626
Another portion
of black America
did not love him.
491
00:23:13,726 --> 00:23:16,395
The black community
was divided,
492
00:23:16,496 --> 00:23:19,799
those who thought integration
was a great thing
493
00:23:19,899 --> 00:23:23,603
and those who did not think
of integration in that way,
494
00:23:23,703 --> 00:23:25,872
but thought of equal rights
495
00:23:25,972 --> 00:23:28,675
and our freedom,
equality and justice.
496
00:23:28,775 --> 00:23:32,044
I'm not out there marching
and going places
I'm not wanted.
497
00:23:32,144 --> 00:23:35,081
Those of us who were young,
498
00:23:35,181 --> 00:23:37,584
who understood our manhood
499
00:23:37,684 --> 00:23:39,418
and who took pride in it,
500
00:23:39,519 --> 00:23:43,089
we were not asking to be
a part of white America,
501
00:23:43,189 --> 00:23:46,493
but demanding our rights
just like any other citizen.
502
00:23:52,398 --> 00:23:55,434
NARRATOR:
Ali's support of the Nation
of Islam's separatist policy
503
00:23:55,535 --> 00:23:58,270
alienates many in the
Civil Rights Movement,
504
00:23:58,370 --> 00:24:00,707
including Floyd Patterson,
505
00:24:00,807 --> 00:24:03,476
who turns his
November '65 bout with Ali
506
00:24:03,576 --> 00:24:06,445
into a social, political
and religious battle.
507
00:24:06,546 --> 00:24:08,748
LIPSYTE: He said
that a Black Muslim
508
00:24:08,848 --> 00:24:11,751
has no place being
heavyweight champion
in America.
509
00:24:11,851 --> 00:24:15,021
And that he, as a Catholic,
510
00:24:15,121 --> 00:24:19,626
was going to bring the title
back to this country.
511
00:24:19,726 --> 00:24:21,227
BROWN: Floyd was a nice man,
512
00:24:21,327 --> 00:24:25,798
but his approach
was what we call
an Uncle Tom approach,
513
00:24:25,898 --> 00:24:29,201
doing all the things
that white America
wanted you to do.
514
00:24:29,301 --> 00:24:32,371
You ain't nothin',
but an Uncle Tom
for white people.
515
00:24:32,471 --> 00:24:34,306
What's my name
Uncle Tom negro?
516
00:24:34,406 --> 00:24:37,443
I'll jump on you now.
What's my name?
517
00:24:37,544 --> 00:24:40,346
When Muhammad Ali
got him in the ring,
518
00:24:40,446 --> 00:24:44,016
he became pretty cruel
in his beating of Floyd.
519
00:24:46,185 --> 00:24:49,789
He was really giving him
a lesson, talking to him.
520
00:24:49,889 --> 00:24:51,524
Hitting him
and talking to him.
521
00:24:53,593 --> 00:24:55,828
HAUSER:
Ali would disable Patterson,
522
00:24:55,928 --> 00:24:59,198
then step back,
admire his work,
523
00:24:59,298 --> 00:25:01,968
and then beat on him
some more.
524
00:25:02,068 --> 00:25:04,370
ANNOUNCER: I believe
they're gonna stop it.
525
00:25:04,470 --> 00:25:07,206
NARRATOR:
Ali beats Patterson
by technical knockout.
526
00:25:07,306 --> 00:25:10,476
Two months later,
he sues his wife Sonji
for divorce.
527
00:25:10,577 --> 00:25:13,312
She'd lost favor
with her husband's
increasingly influential
528
00:25:13,412 --> 00:25:15,748
Muslim
inner circle.
529
00:25:15,848 --> 00:25:17,717
IZENBERG:
They said it was 'cause
she wore makeup.
530
00:25:17,817 --> 00:25:20,352
She wore daring dresses.
531
00:25:20,452 --> 00:25:23,322
They didn't want her
'cause they had already
picked out Khalilah,
532
00:25:23,422 --> 00:25:26,993
who was working in
a Nation of Islam restaurant.
533
00:25:27,093 --> 00:25:29,128
NARRATOR:
His brief marriage now over,
534
00:25:29,228 --> 00:25:32,699
so is his six year contract
with the Louisville
Sponsoring Group.
535
00:25:32,799 --> 00:25:35,735
Herbert Muhammad
becomes Ali's manager.
536
00:25:35,835 --> 00:25:39,371
KINDRED:
Herbert Muhammad was the son
of Elijah Muhammad
537
00:25:39,471 --> 00:25:41,507
who Muhammad Ali
538
00:25:41,608 --> 00:25:44,811
counted as his
spiritual father.
539
00:25:44,911 --> 00:25:47,546
Uh, Herbert was
an extension of that.
540
00:25:47,647 --> 00:25:50,549
NARRATOR:
Herbert Muhammad joins with
pro football superstar
541
00:25:50,650 --> 00:25:52,685
Jim Brown and
lawyer Bob Arum
542
00:25:52,785 --> 00:25:56,055
to form their own boxing
promotion company, Main Bout.
543
00:25:56,155 --> 00:25:58,124
What we said was
544
00:25:58,224 --> 00:26:01,093
the heavyweight champion
of the world is boxing
545
00:26:01,193 --> 00:26:04,063
and we should
control basically boxing.
546
00:26:04,163 --> 00:26:07,767
NARRATOR:
But Main Bout can't control
the US draft board.
547
00:26:07,867 --> 00:26:10,369
Ali was rejected
for service in '64
548
00:26:10,469 --> 00:26:12,171
when he failed
the written test.
549
00:26:12,271 --> 00:26:16,042
But the Vietnam war is
escalating in February of '66
550
00:26:16,142 --> 00:26:18,377
and the army has
lowered its standards.
551
00:26:18,477 --> 00:26:21,547
Weeks before his bout
with Ernie Terrell in Chicago,
552
00:26:21,648 --> 00:26:25,017
Ali is notified that
Uncle Sam wants him.
553
00:26:25,117 --> 00:26:28,254
The fight was doing
extraordinarily well when
554
00:26:28,354 --> 00:26:31,624
the US government
reclassified Muhammad Ali
555
00:26:31,724 --> 00:26:34,360
from 1Y and made him 1A.
556
00:26:34,460 --> 00:26:37,063
And a television reporter
557
00:26:37,163 --> 00:26:40,900
went to Ali who
was training in Miami
558
00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:42,735
before anybody
could reach him.
559
00:26:42,835 --> 00:26:45,004
I just don't understand
yet how I can be
560
00:26:45,104 --> 00:26:46,639
reclassified as 1A
561
00:26:46,739 --> 00:26:48,474
without testing me in no way,
562
00:26:48,574 --> 00:26:49,909
just calling me like this
563
00:26:50,009 --> 00:26:51,543
and I just don't
understand it.
564
00:26:51,644 --> 00:26:53,545
In other words,
you think they called you
565
00:26:53,646 --> 00:26:55,014
only because you're
the heavyweight champion?
566
00:26:55,114 --> 00:26:57,016
And a Muslim, too.
567
00:26:57,116 --> 00:27:00,953
And that's when Ali said,
"I got nothing against
the Viet Cong,
568
00:27:01,053 --> 00:27:03,622
"they never called me
the N-word."
