Timesuck with Dan Cummins - 479 - Rumble, Meatsack, Rumble! The Story of Muhammad Ali

Episode Date: November 3, 2025

He was brash, beautiful, bold, flawed, and unapologetically himself. From Olympic gold to global fame, Muhammad Ali’s story is one of rebellion, redemption, and relentless courage. This week, we dive into the life of “The Greatest” - a man who fought not just opponents in the ring, but racism, war, and even his own failing body. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee… and rumble, young meatsack, rumble.Merch and more: www.badmagicproductions.com Timesuck Discord! https://discord.gg/tqzH89vWant to join the Cult of the Curious PrivateFacebook Group? Go directly to Facebook and search for "Cult of the Curious" to locate whatever happens to be our most current page :)For all merch-related questions/problems: [e-mail] (copy and paste)Please rate and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and elsewhere and follow the suck on social media!! @timesuckpodcast on IG and http://www.facebook.com/timesuckpodcastWanna become a Space Lizard? Click here: https://www.patreon.com/timesuckpodcast.Sign up through Patreon, and for $5 a month, you get access to the entire Secret Suck catalog (295 episodes) PLUS the entire catalog of Timesuck, AD FREE. You'll also get 20% off of all regular Timesuck merch PLUS access to exclusive Space Lizard merch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Throughout my life, I never sought retribution against those who hurt me because I believe in forgiveness. I have practiced forgiving, just as I want to be forgiven. Rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams. They all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as all religions do, they all contain truths. I am America. I am the part you won't recognize, but get used to me. Black, confident, cocky, my name, not yours.

My religion, not yours. goals my own. Get used to me. And of course, float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit with the eyes can't see. These are to some of the legendary quotes spoken by three-time heavyweight boxing champion, poet, ambassador, survivor, rebel, spokesperson, trash talker, philosopher, womanizer, humanitarian, inspirational tale, cautionary tale, the very human, the greatest, the one-of-a-kind, Dan Cummins. I mean, Muhammad Ali. Born Cassius, Marcellus Clay, Jr. In heavily segregated Louisville, Kentucky, Muhammad Ali grew up in a world that told him exactly who he was allowed to be, and he decided, nope, I'm going to be me. I'm going to be something

bigger than I'm supposed to be. He wasn't just fast in the ring, he was fast with his words, fearless in his convictions, wildly polarizing, and impossible to ignore. From winning Olympic gold as a teenager, to shock him. the world against the most feared boxer on the planet at the time, Sunny Liston, from refusing to fight in Vietnam to facing political and cultural exile, the very height of his career. Ali made headlines because he refused to stay quiet. Being himself was truly more important to him than being rich and famous, and he did love to be rich and famous. Ali was so much more than a boxer. He became a symbol of resistance, faith and unapologetic black pride, and later a

global ambassador for peace using his fame to open doors few others could. He also became a symbol of tenacious perseverance. He won so much, then lost it, then battled back, then lost it, and battled back again and again. Today we will float through Ali's fancy footwork, his historic fights, and the rhyming trash talk that made him a star. But we'll also step outside the ring to follow him into war zones, refugee camps, and the halls of power. We'll see how Ali used his voice to amplify those who didn't have one, and how he transformed from the Louisville lip into the greatest of all time. This isn't just a sports story, it's a story for us all, a story about courage, identity, and a man who became so much bigger than boxing itself. And that's saying a lot

for a man, considered by many, if not most boxing historians, to be the greatest boxer of all time. So let's rumble, young meat sack rumble. All that more in this week's jawbreaking, nose-smashing, poetry-filled, rope-dope edition of Time Suck. Michael McDonald, and you're listening to TimeSuck. You're listening to TimeSuck. Happy Monday, and welcome and welcome back to The Cult of the Curious. I'm Dan Kellman, Suck Nasty, Hog Trail Avoider, Spring Hill Jack's Slow cousin, flat-footed Frederick. And you are listening to TimeSuck.

Hail Nimrod. Hey, Lucifina, praise be to good boy, Bojangles, and Glory B to Triple M. I got no announcements today. Just a big-ass episode and a quick thank you to anyone who recently gave those nightmare fuel episodes a chance. And now, let's meet the greatest. Today we're talking, of course, about the absolutely force of nature. That was Mr. Muhammad Ali, three-time heavyweight champion. named the greatest athlete of the 20th century by numerous publications,

the true goat. Now, would I have beaten him in the ring? Well, of course I would have. I've almost gotten the top score, more or less, depending on how you defined almost, on those arcade boxing strength carnival-style games more than once. My son, Kyler, and Daughterman Row, have literally never beat me on those games.

Not a single time. No. Had Ali and I fought a hundred times, he would have literally knocked me out, a hundred times if he would have wished. But so could literally any other professional heavyweighter ever. And probably every lightweight one as well, and the welter weights, and the middle weights, of course.

But maybe not like the fly weights and bantam weights, at least not like all of them, but maybe. Anyway, in order to cover as much as we can about Ollie's legendary career, both in and out of the ring, most all of today's episode will take place in the time suck timeline, starting with his tumultuous childhood, spent in a deeply prejudiced state surrounded by people who said he would never amount to much. We'll learn how a red bicycle got him into the boxing ring for the first time and how he went from there to winning a gold medal at the age of just 18. We'll follow his career as a professional boxer,

covering all the most shocking and influential fights like the rumble in the jungle and the Thrilla in Manila. We'll also cover the lesser-known sides of Muhammad Ali, his faith in conversion to Islam, his love of poetry, his brief stint as a Broadway star, two-time Grammy-nominated recording artist, how he negotiated with release of hostages in war zones. No, I'm not kidding.

And it will also address the demons he himself publicly admitted struggling with numerous times for a long, long time, his womanizing. He was not a perfect man, but unlike most men, he didn't hesitate to confess his sins publicly. Before we get into all that, I do want to note that because of how broad Muhammad Ali's impact on the world was, not just in boxing, but in global politics, pop culture, social justice, and more, we will not be able to of course cover every single act of charity he committed every single bout he fought in the ring it's not possible in under three hours i watched a seven-ish hour docu-series on him and even they didn't cover all the shit he did he was a big man who lived a bigger life and with that being said let's get started Shrap on those boots, soldier. We're marching down a time-suck timeline.

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. Was born January 17th, 1942 to Odessa Grady and Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., the year after they married, at the General Hospital in South Louisville, Kentucky. The future world champion punched his way out of the womb, letting a six-punch combo on his mama's front butt before caoing his delivery doctor

with an iron right cross then using his umbilical cord as a jump rope crank out 20 minutes of cardio while also used in delivery room nurses tatas for a double set of speed bags and finally announcing I am the greatest an incredible display of both athleticism

and showmanship but for real now like his dad before him he was actually named after the white farmer and civil war general Cassius Marcellus Clay Cassius Clay, the farmer, came from a prominent Kentucky family. His dad was the wealthiest slave owner in the state,

but when Cassius Clay, farmer, not boxer, grew up, he became a devoted abolitionist and was appointed by Abraham Lincoln to be the U.S. Minister to Russia. Cassius Clay, the Farmer, actually credited with convincing the Russian government to support the Union instead of the Confederates during the Civil War, so pretty cool dude.

Now let's get back to Cassius Clay the Boxer. Odessa said, in a documentary interview featured in the Ken Burns document, series about his life which is fucking great by the way if you want to watch it he learned to talk before he was one year old and he's always been a great talker and i love that she said that with a big grin ollie loved to talk and talk and talk uh to the delight of many to the entertainment of many and to the scorn of many as well his parents had bought a tiny house shortly before he was born at 3302 grand avenue in louisville's west end black working class neighborhood alice houston a childhood

friend who lived there also said the neighborhood had everything the family needed. Banks and newspaper grocery grocery, or banks, uh, newspaper, uh, grocery stores, schools. She said everyone felt safe. It was a great place to be sheltered from how African Americans were being treated in many other parts of the country. Alice said the clay house was known in the neighborhood as a good place to go. If you needed anything, the clays were generous and kind. Odessa seemed to, you know, be a mom not to just her kids, but really kids from all over the neighborhood. Odessa worked outside the neighborhood cleaning homes for white families in a better part of town she and her family attended mount zion baptist church every sunday her grandkids others have described her as a very strong

very spiritual genuine loving person her granddaughter mohammed uh or caches clay mohammed's later daughter rishita ali said that her dad got his gentleness and his kindness from his mom uh little caches was a handful. Love getting in the cupboards, dragging out pots and pans to bang them together, make lots of noise. He also had a silly nickname, Tinky Baby. Everybody didn't take that into the ring. Introducing the heavyweight champion of the world, Tinky Baby! Tinky Baby apparently loved chasing the family's pet chicken around the yard. Also love scaring his mom by standing in his stroller to get a better view of the world around him. He was smart and curious, big person from the very beginning.

When Cassius was about a year and a half, his little brother Rudolph, aka Rudy was born. Just like his older brother, Rudy will eventually go on to change his name as an adult. When he joins the nation of Islam to Rahman Ali, he'll also become a professional heavyweight boxer like his older brother. Just not achieve quite the same level of success, but, I mean, who did? Still very impressive. The two boys were exceptionally close growing up, just 18 months apart. Cassius was a hell of a big brother to his only sibling. when Rudy would get in trouble, Cassius would step in between his dad and him

trying to stop his dad from spanking him, insisting that Rudy was his baby. Speaking of his dad, Cassius Sr. was an artist. He made his living, painting custom signs, murals, and billboards for area stores. He went by Cash. He was a big personality as well. A lot of charisma. Apparently loved to be the center of attention. And some people found that, you know, found him to be boisterous and cocky.

Rudy would say years later, my father could sing, dance, paint, draw, memorized poetry. My brother got his talent from our father. Papa Cash, as his grandkids came to know him, was also a notorious womanizer. Cassia Jr. would inherit that as well, unfortunately, and Cash would become violent when he was drunk. Ali, thankfully, would never be much of a drinker.

He abstained from alcohol entirely for most of his life, probably a reaction in part to his dad's drinking. Cash would occasionally hit Odessa, who called the police on him numerous times. when Cassius and Rudy got older they would step in and defend their mom and sometimes they would be injured for doing that once when the police showed up after being called Cassius had a fucking stab wound in his leg

his dad had literally pulled out a knife and slashed him just for protecting his mom damn cash was arrested numerous times while Cassius was growing up for shit like disorderly conduct reckless driving also often quoted from the Bible was very outspoken about racial injustice he's a bit all over the place with his actions and beliefs devout but drunk

social justice fighter also wife beater and womanizer he was also bitter I would say bitter in a justified way he felt that he would have been much more respected and heralded as an artist if he would have been born white instead of black and he was probably right

1940s Kentucky deeply racist harshly segregated young Cassius like his father experienced discrimination starting from a young age had to go to an all black school couldn't enter white restaurants he watched from the other side the fence as white kids played in a white-only amusement park not far from his neighborhood he was

constantly reminded by the world around him you know just that black people were secondary citizens less than in a later interview his mother was quoted as saying i remember one time when cassius was a small was small we were downtown at a five and ten cent store they wanted to drink of water and they wouldn't give him one because of his color that really affected him he didn't like that at all being a child and thirsty he started crying and i said come on i'll take you some place place and get you some water. But it really hurt him. Yeah, fuck yeah, I really hurt him. I can't imagine the rage. I would have carried with me all the time as a black man or woman in the souther and segregation, being looked down upon by hateful peckerwoods all the time,

people who, you know, wouldn't dare give a thirsty innocent child a glass of water. The world has never had a shortage of dumb motherfuckers. I've resigned myself lately to accepting it might just always, you know, be that way. There might just always be a surplus of hate and ignorance, which doesn't mean I've given up, you know, trying to change the world for the better. For me, it's trying to accept that that's just the way of the world. You know, it gives me a greater appreciation for those who stand up against it. I think I might currently appreciate the beauty and courage in that, you know, more than I ever have. No matter how bad the world's been, there have always been people who've been good,

people who refuse to let the bad corrupt and defeat them, people like a desicclay. She worked for people who, I'm sure, looked down on her, encountered those who wouldn't give her baby boy a glass of water, and she, by all accounts, still carried a sunny, loving disposition. with her for all her days and didn't become racist like those around her. Very impressive. Jumping forward a bit to May 15, 1954 now when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down one of the most important decisions in American history, Brown versus the Board of Education of Topeka. The case started when Oliver Brown, a black father in Kansas, sued his local school district

because his daughter had to walk literal miles to a segregated black school, even though there was a white school nearby. The court unanimously ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the infamous 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which had legalized a separate but equal bullshit principle. Although Brown v. Board of Education was a monumental turning point for the civil rights movement took a long time for it to actually go into effect. This is because, even though the Supreme Court declared segregation unconstitutional, they didn't spell out how or when schools had to integrate.

Instead, they asked for further hearings to figure out enforcement. That follow-up, that ruling didn't happen until 1955, and when it did, it simply ordered schools to desegregate, quote, with all deliberate speed. What exactly does that mean? No one knew. The vague phrase gave states and school boards a lot of wiggle room to stall, especially in the southern states like Kentucky, where that state wiggled a bit harder than most. That same year, something else monumental happened, October 11, 1954, a petty thief unknowingly altered the course of history when he snapped. a spiffy new bike that was sitting on the corner of Forth and York in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, not talking about a lady, talking about a regular bike, regular definition.

The bike, a quote, Schwinn with red lights and chrome trim, a spotlight in the front, white wall tires, and chrome spokes and rims, belonged to both 12-year-old Cassius Clay and Rudy. They shared it. It was a Christmas gift from their dad, and it was the boy's most prized position or possession. Cassius was inside Spalding University's Columbia Auditorium, eating free hot dogs and checking out the Black Own Business Expo being put on there when his bike got stolen. And when he finally realized it was gone, he and his best friend, Johnny Willis,

went running up and down the street, asking strangers if anybody had seen it. Eventually a stranger told the two boys to go check out the boxing gym in the basement under Columbia Auditorium. There was a policeman Joe Elsby Martin down there in the Recreation Center, go and see him. And they did. Cassius approached the officer, who he later learned was the owner of the gym, told him about his missing bike, the 12-year-old who was notably skinny, also told Officer Martin that as soon as he found that bike, oh, man, the bite, the kid who stole it, he was going to whoop their ass. Well, the officer to Cashers had a surprise responded saying that if you want to do that, he better learn how to fight first.

Martin then handed Cassius an application to join his gym, trained to be a boxer for free. At first, Cassius was hesitant. He'd never put on a pair of boxing gloves and was, like I said, a pretty skinny kid. However, that Saturday, he happened to catch something interesting on TV, a TV show called Tomorrow's Champions, a show that showcased up-and-coming amateur boxers. And in the corner of the ring, Cassius spotted a familiar face. Officer Joe Martin, coached one of the fighters. The next day, Cassius ran back to Columbia Gym, couldn't ride a bike there anymore, told the police officer, I want to be a boxer, and started training for free. man good on police officer joe martin a white police officer in the south in the 50s training white and black young men to box for free good fucking dude a great example great reminder for all those who think that all cops are bad or all white cops are racist that that's a bunch of bullshit so hail joe martin martin will continue to mentor ali or cashes clay at this point throughout his amateur boxing career cashes will credit another man at martin's gym coach fred stoner for, quote, forming my style, my stamina, and my system.

Stoner, by the way, was a pretty badass dude. In addition to training young men at Columbia Gym, he was also the first ever black man to be named to the Kentucky Boxing Commission. After six weeks of training at Columbia Gym, Cassius Clay made his amateur boxing debut, 12 years old, weighing in at a whopping 87 pounds. Little stick-legged dude faced off against some other little stick-legged kid. Local boxer Ronnie O'Keefe for three rounds.

In the end, the future greatest of all time, won by a split decision, meaning two of the three judges scored the fight in favor of Cassius, the other in favor of Ronnie. Man, I bet O'Keefe, who never went on to become a boxer as an adult. I already talked about that the rest of his life. About that time, he almost whooped Ali. Split decision. After the win, young Cassius announced to everyone that day

that he would be called the greatest of all time. Love that he did that after his first win at 12 years old. Love to talk himself up. His childhood friend, Owen Sitgrade. said Cassius was always running his mouth and that we tell him to shut up. But soon, he backed up his trash job. He started to get pretty good at boxing. Next summer, as Cassius's pugilism progressed on August 28, 1955,

something happened that shook both young Cassius and all of America to its core. While visiting his uncle in Mississippi, a black teenager from Chicago named Emmett Till was brutally murdered by two white men, Roy Bryant and his brother-in-law, J.W. Millum. I did an entire episode about this in 2003, episode 360, the lynching of Emmett Till. If you want to learn more, it's fucking brutal.

14-year-old kid visiting Mississippi from Chicago, kidnapped, tortured, killed by a group of white men for allegedly, there was more than just those two dudes there, allegedly flirting with the white woman. That was his crime, supposedly, even though he didn't do that, as she herself admitted years later. The open casket funeral, his mom held, exposed the brutality of racism to the world

and became a major catalyst for the civil rights movement. When Cassius Clay saw pictures of Emmett Till's body in the newspaper and photos of his mutilated face in Jet Magazine, he was deeply affected. He was just six months younger than Till. In his autobiography, The Greatest, which was edited by Nobel Prize winning author, Tony Morrison, he wrote, Emmett Till and I were about the same age, a week after he was murdered in Sunflower County, Mississippi. I stood on the corner with a gang of boys looking at pictures of him in the black newspapers and magazines. and one he was laughing and happy. In the other his head was swollen and bashed in, his eyes bulging out of their sockets and his mouth twisted and broken. His mother had done a bold thing. She refused

to let him be buried until hundreds of thousands marched past his open casket in Chicago and looked down at his mutilated body. I felt a deep kinship to him when I learned he was born the same year and day I was. My father talked about it at night and dramatized the crime. I couldn't get Emmett out of my mind until one evening I thought of a way to get back at white people for his death. That night I sneaked out of the house, walked down to Ronnie Kings, and told him my plan. It was late at night when we reached the old railroad station

at Louisville's west side. I remember a poster of a thin white man in striped pants and a top hat who pointed at us above the words, Uncle Sam wants you. We stopped and hurled stones at it, and then broke into the Shushine Boys shed and stole two iron shoe rests

and took them to the railroad track. We planted them deep on the tracks and waited When a big blue diesel engine came around the bend, it hit the shoe rest and pushed them nearly 30 feet before one of the wheels locked and sprang from the track. I remember the loud sound of ties ripping up. I broke out running, Ronnie behind me, and then I look back. I'll never forget the eyes of the man in that poster staring at his uncle Sam wants you. Took two days to get up enough nerve to go back there. A work crew was still cleaning up the debris, and the man in the poster was still pointing.

