Muhammad Ali • THE GREATEST • Documentary

A documentary on Muhammad Ali's rise from Cassius Clay to boxing legend, highlighting his fights, personality, and cultural impact.

Key Takeaways

Muhammad Ali revolutionized boxing with his skill, speed, and personality.
His fights with Sonny Liston were pivotal moments in his career and boxing history.
Ali's cultural impact extended beyond sports into social and political realms.
His refusal to join the army marked a significant stand on civil rights and personal beliefs.
Ali remains one of the most admired and influential sports figures globally.

What the video covers

The documentary traces Muhammad Ali's early life as Cassius Clay, his Olympic gold medal win, and transition to professional boxing.
It highlights Ali's unique combination of power, speed, and charisma that changed the sport and the world.
Focuses on his iconic fights, especially against Sonny Liston, including the buildup, fight dynamics, and aftermath.
Explores Ali's bold personality, trash talk, and confidence, including his famous declaration 'I am the greatest.'
Details Ali's alignment with the Nation of Islam and his name change from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali.
Covers the social and political context of the 1960s, including Ali's refusal to be inducted into the army and its consequences.
Includes perspectives on Ali's impact beyond boxing, emphasizing his cultural and social significance.
Describes the intimidation and reputation of Sonny Liston as Ali's main rival during his early career.
Mentions Ali's later fights, including his historic bouts with Joe Frazier.
Highlights Ali's legacy as a hero and legend admired worldwide.

Chapters

Who was Cassius Clay before he became Muhammad Ali?

Cassius Clay was a young, talented boxer who won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics and was known for his speed, skill, and poetic confidence before changing his name to Muhammad Ali.

What was significant about Muhammad Ali's fights with Sonny Liston?

The fights against Sonny Liston were pivotal in Ali's career, showcasing his superior speed and strategy, and marked his rise to heavyweight champion amid intense public and personal drama.

How did Muhammad Ali's refusal to join the army affect his career?

Ali's refusal to be inducted into the army due to his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War led to him being stripped of his boxing title and marked a major moment in his life as an activist and cultural figure.

Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

Speaker A

This is the legend of Cassius Clay, the most beautiful fighter in the world today. I'm the type of the world. I've spent way too much of my life preoccupied with Muhammad Ali, you know, thinking about him, talking about him, watching him, listening to him, reading about him. I am the greatest.

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watching him listening to him reading about him I am the greatest ladies and gentlemen this is Casas marcelus clay he's young he's handsome they know he's a poet a prophet and many people believe he'll be the next heavyweight

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Ladies and gentlemen, this is Cassius Marcellus Clay. He's young, he's handsome, they know he's a poet, a prophet, and many people believe he'll be the next heavyweight champion of the world.

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ring change the face not not only the face of his game but the face of the world he was a legend a hero created by Mother Nature out of thin air a fantastic combination of power and beauty and he combined that with

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Moving in on London, Cel of Muhammad Ali. London goes down, the fight is over. He was leaning back and away from punches. Cassius Clay got to remember is the greatest fighter that ever lived in and out of the ring.

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predicted well he was my hero which makes me one of hundreds of Millions on the planet the greatest man I ever met to say he was the greatest boxer is is a fo down he was bigger than boxing he was

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Change the face, not only the face of his game but the face of the world. He was a legend, a hero created by Mother Nature out of thin air, a fantastic combination of power and beauty, and he combined that with velocity, with the power of a heavyweight.

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pretty I'm a bad man up the W his greatest power was his presence and I wish everyone would have gotten a chance to meet him as an 18-year-old cassus gay won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in

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And he was the greatest of all time because of what he did outside of the round. Predicted the round that he would knock somebody out, and then he would do it. Wins by a fourth-round knockout as predicted.

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the greatest in the following 4 years the now 22-year-old cassus clay had a master 19 and0 record knocking people out left and right ripping punches by round five I think this is unbeaten in 19 fights and still known

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Well, he was my hero, which makes me one of hundreds of millions on the planet. The greatest man I ever met. To say he was the greatest boxer is a fool down. He was bigger than boxing. He was bigger than anything you can see.

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Liston trying to force a fight I'm going to hunt you I want tot you you're crazy I want to HT you do you fight me the whole situation finally came to a head when clay approached Lon at the

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He got a standing, some 70,000 in attendance. I just turned 22 years old. I must be the greatest. I told the world, I am the king of the world.

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chance to beat Sunny Lon certainly Sunny Lon did he was your worst dreams he was a guy when you owe your bookie and you didn't pay they sent Sunny listen after you he was Dr Death I know a lot of guys

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Hold, hold, pretty, hold it. You're not that pretty. I'm a bad man.