569
00:27:04,523 --> 00:27:05,692
Everything hit the fan.
570
00:27:07,159 --> 00:27:09,495
NARRATOR: Ali declares
that if he's drafted,
571
00:27:09,595 --> 00:27:11,297
he won't fight in Vietnam.
572
00:27:11,397 --> 00:27:15,101
KINDRED:
Ali put it in racial
and religious terms
573
00:27:15,201 --> 00:27:17,870
that made him
a hero to millions of people
574
00:27:17,970 --> 00:27:19,571
who thought that it
was a bad war.
575
00:27:19,672 --> 00:27:21,440
When he basically said,
576
00:27:21,540 --> 00:27:23,542
"I ain't goin."
577
00:27:23,642 --> 00:27:26,212
Um, a lot of us were
kind of like, "Yeah baby,
I ain't going either.
578
00:27:26,312 --> 00:27:28,247
"I'm just trying
to figure out another
way of doing it,
579
00:27:28,347 --> 00:27:30,316
"so that I don't have
to go to jail in
the process."
580
00:27:41,427 --> 00:27:47,533
MAN: You're not apologizing
for the unpatriotic statements
that you made?
581
00:27:47,633 --> 00:27:50,737
That'll be taken up
with the government.
582
00:27:50,837 --> 00:27:52,404
NARRATOR:
Ali's unpopular stand
583
00:27:52,504 --> 00:27:56,342
causes Chicago politicians
to scuttle the Terrell fight,
584
00:27:56,442 --> 00:28:00,346
leaving his management
looking for another
fight in a new venue.
585
00:28:00,446 --> 00:28:02,715
We wanted to fight in, uh...
586
00:28:02,815 --> 00:28:06,685
Pittsburgh and they ruled it
out there. And then
they tried Maine,
587
00:28:06,786 --> 00:28:10,056
but they didn't want
us in Maine.
588
00:28:10,156 --> 00:28:12,825
NARRATOR:
The growing controversy
over his anti-draft stand
589
00:28:12,925 --> 00:28:15,194
makes Ali toxic in the US,
590
00:28:15,294 --> 00:28:18,697
forcing him to win his
next four fights
in Canada and Europe
591
00:28:18,798 --> 00:28:20,800
where he's a bigger
draw than ever.
592
00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:24,236
A point not lost on one
Texas millionaire.
593
00:28:24,336 --> 00:28:29,175
I got a call from
this real character,
Judge Roy Hofheinz,
594
00:28:29,275 --> 00:28:32,078
who owned the
Astrodome in Houston.
595
00:28:32,178 --> 00:28:34,814
And he said, "You bring
that boy down here.
596
00:28:34,914 --> 00:28:38,217
"Nobody is gonna tell him
he can't fight here."
597
00:28:38,317 --> 00:28:40,086
NARRATOR: Ali knocks out
Cleveland Williams
598
00:28:40,186 --> 00:28:42,321
before a record-setting
indoor crowd.
599
00:28:43,923 --> 00:28:46,025
Smelling another
box office bonanza,
600
00:28:46,125 --> 00:28:49,929
New York hosts
Ali's next victory
over Ernie Terrell.
601
00:28:50,029 --> 00:28:52,832
Ali is now 28-0 in the ring
602
00:28:52,932 --> 00:28:54,834
and still 1A in the draft.
603
00:28:54,934 --> 00:28:56,668
In April of '67,
604
00:28:56,769 --> 00:28:58,905
he finally gets
his draft notice
605
00:28:59,005 --> 00:29:01,340
and reports to the induction
center in Houston
606
00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:05,611
to begin one of the longest,
toughest fights of his life.
607
00:29:05,711 --> 00:29:08,080
JOURNALIST: Former
world heavyweight champion
Cassius Clay
608
00:29:08,180 --> 00:29:10,682
refused to take the oath
of induction into the army.
609
00:29:10,783 --> 00:29:12,084
The Black Muslim fighter,
610
00:29:12,184 --> 00:29:14,353
who's also known
as Muhammad Ali,
611
00:29:14,453 --> 00:29:17,556
was immediately stripped
of his title by the
World Boxing Association.
612
00:29:17,656 --> 00:29:21,693
When a guy says he's not going
to fight for his country,
613
00:29:21,794 --> 00:29:25,131
that irritates a whole
lot of people.
614
00:29:25,231 --> 00:29:30,569
He moved from the sports
pages to the front pages.
615
00:29:30,669 --> 00:29:35,875
NARRATOR: Within days,
Ali is stripped of his license
to box in all 50 states.
616
00:29:40,246 --> 00:29:43,049
JOURNALIST: Nine top
negro athletes meet
with Cassius Clay
617
00:29:43,149 --> 00:29:45,551
to discuss his
anti-draft stand.
618
00:29:45,651 --> 00:29:47,253
Jim Brown and Bill Russell
619
00:29:47,353 --> 00:29:50,456
organized a summit meeting
in Cleveland.
620
00:29:50,556 --> 00:29:53,092
JOURNALIST:
Clay's induction refusal
cost him his title
621
00:29:53,192 --> 00:29:56,028
and he faces a possible
five-year prison sentence.
622
00:29:56,128 --> 00:29:58,630
BROWN: The army was willing
to make a deal.
623
00:29:58,730 --> 00:30:02,001
They were willing to guarantee
that he would go
on Special Services
624
00:30:02,101 --> 00:30:03,836
and he would be able to box.
625
00:30:03,936 --> 00:30:05,671
Behind the scenes,
626
00:30:05,771 --> 00:30:08,040
Herbert Muhammad,
as a businessman,
627
00:30:08,140 --> 00:30:11,410
looked upon that
as a possible option.
628
00:30:11,510 --> 00:30:16,548
The meeting started
with them talking to Ali
about accepting the deal.
629
00:30:16,648 --> 00:30:20,987
You wouldn't have to worry
about being a soldier as such.
630
00:30:21,087 --> 00:30:22,621
You can do public relations.
631
00:30:22,721 --> 00:30:25,591
But Ali's attitude was, "Nope.
632
00:30:25,691 --> 00:30:27,393
"Mmm-mmm.
Don't wanna deal."
633
00:30:29,528 --> 00:30:31,097
NARRATOR:
Two weeks later,
634
00:30:31,197 --> 00:30:33,933
Ali is convicted of draft
evasion in federal court.
635
00:30:34,033 --> 00:30:35,801
Sentenced to five
years in prison
636
00:30:35,902 --> 00:30:38,104
and banned from
boxing for three years,
637
00:30:38,204 --> 00:30:40,539
he remains free while
his case is appealed.
638
00:30:40,639 --> 00:30:43,309
Whatever suffering or
punishment I may have to take,
639
00:30:43,409 --> 00:30:45,311
it'll all be because
of my religion.
640
00:30:45,411 --> 00:30:47,914
He was unafraid of the
political repercussions,
641
00:30:48,014 --> 00:30:50,917
unafraid of any
cultural repercussions,
642
00:30:51,017 --> 00:30:52,919
unafraid of losing money.
643
00:30:53,019 --> 00:30:54,887
He said he would probably
fight again,
644
00:30:54,987 --> 00:30:56,588
but it was okay if he didn't.