I always knew that sooner or later he would confront me or I would confront me, or I would confront. front him. In the fall of 1956, Cassius Clay started freshman year at Central High School, formerly known as Central Colored High School in Louisville. Originally founded in 1870, the institution was the first ever public school opened to African American

students in the entire state of Kentucky. And up until 1956, it was also the only public high school in Louisville that black kids could legally attend. That's fucking crazy. Until 1956, it was the only public high school in Louisville, the black

kids can legally attend. Like I talked about a bit earlier, even though the Brown versus Board Education ruling of 1954 deemed separate but equal unconstitutional, it really only outlawed segregation in theory and practice, especially in the South. Many school districts resisted integration and fiercely. Some use lawsuits, bureaucratic hurdles, outright refusal to comply, segregationists and politicians vowed to maintain Jim Crow laws. While the Louisville school system in Kentucky wasn't as extreme in their resistance to integration as some places like in Mississippi or Alabama, officials still took their sweet-ass time,

drafting integration plans. Louisville schools didn't officially begin integrating until September of 1956, two years after the initial ruling, and the same year that Cassius Clay began attending Central High School. Cassius will struggle in school. He was smart,

but he could not resist constantly knocking motherfuckers out. Oh, see on my arithmetic test? You sure about that, Mr. Johnson? Pa! How about now? Bam, bam! Wow! Up and cut to the chin.

want to change it to an A? Oh, detention? For real? Left, right, left, right. Hook to the body. Left, hook to the head. Right front to the body. Right across the fucking face, Mrs. Williamson. No.

No, he didn't get in fights that I'm aware of. But he was dyslexic. But they didn't know that then. So even though he was smart, he struggled to read, struggle with math, struggle with not understanding why the fuck he was struggling. He compensated by becoming the class clown. He would do almost anything for a laugh

like carrying a purse to school or wearing lipstick. Stuff boys in the 50s just did not. do back then very atypical uh he didn't get picked on for it because people liked him he was very popular he made everybody laugh feel good about themselves and boxing all the time not being so scron anymore probably helped too but he didn't actually have a tough guy person at school he was a character he liked a clown he did weird shit like race to school bus to school to increase his boxing condition and just to make people laugh he also long before he became famous would just ask classmates if they wanted the autograph of the greatest of all time

A lot of kids would think he was joking. No, he wasn't. He truly believed long before anybody else did that he was going to become famous. He was a nut. February of 1958, a month after a 16th birthday, he traveled with Joe Martin, his boxing mentor, other young boxers to Chicago, for the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions,

his first national competition. And he lost in the quarterfinals. And he will use that loss as motivation for the following year. And that following year, 1959, Cassius Clay earned himself three major boxing championships. championships as an amateur. The inner city Golden Gloves light heavyweight champion, Chicago Golden Gloves light heavyweight champion,

both of those actually took place in Chicago, and the U.S. national light heavyweight champion during a fight in Toledo, Ohio. For the Golden Gloves light heavyweight title, he beat Australian-born Tony Madigan, a boxer a dozen years older who was already a two-time Olympian. That's impressive as hell for a 17-year-old high school kid. Tony will say years later that he could just never reach him, that Clay was always able to pull

just out of range of his punches. The longer the amateur boxer went undefeated, the more people started to notice him and not just people in the boxing world. By the spring of 1960, fat cats across America were eyeing cash as Clay as their next big investment opportunity. His kid was going to go pro.

That meant he would need a manager, and whoever that manager was was going to make a lot of money. Deal started rolling in, the first of which actually came from his longtime mentor, owner of that Columbia gym, Joe Martin. In his autobiography, Clay described the moment that Joe Martin showed up at his parents' house, contract in hand, asking to be his manager. And all the years he trained me, it was the only time he visited my house.

Well, here it is, he said, and dropped the contract into my father's hands. Dad wanted to have a lawyer look at it, but Martin said had to be signed immediately. It guaranteed me $75 a week for 10 years. I wanted to take it because I was making so little money at the time. My father screamed, Nobody buys my son for $75 a week for 10 years. The slave trade's over. And he told Martin what to do with the contract. I'm sure shove it up his ass.

Martin blamed the rejection on Cassius' father's hatred for white policemen. And that narrative immediately became the only one to circulate. Newspapers published a story about how the arrogant young boxer had turned down his loyal, loyal coach because he was deeply racist against white people. But that wasn't the truth. And for

all the good Martin had done him. It seemed like he really tried to fuck him on that contract. Telling his dad, he couldn't take a, take it to a lawyer to look at it. That's shady as hell. Come on, Joe. I just hailed you, buddy. Cash's had a few other prospects for his manager, and all of them, according to him, were rich, white southerners.

But the richest and widest of them all, and the one that everybody, including Cassius, thought was most likely to land the gig was Billy Reynolds. A Louisville, described as a billionaire in some sources, or at least multi-millionaire, and the executive vice president of the Reynolds MetalsCo. Joe Martin is still bitter about not being hired as a manager himself, actually who was actually who introduced Cassius to Billy. That spring, he told his young fighter that he should go visit Billy at his estate, saying Reynolds will see that you get suitable work this summer and after the Olympics go professional. Thrilled to the prospect of having a multimillionaire manager, fueled by promises that Billy Reynolds would treat him like his own son. Cassius went to go meet Billy for the first time.

I didn't go like he was hoping. In Clay's own words, let's hear what happened next. Right after today's first to two mid-show sponsor breaks. If you don't want to hear these ads ever again, please sign up to be a space editor on Patreon. Help us make monthly charitable contributions, get the catalog ad-free, episodes three days early and more. Thanks for listening to our sponsors.

Hope you heard a deal that makes sense for you. And now back to see how good old boy, Billy Reynolds, treats the teen you think could be boxing's next big thing. the teen he hopes to manage. Reynolds' house was in the center of the estate, a three-story gray building with stairs sweeping up to a high porch with huge white pillars. The beauty and size of the place was breathtaking,

like in gone with the wind. I halfway expected to see slaves picking cotton and rows of cabins at the foot of the hills. I kept pulling the bell cord, and when no one answered, I pushed back the iron gate. It swung easily, and I walked down the lane toward the big gray house. A heavy voice cutting behind me. Is that you?

"'Enward with the hard R. "'You know you on Mr. Reynolds' private property?' "'I turned and coming down on me was a hefty red-haired white man "'with a shovel. "'Coving up behind him was a stoop-shouldered elderly black man "'who I later learned was the gardener. "'Enward with a hard R. Do you know where you are?' "'The hefty man was now standing over me, a shovel and a tight grip.

"'Yes, sir,' I said. "'Look, the road goes that away.' "'The man pointed back to where I'd come from. "'But I stood still, my eyes fastened tight to his. "'He was moving toward me raising that shovel. "'When the black man came up and said gently, I think that's Cassius Clay, sir. The big man turned toward the gardener.

John, you know this N-word with a hard R? Yes, sir, the gardener nodded his head. Mr. Reynolds told him to come. He can hire him. He spoke almost apologetically, as though he didn't want to offend the white man, even with the truth. Yes, sir, this is the boxing boy.

The black man's eyes had a glint of pride. He had a kind, soft voice, and he motioned for me to follow him. As Mr. Reynolds here today, I asked as we pass the front port, the gardener nodded he ain't down yet but he's here see those cars he pointed to the garage all around here them's his cars what kind of job mr reynolds is going to give you i couldn't tell him what i expected i was good in mechanical drawing and had learned something about drafting and art for my father i walked along thinking that in all the reynolds far-flung businesses surely there would be something in one of them for me to do maybe i could learn drafting have a second trade besides the one i was training for how long before i can meet mr reynolds i asked The gardener shook his head. You don't worry about that.

Mr. Reynolds told me to introduce you to the manager of the house, his aunt. She runs a place. She's got something in mind for you already. We come to the steps leading to the kitchen. A tall, scrawny, white-haired old woman in a dull gray dress came out and looked me up and down. Finally, she said, I'll show you what you got to do. And every morning she showed me what dust to remove, what garbage to dump, what floors to scrub, what toilets to wash, what porches to sweep. and I'd ask the gardener if I could see Mr. Reynolds,

but he'd shake his head cautiously and say, he's a very busy man. You'll see him, but he don't spend much time around here, not Mr. Reynolds. Then one day while I was sweeping the back porch, I heard someone say, the next Olympic champ of the world, the next Olympic champ cash is clay. It was Mr. Reynolds,

shorter and fatter than I had expected, but vigorous. He looked exactly like STP Granitelli. Mr. Reynolds, I began. Call me the future manager of the world, old heavyweight champion. Already I felt better. And that week I mopped the floors harder, trimmed all the hedges, washed all the windows, look forward to the rare times I could see, maybe talk to my manager. He'd come in and out, take a bite to eat, dash back to his office, give me a wave now and then. Martin tells me you're improving, or be sure you win that Olympic

championship. It's worth a million. Thank you, Mr. Reynolds, I'd say. But may I talk to you for a minute? Not now, my boy, but later on. What the hell is this guy doing? You want to manage the future heavyweight champion of the world, and you prove that by treating him like shit, blowing him off, making him scrub floors, clean your fucking toilets? This dude wildly underestimated Cassius his ability to understand how he was being treated. Every morning that spring, Cassius, Clay, you know, summer, woke up 5 a.m. so he could catch the 5.30 bus from his house to the boxing gym. After two hours of hardcore training, he would take the bus from the gym to Reynolds estate on the other side of town, and he spent the next six to eight hours just

doing whatever Billy Reynolds, a hateful-ass aunt, instructed him to do. Scrubbing toilets, dust and shelves, sweeping floors, hauling away debris, washing dishes, doing laundry. He was only allowed to take a break during lunchtime, a quick one. Clay wrote, Each day his aunt brought me my lunch out on a tray and put it on the porch, same as she did for the dogs and cats. As I ate, she would call out, as soon as you get through, Cassius, I want you to scrub those

toilet stools down in the basement. You miss those yesterday. When I needed water, they brought out a pail and sat it on the porch. Seems strange to me now, but I really didn't mind then, and I made friends with some excellent breeds of dogs. But I knew I was being treated like any good animal, or good racehorse, worth feeding and invest in it. Through all the bullshit, the Reynolds put him through that spring, what kept him going was his dreams of becoming a gold medalist. Whenever Cash has complained of the unfair treatment and grueling work, Martin would remind him, when you win the Olympics,

Reynolds will make you an offer, the biggest offer for any fighter ever started out with. Mm-hmm Grand Promise kept the boxer going for weeks and weeks that spring But everybody has a breaking point And Cassius hit his the day he was accused Of stealing Billy's wife's car One day Mr. Reynolds' black Fleetwood Was blocking the driveway

And I got in it to back into the garage Ollie wrote Then someone was screaming Help, help stop him Someone stop him, help I smashed on the brakes A thief was coming on the ground I threw open the door to dash out and save the family jewels

Edward with hard R How dare you! Get out of that car Mr. Reynolds' aunt shouted at me. That's Mr. Reynolds' private car. Nobody's allowed to touch that car. Her screams had brought up the old Gardner running up. He understood her in a way that surprised me. He patted her on the shoulder as though he was soothing a spoiled child.

Cash didn't mean no harm, miss. Remember what the doctor said about your blood pressure. Car ain't worth getting yourself all upset about. That car, she said, is worth more than that N-word with a hard R will ever be worth in his lifetime. And I don't want to see him in it. I told you he was a daydreamer. when Reynolds finally approached Cassius with the contract at the end of the summer

you know not personally of course he sent his assistant to deliver the papers Cassius politely refused fuck yeah I did I bet he wanted to tell him to shove it up his fucking ass a few years down the line when Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali converted to Islam the press would reflect on his rejection of the beloved millionaire Billy Reynolds speculating it was the first sign that the young boxer was bad news

as one local paper wrote Why would any normal Kentucky boy Who wanted to get ahead in boxing Turned down a millionaire benefactor With the generosity, affluence and connections of William Reynolds When he turned down Reynolds We should have realized how twisted and misguided

Was Black Cassius The same young man we Kentuckians Once loved and respected so much This was the turning point Fuck these people They left out all the info about how that Arrogent Pecker would fuck Treat him like a dog of course

and how his aunt talked to him. In September of 1960, the managerless Cassius Clay traveled to Rome to compete in the light heavyweight division at the Summer Olympics. He almost didn't make it to the games due to an intense fear of line. When he and his coach, Joe Martin,

clearly they worked out, you know, whatever anger Joe had over not getting that contract signed. When they'd flown to California for the Olympic trials a few months earlier, the airplane encountered severe turbulence, and that resulted in a less than smooth landing. And after winning the tournament, he pawned a watch he was given for winning

so he could buy a train ticket to get back home and avoid flying. The whole ordeal scared the shit out of Cassius. So according to Martin, when it came time to go to Rome, he said he wasn't going to fly and that he wouldn't go. He wanted to take a boat or something. Thankfully, after some convincing from his trainers, friends and family, Cassius finally agreed to get on a flight to Italy, but not without a backup plan. Before

he embarked on the trip, this is so funny to me. Cassius went to the Army surplus store, bought himself a parachute. And he wore it. on his back throughout the entire flight to New York and they put it back on for the next flight to Rome just in case

can imagine seeing somebody board a plane today openly wearing a fucking parachute that would scare the hell out of me I would strongly assume they were a terrorist and you actually can't do that don't try you cannot board a commercial flight with a fucking parachute on your back

they will not let you on the plane and also it wouldn't work even if he could it's impossible to safely jump from a commercial plane at a high cruising altitude due to the thin air, the freezing temperature, right, the speed of the plane. Cassius ended up taking a long layover in New York City because that's where his idol, the legendary boxer, Sugar Ray Robinson lived, went to the Harlem restaurant that Ray owned,

hung around outside, just hoping to meet his idol, share a few words, and that decision would change his life, but not because of Ray. While he waited, he noticed a small crowd gathered around a well-dressed black man, speaking loudly, calling for black people to shop only at black-owned businesses. And that man belonged to the nation of Islam And he left quite the impression on Cassius Couldn't believe the police weren't arresting him For saying what he was saying

More on the NOI later He then met Ray briefly Pulled up in a purple Cadillac Signed a quick photo for Cassius Cassius thought to himself Someday I'm going to have two Cadillacs And a four just for getting around in When he later arrived in Rome

Cassius made a splash Reportedly introduced himself as the king of the Olympic village He earned himself the nickname the Louisville lip for his quick wit and sharp tongue and he quickly became one of the best known best-liked athletes in the Olympic village one reporter wrote this kid is irresistible while Cash's personality and charm caught the people's attention pretty much as soon as he got to Rome it was his astounding skills in the ring that made him a fan favorite and household name Cassius competed in four total matches winning his first three by unanimous decisions and a second round knockout before heading to the division finals in his final match Cassius faced a Polish boxer whose name looks like it was written by the devil. Zibnayov. Zibinaev. Zibinayov. Zibinayov. Pietro Zikalski, I think.

Not only, it is fucking something. Not only was Cassia's opponent for the final seven years his senior. He was also already in Olympic medalists, having won bronze in the 1956 games. When the final match first began, Cassius struggled to adapt to his experience opponent, Southpaw boxing stop. He lefty. And for the first two rounds, fucking Ziggy, uh, what,

something, he had the advantage. However, in the final round, Cassius pulled through. With his superior stamina and quick combinations, the American left his rival in a battered but still upright state by the final bell. The judges were unanimous once again. Olympic gold was his. Cash has stopped in New York City again on the way back and unnamed in sources Louisville millionaire. It paid for the boxer to stay in a suite at the Waldorf Tower's hotel. also had somebody leave him a wad of cash in the room, enough for him to dine out and eat some fancy steaks, buy expensive watches for his brother Ronnie and both his parents,

and that is awesome. Hale whoever that person was. He also wearing his Olympic gold medal, and his blazer went out to Times Square, where he paid to have a novelty newspaper printed up with the headline, Cassius signs for Patterson fight. He had met Floyd Patterson back in Rome.

Floyd was the current World Heavyweight Champion boxer, and Cassius had told him, quote, I'll be seeing you in about two years. Well, he was wrong about the timeline just a little, but he would fight Patterson twice and defeat him both times. Cashers Clay returned home from the Rome Olympics, September 15th, 1960, at 12.40 p.m.

The turbojet airliner landed at Stannford Field Airport, which was renamed Muhammad Ali International Airport in 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky, where a crowd of over 200 people were waiting for the gold medalist on the tarmac. Amongst the crowd where his mom, dad, brother, Rudy, aunts, uncles, cousins, cameramen, reporters, classmates, the Central High School cheerleading team chanting hooray for Cassius. That's awesome.

According to one local newspaper, most of the other passengers on the flight did not know who Cassius was until the flight attendants requested they allow him to deplane first. The 18-year-old was then escorted from the airport to a special convocation at Central High School in a 50-car motorcade hanging above the entrance of the school with a giant banner that read, welcome home Cassius Clay, our Olympic champion. Assistant Principal, Wayman Hackett, kicked off the ceremony saying that no one in the world is more deserving of honor than Cassius Clay, and that he only wished there could be more done to celebrate the incredible young man. A few Central High students and staff, as well as a Kentucky congressman, the superintendent of the Louisville public school system, the mayor of Louisville, all spoke during the ceremony, all praising Cassius' accomplishments, and thanking him for bringing honor to their town. Cassius reportedly was very quiet during the convocation, standing up once to say, I appreciate all that has been done for me and wish to thank everyone. He also noted that it was a great surprise and thrill the crowd at the airport and the motorcade,

and that he had not expected such a grand welcome back home. He wasn't quite the showing yet for boxing like for press moments. He will be, though. October 26, 1960, Young Cassius, now 18, signs his first boxing contract, signs with a group of investors called the Louisville sponsor. group securing financial backing the group was comprised of ten local businessmen all of whom were very wealthy very white here are some highlights from the historic contract the likes of which no professional boxer had ever seen before immediate payment of $10,000 cash with no strings

attached which would be worth about $110,000 today two additional excuse me two additional payments of $4,000 per year for the next two years no matter how much Clay earned even if that was nothing Clay and the 10-man group would split any earnings he would make with the group paying all expenses of management, training, traveling, etc. And a portion of Clay's earnings will be placed in a trust for his benefit to be accumulated until he reaches the age of 35 or retires from boxing. While Cassius was thrilled to have guaranteed financial backing, he was also deeply unsettled by the way that the press

and eventually the Louisville sponsoring group themselves would talk about their agreement. Newspapers reported on the deal between 10 white men and, quote, the young Negro, as he was repeatedly referred to, in a sugary sweet, super patronizing way. They wrote about it as if the sponsoring group had done an act of biblical charity, benevolently offering their support and resources to this poor, poor black boy, who would never make it anywhere, could never make it anywhere, without them, of course. Clay, the unproven professional, was entirely happy to put himself in the hands of these 11 fairy godfathers.

And it was an atmosphere of complete trust, wrote one reporter. And I'm not sure why he says 11 there and then other sources say that it was 10 local business people. Yeah, that is just a confusing statement. The members of the Louisville sponsoring group also pushed Image, proclaiming to the press far and wide, that they were motivated solely by their adoration for Cassius and altruistic desire to uplift him had nothing to do with money, of course. All we want is to provide hometown support for Cassius' professional career and to aid him and realize in the maximum benefits from his efforts.

the white savior narrative wasn't just spread by the newspapers on the Sunday after Cassius signed the contract with the Louisville sponsoring group a white reverend at the local Baptist church preach a sermon about it may Cash's Clay be eternally grateful for what those kind Christian millionaires are doing for his black soul he literally prayed that in front the congregation may Cassius clay be so grateful for those for those kind Christian millionaires you know, just what they're doing for his just gross black soul. This deal was actually pretty generous. The investors hoped to make, you know, money back, of course.

They'd get 50% of his boxing purses, but only for the two years he was under contract. I mean, he could renew. Nothing past that if he didn't want to. It does seem like they were motivated, you know, quite a bit by just wanting to help him. The mob did have its hands in most of boxing at the time. They didn't want to see those gangsters get their hands on cashes clay. But also, you know, they're going to make a bunch of money on this deal. With some of his bonus money, Cassius bought himself a Cadillac.

