ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "MUHAMMAD ALI"
WAS PROVIDED BY: 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;
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OWSLEY BROWN III FOUNDATION.
AND AUGUSTA BROWN HOLLAND FOUNDATION,
PERRY AND DONNA GOLKIN,
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JOHN AND CATHERINE DEBS,
FRED AND DONNA SEIGEL,
SUSAN AND JOHN WIELAND,
AND BY THESE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS.
MAJOR FUNDING WAS ALSO PROVIDED
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AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS
TO YOUR PBS STATION
FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.
MUHAMMAD ALI: YOU WANT SOME BREAKFAST?
GIRL: I WANT SOME CORNFLAKES.
ALI: CAN I HAVE SOME OF YOUR CORNFLAKES?
OH, I DON'T WANT NONE. I WON'T TAKE NONE.
I WON'T EAT NONE IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO.
OOH! LOOK AT THAT PRETTY HORSEY.
WHERE? IS THAT A WHITE HORSE?
SEE? NO. STAND UP, LOOK OVER THERE.
STAND UP. YOU GOT TO STAND UP.
OVER THAT BUILDING.
SEE THE BIG ONE? THERE HE IS.
WHAT? WHAT'S WRONG?
YOU ATE MY CORNFLAKES!
[CROWD CHANTING, "ALI!"]
WOMAN: MY EARLIEST MEMORIES THAT I CAN THINK OF AS A CHILD
WITH MY FATHER ARE WALKING THROUGH AIRPORTS AND BEING
IN CROWDS AND FEELING IN MY... THE VIBRATIONS
OF PEOPLE'S CLAPPING AND SHOUTS IN MY CHEST
AND JUST LOOKING AT MY DAD, YOU KNOW, LIKE
"WHO IS THIS PERSON?"
AND IT WAS ALL THE TIME, ANYWHERE WE WENT.
"YOU'RE THE GREATEST. WE LOVE YOU."
AND THE CLAPPING AND, "MUHAMMAD."
ALI BOMAYE. ALI BOMAYE.
HANA: I LOVED FEELING ALL THE ENERGY
AND THE LOVE THAT HE FELT.
MAN: WE NOW THINK OF MUHAMMAD ALI AS THIS VULNERABLE GUY
LIGHTING THE TORCH IN ATLANTA,
AND EVERYBODY ON THE GLOBE LOVES HIM.
BLACK PEOPLE LIKE HIM, WHITE PEOPLE.
HE'S A UNIVERSAL HERO LIKE... BUT ALMOST IN A RELIGIOUS WAY,
LIKE THE BUDDHA, BUT WHEN HE WAS
IN THE MIDST OF HIS CAREER AND NOT JUST
IN THE EARLY BIT, HE WAS INCREDIBLY DIVISIVE.
CASSIUS CLAY: BOO, YELL, SCREAM, THROW PEANUTS,
BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, PAY TO GET IN.
REMNICK: PEOPLE HATED HIM WHETHER IT WAS
ALONG RACIAL LINES, CLASS LINES, VIETNAM LINES,
POLITICAL LINES, RELIGIOUS LINES,
OR THEY JUST COULDN'T STAND HIM
AND PEOPLE OF COURSE HAD THE OPPOSITE,
AND THIS WAS "I LOVED HIM, LOVED HIM!"
BUT YOU HAD AN OPINION ABOUT HIM.
[BELL RINGS]
WHAT'S MY NAME? WHAT'S MY NAME?
CLAY: I AIN'T SCARED OF NO BATTLE.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A GOOD MAN TO WHOOP ME.
YOU CAN LOOK AT ME. I'M LOADED WITH CONFIDENCE.
I CAN'T BE BEAT.
I HAD 180 AMATEUR FIGHTS,
22 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS,
AND I'M PRETTY AS A GIRL.
LOOK HOW PRETTY I AM.
[LAUGHTER]
MY LONG, TRIM LEGS AND MY BEAUTIFUL ARMS
AND MY PRETTY NOSE AND MOUTH.
I KNOW I'M PRETTY, MAN. I KNOW I'M PRETTY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME I'M PRETTY.
I'M COCKY. I'M PROUD.
NEVER TALK ABOUT WHO'S GONNA STOP BE.
THERE AIN'T NOBODY GONNA STOP ME.
I SAY WHAT A WANT TO SAY.
THERE AIN'T NO MORE BIG NIGGAS TALKING LIKE THIS.
[LAUGHTER]
MAN: HE WAS A PIONEER,
HE WAS A REVOLUTIONARY,
HE WAS A GROUNDBREAKER,
A GUY KNOWN SIMPLY AS THE GREATEST.
I AM THE GREATEST.
I'VE WRASSLED WITH ALLIGATORS.
I'VE TUSSLED WITH A WHALE.
I DONE HANDCUFFED LIGHTNING AND PUT THUNDER IN JAIL.
WELL, YOU KNOW I'M BAD.
BACK OFF OF ME, MAN. BACK OFF OF ME, MAN.
ALI: I CAN DROWN A DRINK OF WATER AND KILL A DEAD TREE.
THIS WILL BE NO CONTEST.
WAIT TILL YOU SEE MUHAMMAD ALI.
[BEYONCÉ'S "FREEDOM" PLAYING]
MAN: TO HAVE THAT CHUTZPAH
AND TO BE A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA,
IT WAS JUST... IT WAS... IT WAS OUTLANDISH.
ALI: MUHAMMAD MEANS WORTHY OF ALL PRAISES,
AND ALI MEANS MOST HIGH.
I JUST DON'T THINK I SHOULD GO 10,000 MILES FROM HERE
AND SHOOT SOME BLACK PEOPLE THAT NEVER CALLED ME NIGGER.
I JUST CAN'T SHOOT HIM.
I WAS ALWAYS WONDERED WHY MISS AMERICA
WAS ALWAYS WHITE,
SANTA CLAUSE IS WHITE.
WHITE SWAN SOAP, KING WHITE SOAP,
WHITE CLOUD TISSUE PAPER,
AND EVERYTHING BAD WAS BLACK.
BLACK CAT WAS THE BAD LUCK,
AND IF I THREATEN YOU, I'M GONNA BLACKMAIL YOU.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
I SAID, "MAMA, WHY DON'T THEY CALL IT WHITEMAIL?
THEY LIE, TOO."
LARRY HOLMES: I LOVED BEING AROUND HIM.
I LOVED BEING AROUND MUHAMMAD ALI.
YOU GONNA FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY AND STING LIKE A BEE.
BOTH: AHH!
RUMBLE, YOUNG MAN, RUMBLE.
AHH!
ALI: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM COMES HIGH.
I HAVE PAID, BUT I AM FREE.
BEYONCÉ: ♪ FREEDOM, FREEDOM ♪
♪ I CAN'T MOVE ♪
♪ FREEDOM, CUT ME LOOSE ♪
ANNOUNCER: THE WINNER AND STILL
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD...
ALI: I AM THE GREATEST FIGHTER OF ALL TIME.
OF ALL TIME.
BEYONCÉ: ♪ HEY ♪
♪ I'MMA KEEP RUNNIN' ♪
♪ 'CAUSE A WINNER DON'T QUIT ON THEMSELVES ♪
[PUNCHES HITTING HEAVY BAG]
NARRATOR: HE CALLED HIMSELF "THE GREATEST"
AND THEN PROVED IT TO THE ENTIRE WORLD.
HE WAS A MASTER AT WHAT IS CALLED THE "SWEET SCIENCE,"
THE BRUTAL AND SOMETIMES BEAUTIFUL ART OF BOXING.
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION AT JUST 22 YEARS OLD,
HE WROTE HIS OWN RULES IN THE RING AND IN HIS LIFE,
INFURIATING HIS CRITICS, BAFFLING HIS OPPONENTS,
AND RIVETING MILLIONS OF FANS.
AT THE HEIGHT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT,
HE JOINED A SEPARATIST RELIGIOUS SECT
WHOSE LEADER WOULD, FOR A TIME,
DOMINATE BOTH HIS PERSONAL LIFE AND HIS BOXING CAREER.
HE SPOKE HIS MIND AND STOOD ON PRINCIPLE
EVEN WHEN IT COST HIM HIS LIVELIHOOD.
HE REDEFINED BLACK MANHOOD, YET BELITTLED HIS GREATEST RIVAL
USING THE RACIST LANGUAGE OF THE JIM CROW SOUTH
IN WHICH HE HAD BEEN RAISED.
BANISHED FOR HIS BELIEFS, HE RETURNED TO BOXING
AN UNDERDOG, RECLAIMED HIS TITLE TWICE,
AND BECAME THE MOST FAMOUS MAN ON EARTH.
HE CRAVED ADULATION HIS WHOLE LIFE,
SEEKING CROWDS ON STREET CORNERS,
IN HOTEL LOBBIES, ON AIRPORT TARMACS,
EVERYWHERE HE WENT,
AND REVELED IN THE UNINHIBITED JOY
HE BROUGHT EACH ADORING FAN.
HE EARNED A MASSIVE FORTUNE, SPENT IT FREELY,
AND GAVE GENEROUSLY TO FAMILY, FRIENDS,
EVEN STRANGERS... ANYONE IN NEED.
"SERVICE TO OTHERS," HE OFTEN SAID,
"IS THE RENT YOU PAY FOR YOUR ROOM HERE ON EARTH."
EVEN AFTER HIS BODY BEGAN TO BETRAY HIM
AND HIS BRAIN HAD ABSORBED TOO MANY BLOWS, HE FOUGHT ON,
UNABLE TO GO WITHOUT THE ATTENTION AND DRAMA
THAT ACCOMPANIED EACH BOUT.
LATER, SLOWED AND SILENCED BY A CRUEL AND CRIPPLING DISEASE,
HE FOUND REFUGE IN HIS FAITH, BECOMING A SYMBOL
OF PEACE AND HOPE ON EVERY CONTINENT.
MUHAMMAD ALI WAS, THE NOVELIST NORMAN MAILER WROTE,
"THE VERY SPIRIT OF THE 20th CENTURY."
ALI: I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE ONE BLACK ONE
WHO GOT BIG ON YOUR WHITE TELEVISIONS,
ON YOUR WHITE NEWSPAPERS, ON YOUR SATELLITES,
MILLION-DOLLAR CHECKS, AND STILL LOOK YOU IN YOUR FACE
AND TELL YOU THE TRUTH AND 100% STAY WITH AND REPRESENT
MY PEOPLE AND NOT LEAVE THEM AND SELL THEM OUT
BECAUSE I'M RICH AND STAY WITH THEM.
THAT WAS MY PURPOSE.
I'M HERE, AND I'M SHOWING THE WORLD THAT
YOU CAN BE HERE AND STILL FREE AND STAY YOURSELF
AND GET RESPECT FROM THE WORLD.
[BELL RINGS]
[THE DIXIELAND JUG BLOWERS' "BOODLE-AM-SHAKE" PLAYING]
♪
NARRATOR: MUHAMMAD ALI WAS BORN CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY JR.
AT LOUISVILLE CITY HOSPITAL ON JANUARY 17, 1942.
ODESSA CLAY: HE WEIGHED ABOUT 6 POUNDS, 1 OUNCE,
SO I WOULDN'T CALL THAT A VERY LARGE BABY.
HE LEARNED TO TALK BEFORE HE WAS ONE YEARS OLD,
AND HE'S ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT TALKER.
NARRATOR: HIS PARENTS, ODESSA GRADY CLAY
AND CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY SR., HAD MARRIED IN 1941
AND BOUGHT A TINY HOUSE AT 3302 GRAND AVENUE
IN LOUISVILLE'S WEST END, A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT WAS HOME TO WORKING- AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES.
WOMAN: THE WEST END HAD EVERYTHING.
WE HAD OUR BANKS, WE HAD OUR ENTREPRENEURS,
WE HAD OUR NEWSPAPER.
IT WAS A COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE WERE SAFE.
I DON'T HAVE A RECOLLECTION OF WHEN I FIRST MET THE CLAYS.
IT'S ALMOST AS IF YOU ALWAYS KNEW THEM.
MRS. CLAY, SHE LOVED EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MEAN, SHE WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT
IF ANYTHING HAPPENED YOU ALWAYS KNEW
THAT YOU COULD RUN OVER THERE.
NARRATOR: ODESSA COOKED AND CLEANED FOR WHITE FAMILIES
AND ATTENDED MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH
EVERY SUNDAY.
HANA: MOMMA BIRD, MY GRANDMOTHER,
WAS VERY SWEET, VERY QUIET,
AND VERY PLEASANT, NEVER SPOKE BADLY ABOUT ANYBODY,
VERY POSITIVE, SPIRITUAL WOMAN.
SO OUTGOING AND LOVING.
WOMAN: SHE WAS KIND, AND SHE WAS JUST SINCERE,
AND MY DAD TRULY RECEIVED HIS GENTLENESS
AND HIS KINDNESS FROM HIS MOM, MOMMA BIRD.
NARRATOR: YOUNG CASSIUS NEVER SAT STILL.
HE PULLED THE POTS AND PANS FROM THE CUPBOARD
TO BANG ON THEM, CHASED THE FAMILY'S PET CHICKEN
AROUND THE YARD, AND STOOD UP IN HIS STROLLER
TO GET A BETTER VIEW.
RASHEDA: EVEN AS A YOUNG BOY, HE JUST HAD
THIS HUGE PERSONALITY, AND HE WAS ALWAYS LAUGHING
AND SMILING, ALWAYS MAKING OTHER PEOPLE LAUGH.
AND MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE WAS LIKE, "THIS... THIS BOY
IS GONNA BE SOMETHING SPECIAL."
NARRATOR: 18 MONTHS AFTER CASSIUS WAS BORN,
ODESSA GAVE BIRTH TO A SECOND SON, WHOM THEY NAMED
AFTER THE SILENT FILM STAR RUDOLPH VALENTINO.
CASSIUS AND RUDY WERE EXCEPTIONALLY CLOSE.
WHEN HIS BROTHER MISBEHAVED, CASSIUS WOULD INSIST
THAT RUDY WAS HIS BABY AND REFUSE TO LET
THEIR FATHER SPANK HIM.
CASSIUS CLAY SR., AN ARTIST WHO EARNED A LIVING
AS A SIGN-PAINTER AND MURALIST, HAD BEEN NAMED
FOR A FIERY 19th CENTURY WHITE ABOLITIONIST.
HE LOVED TO BE NOTICED, OFTEN QUOTED FROM THE BIBLE,
AND RAILED AGAINST RACIAL INJUSTICE.
"CASH," AS HE WAS CALLED, WAS "A MINIATURE VOLCANO
OF A MAN," ONE OBSERVER SAID, BOISTEROUS AND COCKY.
RASHEDA: PAPA CASH WAS CHARISMATIC, HE WAS FUNNY,
HE HAD THE BIGGEST PERSONALITY.
HE LIT UP A ROOM WHEN HE WALKED IN.
EVERYONE JUST WANTED TO TALK TO HIM,
EVERYONE WANTED TO KNOW HIM.
OUR FATHER COULD SING, DANCE, PAINT, DRAW,
MEMORIZE POETRY.
MY BROTHER GOT HIS TALENT FROM OUR FATHER.
RASHEDA: MY DAD, HE'S CERTAINLY A COMBINATION OF MOMMA BIRD
AND PAPA CASH FOR SURE,
BUT HIS CHARISMA DEFINITELY CAME FROM PAPA CASH.
MAN: HIS FATHER WAS A RACE MAN,
AND HE BELIEVED THAT HIS CAREER, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS',
WAS HELD BACK BY THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN,
AND HE BELIEVED THAT HE WAS A BRILLIANT PAINTER,
AN ARTIST, BUT HE WAS RELEGATED
TO PAINTING SIGNS IN FRONT OF STORES
AND PAINTING CHURCH MURALS AND SCRAPING TO MAKE A LIVING
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME KIND OF OPPORTUNITY
THAT A WHITE PAINTER MIGHT HAVE HAD.
NARRATOR: PAPA CASH WAS ALSO AN UNREPENTANT WOMANIZER,
WHO COULD BE VIOLENT WHEN DRUNK.
HE WAS ARRESTED REGULARLY FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT
AND RECKLESS DRIVING.
AND HE OCCASIONALLY HIT HIS WIFE,
AND THERE WERE POLICE INVOLVED AT TIMES WHEN SHE HAD TO CALL
TO PROTECT HERSELF,
AND I THINK FOR THE BOYS GROWING UP,
FOR CASSIUS AND FOR RUDY, IT WAS FRIGHTENING ENVIRONMENT
AT TIMES TO SEE THEIR MOTHER BEING THREATENED,
AND AS THEY GOT OLDER, THEY WOULD STEP IN
AND TRY TO PUT A STOP TO IT.
NARRATOR: AFTER ONE INCIDENT, POLICE ARRIVED
AT THE CLAY HOME TO FIND YOUNG CASSIUS
WITH A BLOODY GASH ON HIS LEG.
HIS FATHER HAD CUT HIM WITH A KNIFE WHEN HE'D TRIED
TO PROTECT HIS MOTHER DURING AN ARGUMENT
BETWEEN HIS PARENTS.
THE OFFICERS DID NOTHING.
DESPITE THE VIOLENCE, CASSIUS AND RUDY
WOULD SPEAK OF THEIR HOME LIFE AS PEACEFUL AND HAPPY.
♪
HANA: MY FATHER, COMING UP, IN THE SEGREGATED SOUTH,
IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, HAD A DIFFICULT TIME.
MOMMA BIRD TAUGHT HIM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE CRUEL
IN THIS WORLD, BUT NEVER, NEVER, NEVER,
YOU KNOW, BECOME THAT.
CHILDREN: I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
NARRATOR: THE LOUISVILLE OF CASSIUS CLAY'S YOUTH
WAS STRICTLY SEGREGATED, AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE LIMITED.
HE ATTENDED ALL-BLACK SCHOOLS, COULD NOT EAT
AT THE LUNCH COUNTERS OF DOWNTOWN STORES,
AND WATCHED FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE
AS WHITE FAMILIES ENJOYED A NEARBY AMUSEMENT PARK.
EIG: YOUNG CASSIUS CLAY WAS AWARE VERY EARLY
OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE
AND HOW DIFFERENTLY HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE TREATED
AND WOULD ASK HIS FATHER, "WHY CAN'T I BE RICH?"
AND HIS FATHER WOULD JUST POINT TO THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN
AND SAY, "THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T BE RICH."
♪
NARRATOR: IN 1955, NEWS OF THE BRUTAL TORTURE
AND MURDER OF 14-YEAR-OLD EMMETT TILL
BY WHITE MEN IN MISSISSIPPI AND GRAPHIC IMAGES
IN "JET" MAGAZINE OF HIS MUTILATED FACE
HAUNTED CASSIUS CLAY,
WHO WAS JUST 6 MONTHS YOUNGER THAN TILL.
HANA: THAT REALLY AFFECTED LIKE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE
IN THAT TIME.
HE SAW HIMSELF IN EMMETT TILL AND THOUGHT, "WOW!
"THIS OUTGOING KID FROM THE CITY,
"AND HE CAME, AND HE WHISTLED AT A PRETTY LADY,
"AND NOW HE'S DEAD, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN
RECOGNIZE HIS FACE."
MAN: IT WAS ASTONISHING WHEN WE FOUND OUT
ABOUT EMMETT TILL.
HIS MOTHER SAID, "LEAVE THE CASKET OPEN,"
AND YOU COULD SEE WHAT, HOW THEY BRUTALIZED HIM,
AND SO EVERYBODY SAW THAT.
IT WAS REALLY KIND OF SCARY FOR EVERYBODY
IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IF THEY COULD DO THAT TO HIM,
WHAT COULD THEY DO TO US?
THAT'S WHEN YOUNG BLACK GUYS STARTED TO CHANGE.
♪
NARRATOR: AT THE VIRGINIA AVENUE COLORED SCHOOL,
CASSIUS CLAY HAD A HARD TIME PAYING ATTENTION.
EIG: HE STRUGGLED WITH HIS CLASSES.
HE STRUGGLED TO READ, HE STRUGGLED WITH MATH.
HE WAS MOST CERTAINLY DYSLEXIC.
HE FOUND, LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TROUBLE
IN SCHOOL, THAT HE HAD TO COMPENSATE,
AND BY BEING THE CLASS CLOWN WAS THE WAY HE DID THAT.
HE WOULD CARRY A PURSE TO SCHOOL,
HE WORE LIPSTICK ONE DAY TO GET LAUGHS.
HE WAS WILLING TO DO THINGS THAT BOYS IN THE 1950s
DIDN'T OFTEN DO.
EVEN AS A YOUNG MAN, PEOPLE JUST LOVED
TO BE AROUND HIM.
HE MADE THEM FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES.
NARRATOR: ONE DAY IN OCTOBER OF 1954,
12-YEAR-OLD CASSIUS RODE HIS BICYCLE
INTO DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE,
WHILE RUDY SAT ON THE HANDLEBARS.
IT BEGAN TO RAIN, AND THE BOYS TOOK COVER
IN THE COLUMBIA AUDITORIUM, WHERE A HOME APPLIANCE SHOW
WAS UNDERWAY.
AFTER THE RAIN STOPPED, THEY EMERGED TO FIND THAT
THE BICYCLE WAS GONE.
HE HAD A BRAND-NEW SCHWINN, A BEAUTIFUL RED BICYCLE
THAT HE SHARED WITH HIS BROTHER,
AND HE WENT RUNNING AROUND LOOKING FOR HIS BICYCLE
AND THEN RAN BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY CENTER
ASKING FOR HELP.
SOMEONE TOLD HIM THERE WAS A POLICE OFFICER
IN THE BASEMENT.
