Cassius Clay Work Out 6/15/71

Transcript (Download)

I've been doing the same since the fight.

This is the first day and I'm anxious to get my body back in shape.

What's going to be the hardest thing for you to do? Getting up in the mornings and running about five or six miles an hour each morning.

Going to bed early.

Cut out those sweets.

Yeah, that's going to be tough.

When we talk about the yellows fight, we talk a little bit about perhaps over -confidence.

A lot of people feel that they can be over -confident.

Right, because Ellis was a good arm fighter.

He kept getting in shape during the fights, which means he was a great fighter.

He was all I needed.

He just beat Donald Williams, knocked out the strike, went on to beat Josh Fowler.

Man, I could knock it out, get him in the fight, right? I also beat Jared Quarant, a great fighter.

He was beating the crazy ones and he got hit.

He's got a lot of push over, and I have to get in shape.

If I fought Ellis today, if he was in shape, I thought he was listening to me.

So far, you have to work.

You weren't, at least you got the decision.

How do you feel now? What about Ellis? If you lose to Ellis, what about your future? Well, if I lose to Ellis, I think I should go on retirement.

But as far as being invincible, I never thought I was dead.

We had never been beaten before, that's why.

And I still believe that I'm just doing it better because Joe Frazier had to take a three -week rest after the fight.

He was a tough fighter, but he was never going to beat.

And he's just been destroying everybody.

And after being here for a little while, he turned out to be in good shape.

So he's still shaping me up.

You still feel that you won the Frazier fight? Well, I know I did, but the judges didn't think so.

One judge said he never won.

I know I hit him five times before and I watched him kill him over and over.

And he played within three rounds, which I shouldn't, which on the truth is how good I was if he played with me.

Well, next time it's just too bad.

Muhammad, you've been a well -managed fighter.

Now you have the possibility of another million -dollar fight coming up with Joe Frazier.

But in the meantime, you're taking this fight with Ellis.

Some people question his visibility, that Ellis is a good fighter.

Wouldn't that take some of the sucking up the other fight, Frazier fight coming up? Well, yes.

It makes the fight more exciting.

I'd give it some and all because it's not difficult to lose.

You don't have to take this fight.

I'm planning two more fights with fellow batting tuckers.

Who are they? I can't say no, but I think Dave, this keeps the game interesting.

As a matter of fact, when they gave me my license, I didn't have to fight Gary Fowler.

I had to work like Donovan Hill.

I took the license.

Donovan Hill is action and music and I could have fought Frazier, but this is a big one.

Listen, a man is not only just a business, a life's idea of being the real physical champion.

And I think he should give everybody a shot and beat them all to the move.

So I could pick a way for Frazier, but I'm in that free will fight program.

How did you lose the pressure? Were you too slow? Did you lack stamina? Were you overconfident? Just how do you assess the outcome of that fight? Well, I don't believe in a loss.

And I can't be brave watching him leaving a loss.

I saw his face, I saw his condition, I saw him out.

And so, but I could have did better.

And the reason I didn't was because I was a little overconfident.

I figured when it's left hook, when it's powerful, it's a draw.

I didn't lose that.

Next time, I'm a little bit out.

Now, you're preparing for this fight.

There's also a Supreme Court decision coming up.

Does that disturb you at all? Does that affect your mental condition? This decision coming up whichever way? No.

Whatever happens is the will of our law, the will of God.

So I don't pay no attention to it.

When you say go to jail, I just go to jail.

Thanks very much and good luck.

Hey, where's Stoner? Where's Freddie Stoner? I'm trying to contact him.

I ain't got him.

Oh, well, you don't know who's going to be working with you until...

Until Moe Hill.

Because I haven't talked to him.

You've checked in, champ.

You've checked in.

You'll go right into the hotel.

I'm going to go to the hotel.

I love the headgear.

I had a mouthpiece, which is the main thing.

And sometimes it's good working without a headgear if you're not really working with qualified punchers.

And mostly when I don't use a headgear, I concentrate on not being hit.

Are you going to do anything different in preparation for Ellis in comparison to your preparation for Joe Frazier? No, everything will be the same.

Just harder work.

More work, harder work.

And just get in shape as usual.

I've been doing this 19 years and there's no reason to change the training style now.

You don't fear Ellis as much as you feared Frazier, do you? Not really, but I would say he's the next man to Frazier.

Because he knows my style.

He was beating Frazier until Frazier hit him.

He beat Oscar Bonavena.

Frazier's toughest fight and my toughest fight.

He beat Bonavena.

He beat Floyd Patterson.

He beat Jerry Quarry.

That fellow gave Frazier all the trouble he wanted.

Gave me all the trouble I wanted until I cut him in the third round on the eye.

So Ellis is just as good as anybody.

Well, you know a lot about Ellis because Angela Dundee handled both of you guys.

We fought as amateurs.

He beat me as amateur and I beat him as amateur.

And we've had a lot of gym battles and he holds his own.

Where are you staying here in Chicago? Well, it's a secret.

We don't want too many people bothering us.

Where do you stay when you're not in Chicago? You're living in New Jersey now, aren't you? Jerry Hill, New Jersey.

Yeah, we have a home there and we're residing there.

I understand you have a beautiful home there.

Well, I bought a nice house.

We love my wife like this so we bought it.

How's the family? Everybody's fine.

Three daughters and looking for some boys.

You're part of the establishment now, huh? Yeah.

Four women against one.

One final question.

I understand that...

Identifier

F.2012-03-0910

Date Of Production

June 15 1971

Abstract

This footage features two interviews with Muhammad Ali, both concentrated on his upcoming fight with Jimmy Ellis.

Description

Muhammad Ali discusses his preparations for an upcoming fight against Jimmy Ellis (at the Astrodome in Houston on July 26, 1971) and his previous fight with Joseph Frasier (March 8, 1971). There are scenes of Muhammad Ali during his workout in the gym's boxing ring, with a large audience gathering around to watch. In the last interview scenes, Muhammad Ali talks about his family and living in New Jersey.

Run Time

0:07:03

Format

16mm

Extent

300 feet

Color

Color

Sound

Mag Stripe

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Language Of Materials

English

Element

Trims and Outs

Genre

Journalism
Sports

Form

Outtakes
Newsreels

Subject

Sports
Boxing

Related Collections

SUBSERIES II: Sports

Main Credits

Koza, Frank (is filmmaker)

Participants And Performers

Ali, Muhammad (is interviewee)

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