The Louisville sponsoring group, they would again, you know, make their money back and more. They'd work with Clay for his first 25 professional fights until 1966 when he decided not to renew and go into a different direction after a fight against Brian London. Backing up to the contract signing, life was not all sunshine for Clay now. A few days after signing the deal with 10 millionaires, Cassius and his best friend Ronnie were riding their motorcycles around town. looking for his brother, excuse me, Ronnie, looking for a place to celebrate. Eventually, Cassius spotted a new restaurant off the side of the highway, decided they should check it out.

With his gold medal still around his neck, Cassius walked confidently through the crowded diners, straight to the counter in the back. Ronnie followed with a lot more apprehension. At the time, almost every restaurant in Louisville was either whites only or had a separate room in the back for black customers to sit in. Ronnie knew that this particular restaurant was of the earlier class.

Black people not allowed at all. even if they were Olympic champions. Cassius knew that too, but he believed the honor he had brought his town in his country would cause even the worst races to, if not see him as an equal, at least tolerate his presence. But he was wrong.

When Cassius tried to order two hamburgers, the waitress responded by sheepishly whispering, We can't serve you here. Politely, Cassius responded, Miss, I'm Cassius Clay, I just won gold to the Olympics. As proof, he pulled out from under his shirt the actual gold medal.

The waitress nodded, disappeared behind the counter. Cassius and Ronnie could hear her conversation with her manager. The entire restaurant seemed to go quiet. From around the corner, they heard a man shout, I don't give a damn who he is. I told you, we don't serve no, end words with a hard arm. The waitress returned, and without looking at Cassius or Ronnie, repeated what she had said earlier,

I'm sorry, we can't serve you here. Embarrassed, hurt, seething with rage. The two boys got up and left, but the whore did not end on the way out of the diner they encountered a few big-ass white dudes standing around their Harley Davidson's wearing leather jackets, Nazi symbols and Confederate flags on the jackets. And one of these white trash peckerwood shouted something derogatory at Cassius, probably started with an N, and with an R,

saying that he wanted that fine piece of metal around hanging a, you know, that was hanging from his neck, and Cassius shouted back, and in an instant, a brawl broke out. The motorcycle gang descended on Cassius and Ronnie. Some of them with sharp chains wrapped around their fists, big as they were, though, Cassius was an Olympic gold medalist boxer. His brother Ronnie, even bigger than Cassius, future heavyweight brawler. These dudes no match for the two of them.

And Cassius and Ronnie whipped their fucking asses in front of the restaurant, then grabbed their bikes and sped away. After a while, they ended up on the Jefferson County Bridge above the Ohio River. They parked their bikes, climbed down to the riverbank so they could rinse some blood off their clothes before returning home to their parents. And along with his stained shirt, Cassius removed the gold medal from around his neck, hung it up on the bridge of scaffolding while they cleaned up. As he later

wrote, in the greatest, This was the first time the gold medal had been away from my chest since the Olympic judge hung it there that day I stood on the podium, a rushing on my left, a pole on my right. And for the first time I saw it as it was. Ordinary, just an object. It had lost its magic.

Suddenly I knew what I wanted to do with his cheap piece of metal and raggedy ribbon. Much to his brother's whore, when they got back on top of the bridge, Cassius carefully took the gold medal and just tossed it into the roaring water below. That fucking sad, right? He won Olympic gold. And when he came home,

he was refused service at a diner because he's black. Then some dudes wanted to beat his ass for being black and daring to rise above what they considered to be his station. On October 29th, 1960, Cassius Clay, got back in the ring.

He faced Tunney Hunsacker, police officer from West Virginia, in the first match of its professional boxing career at Louisville's Freedom Hall. The newcomer won the six-round bout by unanimous decision, and then donated his proceeds from the fight, or, you know, Ali did, Cassius did, to the Kosher Children's Hospital in Louisville. That's pretty amazing.

From there, his professional boxing career began to flourish the same way it did when he was an amateur. He began to truly dominate the ring in a way people simply had never seen before. The morning after his first professional victory, Cassius met with his Louisville sponsors, those millionaires, bankroll in to discuss potential candidates to be his trainer, Archie Moore and Angelo Dundee. both legendary trainers and Archie, a legendary boxer as well. They felt he needed somewhat more experience to take him to the next level. And initially, Cassius chose Archie Moore, got on a train to San Diego to go train with him in his estate.

However, it did not take long for Cassius to realize he and Archie just not a good fit. So he left California, went back to Kentucky, and began training with Angelo Dundee. Some Cuban boxers also training with Dundee will end up calling him El Niño Conan La Bocca Grande, the kid with the big mouth. Cassius and Dundee became incredibly close and his trainer became one of the few people to really know Cassius Clay In a 1964 interview, Dundee said Cassius is a terrific kid

A perfect athlete, easy to handle But no one really knows him In public he is loud and brash But it's all an act In private he is very serious, studious youngster You wouldn't believe it But he likes to read books He will listen to music, good music by the hour

He thinks a lot, he worries a lot About the welfare of his race and the state of the world At 18 years old, Cassius Clay was well on his way to becoming the best boxer in the world, but in the world of academics, not doing quite as well. Even though he was gone most of time, Clay was still technically in high school. And when it came time for Cassius Clay to graduate high school in 1960, his grades were so bad, partially due to his dyslexia, partially due to so many absences, that a group of teachers campaigned to have him held back.

But the principal, Atwood Wilson, was not going to have that shit. He held a staff meeting, and he said to everyone, one day our greatest claim to fame is going to be that we knew Cassius Clay or taught him. Do you think I'm going to be the principal of a school that Cassius Clay didn't finish? If every teacher here fails him, he is not going to fail. He is not going to fail in my school. I'm going to say I taught him. So despite his less than stellar transcript, Cassius Clay got his diploma.

Principal Wilson was also quoted as saying, The only thing Cassius is going to have to read is his IRS form, and I'm willing to help him do it. During the first full year of his professional boxing career, Cassius will fight eight bouts and he'll win eight times. Eight fights in a year, that's wild. Like I said earlier, I'm not going to go through each and every fight, but I will mention a few of the important ones, starting with Cassius Clay versus Lamar Clark, took place April 19th, 1961. The eight-round boxing match took place in Cassius hometown of Louisville. His opponent was the world record holder for the most consecutive knockouts in boxing history. dude knocked out 42 people in a row

that record by the way is still unbroken his record was 43 and two when he fought caches all 43 wins being knockouts and all but just a few true chaos not tkos in boxing a technical knockout a tkio is when you get knocked down three times in a round or when your corner or the ref stops the fight for safety reasons

a cao is when you can't get back up and also understand where the fuck you are by the time the ref counts to 10. Clark caoed, motherfuckers. Anyway, it seemed almost certain that Cassius Clay would be the 45th boxer to be caoed by Lamar.

Or I guess, sorry, 44th boxer. One source added a few knockouts to his record. But in a shocking turn of events, the newcomer knocked out Lamar to his two rounds into the match, not only breaking his nose, but any of his career

at the age of just 27. After that fight, Lamar hung up his boxing gloves, never stepped into the ring again. His manager said he had never seen a heavyweight boxer with hands as fast as Cassius' on June 26, 1961. Caches, excuse me. Caches Clay made his Las Vegas debut in about against Duke Sabadong. Okay, Mr. Sabadong. He told a reporter asking about it before he left Louisville, I'm not afraid of the fight,

I'm afraid of the flight. While Clay did win the match by unanimous decision in 10 rounds, his victory in Vegas, not the most formative part of the trip for him. Instead, that would be meeting the famous wrestling heel, gorgeous, George. Born George Raymond Wagner, Gorgeous George was known for his bravado, his charisma, his shimmery, shiny blonde hair, his big mouth. A few days before their fight, Cassius as an opponent, Duke, went on a local TV show to drum up some excitement, sell some tickets. However, halfway through the live interview, they were interrupted by Gorgeous George, who also had an upcoming

match to promote. And according to Muhammad Ali's autobiography, Gorgeous George made his entrance combing his long, blonde hair like a movie idol, two pretty girls holding up the ends of a ten-foot-long robe so it wouldn't drag. Look at my velvet skin, he purred. Look at my pretty hair. If that bum messes up my hair tomorrow night, I'll annihilate him. When he snatched the microphone, the announcer cautioned him. Hold it, Gorgeous.

This is not your show. It is my show, gorgeous said. And he walked in front of the stage and spoke into the mic. I want all of you out there to come to the sports palace early because I'm going to mop the floor with this bum. If he beats me, I'll cut off all my golden hair and throw the hair out in the audience and go bald. gorgeous George's showmanship, the over-the-top trash talk, the theatrical bravado, the ego, the swagger. It all inspired Cassius. He loved it. He was awed by George's entertainment skills. Just one year into his professional career, Cassius was already known as the loudmouth,

but in Gorgeous George, he saw just how much being a loudmouth could help you get to the top. For the rest of his career, Cassius would build upon his persona and quick wit, using a mix of charisma and controversy to become not just a boxer, but a universal celebrity. He flew from Vegas to Miami to train with Dundee now And he announced he would take any interview with any reporter He didn't just want to be the best boxer the sport had ever seen He wanted to be the best showman He started doing shit like rubbing his body down

And Vaseline before fights and sparring matches Because the shiny effect You know, it emphasized his muscles He wore a white boxing robe that looked elegant He kept his hair perfectly cut He said the ladies liked his look And they did You can find old videos of women fucking screaming for him

like he's one of the Beatles. And he said he knew that if the ladies wanted to come watch him fight, well, the men would follow. He split his time now between training in Miami, spending time with family in Louisville, stayed focused on boxing in both places. In Miami, he'd be invited to all kinds of nightclubs popular with the celebrities of the day.

He would go out, but only drink orange juice, only stay for a little while. He still encountered racism in both places, a newspaper photographer, famously caught a department store employee in the white part of Miami, scolding him for just merely touching a shirt because apparently a black man touching his shirt

made it unable to be sold the photographer was outraged on his behalf but Cassius stayed calm he said it wasn't a big deal he didn't want some squabble over his shirt leading to an arrest to bad press causing him to miss a fight etc he was staying focused on becoming the greatest

he also grew more and more interested around this time in the teachings of the nation of Islam one of the groups leading the fight against segregation and discrimination most aggressive of those groups the first time I ever felt spiritual my life was when I walked into the nation of Islam's temple in Miami. Clay later recalled. A man named Brother John was speaking, and I could reach out and touch what he was saying.

The nation of Islam preached that Christianity was a white man's religion, but Islam was for black people. And only by embracing Allah could black men overcome white man's cruelty. On February 10, 1962, Cassius flew to New York City to fight for the first time in boxing's most hallowed venue, Madison Square Garden. And I'll tell you all about it after today's second and two mid-show sponsor breaks. Thanks for listening to those sponsors. Hope you heard some deals you liked. Now back to Cassius Clay,

taking his first trip to Madison Square Garden. He fought Sunny Banks and predicted he'd knock him out in the fourth round. And then in the first round, for the first time in his professional career, Cassius got dropped to the canvas. And his trainer, Dundee, was afraid his career was over before it really got going.

Dundee later remember that Cassius went down, eyes closed, and for a split second, he thought the fight was over. But when Cassius' butt hit the floor, He said his eyes opened and lit up, and now Dundee marveled at how Cassius remained poised, still confident, and afraid. He pummeled Banks with blow after blow for the rest of the round, and just like Cassius predicted, he won that fight in the fourth round,

with a technical knockout when the ref stopped the fight because Sonny was taking too much punishment. Speaking after the bout, Clay said, as you know, I think that I'm the greatest, and I'm not supposed to be on the floor, so I had to get up and put him out in four, as I predicted. Poor Sonny would die just three years later, at the age of only 24. from a head injury sustained in another boxing match. It's a dangerous sport. Cassius continued after this match to tell reporters that he was the greatest and that soon he would become

the youngest heavyweight champion of all time. White reporters started calling him Mighty Mouth. Cassius the Gashes, the Louisville lip. They didn't know what to do with him. He had no interest in following the unspoken rules regarding how they felt black men should behave. Reminds me of so many dudes when I was younger getting so worked up about football players.

Most of black football players celebrate and touch. I didn't understand that complete then and didn't understand it then and don't now, it's like it's fucking entertainment you know? Why would you want it to be less entertaining? You don't want some guy doing a 10 second touchdown dance? Well, keep him out of the end zone. Don't want Cassius Clay running his mouth? Well, go beat him in the ring.

If not, I don't know, maybe shut the fuck up. June 10th, 1962, Cassius Clay traveled with his brother Rudy and recruiter Sam Saxon to Detroit, Michigan to attend a nation-in-islam rally. Let me share a bit more about this group now. we've mentioned the nation of Islam in a bunch of past episodes. Not favorably, generally.

Like our look into the Noabian Nation of Moors cult, episode 252 in 2021. The Nation of Islam is a religious and political movement that started in 1930, founded by Wallace Fard, Mohammed, in Detroit, though it shares the same foundational belief system with Islam. The NOI has its own distinct theology that back in the 60s still emphasized not just black empowerment, but black superiority. a belief system vehemently and consistently rejected by mainstream Muslims. While its beliefs have evolved, it's preached that the creator God Allah took the shape of a black man. He then died and had several mortal successors. The Islamic prophet Muhammad being the most recent.

It taught that the first Allah created black people as the earliest humans. It maintained that some fucked up island of Dr. Moreau wizard scientist named Yakub created the white race by some weird form of grafting, lacking inner divvents. these new whites were intrinsically violent and evil white devils and they overthrew and enslaved the superior black race and were prophesied to rule for six thousand years this fucking old time religious theology is always like it just feels like a like poorly written lord of the rings like somebody just like um five thousand no six i think six thousand years sounds better and i guess this is this is even old this is just like written as if it were old stuff but it was like

written like in the fucking 30s, 40s, 50s. Anyway, prophesied that the whites, the white devils would rule for 6,000 years through a practice known as Trichnology. And that period ended in 1914. And now it's time for the black Muslims to rise to power.

Wallace Fard Muhammad's messenger and early successor, Elijah Muhammad, preached an ever-evolving creed with his own changing myths and doctrines. This is the guy that Muhammad Ali would be taken in by, Cash is Clay. Too much to get into today. Way too much.

Just know that at its core. the NOI espoused and preached a Muslim theology combined with the belief of the innate black superiority over whites, a belief system, you know, that scared the shit out of mainstream America and rightly so. They did hate white people, and they did believe that white people were evil. Fucked up, but in the racial climate of the day, I can see how they got there, how they wanted to fight fire with fire, right? They didn't want to win equality by peaceful resistance. They wanted to fight. Okay. Throughout the 1950s and 60s, the NOI became a powerful cultural force, inspiring pride and defiance through speech. of its most powerful member Malcolm X at a time when systemic racism was of course rampant. One of the NOI's most controversial teachings was that racial integration was wrong.

Instead, the NOI promoted racial separation, saying that true freedom for black people meant self-reliance, independence, for many white forms of oppression. So Clay's growing interest in this extremist organization, you know, it freaks people out. Before this particular NOI rally in Detroit, 1962, Saxon brought Rudy and Cassius' brother to a diner with the minister of the NOI's mosque number seven in New York, the minister, none other than Malcolm X. Cassius have been curious, of course, for a while about the nation of Islam,

but meeting Malcolm X, who was the time, one of the most prominent, electrifying leaders of the N.O.I. One of those most, you know, gifted orators in the nation, that's what really set him on a path towards conversion. The two dudes became good friends. As Cassius now contemplates whether or not to publicly change his name

and fully convert to the nation of Islam, and is advised not to do that by almost everybody close to him, including his parents, his Louisville management group, worried it'll hurt his boxing career and prevent him from getting a title shot. He fights Argentine Alejandro Lavorante in Los Angeles, California, July 20th, 1962. He predicts he will knock him out in the fifth round. And once again, he makes good on a prediction. He's now 15-0.

And while still in the ring, he spots his old trainer Archie Moore and shouts, your next, old man. Archie was 48 years old. Cassius was 20. Archie, despite his age, no slouch. nicknamed the mongoose and also ancient Archie at this point he was the longest raining light heavyweight champion

of all time a record he still holds today also still holds a record of most knockouts in modern boxing history with 132 dude would retire with a record of 186 wins, 23 losses my god he fought over fucking 200 times

that's absurd ring magazine listed him as number four in an article titled the 100 greatest punters of all time while the two men would fight that November another prediction was made. In the days before the fight, Clay rhymed that Archie Moore must fall in four. And he would. Clay beat him by technical

knockout in the fourth round. Archie would retire after one more fight the following year. And Clay was now the fourth ranks boxer in the heavyweight division as he chased his title shot. On January 24th, 1963, Caches Clay entered the ring against former defense event for the San Francisco 49ers football team

Charlie Powell. During an interview with Bob Waters, a few days before the match, ashes, Clay took a long look at his opponent, sitting across from him, then turned to the host, exhaled and said, God, is he homely? Anybody ever seen anybody so homely? Hey, I got a headline for you for Friday's paper. Beauty beats the beast. Love to fucking shit talk. Just as he predicted, Clay beat Powell, knocking out the heavyweight in the third round of the fight. And then Clay donated 10 percent of his proceeds to the Robina number three disaster trust fund. The month before the fight, the Rabina coal mine in Pennsylvania suffered two catastrophic explosions caused by a buildup of methane

gas and 37 coal miners killed in the disaster. And the trust fund was set up for their families. So he did a lot of charitable stuff. Two months later, Clay sold out Madison Square Garden five days in advance, first time that had happened in the venue's history. Making that more notable wasn't a title fight. Dude is now legit famous. And again, Clay had predicted it would happen, even in the face of a printer's strike, shutting down most newspaper production in the city. He did this.

He also predicted he'd knock out Doug Jones in the fourth round, but that would not happen. The fight would go the distance. Clay winning in a unanimous decision and the fight being named Ring Magazine's fight of the year. Also a controversial decision, when Clay's win was announced, the crowd booed and yelled fixed.

It's fixed! Most watching felt that Jones had won the fight. That fight, despite the victory, spite of sellout. Not great for boxing's reputation. The sport was so corrupt at this point that the state of New York was weighing out if they should make it illegal or not. After the fight, Clay had another funny quote. When asked if the boo's bothered him, he said, I love it. Boo yell, scream, throw peanuts. But whatever you do, pay to get in. I love it. Two weeks later, he's on the cover of Time magazine. In August of 1963, Cassius Clay released what would now be

considered a live spoken word album called I Am the Greatest. Here's a little tidbit of the first track from this album. I am the greatest by Cassius Clay. This is the legend of Cassius Clay, the most beautiful fighter in the world today. He talks a great deal and brags and deedy of a muscular punch that's incredibly speedy. The fistic world was dull and weary.

With a champ like listing, things had to be dreary. Then someone with color, someone with dash, brought fight fans are running with cash. This brash young boxer is something to see, and the heavyweight championship is his destiny. This kid fights great. He's got speed and endurance. But if you sign to fight him, increase your insurance.