♪
MAN: HE WENT DOWN, AND THE COP IN THE BASEMENT
WAS THIS JOE MARTIN, WHO WAS RUNNING A LITTLE BOXING SCHOOL.
EIG: CASSIUS TOLD THE STORY YEARS LATER THAT
FOR A MINUTE HE FORGOT ABOUT HIS BIKE
BECAUSE THE SIGHT OF THIS BOXING GYM,
THE SMELL OF THE LEATHER AND THE SWEAT,
AND THE EXCITEMENT, THE ACTION OF BOYS
IN A RING HITTING EACH OTHER,
BLACK AND WHITE, TOGETHER.
AND HE, YOU KNOW, REPORTED THE CRIME, AND "I'M GONNA
GET THE GUY AND I'M GONNA," YOU KNOW, "KILL HIM."
AND JOE MARTIN SAID, "WELL, UH, DO YOU KNOW
HOW TO FIGHT?"
"FIGHT?"
AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING.
NARRATOR: THOUGH HIS FATHER WAS RELUCTANT TO LET
HIS SON TRAIN WITH A WHITE POLICE OFFICER,
THE LESSONS WERE FREE, AND CASSIUS WAS EAGER TO LEARN.
AT FIRST, THE YOUNG BOXER DID NOT IMPRESS MARTIN.
"HE WAS JUST ORDINARY," THE TRAINER RECALLED,
"AND I DOUBT WHETHER ANY SCOUT WOULD HAVE THOUGHT
MUCH OF HIM."
EIG: CASSIUS DIDN'T SHOW ANY SPECIAL TALENT RIGHT AWAY,
BUT HE SHOWED ENORMOUS PASSION.
HE KNEW INSTANTLY THAT THIS WAS WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.
BOXING WAS PERFECT FOR HIM BECAUSE THERE'S JUST
TWO GUYS IN THE RING, AND YOUR EYES ARE ALWAYS
GOING TO BE DRAWN NATURALLY TO THE ONE WHO'S DOING
THE MOST MOVING, WHO'S DOING THE MOST PUNCHING,
WHO'S MOVING THE FASTEST, AND THAT WAS HIM,
AND HE KNEW THAT HE COULD GET THE MOST ATTENTION THAT WAY.
NARRATOR: JUST 6 WEEKS AFTER HE WALKED INTO JOE MARTIN'S GYM,
CASSIUS CLAY HAD HIS FIRST AMATEUR FIGHT.
I AT THAT TIME WAS PUTTING ON A LOCAL TELEVISION SHOW
HERE IN LOUISVILLE, AND I HAD AMATEUR BOUTS
EVERY SATURDAY AFTERNOON, AND THE FIRST BOUT I PUT HIM IN,
HE WEIGHED 87 POUNDS.
NARRATOR: AFTER DEFEATING 14-YEAR-OLD RONNIE O'KEEFE
IN A SPLIT DECISION, CLAY IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCED
TO EVERYONE THAT ONE DAY HE WOULD BE CALLED
"THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME."
MAN: HE WAS ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE BRAGGART,
"I'M THE GREATEST" AND ALL THAT, BEFORE HE EVEN GOT
TO BE THE GREATEST.
WE'D SAY, "OH, SHUT UP. YOU'RE JUST RUNNING YOUR MOUTH."
BUT AS HE GOT BETTER AND BETTER,
WE HAD MORE RESPECT FOR HIM.
EIG: HE BELIEVES IN HIMSELF BEFORE THERE'S ANY REASON TO,
BEFORE ANYONE ELSE IS TELLING HIM THAT HE
MIGHT EVEN HAVE TALENT.
IT'S SO PREPOSTEROUS.
NARRATOR: CASSIUS THREW HIMSELF INTO TRAINING,
DETERMINED TO ADD MUSCLE TO HIS SLENDER FRAME.
HE STOPPED DRINKING SODA POP AND SUBSTITUTED GARLIC WATER,
WHICH HE BELIEVED WOULD KEEP HIS BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN.
[BELL RINGS]
ANNOUNCER: CASSIUS CLAY OF LOUISVILLE
IN THE TRUNKS WITH THE WHITE STRIPES,
MEETS JEFFERSON DAVIS OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.
NARRATOR: CLAY REALIZED EARLY THAT HE WAS UNUSUALLY QUICK
AND AGILE, ABLE TO AVOID PUNCHES BY LEANING BACK
RATHER THAN DUCKING OR SLIPPING SIDE TO SIDE
AS BOXERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO.
[BELL RINGS]
ANNOUNCER: IT'S CASSIUS CLAY THE WINNER
OVER JEFFERSON DAVIS.
NARRATOR: SOME NIGHTS, CLAY WENT FROM MARTIN'S GYM
TO THE GRACE COMMUNITY CENTER ACROSS TOWN, WHERE HE CONTINUED
HIS BOXING EDUCATION UNDER FRED STONER,
A VETERAN TRAINER WHO HAD GUIDED MANY LOCAL AMATEURS TO SUCCESS
AT THE GOLDEN GLOVES.
AWAY FROM THE GYM, HE SOUGHT BOXING WISDOM
WHEREVER HE COULD FIND IT.
WHEN THE WELL-KNOWN TRAINER ANGELO DUNDEE CAME TO TOWN,
CASSIUS PEPPERED HIM WITH QUESTIONS.
DUNDEE WAS IMPRESSED BY THE TEENAGER'S DETERMINATION
AND AMBITION.
DUNDEE: HE WANTED TO FIND OUT HOW FIGHTERS TRAIN,
THE BUSINESS ABOUT, UH, DIET, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND HE WAS VERY, VERY CURIOUS AT THAT TIME.
NARRATOR: BEFORE EACH FIGHT, CASSIUS CLAY WOULD GO
DOOR TO DOOR ACROSS LOUISVILLE, INTRODUCING
HIMSELF TO WHITE AND BLACK RESIDENTS ALIKE.
MAN: HIS STRATEGY WAS TO SELL TICKETS,
AND ANY WAY I COULD ENTERTAIN AND SELL TICKETS,
THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO,
AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID.
HE DID A REAL GOOD JOB AT THAT.
NARRATOR: CLAY WAS OFTEN ABSENT FROM HIGH SCHOOL,
COMPETING IN AMATEUR TOURNAMENTS.
WHEN HE DID ATTEND CLASS, HE SKETCHED BOXING GLOVES
AND LETTER JACKETS STITCHED
WITH "NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION" IN HIS NOTEBOOK
AND OFFERED TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS FOR HIS CLASSMATES.
BET MY CLASSMATES THAT I WOULD BEAT THEM TO SCHOOL.
THEY WOULD RIDE THE BUS.
BENDER: HE WOULD RUN UP CHESTNUT STREET
WITH THE LOCAL TRANSIT BUS JUST TO GET HIMSELF CONDITIONED
AND THEN RUN FROM CHESTNUT STREET
TO ALL THE WAY OVER TO BROADWAY AND COME BACK,
AND HE WOULD SOMETIMES STOP TO LOOK TO SEE
IF THERE WERE LADIES IN THERE OR WHATEVER,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND KEEP ON RUNNING.
ALI: THE BUS MIGHT GET A BLOCK OR TWO LEAD ON ME.
I WOULD ALWAYS CATCH UP TO IT WHEN IT STOPPED
FOR PASSENGERS OR STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT
OR SOMETHING.
BENDER: IT WAS FUNNY. IT WAS REALLY FUNNY,
AND HE'D WAVE, WAVE, "I'M GOING ON."
THEY'D SAY, "HE'S A STRANGE PERSON.
WHY'S HE RUNNING WITH US?"
NARRATOR: IN FEBRUARY OF 1958,
A MONTH AFTER HIS 16th BIRTHDAY,
CLAY TRAVELED WITH JOE MARTIN
AND A GROUP OF LOUISVILLE HOPEFULS TO CHICAGO
FOR THE GOLDEN GLOVES TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.
IT WAS HIS FIRST NATIONAL COMPETITION.
HE LOST IN THE QUARTER FINALS.
ONE YEAR LATER, TALLER AND HEAVIER,
HE MADE IT TO THE TOURNAMENT FINALS,
WHERE HE DEFEATED 29-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN-BORN TONY MADIGAN,
A TWO-TIME OLYMPIAN, WHO WAS FAVORED TO WIN.
NARRATOR: THE DECISION WAS UNANIMOUS.
"I COULDN'T STICK HIM," MADIGAN SAID.
"HE WOULD ALWAYS JUST PULL OUT OF RANGE...
SORT OF VANISH INTO THIN AIR."
CASSIUS CLAY WAS NOW A GOLDEN GLOVES
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
A WIN AT THE NATIONAL OLYMPIC TRIALS
IN SAN FRANCISCO WOULD EARN HIM A SPOT ON THE TEAM HEADED
FOR THE 1960 ROME OLYMPICS,
BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM.
HE WAS AFRAID OF FLYING,
SO AFRAID THAT HE CONSIDERED TURNING PROFESSIONAL
RATHER THAN COMPETE FOR A CHANCE TO GO TO ITALY.
HE HATED FLYING. HE WAS SCARED TO DEATH OF AIRPLANES.
HE ACTUALLY FLEW TO THE OLYMPIC TRIALS
WITH A PARACHUTE THAT HE BOUGHT AT AN ARMY-NAVY STORE
THAT HE WORE ON THE PLANE.
♪
NARRATOR: AT THE COW PALACE IN SAN FRANCISCO,
CLAY DEFEATED HIS FIRST TWO OPPONENTS CONVINCINGLY
AND ADVANCED TO THE FINALS, WHERE HE FACED
ALLEN HUDSON, AN ARMY VETERAN AND MORE EXPERIENCED FIGHTER.
ANNOUNCER: IN THE 178-POUND CLASS,
ANOTHER LOUISVILLE BOY CASSIUS CLAY IN THE DARK TRUNKS
IS PITTED AGAINST THE ALL-ARMY CHAMPION ALLEN HUDSON.
NARRATOR: IN THE THIRD ROUND, HUDSON SENT CLAY
TO THE CANVAS.
ANNOUNCER: CASSIUS IS UP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,
AND AFTER A CHECK BY THE REF, HE'S BACK IN ACTION.
CLAY'S CHANCE TO GO TO WORK.
HE WADES INTO HUDSON AND SENDS HIM REELING
INTO THE CORNER.
[CROWD CHEERING]
HUDSON IS REALLY GROGGY AND JUST ABOUT OUT ON HIS FEET.
NARRATOR: THE REFEREE AWARDED CLAY A TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT.
HE HAD EARNED A SPOT
ON THE UNITED STATES OLYMPIC TEAM.
AFTER THE TRIALS, CLAY PAWNED A WATCH HE'D WON
IN THE TOURNAMENT AND BOUGHT A TRAIN TICKET HOME
SO HE WOULDN'T HAVE TO FLY.
HIS GRADUATION FROM CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
WAS NOW JUST WEEKS AWAY.
HE'D MISSED SO MANY DAYS AND HAD SUCH POOR GRADES
THAT MANY OF HIS TEACHERS FELT CLAY DID NOT DESERVE A DIPLOMA.
HIS PRINCIPAL DISAGREED.
"THE ONLY THING CASSIUS IS GOING TO HAVE TO READ
IS HIS IRS FORM," HE SAID, "AND I'M WILLING
TO HELP HIM DO IT."
ON HIS WAY TO THE OLYMPICS IN ROME,
CASSIUS CLAY FIRST STOPPED IN NEW YORK, WHERE HE HOPED TO
MEET HIS IDOL, FORMER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION
SUGAR RAY ROBINSON, WHOM MANY BELIEVED THE GREATEST
POUND-FOR-POUND FIGHTER IN BOXING HISTORY,
KNOWN AS MUCH FOR HIS FLASHY STYLE
AS FOR HIS PROWESS IN THE RING.
WHILE CLAY WAITED OUTSIDE ROBINSON'S HARLEM RESTAURANT,
HOPING FOR A MOMENT WITH HIS HERO,
HE NOTICED A SMALL CROWD GATHERED
AROUND A WELL-DRESSED ORATOR,
WHO WAS CALLING UPON BLACK PEOPLE
TO SHOP ONLY AT BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES.
THE MAN BELONGED TO A GROUP CALLED THE NATION OF ISLAM.
"HOW CAN HE TALK LIKE THAT?" CLAY WONDERED.
"AIN'T HE GONNA GET IN TROUBLE?"
WHEN SUGAR RAY FINALLY PULLED UP IN A PURPLE LINCOLN CONTINENTAL,
HE HAD LITTLE TIME FOR HIS YOUNG ADMIRER, HURRIEDLY SIGNING
A PHOTOGRAPH FOR CLAY AND WISHING HIM LUCK.
AT FIRST, CLAY WAS AWESTRUCK.
"THAT SUGAR RAY, HE'S SOMETHING," HE RAVED.
"SOMEDAY I'M GOING TO OWN TWO CADILLACS
AND A FORD FOR JUST GETTING AROUND IN,"
BUT LATER, HE REMEMBERED, HE FELT SNUBBED.
"IF I EVER GET GREAT AND FAMOUS AND PEOPLE WANT
MY AUTOGRAPH ENOUGH TO WAIT ALL DAY," HE SAID,
"I'M SURE GONNA TREAT THEM DIFFERENT."
THEN, HE NERVOUSLY FLEW TO ROME.
♪
EIG: THE 1960 OLYMPICS WERE BIG AND EXCITING
IN A LOT OF WAYS.
THE AMERICAN TEAM WAS LED BY RAFER JOHNSON.
IT WAS A VERY EXCITING TIME TO BE AN OLYMPIAN.
FOR CASSIUS, WHO'D REALLY NEVER TRAVELED VERY FAR,
THIS WAS REALLY AN EYE-OPENER TO SEE THE WORLD
AND TO SEE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES,
AND HE INSTANTLY BECAME
THE MAYOR OF THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE.
HE WAS NOT FAMOUS YET IN ANY WAY,
BUT HIS MAGNETISM JUST WAS AMAZING,
AND YOU SEE INSTANTLY REPORTERS AND OTHER ATHLETES SAYING,
"WHO IS THIS GUY? WE NEED TO TALK TO HIM,"
AND JUST CLUSTERS FORMING AROUND HIM WHEREVER HE WENT.
NARRATOR: CLAY REVELED IN ALL THE ATTENTION.
HE MET BING CROSBY,
FLIRTED WITH THE SPRINTER WILMA RUDOLPH,
AND POSED FOR PHOTOGRAPHS
WITH THE CURRENT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION FLOYD PATTERSON.
"BE SEEING YOU IN ABOUT TWO MORE YEARS," HE SAID.
"THIS KID IS IRRESISTIBLE," WROTE ONE REPORTER.
"HE EVEN MADE FRIENDS WITH THE RUSSIANS."
THE OLYMPIC ATHLETE WITH THE NOBLEST ROMAN NAME
OF THEM ALL IS CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY.
ACTUALLY, CASSIUS IS NO ROMAN AT ALL, HOWEVER.
HE'S ACTUALLY AN 18-YEAR-OLD LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT,
WHO MAKES HIS HOME ON GRAND STREET
IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, AND HE MAY VERY WELL BECOME
AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION.
REPORTER: CASSIUS CLAY...
HE'S AMERICA'S LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT.
NO ONE OUTSIDE OF THE STATES HAS EVER HEARD OF HIM.
CLAY BEATS A BELGIAN, A RUSSIAN, AND AN AUSTRALIAN,
AND NOW HE'S IN THE FINAL.
NARRATOR: HIS OPPONENT FOR THE GOLD MEDAL WOULD BE
ZIGZY PIETRZYKOWSKI FROM POLAND, WHO'D WON OLYMPIC BRONZE
4 YEARS EARLIER.
REPORTER: THE POLE IS 25.
HE'S BEEN UNBEATEN CHAMPION
OF EUROPE FOR 5 YEARS.
NARRATOR: FOR TWO ROUNDS,
THE MEN MEASURED EACH OTHER.
ANNOUNCER: CLAY, A RATHER DECEPTIVE, CASUAL WAY
OF THROWING PUNCHES, AND HE PUNCHES VERY HARD.
NARRATOR: IN THE THIRD AND FINAL ROUND,
CLAY TOOK COMMAND.
ANNOUNCER: OH.
GOOD SHOT BY CLAY THEN.
LOOKS LIKE PIETRZYKOWSKI'S BLEEDING FROM THE MOUTH A BIT.
PIETRZYKOWSKI NOW DEFINITELY BLEEDING OUT
THE NOSE AND MOUTH RATHER HEAVILY.
THERE'S THE END OF THE FIGHT.
NARRATOR: CASSIUS CLAY HAD WON THE ULTIMATE PRIZE
IN AMATEUR BOXING.
[ORGAN PLAYING "THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER"]
♪
HE FLEW BACK TO NEW YORK, WHERE A LOUISVILLE MILLIONAIRE
PAID FOR THE BOXER'S SUITE AT THE WALDORF TOWERS HOTEL
AND GAVE HIM A ROLL OF BILLS,
WHICH HE USED TO DINE ON STEAKS AND BUY
EXPENSIVE WATCHES FOR HIS BROTHER AND PARENTS.
LATER, DECKED OUT IN HIS GOLD MEDAL
AND OLYMPIC BLAZER, CLAY VISITED TIMES SQUARE,
WHERE HE PAID TO HAVE A NOVELTY NEWSPAPER PRINTED UP
WITH THE HEADLINE "CASSIUS SIGNS FOR PATTERSON FIGHT,"
TRIED HIS FIRST SLICE OF CHEESECAKE,
AND AT BIRDLAND, A POPULAR JAZZ CLUB, ASKED
THE BARTENDER FOR A COKE WITH A SINGLE DROP OF WHISKEY.
EVERYWHERE HE WENT, WELL-WISHERS PRAISED HIM
FOR HIS SUCCESS IN ROME.
[CHEERING]
AT LOUISVILLE'S AIRPORT, HUNDREDS OF FANS WERE THERE
TO GREET HIM.
REPORTER: CASSIUS, YOU'VE HEARD IT A GOOD MANY TIMES
TODAY ALREADY HERE AT THE AIRPORT,
BUT CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT REAL GOLD MEDAL THERE.
NARRATOR: CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY JR.
WAS JUST 18, BUT HE'D FOUGHT MORE THAN 100
AMATEUR BOUTS AND WAS READY TO TURN PROFESSIONAL.
ANNOUNCER: DEMPSEY HERDS HIM ALONG THE ROPES,
BEATING AWAY WITH BOTH HANDS.
WATCH, WATCH.
THERE'S THAT BIG LEFT, AND WILLARD'S DOWN.
NARRATOR: PROFESSIONAL BOXING HAD LONG BEEN
AMONG THE MOST POPULAR SPORTS IN AMERICA.
MAN: THE APPEAL OF BOXING IS BASIC.
I MEAN, IT'S MAN AGAINST MAN,
IT'S BRUTAL, IT'S BLOOD SPORT.
IT WILL ALWAYS BE HERE,
AND IT WILL ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE WATCHING.
REMNICK: EVERYBODY KNEW WHO THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD WAS IN THE WAY THAT YOU KNOW WHO
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS,
AND YOU KNEW HIS PERSONALITY,
WHAT HE REPRESENTED,
WHAT HE PROJECTED INTO THE WORLD.
NARRATOR: JOHN L. SULLIVAN,
JIM JEFFRIES,
JACK JOHNSON,
JACK DEMPSEY.
ANNOUNCER: ONE OF THE GREATEST...
NARRATOR: JOE LOUIS HAD LIFTED THE SPIRITS
OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS EVERYWHERE...
ANNOUNCER: AND SCHMELING IS DOWN!
WHEN HE SEIZED THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
IN THE MIDST OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION
AND HELD IT FOR A DOZEN YEARS,
BUT BY THE 1950S, GANGSTERS RAN THE SPORT,
TARNISHING ITS REPUTATION.
EIG: BOXING WAS KIND OF AN ANARCHY IN MANY WAYS.
YOU HAD THE OFFICIAL LICENSING ORGANIZATIONS
THAT RAN THE SPORT, BUT THERE WAS
NO REAL GOVERNANCE TO IT AT ALL,
AND IT WAS OFTEN CONTROLLED BY MAFIA FIGURES,
PEOPLE WHO WOULD FIX FIGHTS,
PEOPLE WHO WOULD EXTRACT HUGE SUMS OF MONEY
FROM THEIR FIGHTERS AND LEAVE THEM NOT JUST WRECKED
PHYSICALLY BUT BROKE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALMOST INEVITABLE
FOR BOXERS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET INVOLVED
IN THIS UNDERWORLD AND THAT TO MAKE IT
IN THE SPORT YOU ALMOST HAD TO ASSOCIATE
WITH THOSE CHARACTERS.
NARRATOR: BOXING INSIDERS SAW THAT CLAY COULD BE
A BIG MONEY MAKER IN THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION.
CUS D'AMATO, FLOYD PATTERSON'S
SAVVY CORNER MAN, OFFERED TO TRAIN HIM.
SO DID FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION ROCKY MARCIANO.
"IF YOU DESIRE TO HAVE AN EXCELLENT MANAGER,"
THE VETERAN FIGHTER ARCHIE MOORE CABLED,
"CALL ME TONIGHT."
THEN WILLIAM FAVERSHAM, AN EXECUTIVE
AT A LOUISVILLE DISTILLERY, FORMED A SYNDICATE
OF 11 PROMINENT WHITE BUSINESSMEN
WITH DEEP KENTUCKY ROOTS.
I'M BILL FAVERSHAM. I'M W. LYONS BROWN.
J.D. STETSON COLEMAN.
NARRATOR: THEY AGREED TO POOL THEIR MONEY TO LAUNCH
CLAY'S CAREER AND SHIELD HIM FROM THE MOB.