645
00:30:56,688 --> 00:31:00,026
Long as he believed that he
was the people's champ,
646
00:31:00,126 --> 00:31:01,393
that was good enough for him.
647
00:31:03,295 --> 00:31:05,131
NARRATOR:
A month after his conviction,
648
00:31:05,231 --> 00:31:07,900
Ali marries 17-year-old
Belinda Boyd
649
00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:10,469
with the approval
of Nation of Islam leaders.
650
00:31:10,569 --> 00:31:14,640
She fully supports
her husband's refusal
to be drafted.
651
00:31:14,740 --> 00:31:16,909
He said,
"I can't kill anybody."
652
00:31:17,009 --> 00:31:18,544
I just said, "Trust me,
653
00:31:18,644 --> 00:31:22,081
"you'll be greatest man ever
who lived if you don't go."
654
00:31:24,050 --> 00:31:25,451
NARRATOR:
Facing five years in prison
655
00:31:25,551 --> 00:31:28,120
and unable to fight while
appealing his case,
656
00:31:28,220 --> 00:31:30,556
newly-wed Ali
needs to earn money.
657
00:31:30,656 --> 00:31:33,825
So, he embarks on
a college lecture tour.
658
00:31:33,926 --> 00:31:36,062
I would like
to hear this from you!
659
00:31:36,162 --> 00:31:39,065
And I want the world
and the cameras to hear it!
660
00:31:39,165 --> 00:31:41,267
Who's the heavyweight
champion of the world?
661
00:31:41,367 --> 00:31:43,035
(ALL CHEERING)
662
00:31:43,135 --> 00:31:48,140
HAUSER: The student audiences
loved his opposition
to the war in Vietnam,
663
00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,443
but they were very much
opposed when he spoke to them
664
00:31:51,543 --> 00:31:55,447
against the idea
of interracial dating,
665
00:31:55,547 --> 00:31:59,785
against the idea of living in
the same community.
666
00:31:59,885 --> 00:32:03,289
During those three and a half
years that he wasn't fighting,
667
00:32:03,389 --> 00:32:06,625
basically the only two things
that he was doing,
668
00:32:06,725 --> 00:32:08,894
uh, was going on
college campuses
669
00:32:08,995 --> 00:32:12,564
and the other was
being on television
with Howard Cosell.
670
00:32:14,066 --> 00:32:15,534
REPORTER:
What do you say to that?
671
00:32:15,634 --> 00:32:18,204
ALI: I predict that the fans
will be angry at the experts
672
00:32:18,304 --> 00:32:21,240
for misleading them so much.
673
00:32:21,340 --> 00:32:24,276
I think that his relationship
with Howard Cosell
674
00:32:24,376 --> 00:32:28,247
was critical
to his acceptance by America.
675
00:32:28,347 --> 00:32:31,583
DON MISCHER:
Howard had the deepest
respect for the champ.
676
00:32:31,683 --> 00:32:34,320
Howard many times privately,
677
00:32:34,420 --> 00:32:36,955
um, defended Ali
678
00:32:37,056 --> 00:32:40,492
and Ali's right
to express himself,
679
00:32:40,592 --> 00:32:43,495
and the right to feel
the way he felt
680
00:32:43,595 --> 00:32:46,098
about where we were
with civil rights
at those times.
681
00:32:46,198 --> 00:32:49,001
But Howard also
didn't take any punches.
682
00:32:49,101 --> 00:32:51,603
If he felt like Ali had
overstepped his bounds,
683
00:32:51,703 --> 00:32:53,172
he would confront him.
684
00:32:53,272 --> 00:32:55,741
It was part of the chemistry
of these guys.
685
00:32:55,841 --> 00:32:57,743
You had two gigantic egos.
686
00:33:10,189 --> 00:33:12,824
NARRATOR: After three
and a half years in exile,
687
00:33:12,924 --> 00:33:16,495
Ali remains free
as his appeals proceed
in federal court.
688
00:33:16,595 --> 00:33:19,631
And while politics cost
Ali his boxing license,
689
00:33:19,731 --> 00:33:22,568
politics provides a chance
to fight again.
690
00:33:22,668 --> 00:33:25,437
Georgia has no state
boxing commission.
691
00:33:25,537 --> 00:33:28,240
Individual municipalities
can sanction a fight.
692
00:33:28,340 --> 00:33:30,576
So, black state senator,
Leroy Johnson
693
00:33:30,676 --> 00:33:34,012
strikes a deal with
Atlanta's white mayor,
Sam Massell.
694
00:33:34,113 --> 00:33:36,048
Leroy Johnson said,
695
00:33:36,148 --> 00:33:38,484
"I want this fight to happen.
696
00:33:38,584 --> 00:33:41,287
"I carry a lot
of votes with me."
697
00:33:41,387 --> 00:33:43,555
NARRATOR:
Thus, Ali's comeback begins,
698
00:33:43,655 --> 00:33:46,392
surprisingly,
in the Deep South.
699
00:33:46,492 --> 00:33:49,261
Here's an African American
reviled around America,
700
00:33:49,361 --> 00:33:52,531
suddenly Atlanta
is embracing him.
701
00:33:52,631 --> 00:33:53,999
BELINDA:
He said, "I got my license.
702
00:33:54,100 --> 00:33:55,334
"And I'm gonna fight
in Georgia,
703
00:33:55,434 --> 00:33:57,069
"I'm gonna fight in Georgia."
704
00:33:57,169 --> 00:33:59,037
I said, "In Georgia?"
(LAUGHS)
705
00:33:59,138 --> 00:34:01,140
I said, "Down south?"
706
00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:03,041
He said, "Yeah."
I said, "Oh, Lord.
707
00:34:03,142 --> 00:34:05,544
"We in trouble now."
708
00:34:05,644 --> 00:34:09,848
NARRATOR:
Ali returns to the ring on
October 26th, 1970.
709
00:34:09,948 --> 00:34:14,453
ANNOUNCER: I don't believe
that anybody is happier
than this young man
710
00:34:14,553 --> 00:34:17,156
to once again
step into the ring.
711
00:34:17,256 --> 00:34:19,858
NARRATOR: 28-year-old
Ali was stripped of his title,
712
00:34:19,958 --> 00:34:21,427
but he's never lost a fight
713
00:34:21,527 --> 00:34:24,230
and Jerry Quarry is not
considered competitive.
714
00:34:27,599 --> 00:34:30,569
Ali opens a cut over
Quarry's eye in round three...
715
00:34:31,870 --> 00:34:33,905
And the fight is stopped.
716
00:34:34,005 --> 00:34:36,608
SUGAR RAY LEONARD:
Inactivity is deadly
for any fighter.
717
00:34:36,708 --> 00:34:39,878
And for Muhammad Ali
to have come back
718
00:34:39,978 --> 00:34:44,883
and still display the
incredible hand speed
and fluidity,
719
00:34:44,983 --> 00:34:47,619
that he showed was amazing.
720
00:34:53,425 --> 00:34:55,394
NARRATOR: While Ali's
draft evasion appeal
721
00:34:55,494 --> 00:34:57,596
works its way up to the
Supreme Court,
722
00:34:57,696 --> 00:34:59,431
the NAACP sues
723
00:34:59,531 --> 00:35:02,301
the New York State Athletic
Commission in federal court,
724
00:35:02,401 --> 00:35:05,437
arguing that their ban on Ali
is discriminatory.