Some of listed that album, some of the tracks on that album, as precursors to hip-hop. It was nominated for a comedy Grammy and sold over a half million copies in just U.S. On February 25th, 1964, after defeating Britain's Sir Henry Cooper in Wembley Arena, and once again a predicted knockout, this one in the fifth round, he gets a shot at the title now. At 22 years and 39 days, he won't be able to become the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history, but close. Floyd Patterson who recently lost heavyweight belt to Sonny Liston

when Liston had knocked him out in two minutes and six seconds in the first round he'd become the champ years earlier at the age of 21, 331 days. Clay would now be taking on this man who had beat Patterson, beat him twice, knocking him out again in a rematch in just two minutes and ten seconds. And Liston is often listed as one of the, if not the most feared heavyweight in boxing history. Excuse me, he was for sure the most feared heavyweight or boxer in general at the time. Listen to watch Clay's decision Went over Doug Jones

And after the fight said If I have to fight him I'll get locked up for murder Also said that Clay should be locked up For impersonating a fighter Clay had never fought a man like Sonny before Sunny had a hard childhood Father was a poor Arkansas sharecropper

Said to have whipped him almost daily When he was a little boy Like literally whipped him Charles Sonny Liston had been introduced To boxing back in 1950 While an inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary While he was serving time for armed robbery Within four weeks, no one would fight him anymore,

not even trained boxers. He's a badass dude. The athletic director at Missouri State Penitentiary Reverend Alois Stevens organized a sparring session with a professional heavyweight named Thurman Wilson to showcase Liston's potential. And after two rounds, Wilson exclaimed,

Better get me out of this ring, he's going to kill me. Sonny was paroled two years later and a local mob boss got him a job at an ordinance plant, started promoting him in regional tournaments. Four months later, after captioning the International Golden Gloves, heavyweight title Sonny Went Pro. For the next five years, when he wasn't in the ring, he worked in construction, or as a limo driver, or as a mob enforcer in St. Louis. He was

continually harassed by St. Louis police, who picked him up for question over a hundred times, literally. In the ring, he hadn't lost it in a decade leading up to his fight with Clay, devastating most opponents, with what one reporter called a pile driver of a left hand. Back on May 5, 1956, a police officer confronted Liston, and a friend about a cab parked near Liston's home enlist and beat the fuck out of him, breaking his knee, gashing his face, also took his gun, claimed the officer used racial slurs. A widely publicized account of list in resisting arrest that claimed night sticks, oh my God, claimed night sticks, Jesus, were allegedly broken over his skull, and that added to the public perception of him as a nightmarish monster, impervious to physical

punishment. His nicknames were the big bear and the night train. The only fight he'd lost, he'd lost in a split decision after the guy, Marty Marshall, broke his jaw when he hit Sunny while Sonny was laughing in the third round. And Sonny still finished the eight-round fight with a broken jaw. It was tough as they come. Also had mob ties. Paul Frankie Carbo, a mafia hitman promoted most of his fights after illegally buying the rights to work with him, given some other mob dudes 75 grand. A dude worked with known killers, some thought sending himself was a killer. Listing when Clay fought him was seen as virtually unbeatable like Mike Tyson back in his prime. He defeated eight of the top ten ranked contenders at heavyweight, seven by knockout.

The 22-year-old challenger from Louisville was seen as a flashy loudmouth, an eight-to-one underdog. But Cassius, if he was scared, did not show it. In the run-up to the fight, Clay taunted Liston, relentlessly, driving all around the country, reciting his trash talk poetry, predicting Liston's inevitable doom, calling his opponent a big, ugly bear, drove his tour bus up next to Liston's house in the middle of the night before a press conference, laid on the horn until he came outside. and ran out his PJs, Clay taunted him. Handlers had to step in between the two dudes as Clay continued to mock him, calling him ugly.

He's a big, dumb bear, he stinks. Police ended up showing up and sending Clay out of the neighborhood. It's fucking wild. As Cassius Clay later put it in his autobiography, I've campaigned for this title fight harder than most candidates campaign for a presidential election, make it an impossible for sunny listen of the newspapers to ignore me.

While promoting the match, Cassius, coined his arguably most famous phrase. When asked what his tactic would be in the ring, the underdog declared, Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Rumble, young man, rumble. Virtually all the boxing world thought Clay was about to get his ass kicked. And many of them were looking forward to it.

His Louisville management group had warned him to wait to fight listening, but he wouldn't listen, wouldn't be deterred. The fight was held February 25th, the Miami Beach Convention Hall in Florida, with about 8,300 spectators in attendance. The atmosphere was electric. Clay's charisma trash talk had turned the fight into a spectacle Liston's icy demeanor added a lot of tension.

Clay started strong using his unmatched speed and footwork to dance around the more formidable looking but slower champion. He peppered Liston with jabs and combinations, slipping punches, taunting him in the ring. By the third round, Clay's quickness was frustrating Liston, even stunned him with a few crisp shots to the face. Controversy erupted in round four when Clay complained that something on Liston's gloves was burning his eyes.

He had cheated. He spent much of the round backing away blindly, but survived without taking major damage. And then between rounds, His corner washed his eyes, and by the fifth, Clay regained control. By round six, Liston looked tired and battered. He was unable to match Clay's speed, and the challenger's confidence grew as he kept his distance and picked Liston apart. After the six, Liston shockingly refused to come out for round seven, siding a shoulder injury.

The underdog had won by technical knockout. Still one of the most shocking upsets in boxing history. The upsets had shockwaves through the sports world. Clay's brash personality outlandish predictions suddenly looked prophetic, and he became a global. sensation. Some critics called the fight a fix, though, due to Liston's sudden retirement, while others hailed Clay's victory as a masterclass and speed and strategy. As Jim Murray of the LA Times wrote, I'm a little unclear at this point, whether I've just seen the upset of the century or the setup. Cassius Clay, who looked like a hot prospect for a straight jacket instead of a

crown as late as an hour before fight time, is the heavyweight champion in the world. And Sunny Liston is just another ex-con with his arm and a sling. The old champ was as clumsy as a guy groping for a light switch in the dark with the hangover. I've seen guys look more graceful falling down cellar stairs. They say that the lion threw his shoulder in the fight. I only hope that's all he threw. And that was an article titled,

Upset or Set Up. Well, lots of people speculated that the only reason Cassius won the fight was because the whole thing was rigged. Others had his back. At least kind of. A different LA Times writer defended Cassius, writing, the ending of the bout was so weird

people may always think it smelled, but throw out the suspicions. Cassius Clay whips Sunny Liston here Tuesday night and won the heavyweight championship of the world fair and square. Another writer made a very similar statement. Cassius Clay is unlikely to be a popular champion because he is a compulsive talker

who was born, excuse me, with a locked open jaw. His constant and shockingly immodest brain has made him one of the most disliked champs of all time and his hit and run style has never been a favorite with fight fans. But to point to remember is that Clay didn't set out to win friends and influence people. He set out to become heavyweight champion of the world, and even if luck was with him, he gave it a good shot on his own Tuesday night. Just a day after shocking the world by defeating Liston to become heavyweight champion, Cassius made headlines again, not for his fist, but for his faith.

On February 26, 1964, during a press conference of Miami, he appeared alongside Malcolm X and declared, quote, I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be who I want. He announced he was now a member of the nation of Islam, something some members of the press had been speculating for months already. and that he was rejecting what he called his slave name, choosing to be called Cassius X, the X symbolizing the loss of his African ancestral name. While the fact that he'd dethrone Sunny Liston made lots of boxing fans mad, the fact that he'd joined the NOI, change his name,

oh, that made him completely fucking furious. His relationship with his Louisville backers becomes quite strained. For nine days, the heavyweight champ went by Cassius X until the nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad gave him his new name of Muhammad Ali. For several years, some members of the boxing world and the mainstream American media in general refused to call the fighter by his new name. In response to their obstinence, Muhammad Ali was once quoted as saying, Cash's Clay is a slave name. I didn't choose it and I don't want it.

I'm Muhammad Ali, a free name. It means beloved of God. And I insist people use it when they speak to me. One of the most outspoken opponents of Muhammad Ali's conversion to the NOI was Ed Lassman, the president of the World Boxing Association. For months after Muhammad publicly proclaimed his faith, Lastman fought to have the heavyweight world champion barred from boxing

and his title stripped. Okay. To the press, Lastman often said of the reasons he wanted all he ousted or one of the reasons, excuse me, was because of his behavior in the ring. His conduct has been bad. He's a detriment to the boxing world

and is setting a bad example to the youth of the world. Yeah, how dare they have fun? Talk a little shit in front of sporting matches and provide again more entertainment. That was most likely bullshit. The truth was that Lastman's chief objection to Clay is his membership in the black Muslims in anti-integration society, one newspaper wrote.

Lasman tried his very best to strip Muhammad of his title, but found it surprisingly difficult to do so. Clay's manager Bill Fabersham said that what the president of the World Boxing Association was doing was completely arbitrary, futile, it would never work. And one interview he noted, quote, Muhammad Ali has broken no laws, done nothing immoral, never been arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, or chased anyone in a park. All of these things happened to list him. luckily last month's recommendations were denied and Muhammad Ali kept his title as heavy at world champion

but not for long March 1965 Malcolm X would leave the nation to Islam he'd been suspended for criticizing leader Elijah Muhammad for his supposed extramarital affairs with teenage secretaries many of them secretaries of his what? Wait a minute a religious leader

fucking young followers get out of here that never happens Malcolm X also came to view NYU teachings as no better than and clan teachings as far as it being racist. Muhammad Ali was side with NOI in this rift, and he and Malcolm would never reconcile before Malcolm's assassination in February of 1965.

Not leaving the NOI and following Malcolm will be one of the biggest regrets of Ali's life. Not leaving at that point. In May of 1964, Muhammad Ali embarked on his first trip to Africa, saying, I want to see Africa and meet my brothers and sisters. He began his trip in Ghana, then traveled to Nigeria and Egypt, everywhere he went. He was greeted with crowds of people.

cheering him on, offering him gifts. But it wasn't just his athletic prowess that people adored. It was his voice, how he spoke up for black people everywhere. He'd become, would continue to become a powerful symbol of anti-colonialism. When he landed at the Accra airport in Ghana, May 16, 1964, Muhammad Ali, welcomed by a group of state officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Director of Sports, as well as the chairman of the Ghana Boxing Authority and other high-profile people.

For weeks leading up to Muhammad Ali's arrival, the Ghanaian president, Kwama, Numa, had promoted and celebrated the boxer on a national scale. While basically the whole world would go on to eventually embrace Ali, President Numa was the first to do so.

Muhammad Ali represented everything that President Numa stood for. As one Ghanaian paper put it, if there is one man who can assist positively to bring about President Numa's cherished aims of projecting the African personality and disprove the superiority complex of the white man, he is Muhammad Ali.

At the accurate, airport, he proudly declared, I am an African, and my proper name is Muhammad Ali. There is greater dignity in my new name. He also went on to say, I'm glad to tell our people that there are more things to be seen in Africa than lions and elephants. They never told us about your beautiful flowers, magnificent hotels, beautiful houses, beaches, great hospitals, schools, and universities. It's important to note that at this time, most Americans were largely against Muhammad Ali's conversion to Islam. They refused to acknowledge his new name again, didn't like when he went to Africa. Even Martin Luther King Jr. said when Cassius Clay joined the black Muslims and started

calling himself Cassius X, he became a champion of racial segregation. Conversely, in Africa, everybody from journalists to national dignitary school children to village elders, well, they respected and honored the name Muhammad Ali in his choice. The world champ ended his multi-week tour of Africa and Cairo Egypt. He made history when standing in front of the great pyramids. He, quote, fused politics and religion, giving the black power salute while shouting in Arabic, God is great. in the U.S. In the summer of 64, Ali meets a cocktail waitress, three years as junior, Sanji Roy in July and Gary, Indiana. Herbert Muhammad, Ali's friend and another Nation of Islam guy,

actually the third son of the Nation of Islam leader, Elijah Muhammad. This guy will actually become Ali's longtime manager and will later co-found top rank boxing promotions will he introduce the two. And they would marry a month later after a whirlwind romance. But they would argue all the time over Sanji's refusal to join the nation of Islam. according to Ali quote she wouldn't do what she was supposed to do she wore lipstick she went into bars she dressed in clothes that were revealing and didn't look right oh no uh the marriage was childless they divorced less than a year and a half later january 10th 1966 just before the divorce was finalized ali sent sanchi a note that said you traded heaven for hell baby however ali's little brother rudy who had followed his brother into the nation of islam and changed his name to rahman ali later said that she was ali's only true love and the nation of Islam made Ali divorce her and Ali never got over it crazy

before moving forward I'll add that Muhammad's parents loved Sanji hoped that she would be able to pull Ali out of the NOI they worried that the NOI was a cult and that the organization was stealing money from their son yeah I think at this point in history it fucking was a cult a lot of people

believed still believe the NNI Grifted the fuck out of Muhammad Ali now back to boxing May 25th 1965 Muhammad Ali defended his title in a rematch against Sunny Liston, which had been ordered by the World Boxing Council due to the quote, sudden ending of their previous bout. Due to the controversy surrounding both fighters,

Muhammad Ali's tied to the nation of Islam, recent arrests that brought Sunny Liston's connections to organize crime to light. Promoters had a hell of a time finding a venue to host this fight. They ended up holding the fight in a junior hockey rink in Central Maine. The Central Maine Youth Center in Lewiston, Maine, had a capacity of less than 4,000. The fight would be the shortest heavyweight championship fight of all time, up until that point, with Ali knocking Liston the fuck out

with one punch straight to the dome in the first round. Liston was unable to get up before the end of the count, and the match concluded at two minutes, 12 seconds. And now this ending, more controversial than the men's first fight. At the end of the second Ali Liston's fight remains one of the most controversial in boxing history to this day. Midway through the first round, Liston, through a left jab, Ali supposedly went over it with the fast right

knocking listen down on his back but many in attendance never saw Ali deliver this final punch and it became known as the Phantom Punch Ali initially stood over his fallen opponent gesturing and yelling at him get up and fight sucker no one's gonna believe this

that moment was captured by ringside photographer Neil Leifer and what became one of the most iconic images in modern sports history chosen as the cover of the sports illustrated special issue the century's greatest sports photos you've probably seen it a fucking badass shot. Numerous fans started booing, yelling, fix, fix. Boxer George Chavula, or Chivalo, excuse me, climbed to the ropes, jumped in the ring, pushed Ollie, yelling fix.

He was restrained. Later, he said that he had seen Liston's eyes while the challenger was on the floor, and he knew he wasn't in bad shape. He was fucking playing possum. His eyes were darting from side to side like this, he said. When a fighter's hurt, his eyes roll up. However, boxing pundit, writer Larry Merchant, who was ringside, wrote 50 years later, I saw the actual punch land on the actual chin, as it others in my area of the press section. It was a quick right hand that caught Liston as he was coming forward. According to the ringside doctors I've spoken to, it's a classic example of a mandula oblagata or oblongata, K.O.

Jim Murray of the LA Times wrote that it was no phantom punch. Tex Mall of Sports Illustrated wrote, The Blow had so much force it lifted Liston's left foot, upon which most of his weight was resting, well off of the canvas. during a 1995 HBO documentary about Liston Johnny Tocco who owned a boxing gym

in Las Vegas said he spoke with mobster John Vattal before the rematch and was told not to pay attention to what he heard

about the fight he also told Tocco that he should be glad that he was not going to Lewiston when Tocco asks

why Vatal said the fight was going to end in the first round during the same documentary former FBI agent

William F. Romer Jr. said we learned there were definitely or that there definitely had been a fix in that fight. He said

that Bernie Glickman, a boxing manager of Chicago with mob connections, claimed that while he was conversing with Liston and his wife before the fight, Liston's wife told the ex-champ that as long as he had to lose a fight, might as well go down early and avoid chance of getting hurt. In the wake of the controversial fight, there was an outcry by press and politicians for the abolition of boxing. Bills to ban the sport were planned in several state legislatures. So even though Ali won this fight, it left him more hated than he had been in his career up to this point.

Meanwhile, while Ali was going undefeated in the ring, the U.S. was ramping up its war effort in Vietnam, a conflict that would make Ali even more hated, much more so. Throughout 1965, each month, more and more troops are being sent overseas. More and more American men being drafted to join the fight. In early 1966, Muhammad Ali submits a formal request for military draft exemption, you know, being a conscientious objector. According to the U.S. Selective Service website, a conscientious objector is, quote, who was opposed to serving in the armed forces and or bearing arms on the grounds of moral or religious principles. In order to be granted to conscience as object or classification, a man has to provide proof of his beliefs and testify to his beliefs in front of a local drafting board. Though his beliefs don't necessarily have to be religious-based, a man's reasons for not wanting to participate in a war must not be based on politics, expediency, or self-interest. After hearing Muhammad Ali's appeal for CO status, his local board unanimously determined that his beliefs were sincere, and they recommended he be exempted from the draft.

However, their recommendation fell on deaf ears. Remember, he's pretty fucking hated by a lot of people in the U.S. now, and his request is denied. Although the U.S. government didn't take any punitive action against Ali yet for refusing military induction at that point, the World Boxing Association did. Remember, they don't fucking like him. They still hated him for joining the nation of Islam. So they take away his title. And after winning his fair share of bouts, they gave it to Boxer Ernie.

Terrell. Yeah, Ernie had won a fair share of bouts. So now he gets his title stripped. In the summer of 1966, while in Chicago between fights, now 24-year-old Muhammad, visits the nation of Islam bakery on a number of occasions. He visits the same one. Why? Well, he becomes smitten with a 16-year-old who worked there, Belinda Boyd. Obviously, creepy by today's standards. Very much the norm back then. Not defending, not condoning, just stating facts. I think my grandpa-pop award was 24, maybe even 25. when he started dating my grandma and Betty who was 16 or maybe 15 today you'd get sex offender status for that

back then no one bad at an eye apparently Belinda later said in the Ken Burns docus series on Ollie's life he was a very gorgeous guy I was attracted to him right away he was very warm down to earth kind person Ollie is very flirtatious too

he was always happy the daughter of Muslims Boyd had attended both grade school and high school at the University of Nation University of the Nation of Islam in Chicago. A frequent guest in the home of Elijah Muhammad. Ali's manager, Herbert Muhammad, knew her,

told Ali he should pursue her. And the fucking NOI man, they are so culty. Got their hands all over, Ali, managed his money, managed his romantic interests. Back to losing his championship belt. If that was devastating to Ali, he didn't show it at the time. Stripped of his title,

fresh off his first wife leaving him. He focused on his new faith and a growing call to political activism. on January 25th, 1967, he quietly donated 10 grand to the United Negro College Fund, a nonprofit that provides scholarships and financial assistance to support black students and historically black institutions around America, still does today. With his sizable donation, which would be equivalent to over $100,000 today, Muhammad Ali became the largest single contributor to the UNFC in the organization's history.

But as monumental as the occasion was, he didn't seek public recognition for it. According to the non-profits president, Dr. Stephen J. Wright, unlike other donations, the envelope from Ali did not contain anything, which would have amounted to a request for publicity. It just contained the check. Skipping ahead a bit, February 6, 1967, Muhammad Ali fights Ernie Terrell, the dude who had been handed Ali's belt without having to fight for it. Prior to the fight, after controversially beaten Sunny Liston twice,

Ali had defeated former heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson, via TKO in the 12th round of a 15-round fight, November 22nd in In 1965 in Vegas He'd also beaten Georgia Chivalo That dude who jumped in the ring At the end of the second list in fight By unanimous decision

In 15 rounds in Toronto In March of 1966 Interesting bit of trivia about Chivalo That dude was never knocked down in the ring A single time in 93 fights 93 fights that included Ali, Frazier, and Foreman May of 1966 Ali beat Sir Henry Cooper again in London

Technical knockout in the sixth round and then he had left his Louisville management group when his current contract ended and signed with Herbert Muhammad son of NOI leader again, Elijah. He'd knocked out Brian London, fighting again in London, August of 1966 in the third round.