EIG: CASSIUS CLAY WAS OFFERED THE GREATEST CONTRACT
IN THE HISTORY OF BOXING.
IT WAS A COMPLETE ANOMALY.
THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE IT EVER BEFORE,
AND IN FACT, THE LAWYER WHO WROTE THE CONTRACT SAID
HE HAD TO GO OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY.
HE WENT TO HOLLYWOOD AND LOOKED FOR CONTRACTS THAT
WERE GIVEN TO CHILD ACTORS TO SEE HOW THEY COULD
BEST BE PROTECTED.
FAVERSHAM: WE OFFERED HIM A $10,000 BONUS
FOR SIGNING A CONTRACT.
THIS CONTRACT, RAN FOR TWO YEARS,
WHERE WE PAID HIM A SALARY
BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE COULD EARN.
BOXERS DIDN'T GET SALARIES.
A MONTHLY SALARY FOR BOXING?
WE WANTED TO GUARANTEE HIM SOME FORM OF SECURITY.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE ALSO GOT 50% OF HIS PURSES.
WE'RE GONNA PAY ALL HIS EXPENSES,
WE'RE GONNA PAY HIS MEALS,
WE'RE GONNA PAY HIS RENT,
WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR HIS TRAINING.
WE'RE GOING TO SET IT UP SO THAT
THERE ARE TAX DEDUCTIONS.
THERE HAD NEVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT
IN BOXING.
NARRATOR: THEY HOPED TO SEE A RETURN
ON THEIR INVESTMENT,
BUT AS ONE MEMBER REMARKED,
THEY WERE IN IT "TO DO SOMETHING NICE FOR A DESERVING,
"WELL-BEHAVED LOUISVILLE BOY, AND TO SAVE HIM
FROM THE JAWS OF THE HOODLUM JACKALS."
CLAY USED HIS BONUS TO BUY THE CADILLAC
HE HAD COVETED SINCE HE WAS A BOY,
THOUGH HE HADN'T BOTHERED TO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
ON OCTOBER 29, 1960, CLAY MADE HIS PROFESSIONAL DEBUT
AT LOUISVILLE'S FREEDOM HALL.
THEY FOUND A GUY IN THE HILLS OF WEST VIRGINIA.
HIS NAME IS TUNNEY HUNSAKER,
AND TUNNEY HUNSAKER WAS A SHERIFF
AND A STRAIGHT-ARROW GUY.
HE HAD THE WORLD WAR I CAMPAIGN HAT THAT
STATE TROOPERS WORE IN MANY STATES,
AND HE SAID HE WOULD FIGHT HIM.
IT WAS AN INEXPERIENCED FIGHTER AGAINST A BAD FIGHTER.
NARRATOR: CLAY PUMMELED HUNSAKER FOR 6 ROUNDS
AND EARNED A UNANIMOUS DECISION,
BUT MANY IN ATTENDANCE FELT THAT HE SHOULD HAVE KNOCKED OUT
THE SLOW-MOVING POLICEMAN.
HIS SPONSORS KNEW HE WOULD NEED A FIRST-CLASS TRAINER
IF HE WAS EVER GOING TO CONTEND
FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.
♪
THEY DECIDED TO HIRE ARCHIE MOORE, WHO TAUGHT
YOUNG FIGHTERS AT HIS CAMP IN THE HILLS EAST OF SAN DIEGO.
MOORE PREACHED DISCIPLINE AND PATIENCE.
MOORE ALSO DEMANDED THAT THEY COOK, CLEAN, CHOP WOOD,
AND HELP MAINTAIN THE GROUNDS.
IT WAS KNOWN AS THE SALT MINE.
MAN: CASSIUS CLAY SAID, "I'M HERE TO BE A FIGHTER,
"NOT TO BE THE JANITOR.
THEY'RE PAYING YOU GOOD MONEY."
SO, ARCHIE MOORE SAID, "WELL, YOU'RE PRETTY COCKY,
"YOU GOT TO KNOW HUMILITY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE HUMILITY, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ANYTHING."
NARRATOR: CLAY BRISTLED AT MOORE'S DEMANDS,
AND HE WAS AFRAID MOORE INTENDED TO CHANGE HIS STYLE.
AFTER ONLY A FEW WEEKS, HE WAS SENT HOME.
WILLIAM FAVERSHAM OF THE LOUISVILLE SPONSORING GROUP
THEN CALLED ANGELO DUNDEE,
THE MIAMI BEACH-BASED TRAINER CLAY HAD MET
IN LOUISVILLE BACK IN 1957.
DUNDEE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS CALM DEMEANOR DURING FIGHTS
AND HIS GIFT FOR PATCHING UP BLOODIED BOXERS.
HE WAS WELL-LIKED AND AT 39 HAD ALREADY TRAINED
6 WORLD CHAMPIONS.
CLAY, HE HAD BEEN TOLD, SHOWED REAL POTENTIAL
BUT WAS OVERCONFIDENT AND WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO TEACH.
DUNDEE REMEMBERED THE ENTHUSIASTIC TEENAGER
AND AGREED TO TAKE CLAY ON.
HE TOLD FAVERSHAM TO SEND HIS FIGHTER DOWN
AFTER CHRISTMAS.
"ANGELO," FAVERSHAM SAID, "CASSIUS WANTS A FIGHT
BEFORE CHRISTMAS."
♪
ON DECEMBER 19, 1960,
AFTER A TWO-DAY JOURNEY BY TRAIN,
CASSIUS CLAY ARRIVED IN MIAMI,
WHERE HIS NEW TRAINER GREETED HIM AT THE STATION.
DUNDEE DROVE CLAY TO OVERTOWN, A SEGREGATED NEIGHBORHOOD
WHERE BLACK VISITORS WHO WERE REFUSED SERVICE
AT MIAMI'S "WHITES ONLY" HOTELS COULD RENT A ROOM.
AT THE MARY ELIZABETH HOTEL, A HUB FOR PIMPS
AND DRUG DEALERS, CLAY WAS TO SHARE A DINGY ROOM
WITH ONE DOUBLE BED AND NO AIR CONDITIONING
WITH A JAMAICAN HEAVYWEIGHT.
THE NEXT MORNING, CLAY REPORTED TO DUNDEE'S
5th STREET GYM IN MIAMI BEACH.
[THE PARKAYS' "GET IT" PLAYING]
BAND MEMBER: NOT YET!
MAN: 5th STREET GYM WAS JUST A WALKUP,
OLD PUBLIC BOXING GYM THAT CLAY FIRST WENT TO WHEN HE WAS 18.
CRICKETY STAIRS, RUM-ADDLED DRUNKS LAYING ON THE STEPS
THAT YOU HAD TO WALK OVER TO GET UPSTAIRS.
NARRATOR: THE GYM WAS HOME TO BLACK, WHITE,
AND CUBAN BOXERS, ALL TOILING UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYES
OF A RAGTAG CREW OF REGULARS ONE WRITER DUBBED
THE "PUGILISTIC COLLEGE OF CARDINALS,"
WHO STOOD RINGSIDE AND APPRAISED DUNDEE'S TRAINEES.
NONE WAS IMPRESSED WITH CLAY.
"HE KEEPS HIS HANDS TOO LOW," THEY AGREED.
"HE'S OFF BALANCE WHEN HE PUNCHES,
HE'S A HEADHUNTER."
THE CUBANS CALLED HIM "NIÑO CON BOCA GRANDE"...
THE KID WITH THE BIG MOUTH.
ANGELO DUNDEE ALSO SAW A FLAWED FIGHTER
BUT ONE WITH EXCEPTIONAL HAND AND FOOT SPEED
AND A TIRELESS WORK ETHIC, AND HE WAS SURE
HE COULD HELP SMOOTH CLAY'S ROUGH EDGES.
DUNDEE: YOU CAN'T DIRECTLY TELL HIM, "DO THIS."
THIS IS A CARDINAL SIN.
SAY THIS WORKOUT TODAY.
I'LL GO OVER AND TELL HIM, "GEE, THAT WASN'T TOO BAD
"FOR THE FIRST DAY.
"YOUR JAB WASN'T AS SHARP AS I'D LIKE IT,
BUT A REAL GOOD JAB."
WELL, THUSLY, THE NEXT DAY HE'LL BE USING HIS JAB
MORE EFFECTIVELY,
BUT IF I TELL HIM "YOUR JAB IS TERRIBLE,"
THEN I'D BE HITTING THE WRONG KIND OF A NOTE.
YOU GOT TO WORK ON HIM PSYCHOLOGICALLY.
KINDRED: OTHER TRAINERS MIGHT HAVE INSISTED THAT
"YOU FIGHT MY WAY," BUT ANGELO WAS SMART ENOUGH,
GENIUS ENOUGH REALLY,
TO JUST LET HIM BE AND GUIDE HIM
RATHER THAN TEACH HIM.
NARRATOR: EACH DAY, CLAY ROSE BEFORE DAWN,
LACED ON A PAIR OF ARMY BOOTS, AND DID HIS ROADWORK.
♪
HE RAN THE STREETS AND CAUSEWAYS OF OVERTOWN,
AT TIMES BACKWARDS, SHADOWBOXING AS HE WENT.
THEN HE JOGGED THE 4 1/2 MILES FROM NORTH MIAMI TO 5th STREET,
WHERE, WHILE CLIMBING THE STAIRS TO THE SECOND FLOOR,
HE SOMETIMES ANNOUNCED HIS ARRIVAL BY HOLLERING,
"ANGELO, LINE UP ALL YOUR BUMS.
I'M GONNA KNOCK THEM ALL OUT."
IN THE GYM, HE'D HIT THE SPEED BAG,
THEN THE HEAVY BAG, DO HIS CALISTHENICS
BEFORE A FULL-LENGTH MIRROR,
AND SPAR WITH OTHER YOUNG FIGHTERS,
INCREASING HIS STAMINA WHILE DUNDEE CAREFULLY COAXED
HIM INTO REFINING HIS BEST PUNCH, THE JAB.
MAN: THE EARLY CASSIUS TOOK FROM RAY ROBINSON.
RAY ROBINSON WAS A DANCER.
CASSIUS, LIKE EXPANDED THE, UH, NOTION OF DANCING.
TYPICALLY A BOXER IS TAUGHT TO STAY IN THE POCKET
AND PARRY A PUNCH.
THIS GUY WOULD DO SOMETHING
THAT IT'S LIKE SACRILEGE IN BOXING.
YOU DON'T LEAN BACK, MAN, BUT HE LEANED BACK.
DUNDEE: I MEAN, CASSIUS CLAY HAS HIS OWN STYLE.
THERE'S NO OTHER FIGHTER LIKE HIM.
NOW SEE, THAT ALMOST DID IT. SEE? HE'S OUT. HE'S OUT.
OH, GOD, OH, GOD.
LOOK AT IT. TAKE HIM OUT.
THIS IS THE STYLE THAT CAN WIN THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD.
NARRATOR: IN HIS FIRST TWO MONTHS IN MIAMI,
CLAY FOUGHT 4 TIMES.
ON DECEMBER 27 IN HIS SECOND PROFESSIONAL FIGHT,
HE DEFEATED HERB SILER BY TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT
IN 4 ROUNDS.
IN JANUARY 1961, CLAY CELEBRATED HIS 19th BIRTHDAY
BY DISPATCHING TONY ESPERTI IN THE THIRD.
3 WEEKS LATER, CLAY NEEDED JUST ONE ROUND
TO KNOCK OUT JIM ROBINSON.
IN FEBRUARY, CLAY SPARRED WITH FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
INGEMAR JOHANSSON, WHO WAS IN MIAMI TO PROMOTE
HIS UPCOMING TITLE FIGHT WITH FLOYD PATTERSON.
CLAY SKIPPED AROUND JOHANSSON WHILE PEPPERING
THE SWEDE WITH SHARP JABS.
JOHANSSON FAILED TO LAND A SINGLE PUNCH,
AND HIS MANAGER CUT THE SESSION SHORT
AFTER JUST TWO ROUNDS.
"I'M THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE FIGHTING PATTERSON,
NOT YOU, SUCKER," CLAY TAUNTED.
ON APRIL 19 IN FRONT OF MORE THAN 5,000 FANS
AT LOUISVILLE'S FREEDOM HALL, CLAY RECOVERED
FROM A VICIOUS FIRST-ROUND PUNCH TO HIS JAW
TO BREAK LAMAR CLARK'S NOSE AND KNOCK HIM OUT
IN THE SECOND ROUND JUST AS HE'D PREDICTED
HE WOULD BEFORE THE FIGHT.
"HE HAS THE FASTEST HANDS OF ANY HEAVYWEIGHT
I'VE SEEN ANY PLACE," CLARK'S MANAGER MARVELED,
PREDICTING THAT CLAY WAS "NOT MANY FIGHTS
FROM A CHAMPIONSHIP."
♪
IN JUNE, CLAY RELUCTANTLY FLEW
TO LAS VEGAS FOR HIS NEXT MATCH.
"I'M NOT AFRAID OF THE FIGHT," HE TOLD A REPORTER,
"I'M AFRAID OF THE FLIGHT."
HIS OPPONENT WAS DUKE SABEDONG,
A TOWERING HAWAIIAN NOTORIOUS FOR HIS DIRTY TACTICS.
CLAY WON A UNANIMOUS DECISION.
BEFORE THE FIGHT, CLAY HAD APPEARED ON A LOCAL RADIO
SHOW WITH GEORGE WAGNER,
A WELL-KNOWN PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER
WHO CALLED HIMSELF GORGEOUS GEORGE.
REMNICK: HE WOULD COME IN WITH A JEWELED CAPE,
AND HE WOULD HAVE ONE PERSON PUTTING THE POMADE IN HIS HAIR,
AND PEOPLE WOULD BOO AND BOO AND BOO,
AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD CHEER AND CHEER AND CHEER.
AND CLAY SEES THIS, AND HE THINKS, "OH, MY GOD.
LOOK AT THE ATTENTION HE GETS."
ALI: I SAW HIM TALKING ONCE ABOUT "HOW PRETTY I AM.
I CANNOT BE BEAT."
HE SAID, "LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL SILVER HAIR.
"NO MAN IN THE WORLD CAN BEAT ME.
"I'M THE GREATEST WRASSLER THAT EVER LIVED.
"WHEN I GO INTO THAT RING I'M GONNA
"ANNIHILATE THE BUM.
I'M BEAUTIFUL."
AND THAT NIGHT WHEN GORGEOUS GEORGE WENT
TO THE WRASSLING RING, ALL THE LADIES WERE BOOING,
AND THE PEOPLE WERE SO MAD, AND THE PLACE WAS FULL.
EVERYBODY PAID A HIGH PRICE TO COME IN,
AND AT THAT MOMENT I SAID, "THIS IS A GOOD IDEA."
REMNICK: CLAY... HE'S A SPONGE.
HIS GENIUS IS TO KNOW HOW TO DEPLOY IT TO HIS ENDS.
NARRATOR: BACK IN MIAMI, HE APPEARED
ON LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO, GRANTING INTERVIEWS
TO ANY WRITER WHO ASKED, TELLING ONE, "I'M THE BEST FRIEND
A REPORTER EVER HAD."
AND HE WAS BEGINNING TO ATTRACT NATIONAL ATTENTION.
♪
KINDRED: HE WAS 19 YEARS OLD IN MIAMI BEACH WHEN HE HEARD
THAT FLIP SCHULKE, A PHOTOGRAPHER
FOR "LIFE" MAGAZINE, WANTED TO SHOOT PICTURES OF HIM TRAINING.
SO HE INVITED HIM TO COME WATCH HIM.
HE TOOK THE ORDINARY PICTURES LIKE RUNNING ON THE BEACH,
ALL THAT STUFF.
CLAY SAID, "DO YOU WANT TO SEE ME TRAIN UNDERWATER?"
♪
LATER, SCHULKE REALIZED WHEN THEY'RE DONE THAT
HE'D BEEN HAD.
CASSIUS CLAY HAD NEVER TRAINED UNDERWATER.
NOBODY TRAINS UNDERWATER,
BUT CLAY UNDERSTOOD THE PROMOTION BUSINESS
TO KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE IN "LIFE" MAGAZINE,
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE IT.
SO HE INVENTED THIS ON THE SPOT,
AND SCHULKE WAS AMAZED, THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A SIGN
OF JUST PURE GENIUS,
AND IT WAS.
NARRATOR: BEFORE FIGHTS, HE APPLIED 3 COATS OF POLISH
TO HIS WHITE SHOES, COVERED HIS ARMS AND TORSO
IN A THIN LAYER OF VASELINE TO EMPHASIZE HIS MUSCLES,
AND WORE A WHITE SATIN ROBE AND WHITE TRUNKS
INTO THE RING.
"THE WOMEN SAYS, 'LAND, AIN'T HE NICE AND NEAT',"
EXPLAINED CLAY.
"IF THE WOMEN COME, THE MEN GOT TO FOLLOW.
AIN'T THAT SO?"
NOT EVERYONE APPRECIATED HIS COCKINESS.
REPORTER: LET ME SEE YOU CLOSE YOUR MOUTH
AND JUST KEEP IT CLOSED.
WELL, YOU KNOW THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
NO, NO, NOW KEEP IT CLOSED.
YOU KNOW THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
I'M THE GREATEST.
I'M KNOCKING OUT ALL BUMS,
AND IF YOU GET TOO SMART, I'LL KNOCK YOU OUT.
NARRATOR: IN OCTOBER, CLAY PREDICTED THE ROUND
IN WHICH HE WOULD DEFEAT HIS NEXT OPPONENT,
THE ARGENTINIAN ALEX MITEFF.
"MITEFF," HE SAID, "MUST FALL IN 6."
ANNOUNCER: CLAY HAS REALLY
OPENED FAST.
BENTT: WHAT MADE CASSIUS SPECIAL WAS HIS MASTERY
OF THE CRAFT AT, LIKE, THAT YOUNG AGE.
THIS GUY WAS ABLE TO HAVE HIS OPPONENT, LIKE,
5, 6 INCHES IN FRONT OF HIM, THROW, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
A BUNCH OF SHOTS, CLEAN SHOTS, EFFECTIVE SHOTS,
AND PIROUETTE AROUND THE GUY.
NO ONE IS ABLE TO DO THAT AS FLUIDLY,
AS SEAMLESSLY AS HIM.
HOW HE DID IT? I HAVE NO IDEA.
ANNOUNCER: AT 188 POUNDS, CLAY IS LIGHTNING FAST.
MAN: HIS SPEED, BOTH HIS HAND SPEED
AND HIS FOOT SPEED WAS JUST INCREDIBLE.
[CROWD CHEERING]
IF YOU THROW A PUNCH TOO FAR OUT,
WHICH MOST NOVICE FIGHTERS DO,
YOU'RE TOO FAR AWAY FROM YOUR OPPONENT,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HIT YOUR OPPONENT,
OR IF YOU GET TOO CLOSE, YOU DON'T HAVE THE LEVERAGE
ON YOUR OPPONENT,
AND IF YOU'RE TOO CLOSE, YOU'RE EASIER TO TIE UP.
SO IT TAKES A GREAT TALENT.
YOU HAVE TO BE AT THE EXACT DISTANCE
ALMOST TO THE INCH AWAY TO LAND
THE MOST EFFECTIVE PUNCH.
ANNOUNCER: MITEFF PAID FOR THAT.
ROBERTS: AND CASSIUS COULD DO THIS.
HE DID IT INNATELY.
ANNOUNCER: MITEFF'S LEFT EYE CLOSING RAPIDLY,
A TRICKLE OF BLOOD BELOW IT.
AND MITEFF DOWN!
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE HE IS.
THEY'RE GOING TO STOP IT, AND THEY SHOULD.
NARRATOR: CLAY STOPPED MITEFF IN THE SIXTH ROUND
JUST AS HE SAID HE WOULD.
ANNOUNCER: AND THE WINNER BY A TKO, CASSIUS CLAY!
[CHEERING AND BOOING]
REPORTER: WHERE DO YOU RATE YOURSELF TODAY
IN THE HEAVYWEIGHT RANKS?
WELL, JIM, MOST PEOPLE SAY I'M CRAZY
OR PUNCH DRUNK FOR SAYING THESE THINGS,
BUT I WOULD RATE MYSELF ABOUT NUMBER TWO NOW.
NARRATOR: HE CLAIMED TO BE "EMBARRASSED TO GET
INTO THE RING" WITH THE UNRANKED WILLIE BESMANOFF,
WHOM HE PROMISED TO KNOCK OUT IN ROUND 7.
WHEN THE GERMAN BOXER BEGAN TO WOBBLE IN THE FIFTH,
CLAY SLOWED HIS ATTACK, TOYING WITH HIM FOR TWO ROUNDS
BEFORE MAKING GOOD AGAIN ON HIS PREDICTION.
BOYD: CASSIUS CLAY... HE UNDERSTOOD VERBAL WARFARE.
SO NOT ONLY AM I GOING TO BEAT YOU PHYSICALLY,
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU HOW BAD I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU,
AND IF YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME, YOU'LL SHUT ME UP.
YOU'LL MAKE ME STOP TALKING.
IF NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME TALK.
I'M GOING TO ADD TO THE HUMILIATION.
IT'S AN ADDED LAYER, AND IF YOU CAN'T GET
BEYOND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE,
IT'S UNLIKELY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WIN
THE PHYSICAL WARFARE.
NARRATOR: CLAY'S PROFESSIONAL RECORD
WAS NOW 10-0, HIS FUTURE BRIGHT,
AND HIS CONFIDENCE SOARING.
"I GOT THE HEIGHT, THE REACH, THE WEIGHT," HE DECLARED.
