At the time, he was 21 years old. 5 0 obj You cannot lynch and rape and kill and urn and castrate a man and rape his women for 400 years and slave em and burn em and still mistreat em causing trouble everywhere they go and then youre going to say hes not the devil? We dont hate nobody. I did it to Floyd Paterson, I did and I did it to George Chuvalo, I did it to Carl Miltenberger, I did it to Henry Cooper when he started bleeding. Come over and say hello! I want everybody out there to know. We are happy to announce that we are now part of the ThreeSixtyEight family. There were a few little street gangs sitting in the spotlights at night time - talking and playing marbles. And shoot them for what? Because the people who actually saw the Joe Frazier Muhammad Ali fight, they saw me win at least nine rounds - the people who know boxing. And here are two men, fighting each other and they bleed and hurting each other. The government has failed us; you cant deny that. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. <> A boxing legend, a sporting legend, a human legend. Ali comes out to meet Frazier but Frazier starts to retreat, If Frazier goes back an inch farther hell wind up in a ringside seat. So number one comes freedom first for my people and equality. Which is five times the population of the United States. MA: But life is too short for me to be doing that. This will be like a good amateur fighting a real professional. And I just cant see myself with a man on the ropes and just to prove how bad I am - and I see in his eyes, his head, hes hopeless - and Im just deliberately hitting. And the heavyweight championship is his destiny. Ali recognizes that for all the horror of slavery, it was the transmission belt that brought Africans into the orbit of Western freedom. Could I first start of by asking you, youve been the champion of the world three times, and youre now the ex champion, do you feel that people are treating you differently now that you are the one-time champion? You my enemy. Elsewhere on the show, we'll hear remembrances from the memorial service. Humble people, I've found, don't get very far. MA: Who am I to say he was the devil? MP: Youve talked about being pretty and fighting clever. I see the cameras and I see millions of people. Thank for inspiration us Champ and empowering the people everywhere. So now that Im free, now that Im no longer a slave, then I want a name of my ancestors. MA: A swing at ME? by. At two or three days later, a plane crash landed here. I am the greatest! MP: What about this prediction thing - is that a showbiz thing? It said: "Muhammad Ali was the Greatest. 2 0 obj It's an opinion. The government wanted him to change jobs. The key thing to remember about the worlds captivation with Ali is that he truly fought for the world and not himself. Alright, well, this glass can't make itself. And you say to youself, boy, I could have got the train. My enemies are white people, not Viet Congs or Chinese or Japanese. Sometimes I feel a lot of things but I keep it in. One punch. But I just try to stay half way decent looking. To me, as someone whos interested in sport, hes without doubt the most beautiful and complete athlete Ive ever seen. At a press conference before Ali vs. Frazier 1: I predict that when i meet Joe Frazier. They must look at him and think hes fearless of everything. "If you just asked him, he'd tell you. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus . Ellis has got a family, hes an ex friend of mine and he wants to live too. If I told you that the clothes you have on wove . Born Cassius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, Kentucky. So I wrote a poem and Im going to close with this: Get all the boxing & MMA updates you need with our Mirror Fighting email update - sign up here. "The rumble in the jungle"saw Ali fighting the heavy weight boxing champion, George Foreman, in Kinshasa . But then I saw all those people coming through the door to see Gorgeous George get beat - and they all paid to get in - thats the thing - and I said, this is a good idea. <> Because I can control it. So it left us a walking dead man. Frank Sinatra told Floyd Paterson how he should whoop me. And I said, Momma, I dont want no milk and honey, I like steaks. I said, Milk and honeys a laxative anyway. But as soon as I heard the truth that Elijah Muhammad teaches us in America, it made me accept it. Beyond just shooting out quotable lines, these moments showcase why Ali was such a great speaker his conviction when laying out his arguments made it very difficult to doubt him. My name is known in Serbia, Pakistan, Morocco. ", "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong. The history is the history of the devil. Clay is a good enough fighter, but it's unfortunate that he's a. I really care nothing about boxing. I pulled off him deliberately, blood pumping and gushing. Also remember that when presenting information, rhythm and timed pauses are key to retaining an audience and delivering an impactful message. A sweeping biography of one of the greatest and most provocative athletes of all time"a life that needs to be understood whether you care a whit about boxing or not" (The Boston Globe). Voila! MA: Let me tell you, when I was a kid I got mad enough to want to kill somebody but as you travel the world and Im struggling with a freedom fight against nations, you cant get enough hate in you to be mad at one man just because its a boxing match. Last night I had a dream, When I got to Africa, A poem about Foreman and the "Rumble in the Jungle" match (1974), Comment prior to the "Rumble in the Jungle" (30 October 1974), as documented in. I go up to the cockpit and see all these things and think, what if this thing switches off, and were between England and America over the ocean - where would we land? There were more chapters to follow. He no way like me. Soon this will be old news. I'm pretty. If the white folks is in Heaven too, then the black angels were in the kitchen, preparing the milk and honey.. Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) was an American former heavyweight champion boxer and one of the greatest sporting figures of the 20th century. MA: Well I wrote about this Africa prison killing the other day. I know I can eat downtown now.. Ive heard Elijah Muhammad say that many white people mean right and in their heart want to do right. And when we land, would I be able to get my life raft out? I want to give him a shot at it. July 2nd, 1964 President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Big Fish Presentations. MP: What plans do you have for the future now - apart from fighting? That will be more important than Ali losing. Known to be one of the greatest speakers to walk this earth, he used confidence, passion, and rhyming verse to communicate his points. And then this is when I knew something was wrong. Red birds fly wanna be with red birds. . It was released by CBS Columbia . Ali gained worldwide attention in 1960 when, at the age . You can do what you want. Ive been in a couple of scuffles but not too many. Whys he so nice to me now? But if its something I want to be with, the people who started it were black, I wouldnt not get in it. Ali will never die," Don King, who promoted some of Ali's biggest fights, told The Associated Press news . We were robbed of our culture, we were robbed of our true history. Muhammad Ali was indisputably a great boxer and ultimately a good human being. . Boxing is just going to be another year. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This kid fights great. MP: Thats because societys fault. And when Gorgeous George came down the aisle he had these two blonde beautiful girls carrying his robe so it wouldnt get dirty. I am now 35 years old; 30 more years I'll be 65. I am not Elijah Muhammad. And what am I going to tell you? MP: But thered certainly be problems a buzzard mating with a sparrow, wouldnt there? It would have to be a holy war declared by God himself. Hes got family, hes got children. Im going to dance and be pretty. 1968 Shirley Chisholm becomes the first African American woman to be elected to Congress. 650 likes. Things are getting much better, but I always wondered when I went to church on Sundays. ", "Boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up. I never wanted to lose, never thought I would, but the thing that matters is how you lose. I must be the greatest. Do you think Muhammad Ali was the best boxer to step foot in . To be "The Greatest of All Time," boxing legend Muhammad Ali said you have to believe in yourself. Mainly when I fight them. And I went downtown, I sat down, and I said, A cup of coffee, a hotdog., The lady said, We dont serve Negroes. I was so mad, I said, I dont eat them either, just give me a cup of coffee and a hamburger., You know, I said, Im the Olympic gold medal-winner. This kid's got a right. Before his fight with Archie Moore (1962), as quoted in. His agility was impressive, but what was most impressive was his confidence in himself. But I think its sad that. It's just a job. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I dont see the audience. "Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on . Id think, this ship must be sinking, right? "If you even dream of beating . Were taught its impossible for us to be violent. MP: I think thats a philosophy of despair. "It's a sad day for life, man. I am the greatest!" somehow still rings more infectious than off-putting. Many people were there for various reasons. Its a rough sport being punched on all the time. The play didnt make it but I was a success. We owe Ali for teaching us these very important lessons. Im not trying to get power over white. Rather than remove this content, we present it in the context of twentieth-century social history to acknowledge and learn from its impact and to inspire awareness and discussion. Like when my title was taken, boxing died. It was in round seven, everything was going good. MP: As I said in my introduction to you, you are as much now a political figure as you are an athlete. Never happened to you? ALI: For I am the man this poem is about, the next champ of the world, there isn't a doubt. World-renowned for his confidence, charisma, and will, he was a source of inspiration for many of us that needed a figure to be their champion. So when I heard that we dont have our names, we dont speak our true Arabic language, we were robbed of Islam, our true religion, and weve been made deaf, dumb, and blind in slavery. MP: What about the other thing that can happen in a fight: brain damage. But when one man of popularity can let the world know the problem, he might lose a few dollars himself. So now Im going to forget the 400 years of lynching and killing raping and depriving my people feeding of justice and equality and the lowest of low last respect and Im going to look at two or three white people who are trying to do right and dont see the other million who are trying to kill me? MA: Well, I tell you. Joe Frazier is so ugly that when he cries, the tears turn around and go down the back of his head. He's being laid to rest in his hometown. And the punch lifts Frazier clean out of the ring. The Greatest . Ali explained the various . Something to achieve. MP: How do you travel when youre in the States then? Boxing is a stepping stone just to introduce me to the audience. Accuracy and availability may vary. Thats how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world and divide us in America and make other Muslims think that we are not with them. So when you ask God for a gift, be thankful if sends not diamonds, pearls or riches but the love of real true friends. But it's good that he's being allowed to work again, as you know he couldn't work for three years. He dont say nothing. He became the first boxer to win the heavyweight title three times. And the angel fruit cake was the white cake and the devil food cake was the chocolate cake. How theyve been taught to love white and hate black, how weve been robbed of our names in slavery. MP: Alright, well you call yourselves a pacifist movement. People like Tom Jones and Elvis Presley - Im not nothing like that. Read Muhammad's poem aloud and then write your own poem that describes how you are "The Greatest!" Perhaps, you're the greatest at a sport or perhaps you're the greatest at a school subject. But I made a good living speaking in colleges. Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 42 and died in 2016 at the age of 74. We had a local TV show called Tomorrows Champions, which comes on in Louisville in Kentucky every Friday at six oclock. It's something Ali's parents taught him as a child, and it's helped him through the biggest challenge of his life: fighting Parkinson's disease. Together, they adopted Muhammad Ali's son and remained together for the remainder of his life. I came on after him and he was talking about, I am the prettiest wrestler. And when I get it out, will a shark come and bust the thing? It was 1967 when Muhammad Ali refused to . And that makes me nervous until I get started. And Mary had a little lamb with feet as white as snow, and Snow White, and everything was white. Muhammad Ali. Something went wrong, please try again later. What Im trying to say is - well, you say that but youre on a show you gotta say that. Your email address will not be published. Published: 16 May 2022, 17:00. Now, you know who John Hawkins was. "If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it - then I can achieve it.". They all got different cultures. I mean, if hes crazy enough Ill give him a chance. Response to the question, "What would you like people to think about you when you've gone?" No sir. It sounds big, didnt it? I do more than that in training. I cannot lose. In America they got a saying: the n****r talks too much. And the flag is going dun-dun-dun-dun. MA: Right. 8. Even today, if my title hadnt been given back to me and I was in such poverty where I had to go and find a job, I would have done that. When I say two, there's never a third. MP: You mentioned earlier the fear that you have, and every fighter must have it, of getting his face messed in. Malcolm X is credited with playing a critical role in the evolution of Ali's religious views by steering him towards the Nation of Islam. MP: I do understand. Where you psyche them out. The nose is bleeding, the eyes cut, the teeth is out, and the brain might have a concussion just to please you human beings. SUBSCRIBE For More Boxing & MMA Content!Follow Our Other Socials TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fightingcentre Instagram: https://www . And I aint that much in love with no woman to go through that hell - aint no one woman that good. I'm the boldest, the prettiest, the most superior, most scientific, most skillfullest fighter in the ring today. His motto was "I am the greatest!". So people still recognise me. Here are 50 pieces of wisdom from Ali which we could all look to follow which would make the world a better place. I shook up the world, I am the greatest, I'm king of the world, I'm pretty, I'm pretty, I'm a bad man, you heard me I'm a bad man. This was a way of working off your nerves, like you did with Liston and indeed all the people you fight. Part of this is frequently paraphrased out of context as: I'm not gonna help nobody get something my negroes don't have. Muhammad Ali delivered an epic victory speech after he beat George Foreman to regain the world heavyweight titles in October 1974. The first one missed but the second one did it. Right after Joe Frazier, while he was still resting, I fought James Ellis. In his first professional loss, Ali was knocked out in the 15th round. In an age when the demarcation line between sport , showbiz and politics has become blurred, hes a prime example of a man who is an athlete yet he represents so many other things for so many other people. Just the idea of me, a humble fella from Kentucky, lucky in sports and now heres the house and the fight was piped in to places like Thailand in the government house, and Arabian officials took time off just to watch two men boxing. Oh man, if we were second class citizens wed be driving old Cadillacs and living good. He is the greatest! Just last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. And I got there too late and I heard a man say, And still, the heavyweight champion of the world, Rocky Marciano. You've been unconscious for about 8 years if you're 30 years old.". This is part of whats wrong with you -- you do too much singing. I am beautiful. And he threw a jab, and thats what did it. Ali was drafted by the United States military in 1966 and called up for induction in 1967. Courage Historical Speeches Power Strength Muhammad Ali History Sports. stream And Jack Johnson had this great boxer style. But we have problems too. I am the man this poems about, Ill be champ of the world; there isnt a doubt.. Why do I have to wait till I die to get milk and honey? I hit him so hard that I made him cry. If he hits you once, you're asleep for the night. "After a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. A Jewish name. Impossible is potential. Maybe a plane will go down with ninety people on it. Rest in peace champ, and thanks for making the world a better place. Sir Michael who has described Ali as the most extraordinary man I have met questioned the boxer on his views on religion and race and he was as outspoken outside of ring as he was on it. That wed see the launching of a coloured satellite. I did not use the word pacifist. I think the best caution is, if a fellas winning on points and has the guy just about out and hes against the rope and just about gone, he should not try to hurt him just to satisfy the crowd or to make money. Just thing about ten hundred people - that makes me nervous. Then, he spread it over a span of a lifetime and he served it to each and every deserving person he met.. Muhammad Ali was charmingly cocky, he was an entertaining braggart, he was an entrancing presence whether you liked boxing or not. 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