So he stayed in London for that one. In England, unlike in the U.S. at the time, he was adored. Huge crowds appearing wherever he went. Many seemed to respect his position on U.S. race relations and on the Vietnam War. He'd beaten Carl Mildenberger via T.O. 12th round of September

in 1966 in Frankfurt, Germany. Then he had scored another TKO over Cleveland Williams in the third round in Houston at the Astrodome in November of 1966. Some boxing fans feel that was his best fight. He was teeing off on Williams with 10-punch combinations, gracefully dancing away from counterpunches, a

masterpiece of poetry in motion. And now he's 27-0. Both before and during the bout, Ernie Terrell made the big fuck a mistake of refusing to call Muhammad Ali by his name, you know, calling him by his name of Cassius Clay instead, which he considered to be a slave name. In their last pre-fight interview, Muhammad Ali stared his opponent dead in the eye and said, My name is Muhammad Ali, and you will announce it right here in the center of the ring after the fight if you don't do it now.

When Terrell called him, once again, Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali vowed he would make him pay. And he did. He won by unanimous decision and 15 rounds, literally shouting over and over, what's my name, during the eighth round. also calling him an Uncle Tom as he pummeled Terrell into submission that victory though interestingly added to Ali's unpopularity in the U.S. because now a lot of boxing fans felt

that he could have knocked him out in the early round but chose not to because he wanted to fuck him up for more rounds, wanted to punish him. He outpunched him considerably Ernie did look wobbly and ready to be dropped for most of the fight. A few months later, Ali's popularity would decrease further thanks to gain to the Vietnam War.

On April 28, 1967, Ali, after knocking out Zora Foley in the seventh round in a Madison Square Garden match the previous month, reported to a military induction center in Houston, Texas. Three times his name is called, three times he refuses to answer. Despite having been denied CO status, he declared himself a conscientious objector, and in a press conference held that same day, he read his official statement. I am proud of the title World Heavyweight Champion, which I won in the ring in Miami, February 25, 1964. for the holder of it should at all times have the courage of convictions and carry out those

convictions, not only in the ring, but throughout all phases of his life. It is in light of my own personal convictions that I take my stand in rejecting the call to be inducted into the armed services. I do so with full realization of its implications and possible consequences. In the media shitstorm that followed, Ali spoke more candidly about his decision to defy the draft, saying, why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam, while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights. The real enemy of my people is right here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people, or myself by becoming a tool to enslave

those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom, and equality. I mean, hard to argue with the logic of, like, not wanting to fight because he's not being treated, you know, equally at home. I mean, would you want to risk your life to defend a country? Supposedly, if you're for freedom when your country doesn't afford you the same freedoms as everybody else. You know, they don't even allow the most basic shit like you getting to go eat in whatever restaurant you want. After he refused a draft, the already controversial boxing champ became the subject of a national debate.

In one scathing article, very poignantly titled World Catching Up with Cassius, a popular commentator wrote, all these years, he has had this craving for attention, and adoring clack followed him everywhere, and he would yell, I'm the greatest, and the clack would respond, that's right, champion you the greatest. Now the greatest is terribly lonely. Muhammad Ali, as he has known, has a choice of serving his country or going to prison, and his choice is prison. Too bad. The clack will praise his name, but they won't fall him to jail. But we do not mourn for Muhammad Ali, young, wealthy, and confused. Some of us feel more pity than anger. Ali is so pathetically eager to prove his sincerity. Ali has no love or respect for his country. The real enemy of his

people, he says, is here in the U.S., not in Vietnam. But a country can't be all that bad, when he can announce it and take his appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. That's a pretty simplistic and shitty way to frame this. And I've heard this argument before. Just because you have some rights, just because you're rich. That doesn't mean you actually live in a nation with the just government, or at least a government that's just towards you. Russia has a lot of rich people.

They have courts. Would you want to live there? Right? Same for China. June 20, 1967, Muhammad Ali convicted of draft evasion in a federal district court now. fine $10,000 sentenced to five years in prison, stripped of his heavyweight title again, despite his still undefeated record and banned from all boxing for three years.

Though Ali was able to avoid prison on appeal by paying a $5,000 bond, equal to about $50,000 today, not able to avoid exile. His boxing license revoked in all 50 states, and to ensure he couldn't box overseas, either the U.S. government took away his passport. It's fucking wild. In public, Muhammad Ali accepted his exile from boxing. graciously, saying he would devote his time to religious studies and the proliferation of his faith. In private, I imagine he was mad as hell. During his three years of exile, Ali did do what

he said he would. He spent much of his time under the mentorship of Elijah Muhammad, ministering the faith at the NOI, giving motivational speeches in universities or, you know, at universities around the country. Also on August 17, 1967, he married 17-year-old Belinda Boyd, and they moved into a new home in Chicago's south side. She will eventually change. change her name to Kalila Ali. They will have four kids together. Miriam, May, May, Ali, born in 68. Twins, Jamila, and Rashida, born in 1970, and

Muhammad Ali Jr. born in 1972. Exap from the boxing ring. Muhammad Ali took on a different stage now, Broadway, randomly. December 2nd, 1969, the musical Buck White opened at the George Abbott Theater in New York City with Muhammad Ali playing the lead. So random. Some of his motivation here may have been financial. He's still paying alimony to his first wife.

It stands on Vietnam, you're not right, led to the government and the World Boxing Association, taking away his livelihood. Buck White was about a militant black lecturer, played by Ali, leading a meeting for a black political organization. Zev Buffman, the producer of the show, said he was pleasantly surprised and in awe of the heavyweight champs singing. I was amazed at his ability to carry a tune. His voice was as attention-grabbing as his charm as a fighter, he said. It didn't last long. It only lasts like five nights, I think. Ali also did a bunch of paid speaking engagements

As I mentioned to make money Money was so tight at this point That his wife Belinda had to sew her own clothes And Elijah Muhammad loaned them some money As he got better at public speaking He started preaching at mosques And he showed up at some anti-war rallies With groups like the Black Panthers

When his three-year boxing exhal ended in 1970 Ali was the father of three little girls Two newborns, a two-year-old With more mouths to feed He needed to get back to work more than ever and he told reporters in 69 that he would be mainly fighting for money now to cover unpaid debts. And that statement pissed off Elijah Muhammad in the NOI

because Elijah taught that Allah would always provide. So now he suspended Ali from the NOI. And Elijah also chastised him publicly for his desire to fight. He said Cash's Clay made a fool out of himself for accepting the sport which Allah condemns. He published that in the NOI's paper, Muhammad speaks. In response, Muhammad Ali apologized publicly for the way he said, what he said uh quote what i said was out of place he is the boss i will be a muslim until the day i die

i only pray that he will forgive me and let me back and then added i will never climb me to the ring or going to an arena again but i don't know why he said that because he was planning a boxing comeback uh he would largely ignore his n oi ban he still go to mosques they wouldn't you know refuse him at the door somehow he and elijah will come to some sort of truce uh he'll you know return to the n oi asterix elijah will not publicly chastise his decision to box but also not apologize for saying that boxing is banned for two followers of his teachings and never officially bring him back into the fold. After Elijah will die, in 1975, the NOI will transition into a more mainstream version of Sunni Islam and Ali will follow, be brought back

in officially, before eventually separating from the NOI more and becoming just more of a mainstream Muslim. Okay, returning to 1970, Ali's manager, Elijah's own son Herbert, looking for a venue to Mohammed's, for his first fight post-exile. Herbert didn't give a fuck what dad said about boxing because he was taking a third of the champs prize money and taking an extra cut of a closed circuit broadcasts, precursor to pay-per-view. Herbert's search for a venue led them to Atlanta. The first bout, Muhammad Ali, now 28 years old, fought was against Jerry Quarry on October 26. While the then-Mayor of Atlanta, Sam Mansell, approved the bout that Governor of Georgia,

Lester Maddox, staunchly against it. He was an openly racist motherfucker, super pro-segregation, and anti-Mohamed Ali. A quick note on Maddox, dude rose to political prominence in Georgia in 1964 as a restaurateur who infamously refused to serve black customers after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 said it was now illegal to still be a good old boy redneck cocksucker. A group of black seminary students, kids studying the Bible, wanted to eat at his restaurant. And he responded by confronting them with an axe handle, threatening to beat the fuck out of him. And other dipshits with him, they had axe handles, and they were ready to back him up.

dude formed a lynch mob so some Bible students couldn't eat pancakes in his stupid restaurant and so many other black hate and Georgians thought that was cool. He launched a campaign for the governorship and won in 1966. And now that Peckerwood declared a statewide day of

morning over the match taking place and called for all good Christian citizens of Georgia to boycott the fight in Jesus name. Maddox was the primary inspiration for Randy Newman's 1974 satirical song Rednicks. uh however he did maybe end up changing his views later perhaps opinions are mixed about him anyway i don't know if anyone did end up boycott in the fight but i do know ali absolutely dominated defeating quarry who was a top-ranked opponent by technical knockout in three rounds after the fight carretta scott king uh gave ali a martin luther king memorial ward ali took the fight despite receiving numerous numerous death threats one person literally sent him the corpse of a decapitated black doll

sent it to his fucking house where he lived with his wife and daughters sent it with a note that read in part we know how to handle black draft dodging dogs in Georgia damn Ollie wanted to fight again now but he was still banned from fighting literally any place

in the U.S. but Atlanta it would take a lot of lawyering to open up the rest of the country to him but they'd get it done two months later Ali took to the ring again this time in Madison Square Garden against hard hitting Argentine heavyweight Oscar the Bull Bonavina or Bonavina Both men are 28, the bull, hell of a puncher.

37 of Bonavina's previous 45 boxing opponent's been knocked the fuck out. Both guys talked a lot of shit about one another leading up to the fight. And then after the way in, Ali took things up a notch, turned up unannounced in Bonavina's dressing room, shouting hysterically at his opponent until he was ejected by some of his entourage. Then on the day of the fight, Ali announced, I've never wanted to whoop a man so bad. I'm going to put some soul on his head.

I tell you, the beast is mine. Tonight, he falls in nine. Once again, Ali was declared the winner by technical knockout, but not a nine. Took him 15 rounds. He tried to knock him out the ninth, later commented on why he couldn't get that done, saying, Funny, when I was predicted the ninth round, I never thought I came close to predicting on myself. I made a lot of mistakes in that fight, and it cost me. I got careless with him in the ninth round, and you can't do that with Oscar.

And that ninth round, I got hit by a hook harder than Frasier could ever throw. Numb, like I was numb all over. Shock and vibrations is all I felt. that's how I knew I was alive. I mean, I was jarred. Even my toes felt the vibrations. The first thought that came to mind, another good one or two might have dropped me.

So in the minute I'm hit, two steps backwards, I'm on the other side of the ring. Around this time, the mainstream narrative, changing around, I'll eat. While initially seen as a villain for refusing to fight for his country in Vietnam and for publicly joining a black supremacist group, now much of the U.S. has soured on the Vietnam War.

While the counterculture has been against it since the beginning, after years of the nightly news and newspapers around the country reported on people's sons dying, war atrocities, being committed by U.S. troops, little to no progress being made in defeating the Vietnam, Middle America has had enough. They're against the war as well. And six years after the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, the NOI has retreated from the spotlight. No one's worried about a group of black militants somehow taken over white neighborhoods and white towns anymore. A few years on from the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, there's more compassion, more understanding amongst many whites for the plight of African Americans.

And to more and more people, Ali is seen not as some anti-American villain, but a true and courageous American hero who refuses to back down from what he believes in right or wrong, no matter what the costs. Now, with two solid wins under his belt post-exile, Muhammad Ali challenged Joe Frazier for the World Heavyweight boxing title. It would take place March 8, 1971, back in Madison Square Garden. The fight was billed as the biggest boxing match in history, and now a number of historians regarded as arguably the single most anticipated and publicized sporting event of all time.

Prior to the fight, Mark Cramm wrote in Sports Illustrated, the thrust of this fight on the public consciousness is incalculable. It has been a ceaseless work that seems to have grown in decibel with each new soliloquy by Ali, with each dead calm promised by Frazier. It has magnetized the imagination of ring theorists and flushed out polemicist of every persuasion. It has cut deep into the thicket of our national attitudes, and it is a conversational imperative everywhere. From the gavel of big city saloons

and factory lunch breaks, rife with unreasoning labels to ghetto salons with their own false labels. Joe Frazier, 27 years old, to Ali's 29 at that point. Joe was a fucking beast. Called smoking Joe Frazier.

He was known for a formidable left hand and putting relentless pressure on opponents. He just never backed down, just constantly chasing him. He'd won the gold medal in the 1964 Olympics. Still today, the International Boxing Research Organization, rates Frazier among, excuse me, the ten greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, Ring Magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1967,

Boxing Writers Association of America, named him Fighter of the Year in 1969. Frazier grew up dirt poor on a rural South Carolina farm near Beaufort, youngest of ten children. His dad lost his left hand, part of that arm, the year Joe was born in a tractor accident. Frazier had his own left arm broken when a hog busted out of a pen and chased him around, and his parents didn't have money to send him to the doctor. the bone healed incorrectly he'd never be able to fully straighten it again but it was fucking powerful

when he was 15 he left home left town after watching a farmer he worked for take off his belt and whip a 12-year-old black child half to death he intended to move in with an older brother in new york city but ended up in philadelphia instead completely on his own now he got into boxing and excelled over several years as an amateur lost only to one man After getting Olympic gold, he went on an undefeated tear, and when he and Ali faced each other, neither man had been professionally beaten. Frazier, 26 and O, with 23 knockouts. One of those knockouts was against Buster Mathis that one dude who had beaten him controversially as an amateur. Ali was 31 and O, with 25 knockouts. Ali, 6'3, 215 pounds.

Frazier 511, 205 pounds. For the match, ringside seats went for 150 bucks, equivalent to over $1,200 now. each man guaranteed $2.5 million, equivalent to almost $20 million today. Madison Square Garden, packed with a sellout crowd of 20,455 excited people. On the evening of the match, Madison Square Garden had a circus-like atmosphere with scores of police officers in to control the crowd of outrageously dressed fans, kids, and countless celebrities. Unable to get a seat, Frank Sinatra, worked as a photographer for Life magazine just so he could watch the fight. Nelson Mandela was talking about how excited everyone was for the fight,

in the South African prison he was still in. The fight was sold and broadcast by a closed circuit to 50 countries and 12 languages via ringside reporters to an audience estimated at 300 million, a record viewership for a televised event at that time. Literal riots broke out in several places due to unresolvable technical issues

that interrupted the broadcast in several cities in the third round. The fight would go the full 15 rounds. It was action-packed, an instant classic. And in the end, Ollie lost. Ali refused to publicly admit defeat and sought to define the outcome in the public's mind as a white man's decision. Three years out of the ring had taken their toll on Ali.

He wasn't quite as fast, despite already fighting a few times, you know, post-exile as he had been before the exile. His punches didn't pack quite the same sting, and he lost by unanimous decision. His wife Belinda will later say she didn't think Ali took the fight seriously enough. He was bigger than Frasier, longer reach. He thought he was just going to walk right through him. He was too focused on showmanship, leading up to the fight on playing mind games, not focused enough on actual boxing fundamentals and training.

And he was distracted by continual infidelity. Ever since his suspension from the nation of Islam, following his exile from boxing, he had been cheating on Belinda frequently. Wherever he went, women approached him, and when he was away from his wife, he reciprocated, often, apparently. And members of his entourage, all too happy to encourage him. Guessing they were hooking up with women who wanted to be close to Ali as well. Belinda, heartbroken, began to have in her own affairs. Legendary boxer promoter Bob Aram, close friend of Ali's, would later say that when it came to helping others in need, or, you know, standing up for social injustice, Ali had an incredible moral compass.

He said in almost every way, his morals were impeccable. But when it came to marital fidelity, he said he didn't have a compass at all, a notorious womanizer, just like his dad, just like his religious leader. A few months later, four years after he was convicted, after losing appeal after appeal, worrying about going to prison for years on June 29, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared Muhammad Ali of his charge of refusing the Vietnam draft. The decision was not based on, nor did it address, the merits of Ali's claims per se.

Rather, the court held that since the appeal board gave no reason for the denial of a conscientious objector exemption to Ali. It was therefore impossible to determine which of the three basic tests for conscientious objector status the appeal board relied on, and Ali's conviction must be reversed. It's also thought that because a number of Jehovah's Witnesses, white Jehovah's Witnesses, had been given consciences, objector status since the original decision against Ali. You know, he should be given the same status for his religious beliefs.

In a 1974 interview, Ali would say, if they say stand and salute the flag, I do that out of respect, because I'm in the country. If America was in trouble and real war came, I'd be on the front line if we were attacked. but I could see that the Vietnam War wasn't right. He also said black men would go over there and fight but when they came home they couldn't even be served a hamburger.

Ali fought again the following month beating Jimmy Ellis via TKO back at the Astrodome in Houston and a 12th round TKO. He then took Frazier foe Buster Mathis, the distance in Houston as well in November of 1971, beaten him in a unanimous decision. And he

fought one more time in 71 in December knocking out Yergen Blinn in Zurich, Switzerland in the seventh round. In 1972, he would fight six times, insane, by today's standards. He's also burning through money. Herbert's taking a third of every purse, that motherfucker. He's paying the bills of his entourage. He has homes across the country.

He has a fleet of cars, including two Rolls Royces. He has a big heart, and he's given a lot of people, you know, money when they're in need. He won all of his 1972 bouts, included a rematch over Floyd Patterson, that sent the former champ into retirement. started off 1973 with another win working his way to a rematch against Joe Frazier and then wearing a bedazzled robe gifted to him by none other than Elvis Presley

on March 23rd, 1973 Muhammad Ali entered the ring against Ken Norton aka the black Hercules. Norton was a Marine Corps veteran who had compiled a 24 and 2 record in route to three all-marine heavyweight titles the best boxer to ever fight for the Corps. Norton had only lost once before this fight

in 30 professional matches yeah because those were amateur ones that 24-2 record unfortunately for Ali the Elvis sparkly robe he wore didn't bring him good luck because on that day

he suffered the second loss of his career not only did Norton win he also broke Ali's jaw around two of the 12 round bout according to the surgeon who operated Ali later the bone which was broken

had three or four jagged edges and they kept poking into his cheek and mouth it was a very bad break it was a controversial loss many thought that despite the broken jaw Ali actually won the fight. Crazy that he just kept fighting with that busted-ass jaw. Ali accepted his defeat graciously agreeing to shake Norton's hand in the ring.

Norton, in turn, visited Ali's hospital room afterwards. Both sides immediately began to talk about a rematch with Ali claiming he'd win another bout, and Norton saying he'd knock Ollie out next time. Ali was quoted in the ring magazine after the fight, saying, I have nobody to blame but myself from my loss to Ken Norton. I didn't train properly because I didn't really think Ken was that great of a fighter. I was wrong.