725
00:35:06,372 --> 00:35:08,407
Their ban is lifted.
726
00:35:10,075 --> 00:35:12,778
Free to fight
in New York again,
727
00:35:12,878 --> 00:35:17,683
Ali stops Oscar Bonavena
at Madison Square Garden
in December, 1970...
728
00:35:17,783 --> 00:35:20,652
ANNOUNCER: It's over!
Ali is the knockout winner!
729
00:35:20,752 --> 00:35:23,422
NARRATOR:
...setting up a title shot
against Joe Frazier
730
00:35:23,522 --> 00:35:26,158
for an unprecedented
five million dollar purse.
731
00:35:26,258 --> 00:35:30,729
And now we have a chance
to see who the real champion
of the world is.
732
00:35:30,829 --> 00:35:32,063
That was revolutionary.
733
00:35:32,164 --> 00:35:35,000
You know, 2.5 million apiece?
Wow.
734
00:35:35,100 --> 00:35:37,303
Back then,
that was a vast sum of money.
735
00:35:37,403 --> 00:35:40,172
Even Mickey Mantle was not
making that much money.
736
00:35:40,272 --> 00:35:42,007
Let Joe Frazier
talk all he want.
737
00:35:42,107 --> 00:35:44,610
We got a few miles
to straighten
all this mess up.
738
00:35:44,710 --> 00:35:48,847
He brought people to the sport
that didn't even necessarily
follow boxing.
739
00:35:48,947 --> 00:35:50,749
They just liked
Muhammad Ali.
740
00:35:50,849 --> 00:35:54,620
I have fixed up the round
that Joe Frazier
will go down!
741
00:35:54,720 --> 00:35:56,255
LAILA ALI:
You got this person
who's standing up
742
00:35:56,355 --> 00:35:58,190
and he's been
stripped of his title.
743
00:35:58,290 --> 00:35:59,725
People wanted to see,
"Who is this guy?"
744
00:35:59,825 --> 00:36:03,229
His fights meant more than
just the sport of boxing.
745
00:36:03,329 --> 00:36:06,131
His fights were
like a fight for justice.
746
00:36:06,232 --> 00:36:07,799
Ali was carrying
the weight of everything.
747
00:36:07,899 --> 00:36:10,135
I don't think it's possible
to overstate
748
00:36:10,236 --> 00:36:15,774
how much Ali
embodied the hopes,
aspirations, beliefs
749
00:36:15,874 --> 00:36:19,645
of young people in general
and young African Americans
in particular.
750
00:36:19,745 --> 00:36:23,415
Joe's gonna come out smokin'
and I ain't gonna be jokin'.
751
00:36:24,950 --> 00:36:28,119
NARRATOR: The bout is set
for March 8th, 1971.
752
00:36:28,220 --> 00:36:29,555
As the fight approaches,
753
00:36:29,655 --> 00:36:32,258
the battle between two
unbeaten heavyweights
754
00:36:32,358 --> 00:36:34,326
becomes far more
than a boxing match.
755
00:36:35,227 --> 00:36:37,162
Get your hands off of me!
756
00:36:37,263 --> 00:36:41,367
If you were a liberal,
you were rooting for Ali.
757
00:36:41,467 --> 00:36:44,536
If you were a conservative,
you were rooting for Joe.
758
00:36:44,636 --> 00:36:46,037
GUMBEL:
It was a clash of cultures.
759
00:36:46,137 --> 00:36:51,109
There were the people
who were, uh,
demanding civil rights,
760
00:36:51,209 --> 00:36:53,211
who were against Vietnam
761
00:36:53,312 --> 00:36:55,180
and the people who
thought Vietnam was right.
762
00:36:55,281 --> 00:36:58,884
Then, "Damn it, we're gonna
put our views in the ring and
settle it once and for all."
763
00:36:59,818 --> 00:37:01,152
March 8th, '71.
764
00:37:01,253 --> 00:37:03,054
The world flat out stopped.
765
00:37:03,154 --> 00:37:08,327
The apartment that
we lived in was going crazy
for that fight.
766
00:37:08,427 --> 00:37:09,861
KINDRED:
We were glued to the radio.
767
00:37:09,961 --> 00:37:12,898
I can still see Ali leaning
back over the ropes
768
00:37:12,998 --> 00:37:15,834
saying, "No contest!"
769
00:37:15,934 --> 00:37:19,438
Meanwhile Frazier's
pounding him,
you know, 20 times.
770
00:37:19,538 --> 00:37:22,574
Ali absorbed an enormous
amount of punishment,
771
00:37:22,674 --> 00:37:24,743
gave out an enormous amount
of punishment.
772
00:37:24,843 --> 00:37:27,346
Yeah, and when
the 15th came
and they said
773
00:37:27,446 --> 00:37:29,014
he'd been knocked down,
it was like...
774
00:37:31,216 --> 00:37:32,918
"This can't be."
775
00:37:33,018 --> 00:37:35,887
NARRATOR:
Ali gets quickly to his feet,
but the damage is done.
776
00:37:35,987 --> 00:37:38,324
Ali suffers his first loss.
777
00:37:38,424 --> 00:37:40,692
It's Frazier by
unanimous decision.
778
00:37:43,829 --> 00:37:46,398
GUMBEL:
This can't have happened.
This is impossible.
779
00:37:46,498 --> 00:37:48,567
And it was impossible
not because
780
00:37:48,667 --> 00:37:50,969
we didn't believe Joe Frazier
could beat Muhammad Ali.
781
00:37:51,069 --> 00:37:55,173
It was impossible because
his beating him meant
they were right.
782
00:37:55,273 --> 00:37:57,309
And they couldn't be right.
783
00:37:57,409 --> 00:38:00,812
And the right wing idiots,
and the hard hat guys,
784
00:38:00,912 --> 00:38:02,213
and the ugly Americans,
785
00:38:02,314 --> 00:38:04,350
they were standing
in the way of history.
786
00:38:04,450 --> 00:38:06,485
They were standing
in the way of change.
787
00:38:06,585 --> 00:38:09,455
They were on the
side of wrong.
788
00:38:09,555 --> 00:38:12,458
And so they couldn't be right,
they just couldn't.
789
00:38:12,558 --> 00:38:17,763
In the first blush of defeat,
Ali was gracious and elegant.
790
00:38:17,863 --> 00:38:21,232
He was perfect
in giving Frazier credit.
791
00:38:21,333 --> 00:38:23,034
I've been always
handing out the defeat,
792
00:38:23,134 --> 00:38:25,671
so now I'm defeated,
and now I see how
other people felt.
793
00:38:25,771 --> 00:38:28,306
And when I do come back,
if I ever do,
794
00:38:28,407 --> 00:38:30,642
I'll have more of
a hungrier determination,
795
00:38:30,742 --> 00:38:32,844
which is something you lose
in intoxication
796
00:38:32,944 --> 00:38:34,713
of so-called greatness.
797
00:38:34,813 --> 00:38:36,882
By the next morning,
he had been robbed.