"TO BEAT ME, YOU GOT TO BE GREATER THAN GREAT."
RAY CHARLES: ♪ YOU KNOW THE NIGHT TIME ♪
RAELETTES: ♪ NIGHT AND DAY ♪
NARRATOR: IN LATE 1961, CASSIUS CLAY WAS DIVIDING
HIS TIME BETWEEN LOUISVILLE AND MIAMI,
WHERE HE CONTINUED TO PURSUE BOXING
WITH A SINGLE-MINDED ZEAL.
STILL JUST 19 BUT NOW MAINLY ON HIS OWN,
CLAY HAD BECOME A FAMILIAR FACE IN OVERTOWN, RUNNING A TAB
AT THE FAMOUS CHEF RESTAURANT
AND COMPOSING RHYMES FOR THE OTHER CLIENTS
AT SONNY ARMBRIMSTER'S BARBER SHOP.
WHEN LOCAL HUSTLERS INVITED HIM TO THE SIR JOHN
OR HARLEM SQUARE, WHERE COUNT BASIE, ELLA FITZGERALD,
AND B.B. KING PERFORMED, CLAY JOINED THEM
FOR THE MUSIC BUT DRANK ONLY ORANGE JUICE
AND NEVER STAYED LONG.
WHEN HE VENTURED BEYOND OVERTOWN TO WHITE MIAMI,
WHERE AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE REGULARLY HARASSED
BY THE LOCAL POLICE, CLAY KEPT HIS COOL.
AT A DEPARTMENT STORE, A WHITE PHOTOGRAPHER LOOKED ON
AS CLAY WAS SCOLDED BY A CLERK FOR HANDLING A SHIRT.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS INDIGNANT, BUT CLAY SAID,
"I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A BIG MESS HERE.
IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL."
DEMONSTRATORS: ♪ FREEDOM ♪
♪ FREEDOM ♪
MARTIN LUTHER KING: NOW IT IS TRUE THAT MEN HAVE ALWAYS
CRIED OUT FOR FREEDOM,
BUT IN THE PAST, THESE CRIES FOR FREEDOM WERE
IN MANY INSTANCES SOLO VOICES CRYING FOR FREEDOM,
BUT THE DIFFERENCE TODAY IS THAT THIS SOLO VOICE
HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A MIGHTY CHORUS,
SINGING WITH AMAZING HARMONY,
"WE WANT TO BE FREE."
IT IS TRUE THAT WE...
NARRATOR: CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS HAD BEEN CHALLENGING
SEGREGATION WITH NON-VIOLENT ACTION ON BUSES
AND AT LUNCH COUNTERS ACROSS THE SOUTH,
BUT WHEN ASKED ABOUT RACIAL INJUSTICE,
CLAY SAID HE WISHED TO PROTECT THE WHITE LOUISVILLE SYNDICATE
THAT MANAGED HIS CAREER.
"I DON'T JOIN ANY GROUPS OR NOTHING BECAUSE IT MIGHT
EMBARRASS MY SPONSORS," HE TOLD ONE REPORTER.
HE KNEW SPEAKING OUT ON MATTERS OF RACE WOULD
ONLY HARM HIS CHANCES OF ONE DAY GETTING A TITLE FIGHT.
KING: AND THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT YOU ARE SAYING
TO LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, AND THAT YOU ARE SAYING
TO THE NATION IN THIS MOVEMENT, THAT THE NEGRO IS ETERNALLY
THROUGH WITH SEGREGATION.
NARRATOR: STILL, THE MEMORY OF EMMETT TILL HAUNTED HIM,
AND HIS FATHER'S EVER-PRESENT ANGER AT RACIAL OPPRESSION
CONTINUED TO STIR HIS OWN CONSCIENCE.
LOUIS X: WHY ARE WE CALLED NEGRO?
WHY ARE WE DEAF, DUMB, AND BLIND?
NARRATOR: YEARS EARLIER, CLAY HAD PURCHASED A RECORD
CALLED "A WHITE MAN'S HEAVEN IS A BLACK MAN'S HELL,"
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY LOUIS X,
A MINISTER FOR THE NATION OF ISLAM,
WHICH CLAY LISTENED TO OVER AND OVER.
LOUIS X: A WHITE MAN'S HEAVEN IS A BLACK MAN'S HELL.
NARRATOR: ONE DAY IN MIAMI, CLAY SPOTTED A BLACK MAN
IN A SUIT SELLING COPIES OF THE NEWSPAPER
"MUHAMMAD SPEAKS."
MAN: I WAS SELLING THE PAPERS ONE DAY ON THE STREETS,
AND HE SAW ME.
HE SAID, "HEY, BROTHER!
"WHY ARE WE CALLED NEGROES?
"WHY ARE WE BLIND, DEAF, AND DUMB?
"WHY EVERYBODY MAKING PROGRESS,
AND WE LAGGING SO FAR BEHIND?"
I HOLLERED... I LOOKED BACK AT HIM,
I SAID "HEY, MAN!
YOU HIP TO THE TEACHINGS, AIN'T YEAH?"
HE SAID, "YEAH. I'M CASSIUS CLAY.
"I'M GONNA BE THE NEXT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD."
NARRATOR: A ONE-TIME POOL SHARK FROM ATLANTA,
ABDUL RAHMAN... KNOWN AS CAPTAIN SAM...
HAD ABANDONED A LIFE OF HUSTLING WHEN HE HEARD THE TEACHINGS
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM'S LEADER ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD: THE SO-CALLED AMERICAN NEGRO
HAS TO BE COMPLETELY REEDUCATED THAT HE NOW CAN MOVE OUT
IN THE WORLD AND FEEL THAT HE IS THE EQUAL
OF OTHER CIVILIZED BEINGS AND DOES NOT FEEL ASHAMED
TO BE CALLED A BLACK MAN.
♪
NARRATOR: CAPTAIN SAM ENCOURAGED CLAY TO ATTEND
MEETINGS AT TEMPLE NO. 29,
A VACANT STOREFRONT THAT HAD BEEN TURNED INTO A MOSQUE.
"THE FIRST TIME I FELT TRULY SPIRITUAL IN MY LIFE
WAS WHEN I WALKED INTO THE MUSLIM TEMPLE IN MIAMI,"
CLAY LATER RECALLED.
"A MAN NAMED BROTHER JOHN WAS SPEAKING,
AND I COULD REACH OUT AND TOUCH WHAT HE WAS SAYING."
GOD WAS BLACK, PREACHED THE MINISTER.
THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF RECONCILIATION
WITH WHITE PEOPLE, WHO HAD DELIBERATELY STOLEN
THE BLACK MAN'S IDENTITY.
ONLY BY EMBRACING ALLAH WOULD BLACK PEOPLE OVERCOME
WHITE CRUELTY.
MAN: ELIJAH MUHAMMAD PRESENTED ISLAM AS THIS ALTERNATIVE
TO CHRISTIANITY, "THE BLACK MAN'S RELIGION,"
AND THAT WAS A SELLING POINT THAT ELIJAH MUHAMMAD USED,
AND IT WAS PRETTY EFFECTIVE.
WOMAN: HE'S STEPPING INTO AN ALTERNATE REALITY,
WHERE UP IS DOWN AND DOWN IS UP AND BLACK IS SACRED
AND BLACK IS VALUABLE.
YOU KNOW, YOUR MIND IS BLOWN.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT DEFINITELY HAS ENORMOUS
TRANSFORMATIVE POWER.
MUWAKKIL: ESPECIALLY FOR THE LOWER-INCOME
AND LESSER-EDUCATED AFRICAN-AMERICANS
WHO HE WAS TARGETING AT THAT TIME.
NARRATOR: ELIJAH MUHAMMAD WAS BORN ELIJAH POOLE,
THE SON OF A BAPTIST PREACHER, IN RURAL GEORGIA IN 1897.
WHEN POOLE WAS 14, A WHITE MOB LYNCHED
HIS FRIEND ALBERT HAMILTON, WHO WAS ACCUSED
OF ASSAULTING A WHITE WOMAN.
THE ANGRY CROWD HAD DRAGGED HAMILTON FROM A JAIL CELL,
HUNG HIM FROM A TREE, AND SHOT HIM
MORE THAN 300 TIMES.
POOLE RESOLVED THAT HE WOULD, HE SAID, "FIND A WAY
TO AVENGE HIM AND MY PEOPLE."
IN 1923, POOLE MOVED TO DETROIT,
WHERE HE FELL UNDER THE SWAY OF A SELF-STYLED MESSIAH
NAMED W.D. FARD.
A CHARISMATIC ORATOR, FARD HAD INVENTED
AN ELABORATE HISTORY AND THEOLOGY FOR BLACK PEOPLE
ROOTED IN THE BELIEF THAT THEY WERE THE EARTH'S
ORIGINAL INHABITANTS, RULING FOR TRILLIONS OF YEARS
UNDER THE BANNER OF ISLAM UNTIL THEY WERE UNDERMINED
BY A RACE OF "WHITE DEVILS," WHO WOULD ONE DAY FACE
A BRUTAL END AT THE HAND OF ALLAH.
HE PREACHED BLACK SEPARATISM, SELF-DETERMINATION,
AND CLEAN LIVING AND SOMETIMES ASSIGNED
CONVERTS NEW SURNAMES TO REPLACE
THEIR "SLAVE NAMES."
FARD CALLED HIS GROUP THE LOST-FOUND NATION OF ISLAM.
POOLE, HIS LATEST CONVERT, BECAME ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
MUWAKKIL: THERE WAS A TRADITION OF THOSE KINDS OF GROUPS.
THERE WAS THE MOORISH SCIENCE TEMPLE
OF NOBLE DREW ALI.
THERE WAS THE BLACK HEBREW ORGANIZATION
OF THIS GUY BY THE NAME BLACK ZARAB.
THERE WAS MARCUS GARVEY'S
UNITED NEGRO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION,
AND THE NATION OF ISLAM WAS JUST ONE OF THEM.
THEY CALL BLACK CHRISTIANITY THE WHITE MAN'S RELIGION,
AND CHRISTIANITY WAS DEEPLY ROOTED IN BLACK AMERICA,
AND ANYONE WHO LOOKED AT THEMSELVES AS AN ENEMY
TO THAT TRADITION WAS SEEN AS SOMEONE
WHO WAS ALMOST DEMONIC,
AND IT WAS THAT KIND OF FEAR ABOUT THEM.
NARRATOR: WHEN FARD MYSTERIOUSLY VANISHED IN 1934,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD TOOK CONTROL,
CALLED HIMSELF THE "MESSENGER OF ALLAH,"
AND RELOCATED TO CHICAGO.
HE WENT TO PRISON RATHER THAN REGISTER FOR THE DRAFT
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, CONTINUED TO PREACH
SEPARATION OF THE RACES,
AND SPOKE OF THE "MOTHER PLANE,"
A WHEEL-SHAPED SPACECRAFT HE CLAIMED
WAS HOVERING MILES ABOVE THE EARTH,
WAITING TO ANNIHILATE THE "WHITE DEVILS"
ON JUDGMENT DAY.
THOUGH ELIJAH MUHAMMAD BORROWED ABUNDANTLY
FROM MUSLIM TEACHINGS, HIS MESSAGE OF SEPARATISM
AND CLAIM TO BE A PROPHET DIVERGED SHARPLY
FROM TRADITIONAL ISLAM, A RELIGION FOUNDED
IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY THAT, BY 1950,
HAD MORE THAN 400 MILLION FOLLOWERS AROUND THE WORLD.
THE NATION OF ISLAM WAS AN AMERICAN HYBRID.
IT USED CERTAIN TENETS OF ISLAM, BUT OTHER TENETS
WERE MADE UP BY THEM OR IMPROVISED.
THEY TRIED TO AMERICANIZE IT TO THE POINT
WHERE IT WAS NOT AUTHENTIC.
ELIJAH WAS NOT THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD.
MAN: ELIJAH MUHAMMAD... HIS MODEL WAS DO FOR SELF.
BLACK PEOPLE NEED TO DO FOR THEMSELVES,
THEY NEED TO BUILD FOR THEMSELVES,
THEY NEED TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESSES.
YOU NEED TO CONTROL YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES.
LET'S QUIT BEGGING WHITE PEOPLE FOR JOBS.
LET'S MAKE JOBS FOR OURSELVES.
WE HAD TO BE SELF-INDEPENDENT
INSTEAD OF BEING IN SOME WELFARE LINE OR EMPLOYMENT,
LOOKING FOR A JOB.
WE WAS TRYING TO MAKE JOBS FOR OURSELVES,
TRYING TO KEEP THE MONEY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ENRICH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
NARRATOR: ELIJAH MUHAMMAD PURCHASED A FARM IN MICHIGAN
AND OPENED A CLOTHING STORE, BAKERY,
AND RESTAURANT IN CHICAGO SERVING MOSTLY BLACK CUSTOMERS.
WE HATE OURSELVES.
THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT!
BECAUSE OF THE TEACHINGS
AND THE TRAINING OF OUR SLAVE MASTERS.
YES, SIR!
YOU NEED TO MOVE AWAY
FROM THESE WHITE PEOPLE.
YOU DON'T WANT TO INTEGRATE WITH THESE WHITE PEOPLE,
YOU WANT TO MOVE AWAY FROM THEM.
YOUR SLAVE MASTER AND ALL HIS CHILDREN
ARE NONE OTHER THAN THE DEVIL.
AUSTON: HE WAS GENERALLY REGARDED BY MEMBERS
OF THAT MOVEMENT AS THE MESSENGER
OF ALLAH OR GOD.
HE WAS HIGHLY REVERED, AND THEY ANSWER
TO HIS DICTATES.
THIS AN AFFIRMATION OF BLACK HUMANITY
AND BLACK DIGNITY AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COLLECTIVE.
HERE'S HOPE IN THE FORM OF A TANGIBLE PROGRAM
THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW THAT WILL GET YOU THERE.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD: I SAY, GET OUT OF THAT
SLAVERY TEACHING.
THAT'S THE WHITE MAN'S TEACHING
TO KEEP YOU BLIND, DEAF, AND DUMB
TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF SELF.
MAN: THE NATION OF ISLAM HAD A PRESENCE
IN AMERICAN PRISONS AND YOU CAN ENCOUNTER A GUY
WHO WAS NOT VERY EDUCATED, DIDN'T DO VERY WELL IN SCHOOL,
MAYBE EVEN DROPPED OUT, WENT TO PRISON,
AND JOINED THE NATION OF ISLAM.
COMES OUT OF PRISON, AND NOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A DICTIONARY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM.
MASTERY OF STANDARD ENGLISH NOW IS NO LONGER INDEXED
TO ANY KIND OF UNCLE TOMISM, BUT NOW IS EQUATED
WITH WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DIGNIFIED BLACK MAN.
RAHMAN: THIS MAN SAVED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
FROM THE GUTTER AND TOOK MANY OUT OF THE GUTTER.
MANY DRUG ADDICTS CLEANED UP UNDER HIS TEACHINGS,
SO YOU CAN'T DO NOTHING BUT MARVEL OVER A MAN
CAN DO THAT.
NARRATOR: THE NATION APPEALED AT FIRST MOSTLY
TO POOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BUT BY THE LATE 1950s,
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S MESSAGE OF BLACK EMPOWERMENT BEGAN REACHING
SOME MEMBERS OF THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS
FRUSTRATED WITH THE SLOW PACE OF CHANGE.
THE NATION OF ISLAM WAS SUCH A FRINGE GROUP THAT
VERY FEW CERTAINLY WHITE AMERICANS
HAD EVER HEARD OF IT.
MIKE WALLACE: EVEN THE CLOTHES THEY WEAR...
ROBERTS: BUT 1959, MIKE WALLACE DID
A BIG DOCUMENTARY ON IT
"THE HATE THAT HATE PRODUCED."
THESE HOMEGROWN NEGRO AMERICAN MUSLIMS
ARE THE MOST POWERFUL OF THE BLACK SUPREMACIST GROUPS.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS,
WHERE MUSLIM CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT TO HATE THE WHITE MAN.
AUSTON: THIS DOCUMENTARY WAS DESIGNED TO BE PROVOCATIVE
AND FRIGHTENING ACTUALLY
TO YOUR AVERAGE WHITE VIEWER.
MINISTER: I CHARGE THE WHITE MAN WITH BEING
THE GREATEST TROUBLEMAKER ON EARTH.
WALLACE: THE WHITE MAN HAS BEEN PUT ON TRIAL
FOR HIS SINS AGAINST THE BLACK MAN.
HE HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.
THE SENTENCE IS DEATH.
MINISTER: GUILTY AS CHARGED.
AUSTON: "OH, MY GOD. THIS IS WHAT THESE ANGRY BLACK PEOPLE
ARE PLANNING TO DO."
THIS IS A MOMENT OF REAL PANIC FOR A LOT OF WHITE PEOPLE
WHEN THIS DOCUMENTARY AIRS,
AND I THINK IT WAS... IT WAS MEANT TO BE THAT.
NARRATOR: IN MIAMI, CASSIUS CLAY QUIETLY CONTINUED
TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT TEMPLE NO. 29.
REMNICK: HE BECOMES ATTRACTED TO ITS MESSAGE OF PRIDE,
OF NOT DEPENDING ON THE BENEFICENCE AND FAVORS
OF WHITES AND WHITE POLITICS,
AND IT'S MARRIED TO A SENSE OF RELIGION AND A RHETORIC
OF NO MORE SLAVE NAME, A NEW NAME,
AND HE GETS CAUGHT UP,
AND THE MESSAGE, WHICH WAS SO IRONIC BECAUSE
HE'S SURROUNDED BY WHITE PEOPLE A LOT,
OF SEPARATISM.
EARLY: YOU BASICALLY SEE YOURSELF AS HAVING REMOVED
YOURSELF FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE INTERACTING WITH IT,
YOU HAVE BASICALLY REMOVED YOURSELF FROM IT.
THAT'S APPEALING, BUT IT'S ALSO DANGEROUS.
THE REASON WHY IT WAS SO APPEALING IS BECAUSE CULTS
GIVE YOU THIS VISION OF UTOPIA,
THIS VISION OF HAVING THIS COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE
THAT YOU WOULD BE AROUND,
THIS VISION THAT WE WERE ALL MARCHING FORWARD
FOR THIS GOAL OF LIBERATING BLACK PEOPLE,
AND YOU HAD THIS GOD ALLAH, AND YOU SAW HOW BLACK WOMEN
WERE BEING RESPECTED AND HOW BLACK MEN
WERE LOOKED UP TO.
IT SEEMED LIKE A DREAM.
THAT'S WHAT CULTS DO TO PEOPLE.
THEY OFFER YOU A KIND OF DREAM.
I PREDICTED TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
AT THE AGE OF 21.
I'M OUT TO BREAK FLOYD PATTERSON'S RECORD,
AND BY THIS DAY, MY 20th BIRTHDAY TODAY,
JANUARY THE 17th, THAT LEAVES ME EXACTLY ONE YEAR
TO REACH MY GOAL.
NARRATOR: IN EARLY FEBRUARY OF 1962, ANGELO DUNDEE GOT
A PHONE CALL FROM A PROMOTER AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN,
WHO OFFERED CLAY A FIGHT AGAINST SONNY BANKS,
A HARD-PUNCHING JOURNEYMAN FROM DETROIT.
IT WOULD BE HIS FIRST FIGHT
AT BOXING'S MOST CELEBRATED VENUE.
CLAY BOASTED TO SPORTSWRITERS THAT BANKS
WOULD FALL IN THE FOURTH ROUND.
JOHNNY ADDIE: FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
WEARING WHITE TRUNKS, WEIGHING 194.5 POUNDS,
THE FORMER OLYMPIC CHAMPION AND UNDEFEATED
AS A PROFESSIONAL CASSIUS CLAY, CLAY.
HIS OPPONENT, FROM DETROIT, MICHIGAN,
SONNY BANKS, BANKS.
DON DUNPHY: ROUND ONE!
10 ROUNDS SCHEDULED.
IF BANKS DOES ANYTHING,
IT'S FIGURED TO BE EARLY.
HE'S A POWER PUNCHER
EARLY IN A FIGHT.
CLAY IS THE MOST LOQUACIOUS
HEAVYWEIGHT SINCE JACK SHARKEY.
♪
THERE GOES CLAY ON THE FLOOR!
NARRATOR: WHEN CLAY WAS KNOCKED DOWN IN THE FIRST, DUNDEE WAS
AFRAID HIS BOXER'S CAREER WAS OVER
BEFORE IT HAD REALLY STARTED.
"CASSIUS WENT DOWN EYES CLOSED," DUNDEE REMEMBERED,
"BUT WHEN HIS BUTT HIT THE FLOOR,
THEY OPENED AND LIT UP."
BENTT: YOU HAVE TO GET KNOCKED DOWN AT SOME POINT.
IF THE FIGHTER WHO GOT KNOCKS DOWN PANICS,
GUESS WHAT.
I GOTCHA.
BECAUSE, IF I KNOCK YOU DOWN, THAT MEANS I CAN
KNOCK YOU OUT.
CASSIUS NEVER PANICKED.
HE KNEW HOW TO RESPOND TO IT.
HE KNEW HOW TO STAY POISED AND STAY IN CONTROL.
DUNPHY: FIRST TIME THAT CASSIUS CLAY WAS EVER DOWN.
NARRATOR: IN THE SECOND ROUND, HE TOOK COMMAND,
BEWILDERING BANKS WITH BLOW AFTER BLOW.
BENTT: HE STAYED LOYAL TO HIS JAB
AND THEN WENT TO WORK ON HIM.
DUNPHY: ROUND 4.
NOW CLAY SEEMS TO BE COMING ON A LITTLE BIT.