This time, things would be different. you'll see the real Muhammad Ali. Well, despite the blow to his record and his jaw, Ali came back swinging just six months later. And in a rematch against Ken or on September 10th, 1973, won by split decision in 12 rounds. Did not wear that robe from Elvis Presley again. Didn't wear that ever again.

Ali said after the fight, Ken Norton's the best man I've ever fought. No man could hit me as much as Norton did in the shape that I am in. Frazier couldn't do it. Foreman wouldn't do it. I imagine if you watch films in my old fights, I'm not too much slower, but I can't be 22 again.

After winning another fight in 1973 in Indonesia against a Dutch heavyweight named Rudy Lubbers, it was time for that Frazier rematch. But first, a quick, weird side quest into Lubbers here. Now 80 years old, that dude is currently living in Bulgaria, maybe. After retiring from boxing, Lubbers moved to Portugal, got arrested in 1986 for drug smuggling, served four years in prison, and after being released, became a traveling carney. Oh, yeah. Traveled around working for carnivals in some capacity,

married a woman named Ria, and then the two ended up homeless. Then in 2009, they were discovered living in a rundown RV with literally 20 dogs also in the RV with them. Some of them described as feral. Fuck is going on. As of 2018, last press I can find about him, they were living with 16 dogs now.

I guess four of those dogs passed in a broken down van with no running water, no electricity, and no toilet. Dear God, so many boxers Sadly have tragic pre-boxing stories And tragic post-boxing stories January 28th, 1974, Ali once again took on Joe Frazier, the heavyweight champ Who'd handed him his first ever defeat in the ring

Billed as the Super Fight 2 It was held back in Madison Square Garden Five days before the fight on January 23rd When Ali and Frasier had visited the ABC Studios New York City to review their first fight For ABC's wide world of sports Ali began trash-talking Frazier, called him ignorant. For mention that Ali had visited the hospital after the bout.

He pointed out he'd put Frazier in a hospital for a full month after the fight. And that enraged Frazier, who stood up and squared off against a still-seated Ali, he kept repeating, why you call me ignorant? How am I ignorant? While Frazier was not looking at Ali, and the studio crew in his entourage tried to calm him down. Ali pops up, grabs Frazier by the neck, wrestles him down to the ground. That leads to a fight breaking out in the studio floor and live TV. Both boxers are subsequently fined, and now significant drama is added to the rematch.

At stake for Ali, a chance to not only avenge his loss to Frazier in their first fight, but also set up a shot for the world title against the heavyweight champion George Foreman, who had, in between, dethroned Frazier. Well, the grueling, sloppy match would last all 12 rounds, but ultimately end in a unanimous decision for Ali. And now he gets another title shot. But first, in March of 1974, Ali visited a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, the first prominent American to bring attention to the suffering happening in Palestine.

How sad is that? So much suffering happening in Palestine back in 1974. So much suffering now. Is land holy or cursed? During his trip, he famously declared, in my name and the name of all Muslims in America, I declare support for the Palestinian struggle to liberate their homeland and oust the Zionist invaders. Over 50 years later, same fight. Keeps being fought.

America was in an interesting place leading up to Ali's fight against Foreman. An oil embargo had crippled the American economy. Inflation was soaring, 12% compared to 3% now. Gas prices up 35% from the year before. President Nixon had resigned rather than be thrown out of the White House and scandal. Court ordered desegregation in schools sent many whites fleeing to the suburbs. A lot of former black activists had entered politics, becoming mayors around the country. Nation as a whole seemed to largely agree

that Vietnam was a mistake. Ollie's lost to Frasier, then comeback win, plus everything he had gone through had softened his perception for more Americans, and he was now more popular and respected than ever. America loves a comeback. Ali promotes himself leading up to the fight as a

champion of black power, and he calls George Foreman, who's also a black man, the white hope. That's pretty fucking funny. The mind games continue. I'm going to beat his white ass. George Foreman's like, what are you talking about? shut up whitey uh ali was the revolutionary foreman was the status quo which did ring true form was very very mainstream uh very conservative compared to ali ali said i'm representing god i'm representing

the freedom of black people in america i want to win so i can come home and speak for the brothers living in a rat infested houses sleeping on concrete in the ghetto so this for me is a holy war this ain't just a fight against foreman i'm fighting for the freedom and equality of the black man in America. Then on October 30th, 1974, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, more than 60,000 fans packed into the 20th of May stadium at 4 a.m., local time to watch another one of the most famous boxing matches in history. Muhammad Ali versus George Foreman, aka the Rumble in the Jungle. And they did it at 4 am. there, so it would be a better viewing time in more populated areas. The fight was the brainchild of promoter Don King, who convinced ridiculously

corrupt American-backed president Mabutu Sisei Seiko who would come to power in a coup over a democratically elected leader that's a whole other story to host about turning it into a cultural spectacle complete with a three-day music festival featuring big names like James Brown

this is a man's world BB King, the Crusaders and more for a man who stood up against so much injustice in America interesting that Ali took blood money from a ruthless black dictator who regularly had black detractors arrested, tortured, and killed. A man who siphoned millions from his nation's natural resources

let his people starve while hiding money in offshore accounts. Kind of reminds me this event of a lot of comics I've respected over the years setting their principles aside conveniently to take a big paycheck to perform at the Rehad Comedy Festival, shucking and jibin for some ruthless Saudi royals. The notoriously corrupt boxing promoter Don King had promised each fighter $5 million, twice as much as Ali had made for either,

his Fraser fights. And he got Mobutu, Sise, Seiko, to pay that to each man. In the lead-up to the rumble in the jungle, all he recited one of his most famous poems. I don't wrestle with an alligator. I done tusset with a whale. Handcuffed lightning thrown thunder in jail. Only last week I murdered a rock. Injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I'm so mean I make medicine sick. I'm so fast I can run through a hurricane and don't get wet. When George Foreman meets me, he'll pay his debt. I can drown a drink of water and kill a debt. tree. Wait till you see Muhammad Ali. At 32 years old, Ali was again the underdog. Many feared he might even get hurt or killed in this fight. His opponent, George Foreman, and yes, it is that George

Foreman, the grill guy, had made a name for himself as a fucking terrifying knockout machine. At 25, Foreman was undefeated, 40 and O, with an incredible 37 knockouts, and he demolished Joe Frazier and a combined four rounds. His punching power was legendary. Few fighters had made it past the second round against him. Ali knew he couldn't outslug Foreman, so he flipped the script. In his training leading up to the fight, he devised his now-famous rope-a-dope tactic. Lean him back against the ropes, covering up, letting Foreman exhaust himself with heavy punches that mostly hit Ollie's arms and body.

More than 600 journalists would cover this fight, including Hunter S. Thompson and Norman Mailer. Round after round, Ollie taunted Foreman with quips like, Is that all you got, George? while sneaking in lightning fast counters His old speed was back But with what looked like more power Fans watching were shocked Starting with round one

It was Ali not Foreman Teeing off on his opponent With hard shots to the face By the third round Foreman's left eye was swelling Ollie opened the fourth With six straight shots to Foreman's face With 30 seconds left in the fifth

Ali staggered form With a sharp right hand to the head Followed by a flurry of more Short punches to Forman's face By the six round Forman's face was puffy and bruce bruised. He's slowing down. By round seven, Foreman's energy is fading further. His punches don't pack the same power. And around eight, Ali goes for it. He'd been letting Foreman exhaust himself,

like I mentioned, but he still had plenty of juice left. He saw his opening, exploded off the ropes with a furious combination flooring Foreman for the first time in his career. Foreman was stunned, exhausted, and legitimately hurt. And he couldn't beat the count. It was a fucking K-O. Ali had done it, a knockout victory, two minutes and twenty, and fifty-eight seconds in round eight, reclaiming the heavyweight title, proving he really was the greatest. Fans stormed the ring. It was fucking bedlam. Ollie celebrates with his arms raised over his head. The very pro-Ali crowd goes wild. His comeback is complete. He's avenged his loss to Frazier. He's avenged his loss to Norton. Now he's reclaimed the championship belt once again,

and has hailed worldwide as the greatest. The fight has been called arguably the greatest sporting event of any kind of the 20th century. It's a major upset. Ali was a 4-to-1 underdog against the unbeaten, heavy-handed foreman. It's been estimated that it was watched live by up to a billion people, about a quarter of the world's

four billion population at that point. It was the world's most watched live broadcast of any kind up until that point. While in Africa, Ali ran into a young woman named Veronica Porsche, an 18-year-old pre-med student from Southern California, who had been hired by Don King to help promote the fight.

They'd met at an exhibition match in Salt Lake City weeks earlier and of course they will have a fling and Ali will tell her he's getting a divorce but also he's seen at least two other women while he's in Africa. In his first new title defense,

more on Veronica later, in his first new title defense against Chuck Weppner, March 24th, 1975 in Richfield, Ohio. Ali wins by TKO in 15 rounds and donates 50 cents of every ticket sold to the bout which aired live on closed circuit TV.

to help aid those suffering from severe droughts in West Africa. He was really touched when he was over there. About his donation to African drought relief, he famously said, Wars of nations are fought to change maps. Wars on poverty are fought to map changes. The fight was also famous as the heavy underdog, 36-year-old Weppner took Ali the distance

and actually went on to become the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's movie and character of the same name, Rocky. Before the fight, Webner was lying in bed with his wife when he told her something to the effect of even if I don't win, I just want to prove I belong there. Wepner later shared that line with Sylvester Stallone

who would use it in Rocky. A major surprise came in the ninth round when Weppner scored a knockdown. After landing a body shot on the champ, I'm all stepping forward. That would be the fourth and final time Ali would be officially knocked down in a professional fight.

And it proved Weppner did indeed belong. And after knocking Ali down, Weptner went to his corner, I love this, and told his manager, start the car up, Al, we're going to the bank. We're millionaires. and his manager then told Weppner, you better turn around.

You guys getting up and he looks pretty pissed off. All they went on to punish Weppner for the remaining six rounds, opening cuts on his face, causing his eyes to swell up. I mean, he was fucking mangled by the end of this fight.

The final round culminated with a series of fierce combinations that sent Wepner staggering around the ring before being knocked down by one final punch. He tried to rise and beat the count, but the fight was stopped by the ref, Tony Perez, just when he just, you know, saw the challenger's poor condition.

And how funny is this? On the day of the fight, Weepner had presented a very sexy blue negligee to his wife, his own words. He considered it very sexy, told her to wear it that night in bed since she was going to be sleeping with a heavyweight champion of the world. On the night of the fight, Mrs. Weepner was wearing the negligee when Weepner returned to their hotel room after the fight with 23 stitches to his face. And she asked him, quote, okay, big shot, do I go to Ali's room or does he come to mine? clearly those two had very good senses of humor I love it

during this time Ali began traveling with both wife Belinda who's now going by Kalia and also Veronica who Kalia is now introducing to people as Ali's other wife what the fuck sometimes it truly feels like Western religion

is largely about dudes trying to be perceived as spiritual and righteous while also getting to fuck multiple women it just comes up over and over and over and over just relentless dudes who want someone to raise their kids and be available to them when they want them

but also not keep them from getting side action the prophet Muhammad had around a dozen wives and at least one concubine a.k.a. mistress. Was Western religion mainly founded by dudes trying to divinely rationalize

sliding their dicks into as much young posts as possible? I often wonder that. Ali had also fathered exact dates unknown at least two other kids with two other women during his marriage to Belinda slash Kalia but she still stayed

for now anyway. After two more wins in May and July against Ron Lyle and Joe Buggner in 1975, making millions of more dollars. On October 1st that year, Ali will face Joe Frazier for the third and final time in his last super-hyped classic megafite, the Thrilla in Manila

at the Arenetic Coliseum in Kaysan City in the Philippines. The fight was hosted by another corrupt dictator, pain fighters a lot of money, Ferdinand Marcos. Ali would bring Veronica to the presidential palace and not presidential palace and not Kalia each fighter had one win over the other

Frazier may have handed Ali his first professional loss in 1971's fight of the century but Ali even the score with unanimous decision in 1974 ahead of this fight Ali's mind games of course continued he insulted Frazier's intelligence said he was ugly said he looked like a gorilla said he smelled bad

even snuck into one of Frazier training sessions and taunted him from a catwalk above the ring The two became friendly after the first two fights, but Frasier will hold a grudge now for decades about Ali's taunting leading up to this one. Before the fight, Frazier told his trainer, whatever happens, don't stop the fight. I'm going to eat this half-breed's heart right out of his chest.

This is the end of him or me? Ali, now 33, came out strong. Pepper and Frasier, now 31, with jabs and combinations to start the first round. Ali lights up Frasier with combinations in the second and third rounds as well, and it's starting to look like Frasier's going to get knocked the fuck out. but Frazier started landing a new right hook he'd been working on in the fourth round

also land some brutal body shots that slow Ali down by the fifth round now looks like Frazier is controlling the fright a fight he keeps pinning Ali against the ropes and his shot after shot after shot and now the fight turns into a war of attrition under the sweltering 100 plus degree superhuman heat in the arena both men are pushed beyond exhaustion in the sixth round Fraser lands two vicious left hook

staggering Ali some boxing historians claim no one has ever thrown a better left hooked in Joe Frazier. Early in the seventh round, during a clinch, Ollie whispered in Frazier's ear, old Joe Frazier, they told me you were washed up. And Frazier responded, they lied, pretty boy. In the 10th round, Ali looked like he was out of gas. Both fighters are drowning in sweat. But in the 12th, Ali turns to tide again with laser sharp uppercuts now, swelling Frazier's face, closing his left eye completely. Frazier's bleeding from his mouth. By the 14th round, both fighters struggled to get to their feet to start the round. Frazier is nearly

blind legitimately. Left eye, right, swole shut. Right eye almost swole shut. His corner is begging him to let them stop to fight. Their worry is going to get fucking killed. But he goes back out, takes a lot more punishment. Ali hit him so hard in the mouth with the right hook you can see when you watch the film with this, his mouth guard fly out into the stands, like out of the ring. Somehow in the last minute of the round, Frazier stayed on his feet while Ali teed off hard shot after hard shot to the side of his head directly to his face. It's hard to watch, actually. Frazier could not counterpunch. He's swinging wildly and missing. He can't see shit. The referee has to help him find his corner to close the round. He still doesn't want to quit.

He begs his corner to let him keep fighting. But legendary trainer Eddie Futch made the call, overruled him. Right. He's worried again about Joe getting killed. He'd seen four other boxers literally die in the ring already. And he didn't let him come out for round 15. Joe, he said, it's over. Allie collapsed in the corner, utterly spent. He'd won the legendary match, but couldn't stand up to celebrate. Ali later said that the fight was, quote, like death. Close as saying to dying that I know of. He would literally piss blood for weeks following this fight.

Frazier was too hurt to attend any of the post-fight festivities. After the fight, when asked what he thought about Frazier, Ali said, he's great. He's greater than I thought he was. I think he fought a good fight. We went to Manila as champions, Ali said later. And when we came back, or we came back, excuse me, as old men. Just like with the Rumble in the Jungle, the Thrilla in Manila was watched by up to a billion viewers,

including 100 million viewers watching the fight on closed circuit theater television and 500,000 pay-per-view buys on HBO home cable television. Mind-boggling numbers. Ali made approximately $9 million equivalent to over $54 million today. In late 1974, as Ali is now adored an American around the world, he's getting invites from the White House, awards from foreign leaders as well. he continues to have a very messy personal life. He and Belinda sell their most recent home in New Jersey buy a tutor-style mansion in Chicago

just down the street from alien NOI leader Elijah Muhammad live in his own mansion, grifted off of his followers' money. Not a fan of Elijah, if you can't tell. I don't think that dude was a holy man. I think he was a scammer. Ali also buys a condo in the city for his mistress, for Monica Porch, whom he had illegally married

in a small Islamic ceremony back in Zaire. On February 25th, 1975, Elijah Muhammad dies. Though he was still officially suspended from the nation of Islam, he had continued Muhammad Ali had continued to visit Elijah regularly and praised him publicly, also one of the sex largest donors. The NOI became more mainstream now, began to distance itself from earlier claims of black supremacy, stopped vilifying whites to the point that they started to join. The NOI even changed his name under Elijah's son Wallace's leadership into the world community of Islam in the West, and then a decade later changed it again to the American Society of Muslims.

In December of 1975, Muhammad Ali once again made a very quiet, very sizable donation to a worthy cause. After hearing at the Hillside Aged Program Center in Old Folks Home in Washington Heights, New York, was going to shut down due to a lack of funding. Ali decided to do something about it. At 9.30 a.m. on the morning to December 3, 1975, with no warning, world-famous boxers walked into the lobby of the Hillside Center, asked to speak to whoever was in charge. He was introduced to the institution's director Maria Brown,

and he handed her a $100,000 check to keep the place afloat. completely overwhelmed Maria gratefully accepted his donation burst into tears with tears filling his eyes Ali stood quietly next to Maria as she told the center's residence all of whom were elderly and handicapped

that thanks to him they were no longer going to have to close down in two weeks Maria later told the New York Times that the world champ stayed for two more hours at the center it was extraordinary she said he kissed all the old ladies he talked to everybody

do you know any Yiddish do you know the word mensch Muhammad Ali is a mensch on Yiddish the word mensch used to describe a man of great honor, kindness and integrity. When the press asked him what he did, or excuse me, why he did what he did for the Hillside Center, Muhammad Ali humbly replied, I have a soft spot for old people, especially the handicapped. One day I might be handicapped. Service to others is the rent I pay from my room here on earth.

When they asked why he didn't tell anyone what he was planning on doing, he said, you just don't announce things like that. They're not for publicity. A month later, in the spring of 1976, Ali and his wife, Kalia, they separated. Each were now living in their own place. There isn't any marriage, she told one reporter, it's past me now. Veronica Porch was pregnant with she and Ali's child, a little girl, they will name Hana. The two were spending a lot of time together on an 80-acre farm in Barry in Springs, Michigan that Ali had purchased the previous fall.

Around the same time, Ali's mother, Odessa, separated from Cash's Clay Senior, tired of Cash's own womanizing and drinking. She moved into a new house her son bought for her in Louisville. Ali considered retiring from the ring. He'd made so much money, but he just kept spending money. He was buying other people shit all the time, buying himself more and more shit,

and he had to keep boxing to keep his bills all paid. Crazy. So many tales out there of boxers making ungodly sums of money and burning through it all. And quickly, Ali would fight five times in the following 15 months, starting with a match against John Pierre Coopman,

Puerto Rico, February 12th, 20th, what I even say? February 12th, you know, a lot of fights take place on February 12th. It's a popular date for fights. You know what it is. No, February 20th, 19776, he makes millions for each of these fights.

He fights Jimmy Young and Maryland. Richard Dunn in Germany. Yes, Dick fucking Dunn. Legend of a name. Quick side quest on Dick Dunn. Another sad story. Poor bastard only fought two more times after losing to Ali. Then he lost all his money in a failed hotel investment.

Then he goes to work. as a laborer, ends up working on an oil rig in the North Sea where he falls 40 feet and shatters both his legs. He's now 80, living in poverty, has both dementia and Alzheimer's. Very tricky to find a feel-good boxing retirement story. Anyway, after ruining Dick Dunn's whole fucking life, Ali fought Ken Norton, again for a third time in Yankee Stadium. Then Alfredo Evangelista. That's a great. love that name. Parmajana, Mercedes, Spaghetti.