798
00:38:36,982 --> 00:38:39,250
IZENBERG:
He went on every
late night talk show.
799
00:38:39,351 --> 00:38:41,453
He convinced
half of America or more
800
00:38:41,553 --> 00:38:43,221
that he had won the fight,
801
00:38:43,321 --> 00:38:45,156
and it killed Frazier.
802
00:38:45,256 --> 00:38:48,360
He was the only
one who believed,
coming out of that fight,
803
00:38:48,460 --> 00:38:51,797
that he would be
champion again.
804
00:38:51,897 --> 00:38:54,700
NARRATOR:
Four months after his
unanimous loss to Frazier,
805
00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:58,670
Ali wins a stunning, unanimous
decision in the Supreme Court,
806
00:38:58,770 --> 00:39:02,708
which overturns his conviction
for draft evasion.
807
00:39:02,808 --> 00:39:06,378
I mean, nobody
would've believed that that
could've happened
808
00:39:06,478 --> 00:39:08,780
when Ali refused
to step forward.
809
00:39:15,687 --> 00:39:17,589
NARRATOR:
With prison no longer looming,
810
00:39:17,689 --> 00:39:19,558
Ali is free to renew his quest
811
00:39:19,658 --> 00:39:22,461
to reclaim the title that had
been taken from him,
812
00:39:22,561 --> 00:39:25,597
a title now held
by George Foreman.
813
00:39:25,697 --> 00:39:27,933
Ali's momentous match
against Foreman
814
00:39:28,033 --> 00:39:30,902
is an event unlike
anything boxing has ever seen.
815
00:39:31,002 --> 00:39:32,738
In 1974,
816
00:39:32,838 --> 00:39:35,340
promoter Don King
and a consortium
of backers
817
00:39:35,441 --> 00:39:39,778
make a deal
with Zaire's strongman
President Mobutu Sese Seko
818
00:39:39,878 --> 00:39:43,314
to host a worldwide live
satellite broadcast
819
00:39:43,415 --> 00:39:45,851
of The Rumble in the Jungle.
820
00:39:45,951 --> 00:39:49,020
Ali basically showed
that he could
821
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,089
transcend the sport.
822
00:39:51,189 --> 00:39:55,226
He brought half
of the media of the world
to Kinshasa, Zaire.
823
00:39:55,326 --> 00:39:58,464
NARRATOR:
10 long years after he first
shook up the world,
824
00:39:58,564 --> 00:40:03,134
32-year-old Ali
is once again challenging
a heavily favored champion.
825
00:40:03,234 --> 00:40:08,674
Foreman was, uh, the second
coming of Sonny Liston.
826
00:40:08,774 --> 00:40:11,309
ARUM: Remember this wasn't
an ordinary heavyweight.
827
00:40:11,409 --> 00:40:14,546
This was a guy
who could knock down walls.
828
00:40:14,646 --> 00:40:17,516
Everybody felt that Ali
was gonna get hurt.
829
00:40:17,616 --> 00:40:19,885
This was a... You know,
this was a monster.
830
00:40:19,985 --> 00:40:22,420
I was so afraid that
George Foreman
831
00:40:22,521 --> 00:40:24,923
was gonna kill Ali.
832
00:40:25,023 --> 00:40:28,760
NARRATOR: Both fighters train
in Zaire for the bout
on October 30th,
833
00:40:28,860 --> 00:40:32,798
but it's Ali who is embraced
by throngs of African fans.
834
00:40:32,898 --> 00:40:35,601
PRICE: It's unreal the amount
of people,
835
00:40:35,701 --> 00:40:39,404
ten to fifteen thousand
people in the crowd,
836
00:40:39,505 --> 00:40:42,140
following him,
just shouting his name.
837
00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:44,275
"Ali, bomaye!"
838
00:40:44,375 --> 00:40:45,877
"Ali, bomaye!"
839
00:40:45,977 --> 00:40:48,079
He'd say, "Stop the car."
And then he'd get out,
840
00:40:48,179 --> 00:40:50,315
and he'd,
"Bomaye! Bomaye!"
841
00:40:50,415 --> 00:40:52,217
He just wanted
to create a crowd.
842
00:40:52,317 --> 00:40:55,453
Pretty soon you couldn't
even walk across the street.
843
00:40:55,554 --> 00:40:57,556
LL COOL J: All of that worked
in Ali's favor.
844
00:40:57,656 --> 00:40:59,324
I mean, he was
playing psychological games,
845
00:40:59,424 --> 00:41:02,594
he's punching voodoo dolls,
he's got people
beating on drums.
846
00:41:02,694 --> 00:41:05,063
"The champ is here!"
(IMITATING DRUMS)
847
00:41:05,163 --> 00:41:06,498
"The champ is here."
848
00:41:06,598 --> 00:41:09,601
Me and maybe one other
person thought he could
beat George Foreman.
849
00:41:09,701 --> 00:41:11,102
He believed it.
850
00:41:11,202 --> 00:41:13,972
He believed it.
851
00:41:14,072 --> 00:41:17,375
NARRATOR: Ali's confidence
isn't shared by
many boxing experts.
852
00:41:17,475 --> 00:41:21,513
But during the fight,
Ali would add "rope-a-dope"
to the lexicon,
853
00:41:21,613 --> 00:41:23,915
and a great new
chapter to his legend.
854
00:41:24,015 --> 00:41:27,185
ANNOUNCER: Ali stands back,
eyes this man up,
leans on the rope.
855
00:41:27,285 --> 00:41:31,523
Ali goes back on the ropes,
and the ropes go back more.
856
00:41:31,623 --> 00:41:33,124
And Foreman misses
by that much.
857
00:41:33,224 --> 00:41:35,193
ANNOUNCER: That wild left hand
is not working.
858
00:41:35,293 --> 00:41:38,897
Angelo sends his corner guys
around to the corners.
859
00:41:38,997 --> 00:41:40,832
He says, "Tighten the ropes,
tighten the ropes."
860
00:41:40,932 --> 00:41:42,968
And Ali's saying,
"No, leave 'em, leave 'em."
(CHUCKLES)
861
00:41:44,502 --> 00:41:46,638
Ali formed in his mind,
862
00:41:46,738 --> 00:41:48,874
he formed the rope-a-dope
right there and then.
863
00:41:50,308 --> 00:41:55,380
To take that kind of
punishment from a guy
like George,
864
00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:58,116
you know, who knocked
most guys out like
they were rag dolls.
865
00:41:58,216 --> 00:42:00,586
I can't fathom taking
those kind of blows
866
00:42:00,686 --> 00:42:03,521
from a guy who
punches that hard.
867
00:42:03,622 --> 00:42:05,591
Those punches
could crack ribs.
868
00:42:05,691 --> 00:42:08,426
How could you take
this in your body?
869
00:42:08,526 --> 00:42:10,328
And Ali was taking it.
870
00:42:10,428 --> 00:42:14,165
And Foreman was
punching himself out.
871
00:42:14,265 --> 00:42:17,068
I had predicted that Foreman
was gonna annihilate him.
872
00:42:17,168 --> 00:42:19,805
And inbetween rounds
when he started
to wear George down,
873
00:42:19,905 --> 00:42:22,240
he said, "Hey, big fellow,
what do you think now?"