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had been arrested probably a hundred times he was a strong armed man for the mob he had this very forbidding and intimidating utterly hosti manner about it [Music] at the weighin all he went berserk he was dping his Cane on the ground and wandering

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His greatest power was his presence, and I wish everyone would have gotten a chance to meet him. As an 18-year-old Cassius Clay won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.

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Sunny Liston to think that he was a crazy person like a butterfly stain like a [Music] be that night of February 25th 1964 Clay's Moment of Truth when he stepped into the ring he was so much bigger than list we

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After the games, he and his swaggering mouth turned pro. I'm only B, and before and after fight, let me see you close your mouth. Just keep it close.

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strategy was evident he's chasing and and and Ali is moving backwards and when it first happens we think he's afraid he used his Superior speed and footwork to stay away from Liston whoever determines the geography is the guy that's going to

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Well, you know it's impossible. No, no, now keep it close. You know that's unable. I'm the greatest.

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champion heavy some magical moment the eyes of cases clay start burning that was similar to something that had happened in a couple other list fights pour the water into his eyes trying to cleanse whatever's there before I did that put my picky in

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In the following four years, the now 22-year-old Cassius Clay had a master 19 and 0 record, knocking people out left and right, ripping punches by round five.

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has got into his eyes play isn't putting up much defense because he's saying all the time I can't see I can't see I know Muhammad had him when the guy couldn't do nothing with him he's teeing off on him with his best shots Mohammad

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I think this is unbeaten in 19 fights and still known as Cassius Clay as he trained in Miami Beach in the winter of 1964 for his first title shot.

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manen won has won the chion of the world great I don't have a mark on my face and I upset Sonic list and I just turned 22 years old I must be the greatest I shook up the world I shook up the

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To earn a shot at the title and face the champion, Cassius took matters into his own hands. Clay had started a harassment campaign against Liston, trying to force a fight.

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brother he's my brother whatever you do he's my brother cassus Clay publicly aligned with the Nation of Islam changing his name from cassus clay which he called his slave name to Muhammad Ali not my name no more Bally Muhammad Ali

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I'm going to hunt you. I want to hit you. You're crazy. I want to hit you. Do you fight me?

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now Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali and Sunny Liston met for a rematch up the ring stairs and he's bang [Music] boo not ladies and gentlemen a right hand shot a right hand shot on the ch all got D cannot

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The whole situation finally came to a head when Clay approached Lon at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas.

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is eye blink like a camera flash that's 400 of a second now the minute I hit Sunny listen all of those people blinked at that moment that's why they didn't see I said all right I'm getting ready to hit him you can't just you got to

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Lon was in no mood to be harried by the mouth from the out, drawing a gun, sunny fire, frightening his young tormentor into a hasty retreat.

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is he became my hero he's been my hero since I was probably 9 or 10 years [Music] old some he's showing off just amazing fighter at the sound of the Bell pel will catch hell I'm not saying this just

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The gun was filled with blanks. Virtually no one thought that Cassius Clay had a chance to beat Sonny Lon. Certainly, Sonny Lon did.

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right here you know cash is Clay yes you want to say cash is Clay when Howard coell and everybody is calling you Muhammad Ali now why you got to be the one of all people whose color to keep

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He was your worst dreams. He was a guy when you owe your bookie and you didn't pay, they sent Sonny Liston after you. He was Dr. Death.

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will announce it right there in the center of that ring after the fight if you don't do it now heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali enters the ring he's the the dancing master he's the ring magician he's the champion who has been

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I know a lot of guys that completely collapse when they used to see the guy. I saw this to knock a guy's teeth out with a jab.

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keep saying cash is clay 30 seconds to go I think I think play why don't you call me my name man well what's your name you told me your name was Cashes Clay never told you my name was Cashes

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Sonny Lon was one of the scariest presences on the sporting scene ever. This was a guy who had been arrested probably a hundred times.

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Heavyweight Champion a man who ranks with the greatest heavyweight champions of all time in 1965 tens of thousands of US troops are heading for war in Vietnam backed up by B52 bombers helicopters and napom many expect the Vietcong guerillas

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He was a strong-armed man for the mob. He had this very forbidding and intimidating, utterly hostile manner about it.

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Movement the people was in need of a new role model to look to for guidance Muhammad Ali emerged as that figure already being a global boxing champion he wasn't afraid to challenge the system Ali became a voice for empowerment and

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At the weigh-in, all he went berserk. He was doing his cane on the ground and wandering around and shouting and screaming, and we all thought it was fear.