Wait, spaghetti. I can't remember how it goes right now. Spaghetti. Maserati, Spaghetti, Bamajana. No. Maserati, spaghetti. Something. Sorry.

I didn't plan on saying that. It's been a while since I said that one. Maserati, Bugatti, spaghetti. That's how it goes. Took me a second there. Got really hung up on Alfredo's name. Anyway, just four months later, he'd also fought Ernie Shavers back in Madison Square Garden.

Won all these fights, but he took a beating in a lot of him after the Shaver's fight his longtime doctor Freddie Pacheco or Ferdie Pachecco Why don't you just go by Freddie? Try to get the now

a 35-year-old to retire Pacheco was quoted as saying The New York State Athletic Commission gave me a report that showed Ollie's kidneys were falling apart I wrote to Angelo Dundee Ollie's trainer

his wife and Ollie himself I got nothing back in response that's when I decided enough is enough He quit couldn't watch Ali getting slowly beaten to death the promoter of Madison Square Garden

told Ali's manager Herbert Muhammad that the guard would not host another Ali fight due to concerns over his health Ali's own father begged him to quit fearing he was going to be badly badly hurt people had started to notice he was sounding different Ali noticed he sometimes slurred his words

his speaking cadence was noticeably slower not as crisp in or out of the ring he literally asked a reporter if the reporter thought he had brain damage the one person who did not seem concerned about him was his manager oh no I remember Herbert Mohamed Muhammad, of course he doesn't care.

That dude is still taking a third of every purse Ali makes. Fucking blood money. The supposedly devout Muslim, son of a supposed holy man, wants his cash cow to keep fighting. He doesn't give a shit about his kidneys. And Ali will keep fighting. After going five years undefeated on February 15, 1978, Muhammad Ali suffers his third loss in the ring in Las Vegas

at the hands of pretty much untried upstart. Former Marine Olympic light heavyweight gold medalist, Leon Spinks. As a time, Spinks, just 24 years old, had only fought in seven professional bouts. Still, somehow, the 10-to-1 underdog able to beat Ali in 15 rounds by split decision and what is known as one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. That day, Leon Spinks,

not only became the undisputed heavyweight champion, also became the first and only person in history to take Ali's title in the actual ring. Ali looked like a shadow of his former self. Something's very wrong with him. He and Herbert just don't want to admit it. Ali wants a rematch, and he'll get it in September.

But before that, April 4th, 1978, Ali addressed to UN at a special session of the UN's special committee against apartheid. Apartite, by the way, an institutionalized system of racial segregation, D, discrimination and oppression in South Africa and West South Africa.

From 1948 to the early 1990s, we've talked about it before, his address to the UN that day, one of peace and unity. He said, A man is his heart, regardless to man's title, regardless to man's wealth, rank, or position, if the heart is not great, then he cannot be great. But if the heart is great, that man remains great, under all circumstances,

rich or poor, large or small. So it is the heart that makes one large or small. That is beautiful. June of 1978, at the height of the Cold War, Muhammad Ali traveled to the USSR. He'd been personally invited there by Premier Leonid Breznev to encourage Soviet-American relations. During his 12-day visit to Moscow, he took the time to pray to local mosque, and at the end of it, Premier Breznev

named the prize fighter, the USSR's unofficial ambassador of peace with the United States. And Ali said, What, this big deal! I box! And he fucking punch him in the mouth! No, no, he just accepted it graciously. And then the rematch is on. September 15, 1978, seven months

after their first fight, Muhammad Ali had the chance to reclaim the crown from Leon Spinks. In the lead up to the fight, Ali, just as cocky and charismatic as he'd always been, even if he spoke slower, making it out as if his previous loss of Spinks, which is all part of his master plan. He said, do you know if I beat him the first time? I wouldn't have got no credit for it. He only had seven fights. The kid was nothing. So I'm glad he won. It's a perfect scene. You couldn't write a better movie than this. This is it. Just what I need. Competition, fighting odds. Can the old champ regain his title for a third time? Think of it, a third time, do or die. And you know what makes me laugh? He's the same guy. Only difference is

he got eight fights now. Historic rematch took place at the Superdome in New Orleans with over 63,000 spectators in attendance. On the night of the fight, former heavyweight champ Joe Frazier sung the national anthem and sit in ringside, some big A-list celebrities, including Sylvester Stallone, Liza Minnelli, seemed like the whole world's watching to see if Muhammad Ali can do what had never been done before, become the first boxer in history to win the world heavyweight championship belt for the third time. Ali hadn't trained much for his first fight with Spinks, but this time he trained harder than he had in years.

Got up before the sun rose to run, chopped wood, trained like he was a kid again, trying to make it for the first time, not a man trying to climb his way back for the third time. Ali was 36, almost 37, Spinks barely 25, but Ali did it. He flashed vintage footwork speed and power, did not absorb punch after punch, and he won a unanimous decision in 15 rounds. And after the fight, he said, thank God it's over. the following January Ali bought a mansion

for he and Veronica in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The two were now legally married and they had a second daughter, Leila, who will actually grow to be one of the greatest female boxers of all time.

That summer in June of 1979, Muhammad Ali announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 37. Some of his trainers had started to notice, you know, a bit of a tremble in his hands. More pronounced slur sometimes in his speech, he spoke a bit slower. Again, something is wrong.

But Ali still won't admit it. He chalked it up to age. Ali went on a farewell tour, putting on a seemingly harmless exhibition matches, also did a ton of different commercials, endorsing everything from Ford's to a ride of hash browns, made cameos in cartoons like Hollywood and Speed Bump. This Saturday, get ready for the Rumble in the Jungle, Jim. Speed Bump, that's Muhammad Ali, the greatest. Wake me up when he first.

floats or stings or whatever. When the champ stops by Miami to teach self-defense at the Police Academy, Tony Katana strutts in and tries to take a dump in the duo's proverbial litter box. Let's see if the champ can handle this left hook dog breasts.

Ow! Meow! Sh! Float like a butterfly, sting like a flea. I'm fighting for Hollywood and Speed Bump, silly kitty. Don't miss Hollywood and Speedbump the champ versus the cat.

Saturday morning at 9, right after a replay. of the Italian Stallions Hot Heart Father Datties Simply dripping in Marinera And right before Pudy and Juju and Friends Only on Channel 7 Kids Hollywood and Speedbump

Keeping the streets clean One paw At a time Wow If you are so confused right now I get it Clearly you missed Last week's episode

And Shame on you Okay anyway Ollie got bored Now boxing. In 1980, he comes out of retirement. On October 2nd, 1980, the 38, almost 39-year-old Ali agreed to fight undefeated Larry Holmes, nicknamed the Easton assassin in Caesar's palace in Las Vegas for $8 million. Due to concerns for Ali's health, the Nevada State Athletic Commission, had the former champion examined at Minnesota's Mayo Clinic as a prerequisite for being granted a boxing license. Ollie checked into the clinic, July 23, 1980. His neurological exam was conducted by Dr. Frank Howard, whose report contained the following. following info. Ali showed a slight degree of missing when he tried to touch his finger to his nose. He had difficulty in coordinating the muscles used in speaking. And he did not hop on one foot with expected agility. However, Dr. Howard determined that there were no specific findings to prohibit Ali from fighting. The Mayo Clinic report was forwarded to the Nevada State Athletic

Committee, but it was not made public at the time. Based on the report, Ali was granted a license to box in Nevada. And it was an ugly, ugly match now. Ali barely defended himself His punches didn't pack the same pep at all His opponent seemed more worried about Ali than himself Or you know about winning He could tell something was very wrong He started pulling his punches

Even asked the ref to stop the fight on Ali's behalf Larry had trained with Ali before Was friends with him, modeled his fighting style After him, idolized and adored him Before the fight Ali had said I taught him everything he knows But I didn't teach him everything I know Ali's corner threw in the towel after 10 rounds

He definitely should not have been fighting He should have retired. After the win, Holmes said, or should have stayed retired. After the win, Holmes said he didn't feel good about beating a friend. He found Ali, told him he really respected him, and then he loved him. Holmes called his wife after the fight and broke down in tears immediately like he lost instead of won. And when asked why he was crying, he said, I love this guy. This guy was my man.

Talking about the fight in an interview for that incredible four-part Ken Burns' docu-series. Decades later, Holmes got emotional again, started crying and had to stop. Ali checked himself into the hospital after the fight. Something didn't feel right regarding his coordination. The doctor is determined incorrectly he'd overdosed on thyroid medication. Ali's former doctor, Ferdi Pacheco, disagreed. He said he was a damaged fighter before the fight. Now he's going to be a lot more damaged.

Finally, longtime manager Herbert Muhammad publicly said Ali should retire. But he also said he'd stand by Ali should he want to fight again. Fight promoter Don King said he would advise Ali to retire as well, but also said he'd be happy to promote a fight if he wants to. wanted one. Ali said, I shall return. And on December 11th, 1921, he did, sadly. He agreed to fight 27-year-old Trevor Berwick for 10 rounds and a much reduced purse of $1.1 million in Nassau Bahamas. The fight is billed as the drama in Bahama. Ali hoped if he won, he could try and get the heavyweight belt for the fourth time. Ali showed up for the weigh in at 236 pounds, much

heavier than previous fights. One reporter said he looked like the Michelin Man. Fewer than 7,500 people showed up to watch the fight. It would not be broadcast around the world. Fuck, it's so random. It would only be broadcast on pay-per-view TV in Cincinnati, Ohio. That was the only place about it. When you watch press, Ali did ahead of this fight. He's speaking so much slower, so painfully obvious.

Something's going on. His brain's not what it once was. His eyes look very dull, not sharp. Does not look healthy at all. And Burbik beat the fucking shit out of him. It was so bad some of Ali's family watching the fight cried during it. Ali lasted 10 rounds, but the decision was an easy one, a unanimous decision for Burbank.

His daughter Miriam said that she wanted him to lose just so he would stop fighting. Muhammad Ali said after the bout, I think I'm too old. I was slow. I was weak. Nothing but father time. The things I wanted to do, I couldn't do. I was doing my best. I did good for a 39-year-old.

I think I'm finished. I know it's the end. I'm not crazy. After Holmes, I had excuses. I was too light. Didn't breathe right. No excuses this time. I'm happy.

I'm still pretty. I could have a black eye, broken teeth, split lips. I think I came out all right for an old man. In December of 1981, Muhammad Ali retired permanently, ending his historic career with an astounding record of 56 wins, five losses, and 37 knockouts. He'd won the gold medal in Rome.

He'd won over $50 million in fight purses, a record for the time, more than all the previous heavyweight champions combined. His fights have been watched by well over a billion people. He'd also absorbed literally tens of thousands of punches from some of the hardest-hitting bad motherfuckers on earth. In non-boxing-related news on January 19th of that same year, shortly after losing his last fight,

Ali talked a young Vietnam vet out of committing suicide. Ali been driving his car around the business district at L.A. When he heard the news of a young man standing on a ledge of a nine-story window, threatening to jump, realizing the building was close by, Ollie raced over, ran up the stairs, sticking his head out of a neighboring window to the one the young man was standing on.

He called out to him, You're my brother, I love you. He coaxed the man, safely off the ledge, accompanied him to a local hospital, and for the next couple of weeks, regularly visited to make sure that he was okay. He was done with boxing, but not done doing cool shit. On November of 1982, Ali went on an international tour of exhibition matches with stops in India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, donated the profits to a construction of a new mosque in Chicago. My life is just starting at 40, he said. However, as he tries to turn a new leaf, his health

continues to deteriorate. He doesn't know what's going on still. His speech is slowing further. His hand is trembling more. He has more coordination problems. He's putting on more weight, fatiguing more easily. He's shuffling when he walks, his balance is off. He actually gets pulled over for driving erratically, and the police initially think he's drunk. They want him to do a sobriety test, but he physically can't walk the line. Luckily, the police recognize who he is, he's not drunk, but now they're worried about him too. Everyone he meets is worried about him, his entourage, has moved on, hanging out with Ali not the same as it once was. And then finally, On September of 1984, Muhammad Ali checked himself into Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City,

and after several days of tests, Ali's mysterious illness has a name, Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder with no cure characterized by slowed movements, tremors, stiffness, impaired balance, slurred speech, inability to talk, and in some cases like Ali's dementia-like symptoms. The diagnosis hit hard. He'd never again move like he once did. He'd never again speak. like he once had. The disease robbed him of his trademark agility and his witty speaking ability.

The exact cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but multiple factors believed to contribute to its development, including head trauma. While no doctor can currently say with certainty that boxing caused Ali's Parkinson's, most boxers never develop it. In 2016, though, Dr. Samuel Goldman,

one of the Parkinson's Institute or of the Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center in Sunnyville, California, said that he believes those who suffer two episodes of brain trauma within a short period of time are more likely to experience degenerative brain symptoms later in life. He said, quote, it can really set off a degenerative cascade. And how many times was he hit multiple times in the head and given brain trauma? Basically from what I gather reading a lot of, you know, what doctors are saying online, while

Allie may have been genetically predisposed to get Parkinson's and may have gotten it regardless of whether he had ever boxed or not, once he started to show early symptoms, the boxing greatly accelerated it. Had he stopped fighting sometime shortly after the rumble in jungle, he likely would have lived a lot longer

with, you know, lesser symptoms. Around the time of his diagnosis, his relationship with his wife, Veronica Porch, falls apart. And before he get mad

at her for leaving him while he's down, despite having Parkinson's, he was still treated on her for years. Not even Parkinson's. It could slow down his infidelity at this point.

Two years earlier while visiting family in Louisville, Ali had invited Yolanda Lonnie Williams to join him for lunch. The two had met decades earlier in the 1960s when Lonnie was in the first grade, which is pretty fucking creepy.

They didn't want to date. Her parents had moved in across the street from Ali's parents, and their moms became friends. Luckily, she's 25 when they reconnected, but that is pretty creepy. Like, remember when I met you when you were six? And I was 40? I don't know. Lonnie and Ollie's mothers, yeah, they become very close, actually, so Ali watched her grow up

over the years, which is also pretty creepy. when they went out for lunch Lonnie was worried about his physical condition after his diagnosis when Ali and Veronica separated Lonnie moved out to LA Veronica told Ollie

she wanted a divorce in late 84 and then Lonnie basically moved in with Ali shortly thereafter on November 19th 1986 excuse me the two will get married

before a handful of friends and family in Louisville and then the newlyweds will move into Ali's farm in Michigan and Lonnie will actually now help Ali a lot

for decades he'd give him money pretty freely to friends families hangers on you know, made a number of terrible investments. Lonnie put an end to all that. Organizes finances so that now that, you know, he could never box again, he'd also never go broke.

She got rid of a lot of the leeches, cut connections to bad businesses, also very on top of his treatment for Parkinson's. She very much nurtured and protected him. Together they adopted his son, Assad Amin, in early 1987, when Assad was five months old. And now backing up a bit, Ollie did something else cool in 1985. February 17th of that year, he negotiated the release of four U.S. citizens and one Saudi diplomat being held hostage in West Beirut in Lebanon

by a web of unknown extremist organizations. Now, Muhammad Ali, he didn't just go negotiate with terrorists on his own accord, although that does seem like something he would do, but he was actually center on behalf of the U.S. government by U.S. Vice President George H.W. Bush

and the Reagan administration. At 2 a.m. in the morning of February 17th, 85, Ali and his entourage were standing outside their Beirut hotel when two Mercedes guarded by men with Kalashnikov AK-47s pulled up. The group piled into the cars and were escorted through a series of

fortified checkpoints to a dimly lit villa. There they were welcomed with a spread of fresh juice and dates by a leader of Hezbollah an Islamic political group that had just a day prior announced its goal of obliterating Israel. Although he would later claim ignorance and innocence in the entire affair

during his meeting with Muhammad Ali, the Hezbollah leader said he would order the hostages, release on one condition that Ali secured the freedom of several hundred Palestinians who were currently being held in Israeli prisons. He even gave Ali a list of names. Ali accepted the challenge, traveled to Israel to advocate on behalf of his, quote, Muslim brothers for the release of those detained.

However, Israeli officials declined to engage with him in talks. While not immediately effective in freeing the hostages, Ali's mission remains a powerful illustration of, you know, how he used his personal celebrity faith and moral convictions to engage with, you know, global diplomacy, even in the most dangerous of circumstances. 1987, he and Lonnie take a goodwill mission to India. He visit mosques, then help distribute food to Afghan refugees in a camp along the border. 1989, he's on the road, more than he's at home.

Visit nations like England, Senegal, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia, makes a pilgrimage to Mecca, becomes more religious, said that in the past, quote, I fit my religion to do the things I wanted, things that were wrong. I chased women all the time. Everything I do now, I do to please Allah. He loved to discuss his faith with friends of different religions, not to convert them, but to understand them. He loved to say that quote I mentioned at the top of the episode, Rivers, Lakes and Streams,

they all have different names, but they all contain water. So do religions have different names, but they all contain the truth. He told his kids, there's only one true religion, the religion of the heart. And as long as you do right and you treat people right, I believe you'll go to heaven. And I love that. That's beautiful. I believe the same thing. You know, kind of, I'm not sure heaven is a place where our egos live on, but whatever

it is. You know, I think if you're good, you go there. August 2nd, 1990, at the order of President Saddam Hussein, Iraq suddenly and violently invaded Kuwait. On that day, about 140,000 Iraqi troops, 18,000 tanks descended on the small, oil-rich country, resulting in a few thousand civilian deaths. The exact number is still unknown. This invasion marked the beginning of the Persian Gulf War. In response to the brutal invasion, a multinational military coalition is assembled to kick Iraq out of Kuwait, restore Kuwait's sovereignty. The coalition consisted of 42 countries was spearheaded by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the UK to the international coalition to keep the international coalition, excuse me, from attacking Iraqi forces, Saddam Hussein ordered the kidnapping of about 800 American and British citizens and used them as involuntary human shields.

Though the international coalition attempted to resolve the crisis in Kuwait through diplomatic means, every effort was a failure. It was clear that pretty soon they'd be compelled to take military action against Iraq, wanting to do all he could to prevent more bloodshed. In November of 1990, Muhammad Ali traveled to Baghdad to promote peace and broker the release of hundreds of hostages. While his actions are praised now, when he first set off for the Middle East, the White House and the American press condemned Muhammad Ali for traveling there in his own accord against the explicit wishes of President George W. Bush. Also important to note that Ali's trip to Iraq was organized by the coalition to stop U.S. intervention in the Middle East, though he technically was not there representing them. Ali is now demonized, made fun of, scoffed at for this trip. He's called a traitor to the American people, just like he had been called in 1967 when he refused the draft.

It was a hostile time, and as one source put it, anyone who opposed a war with Iraq was labeled as either an apologist for the hostage-taking Saddam or as a half-wit. Ali was treated as both by the government and the media. People accused him of cavorting with the enemy, and when he returned and claimed that he had been put up in a nice hotel and well-fed in Baghdad, people accused him of spewing Middle Eastern propaganda.

They even made fun of his Parkinson's. As one reporter said, surely the strangest hostage release campaign of recent days has been the goodwill, in quotes, tour of Muhammad Ali, the former heavyweight boxing champion he has attended meeting after meeting in Baghdad despite his frequent inability to speak clearly. The highest-ranking American diplomat in Baghdad at the time,

Joseph C. Wilson also publicly condemned Ali's mission, saying, I basically believe these people are playing into the propaganda game that Iraq is holding here. These people traveling to Iraq are making a serious mistake. Despite the backlash, not to make. mentioned the danger. Muhammad Ali went to Iraq to broker for peace with Saddam Hussein. During his stay in Baghdad, Ali and his team were put up in a five-star hotel called the Al-Rashid. While he waited to meet with Hussein, who had agreed to have dinner with the heavyweight champ, but didn't say when.