874
00:42:23,341 --> 00:42:24,776
(CROWD CHEERING)
875
00:42:26,277 --> 00:42:27,846
He knocked George out.
876
00:42:27,946 --> 00:42:29,547
ANNOUNCER:
Muhammad Ali has done it!
877
00:42:29,648 --> 00:42:31,650
LEONARD: When Muhammad Ali
put George down,
878
00:42:31,750 --> 00:42:34,519
he had proven that
he is indeed the greatest.
879
00:42:34,620 --> 00:42:36,622
ANNOUNCER:
This great man has done it!
880
00:42:36,722 --> 00:42:40,558
Ali beats Foreman,
humiliates him.
881
00:42:40,659 --> 00:42:45,831
He stops and he says,
"Fellas, you'll never know
what this means to me."
882
00:42:47,098 --> 00:42:48,033
(CLICKS FINGERS)
883
00:42:48,133 --> 00:42:49,635
That should've been
his retirement.
884
00:42:50,435 --> 00:42:52,303
How can you top that.
885
00:42:52,403 --> 00:42:55,040
BELINDA: You've went through
the trials, your ups
and your downs,
886
00:42:55,140 --> 00:42:56,241
your glory times,
887
00:42:56,341 --> 00:42:57,709
this is the time to retire.
888
00:42:57,809 --> 00:42:59,110
He had proven the point,
889
00:42:59,210 --> 00:43:02,247
you can't go any further once
you prove the point.
890
00:43:02,347 --> 00:43:05,651
And, there's something about
the romance of athletics
891
00:43:05,751 --> 00:43:08,754
that is hard for
people to give up.
892
00:43:08,854 --> 00:43:13,091
For him every fight was
another drama, another circus,
893
00:43:13,191 --> 00:43:14,926
and he loved
every minute of it.
894
00:43:15,026 --> 00:43:19,064
LIPSYTE: All those
available ladies,
895
00:43:19,164 --> 00:43:25,270
all this love and admiration,
it's very hard to
walk away from that.
896
00:43:32,878 --> 00:43:36,247
NARRATOR: When Elijah Muhammad
dies in February of '75,
897
00:43:36,347 --> 00:43:39,484
his son Wallace leads
the majority of
the Nation of Islam
898
00:43:39,584 --> 00:43:41,887
toward traditional
Sunni Islam.
899
00:43:41,987 --> 00:43:44,790
Ali, who has always had
white men in his corner,
900
00:43:44,890 --> 00:43:47,025
embraces the change.
901
00:43:47,125 --> 00:43:49,828
LL COOL J: Prejudice is a
two-way street, you know?
902
00:43:49,928 --> 00:43:50,829
He was driving down
one side of it
903
00:43:50,929 --> 00:43:52,397
at one point in his life,
904
00:43:52,497 --> 00:43:54,565
not unlike Malcom X
who had a similar journey,
905
00:43:54,666 --> 00:43:56,501
and he evolved.
906
00:43:56,601 --> 00:43:58,136
He said, "Whites can
become Muslims now."
907
00:43:58,236 --> 00:44:00,739
He says, "So you
can become a Muslim."
908
00:44:00,839 --> 00:44:02,473
And he hugged me.
909
00:44:02,573 --> 00:44:06,144
There wasn't any
racism in Ali.
910
00:44:06,244 --> 00:44:09,614
NARRATOR: Later that year,
Philippine President
Ferdinand Marcos
911
00:44:09,715 --> 00:44:11,950
plays host to the third
Ali-Frazier fight,
912
00:44:12,050 --> 00:44:15,754
The Thrilla in Manila,
on October 1st, 1975.
913
00:44:15,854 --> 00:44:18,623
GUMBEL: They'd been the two
most dominant fighters
of their time.
914
00:44:18,724 --> 00:44:19,758
Towards the end
of their career,
915
00:44:19,858 --> 00:44:21,226
oh, here they are
again in this big fight
916
00:44:21,326 --> 00:44:23,494
and this is going to be
the culmination of it all.
917
00:44:23,594 --> 00:44:27,065
NARRATOR: For both fighters,
it would also mark
the beginning of the end.
918
00:44:27,165 --> 00:44:31,336
The fight took place at about
11 am Manila time.
919
00:44:31,436 --> 00:44:36,207
Outside, the hot Philippine
sun was beating down.
920
00:44:36,307 --> 00:44:41,747
And inside, this fight
between these two great
athletes was going on.
921
00:44:41,847 --> 00:44:43,548
PRICE: And these two guys
was going at each other
922
00:44:43,648 --> 00:44:45,250
like they was gonna
just kill each other.
923
00:44:46,818 --> 00:44:49,654
They both took
an enormous beating.
924
00:44:49,755 --> 00:44:52,057
They were both
heroic that night.
925
00:44:52,157 --> 00:44:55,126
NARRATOR: After 14 rounds of
battle in the sweltering heat,
926
00:44:55,226 --> 00:44:58,329
Frazier and Ali, both mentally
and physically spent,
927
00:44:58,429 --> 00:45:01,366
go to their corners
to await the final round.
928
00:45:01,466 --> 00:45:05,871
That moment that you're
sitting on your stool,
929
00:45:05,971 --> 00:45:07,873
your eyes swollen shut,
930
00:45:07,973 --> 00:45:10,241
your legs are gone.
931
00:45:10,341 --> 00:45:13,711
(SIGHS) You're totally
exhausted.
932
00:45:13,812 --> 00:45:15,580
You look across
and see your opponent
933
00:45:15,680 --> 00:45:19,217
and he is just as in bad shape
as you are.
934
00:45:19,317 --> 00:45:22,220
All of a sudden your
mind and your heart says,
935
00:45:22,320 --> 00:45:23,989
"You ready to go?"
936
00:45:24,089 --> 00:45:26,925
And either you answer
"yes" or "no."
937
00:45:27,025 --> 00:45:28,927
Most guys say "no."
938
00:45:29,027 --> 00:45:30,896
The special ones say "yes."
939
00:45:32,163 --> 00:45:33,464
Ali was the one
who said "yes."
940
00:45:36,434 --> 00:45:38,669
PRICE: Joe couldn't
answer the bell.
941
00:45:38,770 --> 00:45:41,406
And Ali just
passed out in the ring.
942
00:45:41,506 --> 00:45:43,508
And he said it was the nearest
thing to dying.
943
00:45:50,281 --> 00:45:52,818
NARRATOR: In the year
after his punishing victory
over Frazier,
944
00:45:52,918 --> 00:45:55,386
Ali defends his title
four times,
945
00:45:55,486 --> 00:45:58,857
including a brutal
15-round win over Ken Norton.
946
00:45:58,957 --> 00:46:01,126
His longtime ring doctor,
Ferdie Pacheco,
947
00:46:01,226 --> 00:46:03,428
sees the writing on the wall.
948
00:46:03,528 --> 00:46:06,097
KINDRED: Pacheco went
to Norton's locker room
949
00:46:06,197 --> 00:46:10,802
and told him,
"Congratulations, you
just ended Ali's career."
950
00:46:10,902 --> 00:46:15,106
Norton had lost, but Ali
was physically beat up.