REFEREE: HOLD IT, HOLD IT, HOLD IT.
NARRATOR: IN THE FOURTH ROUND,
THE REFEREE HAD SEEN ENOUGH
AND CALLED THE MATCH IN FAVOR OF CLAY...
ADDIE: WINNER BY TKO CASSIUS CLAY.
NARRATOR: JUST AS HE HAD PREDICTED.
"WATCHING HIM GET UP OFF THE FLOOR AGAINST BANKS
AND THEN RECOVER TO WIN," DUNDEE REMEMBERED,
"THAT'S THE NIGHT I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE KID."
BETWEEN FIGHTS HE CONTINUED TO TALK, OFFERING A QUIP,
POEM, OR PREDICTION TO EVERY REPORTER HE COULD
AND DOUBLING DOWN ON HIS GUARANTEE THAT HE WOULD SOON
BECOME THE YOUNGEST HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION EVER.
MY LAST 3 FIGHTS, I PREDICTED A 4-ROUND KNOCKOUT.
I KNOCKED OUT SONNY BANKS IN 4 ROUNDS,
I KNOCKED OUT DON WARNER IN 4 ROUNDS,
AND I JUST ANNIHILATED GEORGE LOGAN IN 4 ROUNDS.
NARRATOR: WHITE SPORTSWRITERS STARTED CALLING HIM
"MIGHTY MOUTH," "CASSIUS THE GASEOUS,"
THE "LOUISVILLE LIP."
NOTHING WOULD PLEASE PEOPLE MORE, ONE REPORTER SAID,
THAN TO SEE CASSIUS "GAG ON A GLOVE."
MAN: HE WAS RUDE, RUDE TO HIS OPPONENTS.
BEFORE A FIGHT HE WOULD INSULT THEM,
HE WOULD MOCK THEM, HE WOULD PREDICT
BAD THINGS FOR THEM.
HE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT LOSING IN THE EARLY DAYS.
IT WASN'T PROPER BEHAVIOR.
NARRATOR: TO THEM, HE WAS NOTHING LIKE THE REVERED
FORMER CHAMPION OF THE 1930s AND 1940S JOE LOUIS,
WHOSE MANAGERS HAD DEMANDED HE REFRAIN FROM CELEBRATING
AFTER DEFEATING WHITE OPPONENTS.
REMNICK: AND THESE GUYS, THESE ELDERS, WERE OFFENDED
BY THIS "GASEOUS CASSIUS."
THEY JUST THOUGHT THAT HE WAS IMPERTINENT,
THAT HE OFFENDED THEIR SENSE OF ATHLETIC AESTHETICS.
"WHAT'S ALL THIS PRANCING AROUND?
STAND AND FIGHT!"
LIPSYTE: THE SPORTSWRITERS WERE MOSTLY OLDER MEN,
WHITE MEN.
NOW THERE WERE A FEW OF US YOUNGER GUYS AROUND,
AND WE LOVED HIM.
IT WAS WONDERFUL.
I WAS AROUND CASSIUS' AGE.
IT WAS VERY EXCITING.
CLAY: MOST PEOPLE THINK BECAUSE I CAN PREDICT
A FIGHT LIKE THIS AND MAKE IT COME TRUE,
THEY THINK THAT I AM BECOMING OVERCONFIDENT.
I'M GUNNING FOR FLOYD PATTERSON AND SONNY LISTON,
AND IF THEY GET IN MY WAY, I WILL ANNIHILATE THEM, ALSO.
SO THERE'S THIS... THIS SORT OF MAINSTREAM SENSIBILITY
ABOUT HOW A MAN SHOULD CONDUCT HIMSELF IN PUBLIC,
WHICH IS BASED PURELY ON THIS SORT OF WHITE MALE LOGIC.
CASSIUS CLAY'S ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO COME ALONG
IN PUBLIC AND SAY, "I'M NOT GOING TO FOLLOW
"THOSE RULES.
I'M GOING TO SAY AND DO WHAT I CHOOSE."
IT'S ABOUT INDEPENDENCE.
IN EARLY JUNE 1962, ABDUL RAHMAN INVITED CASSIUS
AND HIS BROTHER RUDY TO A NATION OF ISLAM RALLY
IN DETROIT LATER THAT MONTH.
THOUGH PUBLICLY ASSOCIATING WITH THE SECT COULD HARM
CLAY'S CHANCES OF GETTING A TITLE FIGHT,
THE BROTHERS SAID YES.
RAHMAN: CLAY WAS IN LOUISVILLE, HIS CAR WAS IN MIAMI,
SO I DROVE HIS CAR FROM MIAMI TO LOUISVILLE TO PICK HIM UP,
AND WE DROVE FROM THERE ON INTO DETROIT
TO HEAR THE LECTURE OF THE HONORABLE ELIJAH MUHAMMAD.
NARRATOR: BEFORE THE RALLY, THE 3 VISITED THE LUNCHEONETTE
NEXT DOOR TO MOSQUE NO. 1,
WHERE THEY MET A WELL-KNOWN MINISTER
FROM NEW YORK WHO WAS IN TOWN TO DELIVER OPENING REMARKS
AT THE RALLY.
HIS NAME WAS MALCOLM X.
CLAY APPROACHED HIM, ENTHUSIASTICALLY OFFERED
HIS HAND, AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF.
EIG: WHEN MALCOLM MET CASSIUS CLAY,
HE'D NEVER HEARD OF HIM, WAS NOT MUCH OF A BOXING FAN.
THE NATION OF ISLAM DISCOURAGED ITS MEMBERS
FROM PARTICIPATING IN SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT.
THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH.
IT WAS SEEN AS A DISTRACTION.
SO HE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE CASSIUS CLAY.
NARRATOR: AFTER A BRIEF CHAT, MALCOLM RETURNED
TO PREPARING FOR HIS ADDRESS,
BUT THE YOUNG FIGHTER HAD LEFT AN IMPRESSION.
CLAY HAD A "CONTAGIOUS QUALITY," MALCOLM LATER RECALLED.
HE WAS "CLEAN CUT AND DOWN TO EARTH."
EIG: THEY QUICKLY DEVELOPED A FRIENDSHIP AND A BOND,
AND MALCOLM BECAME A VERY IMPORTANT TEACHER
FOR CASSIUS, UH, TEACHING HIM ABOUT THE NATION OF ISLAM
AND ABOUT WHAT THE RELIGION MEANT.
THEY BECAME GOOD FRIENDS.
NARRATOR: BORN IN 1925 TO PARENTS WHO FOLLOWED
THE BLACK SEPARATIST LEADER MARCUS GARVEY,
MALCOLM LITTLE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE NATION OF ISLAM
IN THE LATE 1940s WHILE SERVING TIME
IN A MASSACHUSETTS PRISON FOR BURGLARY.
DEEPLY AFFECTED BY ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S TEACHINGS,
LITTLE WROTE TO THE LEADER ALMOST DAILY
AND TOOK THE NAME MALCOLM X.
LATER AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM PRISON,
MUHAMMAD WOULD MAKE HIM PRINCIPAL MINISTER
AT TEMPLE NO. 7 IN HARLEM.
WHO ARE YOU?
YOU DON'T KNOW.
DON'T TELL ME NEGRO. THAT'S NOTHING.
WHAT WERE YOU BEFORE THE WHITE MAN NAMED
YOU A NEGRO?
AND WHERE WERE YOU?
AND WHAT DID YOU HAVE?
WHAT WAS YOURS?
WHAT LANGUAGE DID YOU SPEAK THEN?
WHAT WAS YOUR NAME?
IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN SMITH OR JONES
OR BUNCH OR POWELL.
THAT WASN'T YOUR NAME.
THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE KIND OF NAMES WHERE YOU AND I
CAME FROM.
MUWAKKIL: WHEN MALCOLM CAME ALONG, HIS CHARISMA WAS MARRIED
TO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S PURITANICAL MESSAGE,
AND IT TOOK OFF.
I WAS MESMERIZED BY THE GUY.
AMERICA IS STILL A COUNTRY
WHOSE GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM IS BASED UPON FREEDOM,
JUSTICE, AND EQUALITY FOR WHITE PEOPLE ONLY.
MUWAKKIL: AND I COULDN'T IMAGINE ANYONE BESTING HIM
IN AN INTELLECTUAL ARGUMENT.
MALCOLM X: YOU HAVEN'T DONE THE RIGHT THING...
MUWAKKIL: HE WAS THAT SHARP.
MALCOLM X: BY MY PEOPLE,
AND BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T DONE THE RIGHT THING
BY MY PEOPLE, NOW I GOT TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY YOU.
YOUR KINGDOM HAS GOT TO GO.
MUWAKKIL: OFTEN WHEN PEOPLE HAD INTELLECTUAL ATTAINMENT,
THEY DISDAINED, THE STREET LIFE,
AND THEY HAD THIS AURA OF SUPERIORITY.
MALCOLM, HE DIDN'T HAVE THAT AT ALL.
HE SEEMED TO EMBRACE THE STREET LIFE IN A WAY
THAT FEW OTHERS HAD,
AND THAT WAS A VERY UNIQUE THING.
NARRATOR: MANY AMERICANS, NOW FAMILIAR
WITH THE NON-VIOLENT ACTIONS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
LED PRIMARILY BY SOUTHERN MINISTERS, WERE SHOCKED
AND FRIGHTENED BY WHAT MALCOLM X HAD TO SAY.
MALCOLM X: NO MAN CAN SPEAK FOR NEGROES WHO TELLS
NEGROES LOVE THEIR ENEMY.
NO MAN CAN SPEAK FOR NEGROES WHO TELLS NEGROES
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.
THERE IS NO NEGRO IN HIS RIGHT MIND TODAY
WHO IS GOING TO TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.
NARRATOR: AS MALCOLM'S INFLUENCE GREW,
HIS ACTIVITIES DREW INCREASING INTEREST FROM THE FBI,
WHICH BEGAN TRACKING HIS EVERY MOVE,
SURVEILLANCE THAT WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL THE END OF HIS LIFE.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD: STOP TRYING TO BE IN UNITY
WITH THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT YOU.
THEY HATE YOU AND CALL YOU THESE BLACK
SO AND SO AND SO.
GET OUT OF THAT PEOPLE'S FAITH.
NARRATOR: AT THE RALLY IN DETROIT THAT CASSIUS, RUDY,
AND ABDUL RAHMAN HAD DRIVEN TO,
THE BROTHERS HUNG ON ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S EVERY WORD.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD: HE IS THROUGH WITH YOU AND I.
HE HAS FREED YOU AND I.
LET'S ACT LIKE FREE MEN.
DO FOR OUR FREE SELVES.
ROBERTS: IF CASSIUS COMES OUT AND SAYS, "YES, I'M A MEMBER
OF THE NATION OF ISLAM," HIS CAREER IS OVER.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN BOXING IS IN THE DOLDRUMS ANYWAY.
JUST WHAT WE NEED NOW, A TOP CONTENDER AFFIRMING
HIS BELIEF IN THE NATION OF ISLAM.
HE'S NOT GOING TO ATTRACT ANY BIG FIGHTS.
WHITE AMERICA IS NOT GOING TO GIVE
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TO A BLACK MUSLIM.
CLAY HAD TO PLAY IT VERY COY.
NARRATOR: IN JULY, CASSIUS CLAY PREDICTED HE'D
KNOCK OUT AN ARGENTINE CONTENDER NAMED ALEJANDRO LAVORANTE
IN THE FIFTH ROUND AND THEN ONCE AGAIN
MADE GOOD ON THAT PREDICTION.
HE WAS NOW 15-0.
AFTER THE MATCH, CLAY SPOTTED ARCHIE MOORE
AT RINGSIDE.
"YOU'RE NEXT, OLD MAN" HE SHOUTED
TO HIS ONE-TIME TRAINER.
MOORE CLAIMED TO BE 45, THOUGH MANY BELIEVE
HE WAS CLOSER TO 50,
BUT HE NEEDED THE MONEY AND QUICKLY AGREED
TO THE FIGHT.
ARCHIE MOORE WAS LIKE THE PROFESSOR OF FIGHTERS.
ARCHIE MOORE WAS INCREDIBLY BRILLIANT,
BUT ARCHIE MOORE HAD THE VANITY OF THINKING
THAT HE COULD FIGURE OUT THE YOUNG GUY
AND THROUGH POSITIONING HIMSELF RIGHT AND MOVING RIGHT
HE COULD OUTSMART THIS YOUNG GUY.
LET'S JUST SAY THE PREROGATIVES OF YOUTH OVERCAME HIM.
NARRATOR: CLAY WON BY TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT IN THE FOURTH ROUND.
BY THE END OF 1962, CASSIUS CLAY WAS RANKED NUMBER 4
AMONG HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENDERS, AND HE HAD BEGUN
TO LOOK LIKE A SHREWD BET BY HIS LOUISVILLE SPONSORS,
WHO WERE ON PACE TO RECOUP THEIR INITIAL INVESTMENT
IN THE COMING YEAR.
MR. CASSIUS CLAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
[APPLAUSE]
JERRY, I'M THE GREATEST FIGHTER
THAT'S EVER STEPPED FOOT IN THE RING.
I'M SO GREAT, I TELL A CLOWN WHAT ROUND
HE'S GOING DOWN.
REPORTER: YOU SEEM TO BE MAKING PREDICTIONS ABOUT FIGHTS.
CLAY: THAT'S PART OF THE CLAY PSYCHOLOGY
AND ALSO PART OF THE CLAY GREATNESS.
AND THE CLAY GREATNESS.
WELL, NOW YOU CLAIM TO BE YOU'RE GOING TO BE
THE NEXT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
NEXT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
I'LL HOLD THE TITLE FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS
AND THEN GIVE IT TO MY YOUNGER BROTHER RUDOLPH.
NARRATOR: THOUGH CRITICS GRUMBLED
THAT HE STILL TALKED TOO MUCH
AND HADN'T YET FACED A WORTHY OPPONENT,
CASSIUS CLAY HAD THE BOXING WORLD'S ATTENTION.
"I DON'T CARE IF THIS KID CAN'T FIGHT A LICK,"
SAID THE FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION JACK DEMPSEY.
"I'M FOR HIM.
THINGS ARE LIVE AGAIN."
FRED McDOWELL: ♪ IT WAS SOON ONE MORNING ♪
♪ DEATH COME CREEPIN' ♪
♪ SOON WHEN ♪
♪ DEATH COME CREEPIN' IN MY ROOM ♪
MOSLEY: POOR MEN BOX BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY CHOICE THEY HAVE,
WHICH IS THE REASON THAT BOXING ITSELF IS POETRY.
"WHY YOU WANT TO GET IN THE RING AND GET HURT?"
SAID, "MAN, I CAN GO DOWN TO THE BAR AND GET HURT.
"YOU KNOW, I CAN GO DOWN THERE TO THE JUKE JOINT
AND LISTEN TO ROBERT JOHNSON AND GET HURT."
HE SAID, "AT LEAST WHEN I GET IN THE RING,
"THEY PAY ME,
AND THEY GOT TO WEAR GLOVES WHEN THEY HIT ME."
McDOWELL: ♪ O MY LORD ♪
MOSLEY: YOU FIGHT BECAUSE YOU FIGHT EVERY DAY ANYWAY.
A BLACK MAN, BUT NOT JUST BLACK MEN,
ANY POOR... A MEXICAN OR IRISHMAN OR JEW... IF THEY'RE FIGHTING,
THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES,
AND THE ONLY REASON THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES
IN THE RING IS BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT SAFER
THAN FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE ON THE STREETS OF AMERICA.
NARRATOR: IN SEPTEMBER 1962, HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
FLOYD PATTERSON WAS SCHEDULED TO FIGHT
CHALLENGER SONNY LISTON AT CHICAGO'S COMISKEY PARK.
PATTERSON WAS THE SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE,
BUT THE ODDS WERE AGAINST HIM.
TALESE: FLOYD PATTERSON WAS A REMARKABLE FIGHTER
BECAUSE HE WAS A HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
WITHOUT BEING A HEAVYWEIGHT.
PATTERSON HAD A HUMILITY ABOUT HIM
AND A CERTAIN RIGHTEOUSNESS ABOUT HIM THAT HE APPEALED
TO THE WHITE MIDDLE CLASS,
THE WHITE SPORTSWRITER, THE WHITE ELEMENT.
PATTERSON: I MET THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
HE KNEW OF MY FIGHT WITH LISTON,
AND HE HAD SAID TO ME, UH, YOU KNOW, "FLOYD,
"YOU WANT TO TRY TO KEEP THE TITLE BECAUSE YOU REPRESENT
SOMETHING GOOD."
IZENBERG: FLOYD'S MANAGER WAS CUS D'AMATO,
AND HE DISCOVERED VERY EARLY THAT FLOYD REALLY HAD
THE QUICK HANDS OF A COBRA AND THE CHIN OF A POET.
HE DIDN'T WANT HIM TO FIGHT SONNY LISTON.
DEFINITELY DID NOT WANT HIM TO FIGHT SONNY LISTON.
FLOYD WAS BAITED INTO THE FIGHT BECAUSE HE DECIDED
HE WAS DEPUTIZED TO GET RID OF ALL BULLIES
AND WHATEVER ELSE.
CASSIUS, IN ABOUT A MONTH FROM NOW,
SONNY LISTON IS GOING TO BE TRYING TO GET
THE CHAMPIONSHIP FROM FLOYD PATTERSON.
HOW DO YOU SEE THIS FIGHT?
TRYING TO GET?
SONNY LISTON WILL GET IT.
I SEE SONNY LISTON KNOCKING FLOYD PATTERSON OUT
WITHIN THE FIRST 5 ROUNDS.
IN MY ESTIMATION, SONNY LISTON IS
A GREAT AMERICAN HERO.
HE HAD TAKEN ALL THE WORST FROM EVERYBODY.
HE'S A MAN WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHEN HE WAS BORN,
DOESN'T, HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP WHATSOEVER WITH HIS FATHER,
HAD A MOTHER WHO KEPT ON RUNNING AWAY FROM HIM.
HE WAS A MAN OF EXTRAORDINARY POWER
AND AN EXTRAORDINARY FOCUS, WHO TOOK ALL THE BARBS
AND ARROWS THAT EVERYBODY HAD TO THROW
AND STILL MADE IT.
BOXING IS THAT GUY, LIKE LISTON, WHO JUST BASICALLY
CLIMBS RIGHT UP OUT OF THE MUD.
THEY SAY, "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" HE SAID, "I'M FROM BACK THERE."
YOU KNOW.
NARRATOR: THE SON OF AN ARKANSAS SHARECROPPER
WHO WHIPPED HIM ALMOST DAILY, CHARLES "SONNY" LISTON WAS
FIRST INTRODUCED TO BOXING IN 1950 BY A PRISON CHAPLAIN
AT MISSOURI STATE PENITENTIARY, WHERE HE WAS
SERVING TIME FOR ARMED ROBBERY.
WITHIN 4 WEEKS, NO INMATES, INCLUDING TRAINED BOXERS,
WOULD GET IN THE RING WITH HIM.
HE WAS PAROLED IN OCTOBER OF 1952.
A LOCAL MOB BOSS GOT LISTON A JOB AT AN ORDNANCE PLANT
AND ENTERED HIM IN AMATEUR TOURNAMENTS.
4 MONTHS LATER, AFTER CAPTURING THE INTERNATIONAL
GOLDEN GLOVES HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE,
LISTON TURNED PROFESSIONAL.
OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS, HE WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION
AND AS A CHAUFFEUR AND SOMETIME ENFORCER
FOR THE UNION BOSSES.
HE WAS HARASSED CONSTANTLY BY ST. LOUIS POLICE,
WHO PICKED HIM UP FOR "QUESTIONING"
MORE THAN 100 TIMES.
IN THE RING, SONNY LISTON WAS NEARLY UNBEATABLE,
USING WHAT ONE REPORTER CALLED "A PILE DRIVER"
OF A LEFT HAND TO WIN 17 OF HIS FIRST 18 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS.
AS LISTON CLIMBED THE RANKS, FRANK CARBO,
A MOB HITMAN WHO BECAME A POWERFUL BOXING PROMOTER,
TOOK AN INTEREST AND APPROACHED THE SMALL-TIME MOBSTER
WHO THOUGHT HE OWNED LISTON.
IZENBERG: FRANKIE CARBO, WHO'S RUNNING BOXING SAID,
"HERE'S 75,000.
"YOU NEVER SAW LISTON.
"YOU'RE NEVER GONNA SEE HIM AGAIN.
FORGET IT. HE'S MY FIGHTER."
HE WAS IN THE HANDS OF THE MOB, AND THE MOB TREATED HIM
PRETTY WELL.
SONNY WAS ILLITERATE, BUT BY NO MEANS
WAS SONNY IGNORANT.
MOSLEY: I THINK PEOPLE HATED LISTON BECAUSE HE WAS A BRUTE.
THEY HATED HIM BECAUSE HE WAS DEADLY
AND HE WAS DANGEROUS.
THEY HATED HIM BECAUSE OF THE CORRUPT COUNTRY
THEY CREATED.
THAT CORRUPTION CO-OPTED HIM.
THEY HATED HIM BECAUSE HE WAS ILLITERATE,
BUT THEY DIDN'T TEACH HIM HOW TO READ AND WRITE.
HE'S HATED BY WHITE PEOPLE AND BLACK PEOPLE,
AND HE JUST NEVER STOPPED.
HE JUST KEPT RIGHT ON GOING,
AND IF YOU'RE LIKE A BLACK MAN OR A WOMAN IN AMERICA
AND YOU SEE SOMEBODY LIKE SONNY LISTON, YOU SAY,
"THAT'S WHAT THEY DO TO US."