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yes sir former World Heavyweight Champion cases clay refused to take the oath of induction into the army the black Muslim fighter who's also known as Muhammad Ali was immediately stripped of his title by the world boxing Association he refused induction on the

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How that night, somebody will die and shot Sonny Liston's eyes. Because nobody knows, was it then? But the only thing Sonny Lon was afraid of was a crazy person.

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to find Muhammad Ali guilty of all charges and specifications he was sentenced to the maximum 5 years in prison and was fined $10,000 he's a disgrace to his country his race and what he laughingly describes as his profession he has been

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He wanted Sonny Liston to think that he was a crazy person, like a butterfly sting, like a...

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opposer when I want freedom you my opposer when I want Justice you my opposer when I want equality you won't even stand up for me in America for my religious belief and you want me to go somewhere and fight but you won't even

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Be that night of February 25th, 1964, Clay's moment of truth. When he stepped into the ring, he was so much bigger than Liston.

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is I just have just a short time to get ready and I have been off a little over 3 years and um 6 weeks notice is almost impossible time to get in shape well I don't think it'd be part because I don't

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We hadn't figured it out. Liston wanted to give the image of being invincible. My guy was bigger.

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the time he was out would have been great it would have been a watching a master at work cuz he had reach his fil proportions fil maturity the world never got to see the best of Ali what you got

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Stop punching and step back. Good luck. Shake hands. The heavyweight championship of the world from the right-hand corner.

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it was dubbed the fight of the century I want to make one prediction I'm not calling around I predict that when I meet Joe Frasier this will be like a good amateur fighting a real professional this will be like a kid out

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From the opening bell, Clay's strategy was evident. He's chasing, and Ali is moving backwards.

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a bunch of noise that's all you not fighting Quarry you're not fighting Oscar bonava you're not fighting Sunny Liston you fighting Joe everybody know that's not don't let him oblig Brown after he had taken all that time off and his body just looked different

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And when it first happens, we think he's afraid. He used his superior speed and footwork to stay away from Liston.

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scoring 25 Knockouts here is Mohammad Ali undefeated in 26 bouts scoring 23 Knockouts the heavyweight champion of the world Joe frer I mean he doesn't look anything like he used to look he still had some pretty big fights at the

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Whoever determines the geography is the guy that's going to win the fight.

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punches that fight felt like a moving just two Unstoppable forces coll [Music] what that's the best round I don't see it going the distance do you the way it's going now well I don't know they've gone through eight rounds first in the

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Liston had the mentality of a bully, and when someone stood up to him, he just completely fell apart.

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there it is his heavyweight title champion of the world Jia don't break him the question on everyone's mind was whether Ali could ever be the fighter he once was and when I do come back if I ever do

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Cassius Clay was relentlessly punishing Liston with his rapid defenses and a barrage of powerful punches.

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seven points N5 points lead there it is there it is the greatest upet again in boxing history Muhammad Ali he has a broken jaw he is a beaten man and he is a broken fighter and so all of the

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And now he's punishing the champion heavily. Some magical moment, the eyes of Cassius Clay start burning.

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Muhammad Ali rededicated himself to his training with unmatched intensity determined to avenge his defeat he faced Kenny Norton in a rematch and secured a hardfought victory by decision the win with Norton behind him Ali turned his Focus to an even bigger challenge

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That was similar to something that had happened in a couple other Liston fights.

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ring with him I had beaten everybody that Muhammad Ali had lost Fraser again he has Fraser in the corner fras [Music] need in City Arena from another fre your is down for the fifth time you get to be heavyweight

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Pour the water into his eyes, trying to cleanse whatever's there.

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Norton in your fight with him people had something to say about that I said you know what I'm going to kill one of these fellas then they'll shut up Norton goes down again hold on no he doesn't he's a

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Before I did that, put my picky in his eye, and I put it into my eye. It burned my eye.

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not intending to let them do much Foreman had an aura of in invincibility that overshadowed all of his peers with one exception Ali was the only one not afraid of George Foreman the whole world will have to bear witness that Muhammad

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There was something caustic in both eyes. What the heck? Let's face it, biggest fight of his life, and he's blind.

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$5 million but he says now he can stick and run and beat you well he'll definitely have to do it to beat me stick and run I'm going to be running him through the jungle he's the one on

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He can't see something on the gloves that's complaining. Has got into his eyes.

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to going 12 rounds I think it's be fitting that I go out of boxing just I came in shocking the World by beating a big bad ugly monster that nobody could beat I done something new for this fight

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Clay isn't putting up much defense because he's saying all the time, "I can't see, I can't see."