951
00:46:15,206 --> 00:46:18,176
NARRATOR:
The following year, his speed
and skills diminished,
952
00:46:18,276 --> 00:46:21,980
Ali survives
a 15-round slugfest
with Earnie Shavers...
953
00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:24,115
ANNOUNCER: Muhammad Ali,
not down but hurt.
954
00:46:24,215 --> 00:46:26,818
NARRATOR:
...the hardest hitting
heavyweight in boxing.
955
00:46:28,119 --> 00:46:31,422
He said that, Earnie Shavers
hit me so hard
956
00:46:31,522 --> 00:46:33,691
that my ancestors in Africa
957
00:46:33,791 --> 00:46:35,360
turned over in their graves.
958
00:46:37,162 --> 00:46:40,932
Which was a fabulous line,
except the way that he said it
959
00:46:41,032 --> 00:46:44,335
was just the beginning
of a slur in his speech.
960
00:46:51,576 --> 00:46:53,211
NARRATOR: In February of '78,
961
00:46:53,311 --> 00:46:55,813
Ali loses his title
to Leon Spinks,
962
00:46:55,914 --> 00:46:58,716
a novice with just seven
fights under his belt.
963
00:46:58,816 --> 00:47:00,551
But he's not done yet.
964
00:47:00,651 --> 00:47:05,023
He fights Spinks again,
beats him, regains the title.
965
00:47:05,123 --> 00:47:09,694
And then Don King
gets Ali to fight
Larry Holmes.
966
00:47:09,794 --> 00:47:12,363
And I was
absolutely horrified.
967
00:47:12,463 --> 00:47:15,200
NARRATOR: The Holmes bout
is set for October 1980,
968
00:47:15,300 --> 00:47:18,904
a year after Ali's last fight
against Spinks.
969
00:47:19,004 --> 00:47:21,606
His deterioration is evident.
970
00:47:21,706 --> 00:47:25,043
Even to those of us
who'd never looked at
Ali with clear eyes,
971
00:47:25,143 --> 00:47:28,646
it was clear that he was done.
972
00:47:28,746 --> 00:47:31,416
NARRATOR: Holmes wins
by TKO in the 11th round,
973
00:47:31,516 --> 00:47:34,886
the first time Ali has ever
failed to go the distance.
974
00:47:34,986 --> 00:47:36,988
KINDRED: Whatever damage
had been done to Ali
975
00:47:37,088 --> 00:47:39,524
in all of these
12, 15 round fights,
976
00:47:39,624 --> 00:47:45,830
all of that had come together
to leave him a shell
of what he once was.
977
00:47:45,931 --> 00:47:49,300
NARRATOR: A year later,
Ali steps into the ring
one last time
978
00:47:49,400 --> 00:47:52,770
to fight Trevor Berbick
on December 11th, 1981.
979
00:47:52,870 --> 00:47:54,505
MARYUM: The whole family went.
980
00:47:54,605 --> 00:47:57,909
And up until the fight,
we were begging him
in his hotel room,
981
00:47:58,009 --> 00:48:00,178
"Don't fight, you don't
need to do this anymore."
982
00:48:02,313 --> 00:48:03,814
NARRATOR:
After the loss to Berbick,
983
00:48:03,915 --> 00:48:06,851
Ali finally calls it a career.
984
00:48:06,952 --> 00:48:10,688
LEONARD: It's hard
to tell a champ
that it's time, it's over.
985
00:48:10,788 --> 00:48:14,292
Because we always believe
we can always win that fight.
986
00:48:14,392 --> 00:48:16,027
Ali fought.
That's what he did.
987
00:48:16,127 --> 00:48:19,330
And we who loved him
really had no say in it
988
00:48:19,430 --> 00:48:22,000
and no right to say,
"No, we don't want you
to fight anymore
989
00:48:22,100 --> 00:48:23,868
"because it ruins
our memory."
990
00:48:23,969 --> 00:48:26,371
Well, he had a right to say,
"I will choose when I'm
gonna leave it."
991
00:48:26,471 --> 00:48:27,472
And he did.
992
00:48:36,147 --> 00:48:39,784
The first few years
of retirement
were hard for Ali.
993
00:48:39,884 --> 00:48:43,921
He was no longer in the
spotlight as heavyweight
champion of the world.
994
00:48:44,022 --> 00:48:45,923
But the worst thing
995
00:48:46,024 --> 00:48:48,393
was that the
Parkinson's syndrome
996
00:48:48,493 --> 00:48:50,595
was becoming
clearer and clearer.
997
00:48:50,695 --> 00:48:52,930
LAILA: When you stay
in the ring too long,
998
00:48:53,031 --> 00:48:54,199
it's gonna really start
wearing down on you.
999
00:48:54,299 --> 00:48:56,234
And that's exactly what
happened to my father.
1000
00:48:58,069 --> 00:49:03,074
NARRATOR: Ali's Parkinson's
syndrome is made public
in 1984.
1001
00:49:03,174 --> 00:49:05,243
It's really hard for me and
everyone else to see a man
1002
00:49:05,343 --> 00:49:08,679
who used to be
so great with words,
1003
00:49:08,779 --> 00:49:10,881
and now that's one of
the things that he can't do.
1004
00:49:10,982 --> 00:49:13,684
It's a sad thing
because you wonder
1005
00:49:13,784 --> 00:49:16,054
what he would be saying now.
1006
00:49:16,154 --> 00:49:18,123
PRICE: We need that
Louisville Lip because
1007
00:49:18,223 --> 00:49:20,625
there's nobody speaking
1008
00:49:20,725 --> 00:49:25,263
for African-Americans
or Americans like Ali spoke.
1009
00:49:25,363 --> 00:49:27,332
That voice just isn't there.
1010
00:49:27,432 --> 00:49:29,900
When Ali stopped
really talking in public
1011
00:49:30,001 --> 00:49:32,503
and really doing
whole Ali thing,
1012
00:49:33,938 --> 00:49:36,541
he had said so much
that it still echoes.
1013
00:49:36,641 --> 00:49:42,280
I have enough inside
here and inside here
to replay it for life.
1014
00:49:47,118 --> 00:49:50,088
We're in a hotel room
in Las Vegas at an event,
1015
00:49:50,188 --> 00:49:52,357
and this is like '90s,
so the Parkinson's is...
1016
00:49:52,457 --> 00:49:55,760
He can still walk,
but he's talking very soft.
1017
00:49:55,860 --> 00:49:57,862
And he goes, "You know
I wanna make it to heaven,
1018
00:49:57,962 --> 00:50:00,365
"and I wasn't a perfect
person, and this Parkinson's
shut me down.
1019
00:50:00,465 --> 00:50:02,833
"I can't do nothin'
wrong now, you know!"
1020
00:50:02,933 --> 00:50:06,771
But he said,
"I'd rather suffer now,
than in the hereafter."
1021
00:50:06,871 --> 00:50:10,075
NARRATOR: By 1986,
Ali is five years
into retirement
1022
00:50:10,175 --> 00:50:12,477
and on his third marriage.
1023
00:50:12,577 --> 00:50:16,781
He and his second wife,
Khalilah, were divorced
in 1975.
1024
00:50:16,881 --> 00:50:20,151
KHALILAH: He was doing
a lot of cheating.