NARRATOR: BY THE TIME LISTON CHALLENGED FLOYD PATTERSON
FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE IN 1962,
HE HAD 33 WINS AND JUST 1 LOSS.
"PATTERSON WAS THE MORAL FAVORITE,"
THE WRITER JAMES BALDWIN OBSERVED.
"PEOPLE FELT LISTON'S VICTORY WOULD BE A DISASTER."
ADDIE: WEIGHING 214 POUNDS,
FROM PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, SONNY LISTON.
[BOOING]
NARRATOR: SONNY LISTON UNDERSTOOD.
"IT'S LIKE A COWBOY MOVIE," HE SAID.
"THERE'S GOT TO BE GOOD GUYS,
AND THERE'S GOT TO BE BAD GUYS."
[BELL RINGS]
CHRIS SCHENKEL: SONNY LISTON MOVES OUT TO FACE
THE BIG CHANCE OF HIS 28 YEARS OF A TURBULENT LIFE.
THE LISTON HOOK TO THE HEAD IS THE FIRST GOOD PUNCH
OF THE FIGHT.
A LEFT TO GRAZING RIGHT AND A SOLID LEFT
TO THE CHEEKBONE DROPPED THE CHAMPION.
NARRATOR: IT TOOK LISTON JUST 2 MINUTES AND 6 SECONDS
TO BECOME HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
IZENBERG: IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT NOBODY WOULD EVER BEAT
SONNY LISTON AND THAT HE WOULD BE 107
AND HE WOULD RETIRE AS THE UNDEFEATED CHAMPION.
ROBERTS: BOXING WAS IN THE WINTER OF ITS DISCONTENT.
RUMORS THAT EVERYTHING'S FIXED.
DUNPHY: PARET AGAINST THE ROPES, ALMOST HELPLESS.
A MINUTE TO GO.
AND THEY'RE GONNA STOP IT.
THEY'RE GONNA STOP IT AS PARET SAGS...
ROBERTS: AND ANOTHER MAJOR PROBLEM THAT HAD WAS JUST
THE SHEER VIOLENCE OF THE SPORT.
DUNPHY: WE'RE MORE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE CONDITION OF BENNY "KID" PARET.
ROBERTS: YOU HAD FIGHTS ON TELEVISION
THAT STARTLED AMERICANS.
YOU KNOW, "DO WE WANT TO WATCH THIS?
WE'VE GOT TO BAN THIS SPORT."
NARRATOR: ON FEBRUARY 4, 1963, CASSIUS CLAY TRAVELED
TO ALBANY, NEW YORK, TO APPEAR AS A WITNESS
BEFORE A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CONSIDERING A BILL
THAT WOULD ABOLISH BOXING IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK
BECAUSE OF ITS BRUTALITY AND EVER-PRESENT CORRUPTION.
COMMITTEE MEMBER: DON'T YOU THINK THAT
THESE PREDICTIONS THAT YOU'RE MAKING AND THE FACT
THAT THE LAST FEW FIGHTS HAVE HAPPENED TO END
IN THE EXACT ROUND THAT YOU STATE HAVE CREATED
A BAD IMAGE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF BOXING?
WELL, NO, IT HAVEN'T. A FEW PEOPLE...
WELL, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY SAY,
"IT TAKE A CROOK TO KNOW A CROOK."
NOW, YOU PROVE...
[LAUGHTER]
ROBERTS: CASSIUS CLAY COMES LIKE A BREATH OF SPRING AIR.
YES, HE'S OUTRAGEOUS. YES, HE'S CONCEITED.
YES, HE BOASTS CONSTANTLY, BUT HE'S EXCITING,
AND HE'S GOOD-LOOKING, AND HE'S YOUNG.
COMMITTEE MEMBER: BY THE WAY, CASSIUS,
I THINK THAT POINT WAS WELL TAKEN,
AND I THINK THAT MY COLLEAGUES IN THE LEGISLATURE
GOT A LITTLE FUN OUT OF IT, BUT GO AHEAD.
CLAY: I HAVE HAD 11 FIGHTS, 11 OF THEM
I PREDICTED JUST WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
NOW WOULD YOU SAY ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE CROOKS,
ALL OF THE PROMOTERS ARE CROOKS?
COMMITTEE MEMBER: I ASKED YOU THE QUESTION.
WELL, THAT'S JUST UP TO YOU TO FIGURE.
I TELL THE PEOPLE THAT I'M THE GREATEST,
SO IF I SAY HE'S GONNA FALL IN 5 AND HE FALLS IN 5,
WELL, THAT JUST MAKES ME THAT MUCH GREATER.
NARRATOR: CLAY ALSO PROMISED THE LEGISLATORS
THAT HE WOULD SELL OUT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
FOR HIS UPCOMING FIGHT WITH THE NUMBER-3 RANKED CONTENDER
DOUG JONES, A FEAT NO EVENT HELD AT THE ARENA
HAD ACHIEVED IN YEARS.
ON THE TRAIN BACK FROM ALBANY TO NEW YORK CITY,
A REPORTER WARNED CLAY THAT A MONTHS-LONG PRINTERS STRIKE
THAT HAD SHUTTERED MOST OF THE CITY'S
MAJOR DAILY NEWSPAPERS COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT
TO PUBLICIZE THE FIGHT.
CLAY WAS UNDETERRED.
HE BEGAN A RELENTLESS PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN.
REPORTER: ARE YOU STILL PLUGGING THE LINE THAT YOU ARE
THE GREATEST HEAVYWEIGHT ALIVE?
I'M THE GREATEST HEAVYWEIGHT ON TWO FEET TODAY.
I'M THE ONLIEST MAN WHO CALLS THE EXACT ROUND
IN WHICH MY OPPONENT WILL FALL MONTHS
BEFORE THE FIGHT.
NARRATOR: HE TRADED JOKES WITH JOHNNY CARSON
ON "THE TONIGHT SHOW," READ POETRY AT THE BITTER END,
A COFFEEHOUSE IN GREENWICH VILLAGE,
AND HELD COURT IN HIS ROOM AT THE PLYMOUTH HOTEL,
BOASTING THAT DOUG JONES POSED LITTLE THREAT
AND WOULDN'T KEEP HIM FROM THE "TOMATO-RED CADILLAC
ELDORADO CONVERTIBLE WITH WHITE LEATHER UPHOLSTERY"
THAT THE LOUISVILLE SPONSORING GROUP HAD PROMISED HIM
IN VICTORY.
FLOYD PATTERSON WON THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP ONE MONTH BEFORE HE WAS 22
I JUST HAD A BIRTHDAY JANUARY THE 17th.
AFTER I ANNIHILATE DOUG JONES,
LISTON WILL BE MY MEAT.
MAN: ♪ O SAY CAN YOU SEE ♪
NARRATOR: MADISON SQUARE GARDEN HAD SOLD ITS LAST SEAT
5 DAYS BEFORE.
IT WAS THE ARENA'S FIRST-EVER ADVANCE SELLOUT.
SCHENKEL: IT'S STANDING ROOM ONLY
AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK CITY,
WHERE ONCE AGAIN, THE FAMOUS LANDMARK HAS BECOME
THE MECCA OF BOXING.
THERE IS ONE YOUNG MAN WHO HAS MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE.
HE IS A 21-YEAR-OLD HEAVYWEIGHT FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
NAMED CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY.
[BELL RINGS]
CASSIUS CLAY...
WATCH HIS SPEEDY LEFT HAND.
HE'S GOT A BEAUTY.
BENTT: STYLES MAKE FIGHTS.
SCHENKEL: YOU JUST SAW ONE
OF CLAY'S HABITS, PULLING AWAY FROM PUNCHES
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO SLIP THEM.
BENTT: DOUG JONES KNEW HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF CLAY'S LEANING BACK AND HANDS DROPPED.
SCHENKEL: 2, 2 1/2, AND THERE IT IS.
A GOOD, SOLID PUNCH.
BENTT: DOUG JONES PUNCHED WHILE CASSIUS WAS PUNCHING.
IF YOU PUNCH WHILE HE'S PUNCHING, HE'S NOT ABLE TO
ADJUST TO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S COMING AT HIM.
SCHENKEL: CLAY WAS DEFINITELY SHAKEN UP BY A SHOT
THAT CUT HIM AS HE WAS BACKING AWAY
FROM A PUNCH INSTEAD OF TRYING TO SLIP IT.
BENTT: WHEN A FIGHTER LIKE CASSIUS GETS HIT WITH SHOTS
THAT GETS HIS ATTENTION, GUESS WHAT.
HE STARTS FIGHTING WITH HIS BACK FOOT OUT THE DOOR,
WITHOUT THE CONFIDENCE THAT HE USUALLY HAS.
AS HE'S GOING BACK, JUST GOT NAILED BY A RIGHT HAND.
NARRATOR: JONES PEPPERED CLAY WITH PUNCHES,
WHILE WEATHERING CLAY'S OWN ASSAULT.
SCHENKEL: 15 SECONDS TO GO.
FANS ARE PROBABLY BOOING ABOUT THE PREDICTION.
NARRATOR: WHEN THE BELL RANG ENDING THE FOURTH ROUND
WITH JONES STILL ON HIS FEET, THE CROWD JEERED CLAY
FOR FAILING TO FULFILL HIS PREDICTION.
SCHENKEL: CASSIUS CLAY PUNCHED AWAY TO NO EFFECT.
IT'S ROUND 5 AT THE GARDEN IN NEW YORK.
BENTT: IF CASSIUS CLAY WAS IN CONTROL,
HE'S DANCING AROUND THE RING.
IF YOU WATCH CLAY, WHEN HE STOPS DANCING,
HE'S UNCOMFORTABLE,
AND THAT'S WHEN HE'S VULNERABLE.
SCHENKEL: WE HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT IN ROUND 5.
BENTT: STYLISTICALLY, DOUG JONES SOLVED CLAY.
[BELL RINGS]
NARRATOR: BEFORE THE SEVENTH ROUND, ANGELO DUNDEE WARNED CLAY
THAT HE COULD "KISS THE CADILLAC GOOD-BYE"
IF HE DIDN'T GET GOING.
OVER THE LAST 3 ROUNDS, CLAY OUT-PUNCHED JONES
BUT COULD NOT KNOCK HIM OUT.
SCHENKEL: 5 SECONDS.
[BELL RINGS]
NARRATOR: THE JUDGES WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE.
BENTT: I DON'T THINK THAT CLAY WAS PROJECTING BODY LANGUAGE
THAT HE WON THE FIGHT.
HE LOOKED DEJECTED.
DOUG JONES DOMINATES CLAY.
HE OUT-PUNCHED HIM, HE OUT-HUSTLED HIM,
HE CONTROLLED HIM.
JUST BECAUSE YOU DO THAT, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE
GOING TO GET THE DECISION
BECAUSE IT'S BUSINESS.
ADDIE: WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION
CASSIUS CLAY.
SCHENKEL: THERE YOU HAVE IT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
NARRATOR: THE CROWD YELLED, "FIX!"
AND HURLED CIGARS AND PAPER CUPS INTO THE RING.
SOME CLAIMED THAT CLAY'S FAULTS... HE HAD NO BALANCE,
KEPT HIS HANDS TOO LOW, HIS PUNCHES LACKED FORCE...
HAD NEVER BEEN MORE APPARENT.
"HE HAS THE STUFF BUT NEEDS A LOT OF SEASONING,"
FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION GENE TUNNEY SAID.
OTHERS WERE SIMPLY DISAPPOINTED THAT
THE YOUNG UPSTART HADN'T BEEN PUT IN HIS PLACE.
SCHENKEL: CASSIUS CLAY IS MIMICKING SOME
OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BOOING THE DECISION.
CLAY: I LOVE IT.
REPORTER: YOU LOVE TO BE BOOED?
BOO, YELL, SCREAM, THROW PEANUTS,
BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, PAY TO GET IN.
SONNY LISTON HAD BEEN WATCHING ON CLOSED-CIRCUIT IN MIAMI.
"I'LL GET LOCKED UP FOR MURDER IF I FIGHT HIM," HE SAID.
DON'T YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR HIM AT ALL AS A FIGHTER?
AS A FIGHTER?
I THINK HE SHOULD BE LOCKED UP
FOR IMPERSONATING A FIGHTER.
NARRATOR: SORE AND EXHAUSTED, CLAY WAS EAGER TO RELAX
AND FETCH THE TOMATO-RED CONVERTIBLE THAT AWAITED HIM
AT LOUISVILLE'S STANDARD CADILLAC COMPANY.
MARVIN GAYE: ♪ YOU ARE ♪
MAN: I'M TELLING YOU. PRETTY, PRETTY.
A MOVIE STAR.
NARRATOR: THOUGH HE HAD STRUGGLED AGAINST JONES,
CLAY HAD MUCH TO CELEBRATE.
HE WAS NOW 18-0 AND STILL
THE NUMBER TWO CONTENDER BEHIND THE EX-CHAMPION
FLOYD PATTERSON.
THE MEDIA ATTENTION HE HAD TIRELESSLY COURTED...
GOOD OR BAD... NOW CAME IN TORRENTS.
CLAY: I'M THE ONLIEST POET IN THE FIGHT GAME TODAY,
THE ONLIEST PROPHET.
DON'T BE SURPRISED OF NOTHING I DO.
I'LL SOON BE IN THE MOVIES.
I CUT RECORDS, I SING, I CAN FIGHT,
I CAN DO ANYTHING.
THAT'S WHY I SAY I AM THE GREATEST.
THAT'S THE NAME OF THE ALBUM, "I AM THE GREATEST!"
THIS IS THE LEGEND OF CASSIUS CLAY,
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FIGHTER IN THE WORLD TODAY.
NARRATOR: "I'M THE GREATEST. I'M THE DOUBLE GREATEST.
I WILL BE A CLEAN AND SPARKLING CHAMPION,"
HE BRAGGED TO TIME MAGAZINE, WHICH FEATURED HIM
ON ITS COVER.
CLAY: HE TALKS A GREAT DEAL AND BRAGS INDEEDY
OF A MUSCULAR PUNCH THAT'S INCREDIBLY SPEEDY.
ALEX POINSETT OF "EBONY" MAGAZINE SAW
IN CLAY'S BRAVADO MORE THAN PLAYFUL BOASTING.
"CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY IS A BLAST FURNACE
OF RACE PRIDE," HE WROTE, "A PRIDE SCORCHED
WITH MEMORIES OF A MILLION LITTLE BURNS."
CLAY: FOR I AM THE MAN THIS POEM IS ABOUT,
THE NEXT CHAMP OF THE WORLD, THERE ISN'T A DOUBT.
THIS I PREDICT, AND I KNOW THE SCORE.
I'LL BE CHAMP OF THE WORLD IN '64.
JESSE JACKSON: IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT TO USE THAT PLATFORM
REALLY FOR SELF-AFFIRMATION
AND PROMOTE HIMSELF AS A FIGHTER
AND IN HIS OWN WAY LIFT UP BLACK PEOPLE.
"I AM SOMEBODY, I AM THE GREATEST."
AND MOST OF ALL, I'M PRETTY.
MOST FIGHTERS ARE UGLY.
EARLY: WHAT MADE CLAY APPEALING TO MY GENERATION
WAS THAT HE WAS YOUNG, HE WAS HUMOROUS,
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL
FOR A BLACK PUBLIC FIGURE, PARTICULARLY HUMOROUS
IN THE WAY THAT HE WAS.
HE WASN'T SOME KIND OF STEPIN FETCHIT CLOWN
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
CLAY REPRESENTED SOMETHING FOR THE GENERATION I GREW UP IN
THAT WAS DIFFERENT FROM MY UNCLE'S GENERATION.
THEY WERE WORLD WAR II,
THEY WERE THE GREATEST GENERATION,
THEIR HEROES WERE JACKIE ROBINSON, JESSE OWENS,
AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT,
AND CLAY CAME ALONG, AND HE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
HE WAS FROM MY GENERATION.
WELL LET ME FINISH, LET ME TALK!
THIS BOY'S MODEST. I'M THE GREATEST.
HE'S NOT A TALKER.
I'M GOING TO FIGHT SONNY LISTON RIGHT AFTER
I ANNIHILATE HENRY COOPER,
AND AS SOON AS I ANNIHILATE HENRY COOPER, I WANT
THAT BIG, UGLY BEAR RIGHT IN, UH... RIGHT HERE ON MIAMI BEACH.
NARRATOR: WITH LISTON AND PATTERSON SLATED FOR A REMATCH
THAT SUMMER, CLAY SIGNED TO FIGHT ENGLAND'S
HENRY COOPER.
IZENBERG: WELL, THERE'S A GUY IN ENGLAND NAMED HENRY COOPER.
TODAY, HE'S NAMED SIR HENRY COOPER,
AND WHAT HE WENT THROUGH WITH HIS HIGH CHEEK BONES
AND BLEEDING, HE SHOULD BE A SIR.
TREMENDOUS LEFT HOOK THAT NOBODY APPRECIATED
EXCEPT THE BRITISH.
CLAY: WELL, HENRY COOPER'S NOT GOING TO 5 ROUNDS WITH ME.
HE'S NOT GOING 5 ROUNDS WITH YOU?
IF HE GOES OVER 5, I WON'T RETURN
TO MY COUNTRY FOR 90 DAYS. FOR 90 DAYS.
AND IF HE BEATS ME, I'LL RETIRE.
NARRATOR: ARRIVING IN LONDON, CLAY HAD
THE OUTFITTERS TO THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH TAILOR HIM
A RED BROCADE COCKTAIL JACKET WITH A DRAGON MOTIF
AND BOWLER HAT AND HIRED A ROLLS-ROYCE
TO TAKE HIM TO PROMOTIONS.
SINGER: ♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
NARRATOR: HE CALLED COOPER A TRAMP AND A CRIPPLE,
BRAGGED THAT HE HADN'T EVEN BOTHERED TO TRAIN
AND WOULD STILL WIN IN 5 ROUNDS.
THE BRITISH WERE NOT AMUSED.
[FANFARE]
HARRY CARPENTER: AND I IMAGINE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE
SITTING AROUND THE RINGSIDE HERE IN THE OPEN AIR
AT WEMBLEY TONIGHT WHO MAY WELL THINK
THAT BY COMING INTO THE RING WITH THAT RIDICULOUS CROWN
ON HIS HEAD MR. CLAY IS DOING HIS BEST
TO CHEAPEN THE PROFESSIONAL FIGHT GAME,
AND I MUST SAY I'M INCLINED TO SHARE THOSE VIEWS MYSELF.
JOHNNY BEST: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE MAIN EVENT.
PRESENTING, FROM BELLINGHAM,
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF GREAT BRITAIN
AND THE BRITISH EMPIRE,
HENRY COOPER!
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY.
[BOOING]
NARRATOR: THE CROWD ROARED WHEN COOPER BLOODIED
CLAY'S NOSE IN THE FIRST.
IN THE SECOND, CLAY OPENED A SMALL CUT ABOVE
COOPER'S LEFT EYE, WHICH BY ROUND 3 HAD BROKEN OPEN,
SENDING BLOOD FLOWING OVER COOPER'S FACE.
[BELL RINGS]
CARPENTER: NOW CLAY IS JUST JABBING CASUALLY
WITH HIS LEFT HAND.
NARRATOR: BUT INSTEAD OF FINISHING HIM OFF,
CLAY SEEMED TO BE DELIBERATELY PROLONGING THE FIGHT.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
CARPENTER: THE BELL HAS SOUNDED,
AND HE'S UP AT ABOUT 3... CLAY.
THAT WAS THE END OF THE FOURTH ROUND,
AND HE HIT HIM ABOUT TWO SECONDS BEFORE THE END OF THE ROUND.
NARRATOR: HOPING TO REVIVE CLAY, HIS CORNER MEN BROKE VIALS
OF SMELLING SALTS UNDER HIS NOSE
AND DROPPED ICE CUBES INTO HIS TRUNKS.
CARPENTER: THEY'RE WORKING FURIOUSLY ON HIM
IN THE CORNER, ANGELO DUNDEE HIS TRAINER.
NARRATOR: IT WORKED.
WHEN THE BELL SIGNALED THE START OF ROUND 5,
CLAY CAME OUT AGGRESSIVELY.
CARPENTER: AND NOW ROUND 5 IS THE ROUND
IN WHICH CLAY SAID HE WOULD BEAT COOPER.
AND NOW COOPER'S LEFT EYE IS REALLY IN A SHOCKING STATE.
IT REALLY IS NOW.
AND I THINK TOMMY LITTLE WILL HAVE TO STOP THIS
BECAUSE COOPER'S EYE IS REALLY
IN AN ABSOLUTELY APPALLING STATE.
AND NOW HE'S STEPPING IN, AND I THINK THIS IS IT!
THE TOWEL HAS COME IN FROM COOPER'S CORNER,
AND TOMMY LITTLE'S LOOKING AT IT,
AND HE'S HAD TO STOP THE FIGHT.
NARRATOR: CLAY HAD PREVAILED,
AND HE DID IT IN THE FIFTH ROUND.
CARPENTER: CLAY IS GETTING BOMBARDED WITH PROGRAMS
FROM ANGRY RINGSIDERS.
CLAY: I'M ALWAYS BOOED, EVERYWHERE I GO I'M BOOED.
I LIKE TO BE BOOED.
THAT'S WHY I FIGHT HARD.
REPORTER: AND YOU CAME IN THE RING
WITH A CROWN ON YOUR HEAD.
IS THAT UH...
BECAUSE I AM THE KING.
I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A QUEEN OF ENGLAND,
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A KING.
BUT WHAT'S SONNY LISTON, CASSIUS?
SONNY LISTON, THAT BIG, UGLY BEAR?
UH, HE WILL FALL IN 8 ROUNDS.