Ali eventually ran out of his Parkinson's medication. He would have had to have called the whole thing off if it wasn't for a group of Irish doctors at a hospital in Baghdad who replenished the medication just in time. those Irish doctors, by the way, actually hostages, just not the kind being used as human shields, like hundreds of other foreigners who had been visiting or working in Iraq at the time of the Kuwait invasion, their passports had been confiscated so they could not return home. While he is in Iraq, when he's not bedridden from his disease, Muhammad Ali visited local schools,

visited with people in the streets, and prayed to the local mosques. He received the same welcome from the public in Iraq that he did almost everywhere else he went, crowds flocked to see him, begging for his autograph for just a chance to say hello. But his reception in Iraq had an additional layer to it, as he was not only the heavyweight champ, he was also one of the most, if not the most famous Muslim in the world. On November 29th, 1990, Muhammad Ali met with Saddam Hussein. According to reports, Ali was soft-spoken but firm, appealing to Saddam's sense of Islamic

brotherhood and humanity rather than politics. He told Saddam he came as a brother and man of peace and asked him to release American citizens being held. Saddam, who admired Ali's global fame, reportedly said he respected Ali's courage for coming to person, and the Iraqi dictator agreed to consider the request. Two days later, November 30th, 1990, Saddam announced the release of the 15 American hostages. Among them was chief Avril looking horse, the 19th generation keeper of the sacred white buffalo calf pipe, as well as six other American Indian elders. Ali personally escorted the 15 hostages into a, or onto a flight back to the U.S., receiving a hero's welcome when he landed in New York. On April 15, 1993,

Muhammad Ali flew to South Africa to meet Nelson Mandela after his release from his 27 years in prison. The following year, Mandela was elected president in the country's first fully representative Democratic election. Growing up, the Nobel Peace Prize winner was an avid boxer. So when he met Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela shadowboxed him. And the photos from that moment, pretty sick. Meanwhile, his Parkinson symptoms are worsening, getting harder and harder for him to speak clearly, harder to move. His tremors, you know, more consistently obvious, his once very expressive. face now appears virtually frozen. His one's sharp, focused eyes typically appear dull and

glazed now. All he began to speak of his Parkinson's as a trial from God, a punishment for his sins, but also a blessing that would keep him humble. Ninety-six, he traveled to Cuba, visited children's hospitals, brought medical supplies. Unable to speak conversationally now, he entertained children and Cuban politicians, including Fidel Castro, by performing magic tricks. Afterwards, believing that it went against the teachings of Islam to deceive people, he would reveal the secret to each and every trick. also lit the torch for the opening 1996 summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. He shook, he wobbled, but he did it.

It was a very special emotional moment. Emotional moment, yeah. He told his wife afterwards that he now knew that the public would love him and accept him no matter what his condition. He didn't need to be strong anymore. Didn't need to be a showman. September 20th, 1998, Muhammad Ali named a messenger of peace of the United Nations. As the 20th century came to a closed,

Time magazine, Sports Illustrated, and more publications. named Ali the greatest athlete of the 20th century, ahead of Michael Jordan, ahead of Babe Ruth. January 8th, 2001, Muhammad Ali awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton. The citation stated, the most celebrated boxer in history and a devoted social activist, Muhammad Ali continues to inspire us, truly the greatest of all time. On November 9, 2005, Ali received the highest civilian honor in the U.S. from President George W. Bush, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Same year, the Muhammad Ali Center, a museum dedicated to,

his life and legacy opened in Louisville. In December of 2015, following several deadly terrorist attacks in the name of Islam, Muhammad Ali released the following statement, I am a Muslim, and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world. True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so-called Islamic jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion. We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda.

they have alienated many from learning about Islam true Muslims know or should know that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody Ali was very contemplative at the stage of his life he talked to friends a lot about a tallying angel some entity that tallied up all the good things you did in your life and all the bad things too

and if he ended up with more good than bad got to go to heaven but if he did more bad than good he went to hell he acknowledged that he had done a lot of bad things most of he is womanizing and he was nervous about his face also felt bad about how he treated Joe Frazier. He apologized to him numerous times and Frazier eventually forgave him. Also expressed sorrow for feeling like he had abandoned Malcolm X. He said turning my back on Malcolm was one of the greatest mistakes in my life. I wish that I could tell

Malcolm that he was right about so many things. And then after a three-decade-long battle with Parkinson's, Muhammad Ali passed away at 8.30 p.m., June 3, 2016, at the age of 74 in a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona. He checked in the day before with the respiratory infection. He died surrounded by children and grandchildren who'd flown in from around the country to share just a few more minutes with the greatest. After his passing, his brother Rudy, aka Rahman Ali, said everything my brother said he'd do as a child he did in life, said he was going to be a great man, going to be a boxer, going to be important, going to be kind and good to people, going to be rich, all those things he did before he died. He died a rich, happy man. Ali used to have a

a dream he said he dreamt all the time uh he was in louisville running down broadway as a teenager and all the sudden people were in the streets they were chanting his name and waving at him he'd look at them he'd wave back and then he'd fly away during his funeral procession in louisville with people flooding broadway for miles chanted his name his daughter hana thought oh my god it's happening right now this was his dream right how magical all these body rests in cave hill cemetery in louisville His headstone features a line he loved to say. Service to others is the rent you pay for your room in heaven. Good job, soldier.

You've made it back. Barely. Hollywood's fastest speed bumps slow. Together than the best you ever know. fight in Crownfront coast to coast definitely in Miami the most and this week a very special guest star on Hollywood and Speed bump the greatest himself Muhammad Ali that's right kids I'm stepping into the ring with Hollywood and Speedbump to knock out crime and teach a lesson or two about courage I beat Frazier I beat Foreman I beat Norton and Listing and Spinks I ain't going down from

no kitty hijinks well bad guys swing they'll meet the king the champ fights back with the polly's team one bad guy swing they'll meet the king the champ fights back with the polly's team one bad guy swing they'll meet the king the champ fights back with the polly's team it's hollywood a speed bump hollywood a speed bump hollywood a speed bump hollywood a speed bump hollywood speed bump of true art. Wow. Hmm.

Sorry, I probably like Hollywood and speed bump more than anyone else. That music is so fun. Anyway,

Muhammad Ali, the greatest. What a fascinating life he led. Dude was far from perfect. He himself acknowledged the

ugliness of his decades of infidelity time and time again. Also aligned himself with a very racist

organization as a reaction to the racism he faced, but also did so much altruistic good in the world,

gave so much of himself to others. Good reminder, that he can be bad and also be great. He was so unique, I've never read about anybody else, quite like Muhammad Ali.

A true modern warrior poet, fearless in the ring, often so gentle and intellectual outside of it. He seemed to love creating new poems ahead of his fights as much as he loved the actual fighting. His own fighting style was often described as poetry in motion. He would bend his body back like he was in the matrix to avoid punches,

and then pepper foes with lightning fast, deceptively strong combinations for a man his size. before Parkinson's took it all the way. But it never took away his mind, never took away his heart. His mouth might not have cooperated, but the philosophical musings still existed inside, right to the very end. His children said he never once pitted himself outwardly for his condition,

never wallowed in despair. His whole life, he truly never stopped fighting for equality, for respect, for the ability to keep moving, traveling, and talking. And speaking to talking, man, that dude had some great quotes. Let me share some more before I headed the takeaways. I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was.

If you even dream of beating me, you better wake up and apologize. To be a great champion, you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are. I love this one. Don't count the days. Make the days count. I don't count my sit-ups.

I only start count when it starts hurting because they're the only ones that count. He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life. A man who views the world the same at 50. I love this one too. A man who views the world the same at 50, as he did at 20,

has wasted 30 years of his life. What you are thinking is what you are becoming. A wise man changes, but a fool never changes. I love that one too. And I've changed because I've become wiser. I love those last few, especially, actually. Too many people think that change in your stance on something is a sign of weakness, a lack of strength of character,

of hypocrisy. like once you have an opinion about something you gotta hold on to it for the rest of your life no matter what that's fucking foolish that's weak that's what a fool does what's the point of taking in new information if you're not open to letting it change you

for the better so thank you for the wisdom Muhammad Ali hail Muhammad Ali and now let's check out those takeaways Time shock Top five takeaways Number one

Muhammad Ali isn't just the greatest boxer of the 21st century He's one of the greatest athletes of all time. He was the first fighter to ever win the heavyweight world title three times and ended his career in 1981 with an astounding record of 56 wins, five losses, and 37 knockouts out of 61 total fights despite that three-year exile. Number two, Muhammad Ali's legacy extends far beyond the ring. He was a global icon of charisma, confidence, and courage,

who rewrote what it meant to be a public figure. He embraced his identity as a proud black Muslim at a time when that was politically explosive. He fearlessly used his placidious. platform to challenge racism, inequality, and U.S. politics. Number three in 1967, at the peak of his career, Ali refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War, citing his Muslim faith in opposition to the conflict. That act of defiance cost him his boxing license, his heavyweight title, three prime years of his career. Instead of back and down, Ali stood firm becoming a global symbol of conscientious resistance. Number four, Ali wasn't just fast and strong. He was smart. He pioneered trash talk

in psychological warfare, getting in his opponent's heads before they even stepped into the ring. From the rope-a-dope strategy to toppled George Foreman in the rumble in the jungle to his relentless verbal jabs at Joe Frazier, Ali understood that boxing was as much mental as it was physical. And number five, new info, did you know that Muhammad Ali has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Well, not exactly on it, but next to it. Located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, his stars mounted on the exterior wall of the Kodak Theater because, as he put it, I bear the name of our beloved prophet Muhammad. Peace be upon him.

And it is impossible that I allow people to trample over his name. Time suck. Top five takeaways. Rumble meet Sack Rumble. The story of Muhammad Ali has been sucked. Thank you to the bad magic productions team for the help of making time suck. Thanks to Queen of Bad Magic, Lindsay Cummins. Thanks to Logan Keith, help him publish in the episode,

designing merch for the store at bad magic productions.com. Thanks to Molly Box for her initial research. Thanks to the all-seen eyes moderating the cult of the curious private Facebook page, The Mod Squad, making sure Discord keeps running smooth and everybody over on the TimeSuck and Bad Magic sub-redits.

And now let's head to this week's Time Sucker Updates. Updates? Get your Time Sucker updates. Okay, first up, I got several updates. About a pronunciation mishap from the Spring Hill Jackshore. Suck. This one came in from Fun Sucker David Livingston, who sent in an email to Bojangles

at Timesug Podcast.com with a subject line of the Marquis. The Marquis. Greeting Suckmaster. It is I, Lord Zoltan. Not the other name you probably used to identify me. I'm writing you today to talk about the word Marquis or Marquis. Were it only that I was a Marquis and not a Lord, I can just imagine myself being introduced at some event. And now I present you, Marquis Zoltan, formerly Lord Zoltan, but no longer no, because being a Marquis is infinitely better than being a Lord. But there is just one tiny thing I need to address the word Marquis, not pronounced Marquis. It is pronounced Marquis. And once you know that it's pronounced that way, you realize how fucking cool the word Marquis is. I present to you the suckmaster Marquis Dan von

Cummins. See what I mean? Anyway, five out of five stars. Wouldn't change a thing except for how you say Marquis. Lord Zoltan. Yeah, thanks for your email. Yeah, I got a bunch of similar emails. And I was like, I know I reconfirm my pronunciation for that word. And I know that I tend to say it as Marquis. So why did I say Marquis for that episode? Well, it turns out we're both right, but in the context of the Spring Hill jack suck, I was more right. When the title is used for French nobility, it's Marquis. But when it's British, traditionally, it is actually supposed to be Marquis. Technically, Marquise. Yeah, man, words change. Many of them evolve and change, like many of us do.

But, yeah, so there you go. More you know. Next up, a big update from a great sucker, Jake Nelson, who sent in a message with the subject line of Middle East allergy warning. It's a long one and a long episode. So it's going to be the last one for today. Hi, Dan and the Time Suck crew. I love the show, look forward to the new episode every week. I've contemplated sending this for a while.

But with our current political climate, it's a good reminder that we still have a pretty good life here. I apologize in advance for the length of this email, or I would, but admittedly I have zero experience with lengthy things, so I'm not sure how to do that. My wife has a friend who came to the U.S. from Syria and college, met a man whom she eventually married, and was lucky enough to get the opportunity to become a U.S. A few years ago, she was ecstatic when her parents, after years of trying, were granted a chance to immigrate to the U.S. They made it a few months here before deciding rural northern Minnesota was not for them, and they moved back to Syria to, to be with their friends and family. Unfortunately, that proved to not be a great decision. I'm including the story their family put out about it.

I'll admit to not knowing much about Syria. So the first thing I did when I first read this was listened to episode 27 on Syria. And I learned some background, although much has changed since that time. And wow, has time so I can prove since those early episodes. Thanks. Might be worthy of doing an update on it in a podcast in the future.

Here's a story. Please note. You might need allergy medicine for this one. Feel free to leave out any info. You feel as unnecessary. You're dangerous to their family. if you decide to share this uh yeah i didn't i didn't i didn't anything out since it's already um already out there like you said publicly uh yeah so i will uh just share this because it sounds

like they want it to be shared this way so the letter is this is an account of the massacre that happened at our home in the coastal city of jabalai in syria march 7th 2025 as told by uh barra a ali wife of my brother uh bisha ali barraa witnessed the massacre of my two brothers and my father at our home. The massacre happened as part of the ethnic cleansing campaign being carried out against the Al-Awiate minority. I, Numa Ali, daughter and sister of the three men killed, have translated this because I wanted to be shared with any organizations or influential people or entities you could reach, hoping that collective action may draw attention to the ethnic cleansing happening against the Al-Alii minority in Syria. I am Baraa Ali, wife of Bishra Ali,

who witnessed the massacre. Yesterday around 7 p.m., there was knocking on our door at my in-law's house. Military forces had come to Jabalais to cleanse it from what they called the regime remnants. And at our door was one of their armed groups. My father-in-law opened the door and said, welcome, we are with you, and we want to bring stability back to Jabalai. What is your name? They asked him. Abdul Atif Ali, he answered. And these are my sons, Mahid, and Bashir. What do you do for work? I am retired from a civil service job. My son Bashir is a dentist. and Mahad is a civil service employee. Are you from, Jabalais?

From here? Yes. So you're all Sunnis? No. Alouites. Now an armed man got closer to me and said, Give me your cell phone and your gold. Then he said the same thing to my mother-in-law.

They took our cell phones and we told them we didn't have any gold. My daughter was in my arms crying. Another armed man got closer to her and said, don't cry, little one. Then they said men go outside. And you, the women, you stay inside. my daughter clung to her dad and started crying and saying daddy don't go then the armed man who had earlier told her not to cry said to my husband you stay here don't go outside they took mahid and my father and i'm outside and bishir took lor my daughter to wash her face then the pig of a man who stole our phones came back and said where is the other guy who's here come on come outside as bishir stepped outside towards the uh or stepped toward the outside door he shot him in the chest i ran toward him and saw that mahid had already been killed outside the door I held Bashir's hand as he was moaning in pain.

I said, don't close your eyes, love. I will go look for a car to take you to the ambulance. Don't close your eyes, my love. The pig of a man who killed him came back and said to me, shut up and go inside or else I will shoot you. He then dashed toward the house a second time when my daughter was pulling me and saying, Mama, come, I don't want you to die like dad.

So I carried her to my arms and ran inside. Then I ran through the back door towards my and Bashir's apartment on the second floor and towards the roof. I was scared he would follow me into the apartment so I headed to the roof. I then heard him screaming in the street at my mother-in-law who had totally lost it and was wailing. Shut up, he said. I won't. She answered, shoot me. She started pacing back and forth on the sidewalk and screaming. They killed my children. Mahid Bashir, answer me. Up to that moment she had not realized they'd also killed my father-in-law, her husband.

She only knew when she tripped on his body while pacing. He'd been shot in the head. They killed all three of them. I then went downstairs and hid with my daughter in the loft of the kitchen. We stayed in hiding through the night until noon the next day. I was scared because the armed groups were returning to steal the houses after killing people. And my mother-in-law stayed in the street for three hours, wailing and screaming for the neighbors to come help her bring the bodies inside, but no one dared to even open a window. Finally, our neighbor Amar, after sensing that the armed groups had left, came down from his apartment to help her drag the bodies inside. My sweetheart, Bashir, along with Mahid, My father-in-law, Abdullah,

Atif, are now bodies. These three innocent people, excuse me, three innocent people who have never heard an aunt and everyone knows who they are were killed by those beasts. My sweethearts, my heart is burning. I will not let your story die with you. I will tell the world.

Ooh. I will tell the world about you and the way you were killed. Thanks again for all you do. Fuck! If you decide to read this, on the show please give a shout out to my wife joy she's not a big podcast fan but a shout out from you might change her mind your loyal sucker jake fuck jake uh yeah yeah i think i'm out

just going man i whew uh enjoy man yeah hopefully you can uh check some of these out tell your friend joy that's someone she has never met is so sorry for her loss yeah jake we have some problems here but we don't have that thank god not yet and hopefully not ever but you know what? And this goes for any country on earth. We could. Any nation could. There will always be enemies at the gate and enemies inside the gates as well. Small men who think that taking from others makes them big. Cruel people who rationalize their cruelty as cleansing or reform or some other clever euphemism. It's always just evil. And evil grows not just where there is already violence and hatred, but where there is apathy, where vigilance has given way to complacency, where voices

fall silent, afraid to speak up and ruffle feathers, afraid to denounce what's obviously wrong. So speak up everybody when it comes to injustice and cruelty. You know, fight for a country, whatever country that is, to be a place worth fighting for, a place where armed government sanctioned pigs, fucking thugs, and fucking Nazis, you know, don't get to drag you out of your home, shoot you in the fucking head, and just leave your body to rot in the street with impunity. Yeah, that's felt right to include this in

an episode about an activist, you know, who stood up for violence, stood up against it, not for it. Well, righteous violence, I guess, but yeah, stood up against it. Hoof, man, heavy stuff. Stay safe, everybody. Next time,

suckers, I needed that. We all did. Well, thank you for listening to another Bad Magic Productions podcast. be sure in rate and review time suck if you haven't already get out there and rumble this week meat sacks

don't count the days make the days count and keep on sucking and now some final words from a press conference to promote the rumble in the jungle versus George Foreman. Let's hear from the master trash talker himself. Come out, but I'm so fast, I'm so hard hit, I'm so scientific. I'm a total different man

from Frasian Norton. Listen, David, when I meet this man, if you think the world was surprised when Nixon resigned, wait till I whip Furman's behind. I'm telling you, David, I'm down to 215 pounds right now. I said it went 215. I'm fighting weight already. I usually train six weeks for fight. I've trained four months for fight. I'm chopping trees. I've done something special. I've wrestled with an alligator.

I'll toss it with you. Totally. I believe you completely. I have tussed with a whale out of handcuffed lightning, throw thunder in jail. Now, you know I'm bad. Only last week I murdered the rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I'm so mean, I make

medicine sick. Man's in trouble. Thank you.