He's weak for women.
1025
00:50:20,251 --> 00:50:22,453
I just didn't know
how weak he was.
1026
00:50:22,553 --> 00:50:25,223
NARRATOR: Ali's next marriage
to Veronica Porsche,
1027
00:50:25,323 --> 00:50:27,192
would last 10 years.
1028
00:50:27,292 --> 00:50:31,129
My father would say
he was the best Muslim
he could be.
1029
00:50:31,229 --> 00:50:34,532
Given that he was
this gorgeous,
Adonis boxer,
1030
00:50:34,632 --> 00:50:37,335
(CHUCKLES) that all
the women loved.
1031
00:50:37,435 --> 00:50:40,905
NARRATOR: In the summer
of '86, Ali and Veronica
are divorced.
1032
00:50:41,005 --> 00:50:45,143
Later that year,
he marries his fourth wife,
Lonnie Williams,
1033
00:50:45,243 --> 00:50:48,413
who he first met in Louisville
back in 1963.
1034
00:50:55,720 --> 00:50:58,556
NARRATOR: In 1996,
Ali would make
a memorable return
1035
00:50:58,656 --> 00:51:00,825
to the global spotlight.
1036
00:51:00,925 --> 00:51:05,263
We were thinking, "Who would
be an American Olympian
1037
00:51:05,363 --> 00:51:09,400
"who could light the cauldron
that would mean the most
1038
00:51:09,500 --> 00:51:12,069
"to people watching
around the globe?"
1039
00:51:12,170 --> 00:51:15,240
Ali was the guy who
made the most sense.
1040
00:51:15,340 --> 00:51:18,676
And it was not met
with wide-open endorsement.
1041
00:51:18,776 --> 00:51:21,412
There were some
people who said,
"Well, you know...
1042
00:51:21,512 --> 00:51:23,548
"He was a draft dodger,
wasn't he?"
1043
00:51:23,648 --> 00:51:26,016
NARRATOR: Mischer
and Ali's longtime friend
Howard Bingham
1044
00:51:26,117 --> 00:51:31,789
work out a deal, in which
they agree to keep Ali's
torch-lighting role a secret.
1045
00:51:31,889 --> 00:51:34,392
Howard Bingham calls me,
"Your dad's lighting
the torch,
1046
00:51:34,492 --> 00:51:37,595
"don't tell anyone! Just call
your sisters and brothers."
1047
00:51:37,695 --> 00:51:40,598
And I'm in the control room
at the bottom of the stadium
with 26 cameras
1048
00:51:40,698 --> 00:51:43,268
and, you know,
directing the world feed.
1049
00:51:43,368 --> 00:51:45,603
But even down there,
1050
00:51:45,703 --> 00:51:49,140
in the bowels of the stadium,
I could hear what was
going on up there.
1051
00:51:49,240 --> 00:51:52,377
And I never dreamed
that it would be that strong
and that powerful.
1052
00:51:52,477 --> 00:51:55,380
You know, when my father
gets nervous, he shakes more.
1053
00:51:55,480 --> 00:51:57,448
So, he's shaking
the torch, and I'm like,
1054
00:51:57,548 --> 00:51:59,617
"Oh, Lord, Dad gonna
burn down the stadium!"
1055
00:51:59,717 --> 00:52:01,486
(LAUGHING)
1056
00:52:01,586 --> 00:52:04,889
There was a part of me
saying, "Oh, my God,
look at Muhammad."
1057
00:52:05,690 --> 00:52:07,525
Feeling sorry,
1058
00:52:07,625 --> 00:52:10,961
but then, the other
part of me said,
1059
00:52:11,061 --> 00:52:13,298
"For God's sake,
that's Muhammad Ali."
1060
00:52:13,398 --> 00:52:16,934
MISCHER: To have predicted
in 1967, how much Ali
1061
00:52:17,034 --> 00:52:21,806
and his personality would
resonate around the world,
1062
00:52:21,906 --> 00:52:23,941
twenty or 30 years later,
1063
00:52:24,041 --> 00:52:26,544
there were a lot of people
that would have said,
"That will never happen."
1064
00:52:26,644 --> 00:52:32,517
The transformation
of Ali from the most
hated man in America
1065
00:52:32,617 --> 00:52:35,953
to this beatified
Ali of today...
1066
00:52:36,053 --> 00:52:37,855
A complete reversal.
1067
00:52:37,955 --> 00:52:41,158
But those of us who believed
we were in the right back
in the '60s,
1068
00:52:41,259 --> 00:52:43,127
this simply validates it.
1069
00:52:43,228 --> 00:52:45,330
That, "Hey, you
finally came around.
1070
00:52:45,430 --> 00:52:48,032
"You know, you couldn't
stop the march of history."
1071
00:52:48,132 --> 00:52:50,100
"He saw where it was going.
1072
00:52:50,201 --> 00:52:51,669
"He pointed the way.
1073
00:52:51,769 --> 00:52:55,806
"You hated him for it,
but you couldn't stop it."
1074
00:52:55,906 --> 00:53:00,645
NARRATOR: Ali is awarded
the Presidential Medal of
Freedom in January, 2005.
1075
00:53:00,745 --> 00:53:03,981
Later that year,
the non-profit
Muhammad Ali Center
1076
00:53:04,081 --> 00:53:05,916
opens in downtown Louisville,
1077
00:53:06,016 --> 00:53:11,188
not far from where
his bike had been stolen
over 50 years before.
1078
00:53:11,289 --> 00:53:14,058
His legacy is that
when you believe in yourself,
1079
00:53:14,158 --> 00:53:18,563
no matter what the odds are,
if you're on the right
side of history,
1080
00:53:18,663 --> 00:53:20,398
and if you perfect your craft,
1081
00:53:20,498 --> 00:53:22,166
you can accomplish anything.
1082
00:53:22,267 --> 00:53:25,603
He stood up on a level
that nobody else stood up,
1083
00:53:25,703 --> 00:53:28,273
and he had a platform
that no one else had.
1084
00:53:28,373 --> 00:53:32,243
Risking his personal success
and his personal wealth
1085
00:53:32,343 --> 00:53:34,312
to basically tell the truth.
1086
00:53:34,412 --> 00:53:36,481
People today
are fond of saying,
1087
00:53:36,581 --> 00:53:39,750
"Yes, Muhammad Ali
stood up for his principles."
1088
00:53:39,850 --> 00:53:44,389
But there's been a determined
effort to wipe away
1089
00:53:44,489 --> 00:53:48,726
cognizance of what those
principles once were.
1090
00:53:48,826 --> 00:53:54,899
Don't wipe out the memories
of what Muhammad stood for
in the 1960s.
1091
00:53:54,999 --> 00:53:56,934
Take it, build on it,
1092
00:53:57,034 --> 00:54:02,006
and show how Muhammad Ali
and America both changed,
1093
00:54:02,106 --> 00:54:04,309
and came together in the end.
1094
00:54:04,409 --> 00:54:06,811
He was no saint.
He was no devil.
1095
00:54:08,212 --> 00:54:09,847
He was Muhammad Ali,
1096
00:54:10,948 --> 00:54:13,984
and nobody else ever was
or ever could be.
90477
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