LISTON WILL FALL IN 8 TO PROVE THAT I AM GREAT.
WAITING FOR CLAY IN HIS DRESSING ROOM
WAS SONNY LISTON'S MANAGER JACK NILON.
"WE WANT YOU BAD," HE TOLD CLAY AND PROMISED HIM
A FIGHT AFTER LISTON'S REMATCH WITH PATTERSON.
♪
REPORTER: SONNY, WELL, YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD,
I KNOW TO YOUR FIGHT AGAINST PATTERSON.
DO YOU EXPECT THAT FIGHT TO GO MUCH DIFFERENTLY
THAN IT DID LAST TIME AROUND?
I DON'T THINK SO.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PATTERSON?
CASSIUS IN THE LINE?
YEAH, HE'S RIGHT UP FRONT.
WHAT ABOUT CASSIUS?
WELL, I IMAGINE THAT IF HE WOULD COME TO ME,
I'D KILL HIM, AND IF HE RUNS,
I'M GONNA CATCH HIM AND KILL HIM.
B.B. KING: ♪ WELL, MY BAD LUCK ♪
REPORTER: IN LAS VEGAS, AN ECLIPSE OF THE SUN IS DUE,
BUT ALMOST NO ONE ANTICIPATES AN ECLIPSE OF SONNY.
LISTON IS 5-1 ON.
KING: ♪ BAD LUCK IS FALLING ♪
♪ FALLING DOWN ♪
NARRATOR: LISTON KNOCKED PATTERSON DOWN 3 TIMES
IN A FIGHT THAT LASTED 2 MINUTES AND 10 SECONDS,
JUST 4 SECONDS LONGER THAN THEIR FIRST BOUT.
CASSIUS CLAY, IN TOWN FOR THE FIGHT, HAD NOT MISSED
HIS CHANCE TO NEEDLE THE CHAMP.
IZENBERG: SONNY LISTON WAS A SERIOUS GAMBLER.
CLAY IS FOLLOWING HIM THROUGH THE CASINO.
NARRATOR: "LOOK AT THE BIG, UGLY BEAR," SAID CLAY.
"HE CAN'T EVEN SHOOT CRAPS."
FURIOUS, LISTON THREATENED TO RIP CLAY'S TONGUE OUT.
AT THAT MOMENT, LISTON DISLIKED HIM INTENSELY,
AND CLAY KNEW THAT HE COULD GET TO LISTON.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
MALCOLM X: MARTIN LUTHER KING TEACHES NEGROES
TO LOVE ALL WHITE PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO TO YOU,
AND THE SAME WHITES WHO HE TEACHES NEGROES TO LOVE
SIC DOGS ON HIM, SIC DOGS ON THEIR CHILDREN,
DOGS ON THEIR WOMEN, AND DOGS ON THEIR BABIES.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY HYPOCRITICAL ON THE PART
OF WHITES WHO ACCUSE MR. MUHAMMAD OF A HATE TEACHER
BECAUSE HE SAYS SEPARATION, AND THEN SIC DOGS
ON MARTIN LUTHER KING, WHO IS TEACHING INTEGRATION.
IT MEANS THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE NEGRO DOES,
HE IS NOT GOING TO GET ALONG WITH WHITES,
SO I THINK THAT MR. MUHAMMAD'S WHOLE PHILOSOPHY IS MORE
INTELLIGENT THAN MR. KING'S.
NARRATOR: SINCE RETURNING FROM FIGHTING HENRY COOPER
IN LONDON, CLAY HAD BEEN SLIPPING OFF TO NEW YORK
WHENEVER HE COULD, VISITING TEMPLE NO. 7
AND SPENDING TIME WITH MALCOLM X.
CLAY FACED MORE AND MORE QUESTIONS
FROM SPORTSWRITERS DETERMINED TO FIND OUT IF HE'D OFFICIALLY
JOINED THE NATION OF ISLAM.
THAT SUMMER IN CHICAGO, A REPORTER HAD TAILED CLAY'S
CADILLAC OUT OF THE ALLEY BEHIND A MUSLIM SCHOOL
ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
"ARE YOU A BLACK MUSLIM?" HE YELLED.
"NO," SAID CASSIUS AT FIRST.
THEN, AFTER A PAUSE, HE ADDED, "I DON'T KNOW.
I'M FOR THE BLACK MUSLIMS."
CLAY'S SPONSORS GREW WORRIED, AND HE BEGAN TO
QUESTION HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM,
SUGGESTING THAT HE BE PAID MORE.
"I AM MY OWN MASTER," HE SAID, ECHOING MALCOLM X.
"THERE IS NOBODY TELLING ME WHAT TO DO."
CONCERNED THAT CLAY WAS TOO INEXPERIENCED TO BEAT
THE OVERPOWERING SONNY LISTON, THE LOUISVILLE GROUP
NEVERTHELESS FORGED AHEAD TO SECURE THE FIGHT
THEY FEARED MIGHT BE HIS LAST.
I WILL BE FIGHTING SONNY LISTON AS SOON
AS THEY GET MY MONEY RIGHT.
NOT ONLY UNTIL THEN, AND, UH... BECAUSE THIS WILL BE
THE BIGGEST GATE IN ALL HISTORY,
AND I EXPECT TO BE HALF RICH AFTER THE FIGHT.
NARRATOR: LISTON'S MANAGERS, EAGER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF CLAY'S CELEBRITY, AGREED TO A DEAL THAT WOULD GROSS CLAY
NEARLY $1 MILLION, THE LARGEST PAYDAY EVER
FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT CHALLENGER.
LITTLE RICHARD: ♪ GONNA TELL AUNT MARY 'BOUT UNCLE JOHN ♪
NARRATOR: IN EARLY NOVEMBER, CLAY LEFT CHICAGO IN AN OLD BUS
HE'D BOUGHT AND HEADED FOR DENVER,
WHERE CLAY AND LISTON PLANNED TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE
TO ANNOUNCE THEIR FIGHT.
AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING, CASSIUS CLAY STEERED HIS BUS
INTO LISTON'S NEIGHBORHOOD AND LEANED ON THE HORN.
CLAY: I WOKE HIM UP, AND HE CAME OUT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IN HIS UNDERCLOTHES, HIS ROBE,
AND HE HAD A BIG STICK.
AND I SAID "YOU BIG, UGLY BEAR, YOU.
I'M GONNA SEE YOU TOMORROW FOR THE SIGNING,
"AND I'M GONNA KNOCK YOU OUT IN 8,
AND IF YOU WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN, I'LL GET YOU IN 7."
AND HE GOT MAD AND WE ARGUED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR,
AND THEN THE POLICEMEN CAME WITH DOGS.
[DOGS BARKING]
THE SCENE THAT WE HAD THAT NIGHT,
IT WOULD HAVE MADE YOU THINK MARTIN LUTHER KING
WAS DEMONSTRATING.
♪
NARRATOR: LATER THAT DAY, CLAY AND LISTON WENT
BEFORE THE PRESS.
"I'M READY TO GO TO WAR," CLAY SAID.
LET'S GET IT ON! WANT TO GO NOW?
[LAUGHTER]
I'LL WHOOP YOU NOW.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A GOOD MAN TO WHOOP ME.
YOU CAN LOOK AT ME. I'M LOADED WITH CONFIDENCE.
I CAN'T BE BEAT.
I HAD 180 AMATEUR FIGHTS, 22 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS,
AND I'M PRETTY AS A GIRL.
[LAUGHTER]
NARRATOR: THE FIGHT WAS SCHEDULED
FOR FEBRUARY AFTER HIS 22nd BIRTHDAY.
THOUGH HE NOW COULD NO LONGER BE THE YOUNGEST CHAMP EVER,
HE WOULD FINALLY GET HIS SHOT AT THE TITLE.
CLAY: HERE IS THE EIGHTH ROUND EXACTLY
AS IT WILL HAPPEN.
CLAY COMES OUT TO MEET LISTON,
AND LISTON STARTS TO RETREAT.
IF LISTON GOES BACK AN INCH FARTHER,
HE'LL END UP IN A RINGSIDE SEAT.
CLAY SWINGS WITH A LEFT. CLAY SWINGS WITH A RIGHT.
LOOK AT YOUNG CASSIUS CARRY THE FIGHT.
NOW CLAY LANDS WITH A RIGHT.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SWING,
AND THE PUNCH RAISES THE BEAR CLEAR OUT OF THE RING.
[LAUGHTER]
LISTON IS STILL RISING,
AND THE REF WEARS A FROWN,
FOR HE CAN'T START COUNTING,
TILL SONNY COMES DOWN.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WHEN THEY CAME TO THE FIGHT
THAT THEY'D WITNESS THE LAUNCHING
OF A HUMAN SATELLITE?
[LAUGHTER]
I AM THE GREATEST!
NARRATOR: ALMOST NOBODY GAVE CLAY A CHANCE.
TROUPE: WE ALL THOUGHT HE WAS TALKING SO MUCH
THAT HE WAS SCARED TO DEATH.
THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY SAID, "SHUT UP, CLAY.
"YOU'RE JUST SCARED.
YOU'RE JUST SCARED TO FIGHT THIS MAN."
SONNY LISTON WAS SO FORMIDABLE.
HE JUST DESTROYED PEOPLE.
IT WAS LIKE A BICYCLE AGAINST A TANK.
IF ANYBODY TELLS YOU THAT THEY THOUGHT CLAY
WAS GONNA BEAT LISTON, THEY LYING.
THEY ARE LYING.
WHO'D THIS GUY EVER FIGHT? WHO, CLAY?
YEAH. HE BOXED LONDON.
LONDON. BOXED WHO?
PETER COOPER... I MEAN HENRY COOPER.
YOU COULD LICK PETER COOPER.
HE'LL FREEZE UP WHEN HE GETS IN THE RING.
I'LL GUARANTEE THAT.
REPORTER: WHAT MAKES YOU SO SURE?
LISTON IS TOO POWERFUL.
HE'LL KNOCK HIM OUT IN THE SECOND ROUND.
OH, YEAH, I ALWAYS PRAY FOR HIM.
I PRAYED FOR HIM DURING THE... WHAT DO YOU CALL IT...
THE FIGHT OVER IN ENGLAND, COOPER,
HENRY COOPER FIGHT.
WHEN HE KNOCKED HIM DOWN, I WAS PRAYING.
NARRATOR: IF CASSIUS CLAY WAS CONCERNED,
HE DIDN'T LET ON.
SONNY LISTON MAY HAVE MORE POWER, CLAY CONCEDED,
BUT HE BELIEVED THAT THE GREAT ONES... LIKE JOE LOUIS
AND SUGAR RAY ROBINSON... RELIED ON FOOTWORK, RHYTHM,
AND TIMING, NOT STRENGTH ALONE.
THE BEATLES: ♪ IT'S BEEN A HARD DAY'S NIGHT ♪
♪ AND I'VE BEEN WORKING LIKE A DOG ♪
REPORTER: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THIS IS CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY.
HE'S YOUNG, HE'S HANDSOME.
THEY KNOW IT.
MAN: DANCE FOR THE CROWD. DANCE, BOY.
AHH! THE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU.
AHH!
CLAY: I'M THE CHAMP.
I'M THE BIGGEST THING IN HISTORY.
I'M THE KING!
MAN: QUEEN... THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND...
THE BEATLES WANT MY AUTOGRAPH.
YES, THEY DO. I'M, THE KING.
KING OF THE RING! AHH!
NARRATOR: AS THE FIGHT APPROACHED, CLAY AND DUNDEE
WATCHED FILMS OF LISTON'S RECENT FIGHTS, SEARCHING
FOR WAYS TO ELUDE HIS PISTON-LIKE JAB,
AND FILMS OF SUGAR RAY ROBINSON, WHO HAD WORN DOWN
MORE POWERFUL OPPONENTS WITH HIS NONSTOP MOTION.
CLAY ALSO HELD BRUTAL SPARRING SESSIONS,
PREPARING AS THOUGH THE FIGHT WOULD GO
ALL 15 ROUNDS.
HE WAS CERTAIN HE COULD OUTLAST LISTON,
WHOSE FIGHTS HAD RARELY LASTED MORE THAN A FEW ROUNDS.
CLAY: I'M TOO FAST. CHAMPION FROM THE CRIB.
I'M THE KING. KING OF THE RING.
BORN THE CHAMP. BORN A CHAMP FROM THE CRIB.
BOTH: AHH!
DREW "BUNDINI" BROWN, A ONE-TIME MEMBER
OF SUGAR RAY ROBINSON'S ENTOURAGE,
WAS NOW AT CLAY'S SIDE.
CLAY: YOU KNOW HOW GREAT I AM.
I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY STRATEGY.
I'LL LET MY TRAINER TELL YOU.
BUNDINI, COME HERE. BUNDINI, TELL HIM.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?
YOU'RE GONNA FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY
AND STING LIKE A BEE.
AHH!
RUMBLE YOUNG MAN, RUMBLE.
AHH!
NARRATOR: WHEN LISTON ARRIVED AT THE MIAMI AIRPORT,
CLAY WAS THERE TO GREET HIM.
CLAY: WELL, JUST TO SHOW HIM HOW BOLD I AM,
I'M READY TO GO TO WAR IF NECESSARY.
I'M NOT JIVING.
YOU THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, CASSIUS?
IT DON'T MAKE ME NO DIFFERENCE.
I MEAN, I'M READY NOW.
I'M TIRED OF WAITING FOR THIS FIGHT.
I'M NERVOUS. HE'S GOT MY JOB.
I'M THE CHAMP.
REPORTER: AN UNHEARD-OF THING HAPPENED
AT THE MAIN STREET GYM IN MIAMI.
CHALLENGER CASSIUS INVADED WHILE LISTON WAS TRAINING.
CLAY: IF YOU'D LIKE TO LOSE YOUR MONEY,
THEN BE A FOOL AND BET ON SONNY,
BUT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A GOOD DAY,
THEN PUT IT ON CLAY.
RAHMAN: I ASKED HIM.
I SAID, "ALI, ARE YOU SCARED OF LISTON?"
"NAW, MAN. I'MMA CHOP HIM DOWN."
HE HAD THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE.
HE SAID, "LISTON'S GOING IN THE EIGHTH."
"WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT?
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, GOING IN THE EIGHTH?"
JABBING AND LEFT HOOKING,
JABBING AND LEFT HOOKING.
YEAH, I'M A PRETTY FIGHTER...
RAHAMAN: WHEN YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, IT REMOVES FEAR,
AND WHEN YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE SERVING GOD,
THE TRUE AND THE LIVING GOD, ONCE YOU BELIEVE THAT,
YOU DON'T FEAR NOTHING.
SEE, AND THAT'S THE WAY HE BECAME.
NARRATOR: WHEN HE WASN'T TRAINING FOR SONNY LISTON,
CLAY SPENT WHATEVER TIME HE COULD WITH MALCOLM X,
WHO HAD BROUGHT HIS FAMILY TO MIAMI AT CLAY'S EXPENSE
FOR A RARE VACATION.
MEANWHILE, ELIJAH MUHAMMAD SAW NO REASON TO IDENTIFY
HIS MOVEMENT WITH CASSIUS CLAY.
BOXING WAS A "VERY WICKED SPORT," HE SAID,
AND CLAY WAS A LOUDMOUTH, SURE TO LOSE.
HE ORDERED HIS NEWSPAPER "MUHAMMAD SPEAKS"
NOT TO COVER THE COMING FIGHT.
MALCOLM X HAD A DIFFERENT VIEW.
THE CONTEST WOULD PIT ISLAM AGAINST CHRISTIANITY,
HE SAID, AND CLAY... AND ISLAM... WOULD EMERGE VICTORIOUS,
BUT MALCOLM'S DESIRE TO SEE CLAY SUCCEED
HAD ANOTHER DIMENSION.
BACK IN LATE NOVEMBER, AFTER MALCOLM HAD SAID
THAT THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
HAD BEEN A CASE OF "CHICKENS COMING HOME TO ROOST,"
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD HAD CENSURED
HIS CONTROVERSIAL MINISTER,
ORDERING MALCOLM TO REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING
PUBLICLY OR PREACHING
AT MOSQUE NO. 7 FOR 90 DAYS.
MALCOLM X: I'VE BEEN IN SILENCE FOR THE PAST 90 DAYS
BECAUSE OF SOME STATEMENTS I MADE
CONCERNING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
WHICH WERE DISTORTED.
REPORTER: THEY WERE DISTORTED? YES.
WHAT DID YOU SAY, MALCOLM?
WELL, I SAID THE SAME THING THAT EVERYBODY SAYS,
THAT HIS ASSASSINATION WAS THE RESULT
OF THE CLIMATE OF HATE.
ONLY I SAID, "THE CHICKENS CAME HOME TO ROOST,"
WHICH MEANS THE SAME THING.
NARRATOR: THE REBUKE HAD SHAKEN MALCOLM X.
HE HAD APOLOGIZED INSTANTLY AND BEGUN TRYING TO GET BACK
INTO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S GOOD GRACES.
IF HE COULD DELIVER THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD INTO THE FOLD, PERHAPS ELIJAH MUHAMMAD
WOULD FORGIVE HIM,
BUT EVEN BEFORE THE SUSPENSION, LONG-STANDING DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE LEADER OF THE NATION OF ISLAM AND MALCOLM X
HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO THREATEN HIS POSITION IN THE SECT.
MUWAKKIL: MALCOLM, HE HAD POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS.
HE THOUGHT THAT THE NATION OF ISLAM SHOULD BE
MORE ACTIVE IN THE POLITICAL ARENA.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAY,
AND THAT CAUSED FRICTION.
NARRATOR: MALCOLM HAD ALSO BECOME DISILLUSIONED
WITH WHAT HE VIEWED AS MORALLY INDEFENSIBLE BEHAVIOR
BY ELIJAH MUHAMMAD, INCLUDING FINANCIAL CORRUPTION
AND IMPREGNATING AT LEAST 7 OF HIS SECRETARIES.
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD'S LIEUTENANTS,
WARY OF MALCOLM'S RISING PUBLIC STATURE AND DETERMINED
TO GUARD THEIR LEADER'S EXALTED STATUS AMONG HIS DISCIPLES,
WERE PLOTTING MALCOLM'S PERMANENT EXPULSION
FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM.
A MONTH BEFORE HIS BOUT WITH LISTON,
CLAY HAD ADDRESSED 1,200 MUSLIMS GATHERED
AT A BALLROOM IN HARLEM.
"I AM A RACE MAN," HE SAID TO LOUD APPLAUSE,
"AND EVERY TIME I GO TO A MUSLIM MEETING, I GET INSPIRED."
CASSIUS CLAY SR. COMPLAINED THAT THE MUSLIMS HAD BEEN
BRAINWASHING HIS SON,
AND WHEN THE FIGHTER WAS SEEN IN MIAMI WITH MALCOLM X,
IT SEEMED TO CONFIRM THE RUMORS THAT CASSIUS CLAY
HAD JOINED THE NATION OF ISLAM.
ON FEBRUARY 22, 1964, 3 DAYS BEFORE THE FIGHT,
WITH TICKET SALES WELL BELOW EXPECTATIONS,
THE PROMOTER BILL MacDONALD, WHO'D PUT UP HIS OWN MONEY
TO STAGE THE BOUT, VISITED CLAY
AND WARNED HIM THAT THE FIGHT WOULD BE CALLED OFF
IF HE DIDN'T DISAVOW ANY ASSOCIATION
WITH THE NATION OF ISLAM.
CLAY REFUSED.
"MY RELIGION'S MORE IMPORTANT TO ME
THAN THE FIGHT," HE TOLD MacDONALD.
ROBERTS: FINALLY SOMEBODY GOES TO MALCOLM AND SAYS,
"LOOK, YOUR PRESENCE HERE IS JEOPARDIZING THIS FIGHT.
"IT'S GOING TO BE CALLED OFF.
WILL YOU LEAVE?"
AND MALCOLM SAYS, "I'LL LEAVE, I'LL LEAVE FOR NOW,
BUT I'M COMING BACK FOR THE FIGHT."
AND THEY SAY, "FINE."
SO NOW MALCOLM LEAVES, HE GOES BACK UP TO NEW YORK,
THE FIGHT'S ON.
I'M A CHAMP!
I'M THE REAL CHAMP!
NARRATOR: ON THE MORNING OF THE FIGHT, CASSIUS CLAY
ARRIVED AT THE MIAMI CONVENTION CENTER WEARING
A BLUE DENIM JACKET WITH THE WORDS "BEAR HUNTIN'"
EMBROIDERED ON THE BACK.
WHERE IS HE AT?
I'M THE KING OF THE RING!
I'M THE BIGGEST THING IN HISTORY!
NARRATOR: HE WAS FLANKED BY HIS BROTHER RUDY,
SUGAR RAY ROBINSON, ANGELO DUNDEE,
WILLIAM FAVERSHAM OF HIS LOUISVILLE SPONSORS,
AND BUNDINI BROWN.
YOU TELL JOE LOUIS AND SONNY LISTON THAT I'M
HERE WITH SUGAR RAY!
JOE LOUIS IS FLATFOOTED,
AND SONNY LISTON IS FLATFOOTED!
SUGAR RAY AND I ARE TWO PRETTY DANCERS!
WE CAN'T BE BEAT!
NARRATOR: AN HOUR LATER, CLAY EMERGED FROM HIS DRESSING ROOM
AND HEADED FOR THE WEIGH-IN.
♪
I PREDICT THAT TONIGHT SOMEBODY WILL DIE
AT RINGSIDE FROM SHOCK.
IZENBERG: I NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE IT IN MY LIFE
AT A WEIGH-IN.
I MEAN, I SAW GUYS STARE EACH OTHER DOWN.