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light off my bedroom hit the switch was in the bed before the room was dark I know you got him picked but the man's in trouble I'm going to show you how great I am [Applause] why you looking so scary like going a

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I know Muhammad had him when the guy couldn't do nothing with him. He's teeing off on him with his best shots.

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George [Music] fool and here comes the Ali people out of the dressing room and all of the questions will be answered this is an AES some power of George Foreman against the V boxing skills of Muhammad Ali and

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Muhammad Ali's eyes started to clear and began pulling a number on Liston again.

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was the closest thing to a human monster I I'd ever seen before he was certainly the scariest boxer look at this now as they stare Muhammad Ali beginning to talk to George Bowman just before the fight I'm looking

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Halfway through the round, kid reacts gone. Liston had no shot.

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you're going to see I'm fast sucker I'm going to burn you up you fighting your idol so the stage is set we're just about ready to begin round one the heavyweight championship of the world at stake that is so devastating the

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In the sixth round, when Liston went back to his corner, Liston was a beaten man.

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his St but a straight left ja the first round all of get off the man up he would just say shut up I know how to you wouldn't call that round proba Forman tries to work the body none of

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I won, I have won the champion of the world. Great, I don't have a mark on my face, and I upset Sonny Liston.

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show me something they told me you could hit hard you're just a look at him whispering in the a of woman by that blow continues to talk continues to talk the Rope of do was something was invented by Muhammad Ali that night

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And I just turned 22 years old. I must be the greatest. I shook up the world. I shook up the world, up the world.

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hardly breathe in Africa that night mamad tough guy he took those shots and ever spoke more show me something George oh I grabbed his head sometimes and I said look at you round seven and you're tired you have eight more rounds to go

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Cassius Clay became very close friends with Malcolm X, who was an African-American revolutionary, Muslim minister, and human rights activist.

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think foran is in that bad a sh he's just throwing him he's breathing I said oh oh you finished boy you are in trouble I said you don't have but two chances slim and none another sney right [Music]

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Is your friendship with now connect? He is a friend of yours now?

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Joe Frasier and Muhammad Ali October 1st 1975 the last historic confrontation between Joe Frasier and Muhammad Ali the largest closed circuit TV audience in history was treated to one of the greatest fights in heavyweight history they still think Joe Frasier can

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Yeah, he was a brother. He's my brother. Whatever you do, he's my brother.

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says there will be a killer and a thriller and a killer when I get the gorilla in Manila that's right come on girl we in man the Thriller in Manila was the third and final fight between mammad Ali and

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Cassius Clay publicly aligned with the Nation of Islam, changing his name from Cassius Clay, which he called his slave name, to Muhammad Ali.

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going to be over it's all over I'm so tired I don't want to do nothing my hips are sore my arms are sore my sides are sore there's a great possibility fellas this might be my last fight tonight a great

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Not my name no more. Bally Muhammad Ali. Now Muhammad Ali.

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now there are more fights in they often why well because I've changed my mind and I feel that I can go another few years the fans want to see it in alli's last few fights he wasn't the same as he

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Muhammad means worthy of all praises, and Ali most high names def fit us black people.

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after and in fact verie PCO is no longer his doctor oh really no no he was like this is so unethical I cannot be involved what you watch his fight with Larry Holmes tell me tell me you don't

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And Clay was a white man's name. It was a slave name, and I'm no longer Clay. I'm no longer slave.

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in the like Angel dund wants to stop the [Music] [Applause] fight as a technical [Music] knockout Dr Stanley Fawn a neurologist specializing in Parkinson's was the first doctor to diagnosis condition it was 1984 in 1984 4 years after his fight

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So now Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali.

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raise awareness about Parkinson's and became a global Ambassador for humanitarian causes traveling the world to promote peace and philanthropy though his health declined over the decades he continued to inspire through appearances at significant events including lighting the Olympic flame at the 1996 Atlanta

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And Sonny Liston met for a rematch up the ring stairs, and he's bang.

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the greatest there ever was in and outside of the ring at the end of your life what would you like people to think about you when you've gone I like for them to say he took a few cups of love

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Boo, not ladies and gentlemen, a right-hand shot, a right-hand shot on the ch, all got D cannot move.

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well then he spread it over a span of a lifetime and he served to each and every deserving person he met thank you very much

Topics:Muhammad AliCassius Clayboxing documentarySonny Listonheavyweight champion1960 OlympicsNation of IslamVietnam WarJoe Frazierboxing history

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