THIS IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. HE'S NUTS.
IF HE'S PUTTING ON AN ACT, HE SHOULD BE ON BROADWAY.
EXCEPT HE WAS PUTTING ON AN ACT.
NOW LISTON COMES OUT.
LISTON LOOKS AT HIM AND SAYS, "SHUT UP."
ANNOUNCER: SEEMINGLY UNPERTURBED BY CLAY'S HOWLING,
LISTON POINTED OUT THE ROUND HE EXPECTED
THE FIGHT TO END.
[LAUGHTER]
REPORTER: LET'S SEE THIS.
YOU AIN'T GOT A CHANCE.
LET US SEE, LET US SEE!
AIN'T NO WAY YOU CAN TAKE ME, AND YOU KNOW IT!
MAN: THE FINE IS $2,500
FOR HIS CONDUCT ON THE PLATFORM.
AND ADDING TO THE SCENE THE FRIGGIN' COMMISSION DOCTOR
SAYS, "I JUST TOOK HIS BLOOD PRESSURE.
"IT'S TWICE WHAT IT SHOULD BE FOR A HEALTHY MAN,
"NORMAL MAN.
HIS HEART LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA EXPLODE."
NARRATOR: THE DOCTOR WHO TOOK THE READING WORRIED
THAT CLAY WAS GRIPPED BY WHAT HE CALLED
"MORTAL FEAR" AND WONDERED IF IT WAS EVEN SAFE
FOR HIM TO FIGHT,
BUT AN HOUR LATER WHEN CLAY'S OWN DOCTOR TESTED
HIM AGAIN, EVERYTHING HAD RETURNED TO NORMAL.
CLAY WENT HOME AND TOOK A NAP.
IZENBERG: MY RADIO'S ON, AND THE NEWS COMES ON.
THERE'S A BULLETIN. CASSIUS CLAY WAS SPOTTED
AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BUYING A TICKET
FOR A FOREIGN COUNTRY.
THE RUMOR THROUGH THE PRESS ROW WAS THAT
HE WAS AT THE AIRPORT, THAT HE HAD RUN AWAY,
THAT HE WAS NOT IN THE BUILDING,
AND OTHER REPORTERS, THEY WERE FILING THIS
AND SPREADING THIS, AND I KIND OF WANDERED AROUND,
AND I SAW HIM WATCHING HIS KID BROTHER RUDY
HAVE HIS FIRST FIGHT.
KEEP MOVING AND JAB!
TAKE YOUR TIME. MAN: GOOD GOING, RUDY.
WATCH HIM! HOOK HIM!
IZENBERG: HE'S STANDING IN THE AISLE,
AND HE'S GIVING IN... HE'S GONNA FIGHT FOR THE WORLD TITLE.
HE'S GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS BROTHER
IN A 4-ROUND FIGHT.
THIS GUY SEEMS TO HAVE FOOLED ALL OF US.
HE'S TIRED. TIE HIM UP! TIE HIM UP!
NARRATOR: BUT BACK IN HIS DRESSING ROOM,
THINGS GREW TENSE.
CLAY FIDGETED NERVOUSLY.
HIS DOCTOR FERDIE PACHECO NOTICED HE WAS
UNCHARACTERISTICALLY ANXIOUS.
ROBERTS: NOW HE GETS WORRIED, HE'S PARANOID.
HIS BROTHERS IN THE NATION HAD SAID,
"BE AWARE OF THE WHITE DEVIL.
"THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU LOSE.
"THE MONEY IS BET ON SONNY LISTON.
"THE MOB'S INVOLVED WITH THIS SPORT.
BE AWARE."
THEN HE SEES A WATER BOTTLE, AND HE THINKS,
"THERE COULD BE SOMETHING IN THAT WATER."
SO HE DUMPS THE WATER OUT.
THEN HE FILLS IT UP AGAIN.
THEN HE TAPES THE TOP OF THE WATER BOTTLE,
AND HE GIVES IT TO HIS BROTHER, AND HE SAYS,
"YOU WATCH OVER THIS."
NARRATOR: LATER, MALCOLM X JOINED CASSIUS AND RUDY
AS THEY FACED EAST, BOWED, AND PRAYED TO ALLAH.
♪
MAN ONE: LISTON IN THE FOURTH ROUND BECAUSE
I REALLY THINK LISTON IS GOING TO SHOW THAT MAN
HIS MOUTHPIECE AIN'T VALUABLE.
MAN TWO: FIGHTS ARE ALWAYS WON WITH FISTS
AND NOT WITH MOUTH TALK.
I PICK LISTON TO WIN BY THE FIFTH ROUND.
THIRD ROUND. FIFTH ROUND.
I EXPECT IN ABOUT TWO ROUNDS.
NARRATOR: AT 10 P.M., THE FIGHTERS ENTERED THE ARENA.
CLAY WAS AN 8-TO-1 UNDERDOG.
[CROWD CHEERING]
FRANK FREEMAN: THIS BOUT, 15 ROUNDS,
FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD.
LIPSYTE: WHEN THE TWO MEN MET IN THE RING
JUST BEFORE THE FIGHT BEGAN FOR THE RING INSTRUCTIONS,
I WAS STRUCK BY HOW MUCH BIGGER CASSIUS CLAY WAS
THAN SONNY LISTON.
HE WAS TALLER, HE WAS BROAD.
WAS NOT QUITE AS THICK,
BUT THIS IS NOT DAVID AND GOLIATH BY ANY MEANS.
REFEREE: BREAK, STOP PUNCHING, AND STEP BACK.
GOOD LUCK.
SHAKE HANDS.
[BELL RINGS]
ANNOUNCER: CASSIUS CLAY
ON THE MOVE AS WE SEE,
LOOKING TO GET SONNY TO LUNGE.
CARRYING HIS LEFT HAND DANGEROUSLY LOW.
IZENBERG: LISTON HAD A JAB THAT COULD KNOCK YOU OUT.
JAB, JAB, AND WHEN THAT RIGHT HAND CAME IN, IT WAS OVER.
I THINK HE HAD EXPECTED TO DO THAT.
IT BECOMES THE BULL AND THE MATADOR.
CLAY IS BOOM, BOOM,
AND LISTON IS SHOCKED.
ANNOUNCER: WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH ROUND ONE.
BENTT: CASSIUS HAS THE MASK OF CONFIDENCE.
"I MAY BE RETREATING BUT YOU'RE CHASING ME,
AND I'M SETTING TRAPS FOR YOU."
ANNOUNCER: THE RIGHT HAND, THE BEST PUNCH
OF THE FIGHT SO FAR.
BENTT: "YOU FOLLOW ME AROUND EVERYWHERE YOU GO,
I'LL SLAP YOU AGAIN."
SONNY HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE.
HE WASN'T PREPARED FOR IT.
ANNOUNCER: WE'RE DOWN TO THE CLOSING SECOND
OF THIS FIRST ROUND, AND THE LONG LEFT LEAD
IS MAKING THE DIFFERENCE SO FAR BY MR. CLAY.
BENTT: HE'S THROWING HIS SHOTS WITH HIS HANDS DOWN.
YOU DON'T THROW THOSE KIND OF SHOTS UNLESS YOU
TRUST YOUR TALENT.
[BELL RINGS]
ANNOUNCER: THE REFEREE DID NOT STOP THAT ROUND
WHEN THAT BELL SOUNDED.
PERHAPS THE REFEREE DIDN'T HEAR IT.
INTO THE CORNER IS CASSIUS CLAY, WHO IS STILL DOING
THE TALKING.
CHAMPION JOE LOUIS.
LOUIS: WELL, STEVE, I THINK THIS WAS THE GREATEST ROUND
OF ANY A FIGHT WE'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
I HOPE THAT CLAY DON'T GET TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE,
OR HE GONNA GET KNOCKED OUT.
ANNOUNCER: THIS YOUNGSTER HAS HIS OWN STYLE,
AND IT'S CONFUSING FOR THE CHAMPION TO FATHOM
THIS EARLY IN THE FIGHT.
[BELL RINGS]
BENTT: WHEN CLAY CAME OUT IN THE THIRD,
HE'S SHOOTING JABS THAT WERE LIKE RAZORBLADES.
ANNOUNCER: WOBBLED! SONNY WOBBLED!
CASSIUS HAS HIM HURT!
BENTT: SONNY'S ESSENTIALLY TAMED BY THIS POINT.
ANNOUNCER: HE VERBALLY CHALLENGES THE CHAMPION.
IZENBERG: NOBODY BELIEVED THIS GUY COULD DO THIS TO LISTON,
AND HE DOMINATES THE ROUND.
LIPSYTE: THERE WAS NO QUESTION CLAY TOOK CONTROL
OF THE FIGHT VERY QUICKLY.
HE HIT LISTON AT WILL, OPENED A CUT UNDER HIS EYE.
NARRATOR: IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN 34 PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS
THAT SONNY LISTON HAD BEEN CUT.
[BELL RINGS]
ANNOUNCER: THE CHAMPION IS STRONG, DURABLE,
TAKES THE GOOD SHOT.
HOWEVER, HE IS BEING OUTMANEUVERED AT MOST POINTS
BECAUSE THIS FELLOW HAS THAT AWKWARDLY FAST STYLE
OF GOING SIDE TO SIDE, MOVING THE UPPER PART
OF HIS BODY.
HALF A MINUTE MORE IN ROUND NUMBER 4.
ROBERTS: DURING THE FOURTH ROUND,
SOMETHING GETS IN CLAY'S EYES.
AND WE CAN START TO SEE HIM BLINKING.
AT ONE POINT THAT LISTON RUBS HIS GLOVES IN A CLINCH
ACROSS CLAY'S EYES.
MY GUESS IS THAT'S WHERE SOMETHING GOT
IN CLAY'S EYES.
AT THE END OF THE FOURTH ROUND, CLAY GOES BACK TO HIS CORNER,
AND BY NOW HE'S IN PAIN.
HE CAN'T SEE,
AND HE SAYS TO ANGELO, "CUT THEM OFF.
CUT THE GLOVES OFF. I'M DONE. I CAN'T FIGHT."
REMNICK: THE CROWD IS GOING BAT...
THE OTHER CORNER SENSES BLOOD,
AND DUNDEE DOES THE BEST HE CAN TO WIPE HIS EYES CLEAN,
AND HE BASICALLY PUSHES HIM BACK INTO THE FIGHT.
ANNOUNCER: THEY'RE YELLING FROM CASSIUS CLAY'S CORNER
SOMETHING GOT IN HIS RIGHT EYE.
HOWEVER, HE'S BLINKING BADLY.
REMNICK: AND IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THIS WAS
A DELIBERATE ACT ON BY LISTON AND THE LISTON CORNER
TO PUT WHAT'S CALLED LINIMENT ON THE GLOVES, WHICH EVENTUALLY
ARE GONNA GET IN THE OTHER GUY'S EYES.
IZENBERG: AND THE CHORUS FROM CLAY'S CORNER WAS
STAY THE HELL AWAY, STAY THE HELL AWAY.
STAY THE HELL AWAY.
RAHAMAN: WHEN THAT HAPPENED, WHEN I LAST SAW HIM BLIND
LIKE THAT, I SAID, "THEY DONE GOT TO US."
ANNOUNCER: SONNY'S GONNA TRY TO PULL IT OFF.
RAHAMAN: "THEY DONE GOT TO US."
ANNOUNCER: CASSIUS STILL HAVING SOME PROBLEMS
WITH HIS... WITH HIS EYES.
HE'S BLINKING, AND HE'S BOUNCING
AWAY CONTINUALLY.
[BELL RINGS]
NARRATOR: CLAY SOMEHOW SURVIVED THE FIFTH ROUND.
IN ROUND 6, HIS EYES CLEAR,
CLAY STOOD FLATFOOTED AND LAUNCHED JABS
AT LISTON'S HEAD, SWELLING THE CHAMP'S CHEEKS,
AND DRAWING MORE BLOOD FROM THE CUT
BENEATH HIS LEFT EYE.
ANNOUNCER: EASY TARGET. EASY.
BENTT: IF A FIGHTER ESCAPES GETTING THAT DONE TO HIM,
THE AMOUNT OF VENOM THAT THE FIGHTER'S GONNA IMPRESS
TO HIS OPPONENT IS INCREASED, LIKE, PROFOUNDLY, MAN.
I'M TRYING TO HURT YOU WORSE BECAUSE
YOU TRIED TO CHEAT ME.
ANNOUNCER: SONNY CAN'T SEEM TO SLIP OR KNOCK DOWN
THAT JAB EFFECTIVELY.
CASSIUS THROWS IT FROM ALL ANGLES.
THE CROWD'S NOW CHEERING THE CHALLENGER.
LET'S GET OVER TO OUR CHAMPION JOE LOUIS.
JOE, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING ON
IN SONNY'S MIND AT THIS POINT?
LOUIS: WELL, I THINK SONNY NOW'S BEGINNING TO WORRY NOW.
AT LEAST HIS CORNER IS BEGINNING TO WORRY NOW BECAUSE...
NARRATOR: AS CLAY AWAITED THE BELL SIGNALING
THE START OF ROUND 7, HE TURNED TO THE REPORTERS
SEATED BESIDE THE RING.
"I'M GONNA UPSET THE WORLD!" HE YELLED AT THEM.
IN LISTON'S CORNER, TRAINERS MASSAGED
THE CHAMP'S MUSCLES AND RUBBED VASELINE ON HIS BROW.
LOUIS: OH, I THINK THE CORNER MEN ARE BEGINNING TO
WORRY A LITTLE BIT NOW.
LISTON NOW I THINK HE DON'T SEE TOO WELL OUT
OF BOTH HIS EYES NOW THEY MAY WELL PUCK OUT.
NARRATOR: AFTER ONE TRAINER PUT IN HIS MOUTHPIECE,
LISTON SPIT IT OUT.
[BELL RINGS]
ANNOUNCER: THEY MIGHT BE STOPPING IT.
THAT MIGHT BE ALL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
NARRATOR: HE WAS FINISHED.
CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY JR.
WAS NOW THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
[CROWD CHEERING]
CLAY: I MUST BE THE GREATEST!
I AM THE KING OF THE WORLD! I'M A BAD MAN!
HE HAD LINIMENT ON HIS HANDS, HE HAD LINIMENT IN HIS GLOVES.
MY WHOLE FACE WAS BURNING.
I AM THE GREATEST!
ALL I GOT TO SAY IS I BEAT LISTON LIKE
HE WAS AN AMATEUR.
I HELD MY HANDS LOW, I LEANED BACK,
I'M STILL PRETTY.
HE WAS THE ONE ALL CUT UP. I SHOOK UP THE WORLD.
NOW WHAT ARE YOU ALL GOING TO SAY ABOUT THAT NOW, HUH?
NARRATOR: AFTER THE FIGHT, SONNY LISTON WAS TAKEN
TO THE HOSPITAL.
"THAT WASN'T THE GUY I WAS SUPPOSED TO FIGHT,"
HE MUTTERED.
"THAT GUY COULD HIT."
BACK TO THE MICROPHONE, CASSIUS,
TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
ALL YOU REPORTERS... ALL OF YOU REPORTERS
MADE IT HARD ON LISTON.
NEVER WRITE ABOUT ME LIKE THAT.
NEVER MAKE ME 6-1.
IT JUST MAKE ME ANGRY.
NEVER MAKE ME NO UNDERDOG AND NEVER TALK
ABOUT WHO'S GONNA STOP ME.
AIN'T NOBODY GONNA STOP ME!
NOT A HEAVYWEIGHT IN THE WORLD FAST ENOUGH TO STOP ME!
OH, I'M SO PRETTY. I SHOOK UP THE WORLD.
NOW I'M THROUGH TALKING.
I'M THROUGH TALKING.
NOW YOU WRITE... YOU WRITE THE RESULTS.
MAN 1: I LIKE CLAY'S STYLE.
I LIKE THAT OLD 1-2-3, 3-4-5.
LET'S GET TOGETHER GET SOME OLD... WIDE.
HE'S THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL!
HE'S THE GREATEST!
FLY LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A BEE.
CASSIUS CLAY!
3, 2, 1!
CLAY: WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION CASSIUS CLAY
IN PERSON.
I'M THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD.
YOU THE GREATEST, BABY.
CLAY: I'M A BAD MAN. I'M A BAD MAN.
YOU THE GREATEST!
I DIDN'T STOP HIM.
I SENT HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.
I GOT TO BE BAD! I GOT TO BE BAD!
OH! IT FEELS SO GOOD TO BE ABLE TO HOLLER
WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE BAD.
NARRATOR: UNPREPARED FOR CLAY'S VICTORY,
THE LOUISVILLE SPONSORING GROUP RUSHED TO ARRANGE
A CELEBRATION IN MIAMI BEACH,
BUT CASSIUS CLAY HAD OTHER PLANS.
AFTER MIDNIGHT, HE HEADED TO THE CAFÉ
OF THE ALL-BLACK HAMPTON HOUSE, WHERE HE ATE VANILLA ICE CREAM.
LATER, CLAY, MALCOLM X, FOOTBALL STAR JIM BROWN,
AND SINGER SAM COOKE TALKED LONG INTO THE NIGHT
ABOUT THE 22-YEAR-OLD BOXER'S FUTURE.
FROM NOW ON, EVERYTHING WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
HE HAD SCALED BOXING'S HIGHEST PEAK,
WOULD NO LONGER NEED TO CAMPAIGN FOR A SHOT AT THE TITLE
OR CONCEAL HIS MUSLIM FAITH.
♪
EIG: NEXT MORNING, HE'S MORE SUBDUED.
HE'S THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
NEW RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE BEEN ACCORDED HIM.
BECAUSE I'M THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION NOW,
I DON'T HAVE TO HOLLER AND BRAG AS LOUD AS I USED TO.
I'M WHERE I WANT TO BE NOW.
SO ALL I HAVE TO DO IS LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE
TELL ME ABOUT HOW GREAT I AM.
I'M THROUGH TALKING.
EIG: HE ALSO MAKES A REALLY IMPORTANT DECLARATION.
CLAY: I DON'T HAVE TO BE WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE.
I'M FREE TO BE WHAT I WANT TO BE AND THINK WHAT I
WANT TO THINK.
EIG: BOOM.
MUHAMMAD ALI IS BORN.
[BEYONCÉ'S "FREEDOM" PLAYING]
♪ FREEDOM, FREEDOM I CAN'T MOVE ♪
♪ FREEDOM, CUT ME LOOSE, HEY, HEY ♪
♪ FREEDOM, FREEDOM, WHERE ARE YOU? ♪
♪ 'CAUSE I NEED FREEDOM, TOO ♪
♪ I'LL BREAK CHAINS ALL BY MYSELF ♪
♪ WON'T LET MY FREEDOM ROT IN HELL ♪
♪ HEY, I'MMA KEEP-A RUNNING ♪
♪ 'CAUSE A WINNER DON'T QUIT ON THEMSELVES ♪
♪ I'MMA WADE, I'MMA WAVE THROUGH THE WATERS ♪
♪ TILL THE TIDE DON'T MOVE ♪
♪ I'MMA RIOT, I'MMA RIOT THROUGH YOUR BORDERS ♪
♪ CALL ME BULLETPROOF ♪
♪ LORD, FORGIVE ME, I'VE BEEN RUNNIN' ♪
♪ RUNNIN' BLIND IN TRUTH ♪
♪ I'MMA WADE, I'MMA WAVE THROUGH YOUR SHALLOW LOVE ♪
♪ TELL THE DEEP I'M NEW ♪
♪
ANNOUNCER: NEXT TIME ON "MUHAMMAD ALI"...
JACKSON: HE'S 22 YEARS OLD,
AND HE'S STANDING UP TO THE WHOLE ESTABLISHMENT.
ANNOUNCER: THE CHAMP CHANGES HIS NAME...
EARLY: HE WAS VILIFIED, AND IT WAS THOUGHT
THAT HE WAS UN-AMERICAN.
ANNOUNCER: DEFENDS THE TITLE...
BENTT: THAT KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, ARTISTRY
WILL NEVER BEEN SEEN AGAIN.
ANNOUNCER: AND PREPARES FOR HIS GREATEST FIGHT YET.
ALI: YOU WANT ME TO GO SOMEWHERE AND FIGHT,
BUT YOU WON'T EVEN STAND UP FOR ME HERE AT HOME.
I WAS POSITIVE HE'D GO TO JAIL IF HE HAD TO.
ANNOUNCER: THAT'S NEXT TIME ON "MUHAMMAD ALI."
ANNOUNCER: STREAM THE FULL SERIES,
GO BEHIND THE SCENES, AND LEARN HOW TO BRING
MUHAMMAD ALI'S STORY INTO THE CLASSROOM
BY VISITING PBS.ORG/ALI OR THE PBS VIDEO APP.
TO ORDER "MUHAMMAD ALI" ON DVD OR BLU-RAY,
VISIT SHOPPBS OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.
"MUHAMMAD ALI" IS ALSO AVAILABLE
WITH PBS PASSPORT AND ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.
MAN: ♪ OW, OW, OW ♪
♪
WOMAN: ♪ OH, AH ♪
CROWD: HEY!
♪ OH, AH ♪
HEY!
♪ OH, AH ♪
HEY!
♪ OH, AH ♪
HEY!
♪ OH, AH ♪
HEY!
♪ OH, AH ♪
HEY!
♪ OH, AH ♪
HEY!
♪ OH, AH ♪
HEY!
BUNDINI: YOU GONNA FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY
AND STING LIKE A BEE.
BUNDINI AND ALI: AHH!
RUMBLE, YOUNG MAN, RUMBLE.
AHH!
♪
ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "MUHAMMAD ALI"
WAS PROVIDED BY: 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
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AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS
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FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.