Ali Page #2

And now the time has come.

Both challenger and champion

are in the ring.

The heavyweight championship

of the world is on the line.

I fit goes past the first round,

there will be surprises already.

Sonny Liston wrapped in that

tery cloth towel of his...

wrapped around his head

swami fashion...

Looking as malevolent

and baleful as ever.

But this man

is a professional prizefighter.

Make no mistake about it.

I want a clean fight.

When I say break,

stop punching and step back.

Do you have

any questions, champ?

Any questions, challenger?

We're fine.

Touch gloves, gentlemen. Good luck.

Good evening,

sports fans across the nation.

Liston in the white trunks

with the black stripes.

Clay, an inch and a half taller, in

the white trunks with the red stripes--

And Cassius Clay

is sidestepping.

There it is, champ.

Stay on your toes now.

And we can see that the champion

is the aggressor.

There's a shot under the heart.

Cassius Clay slips away.

And now Clay pounds a left.

Another left. A straight jab.

It seems to have stunned him.

And that's the bell.

And they're fighting after the bell.

And they're still fighting.

This round is over.

Break it up, ref.

There is no love lost between

the two contenders at this time.

Cassius goes back to his corner.

It's been an amazing round.

You can beat this guy.

I'm still here.

And Sonny Liston

is not taking the stool.

He's anxious to get back

into the challenger's face.

Take it to the body.

Kill the body, the head will follow.

This is a totally different fight

than Liston expected...

and anyone in this arena

will tell you.

There's a long, looping left hand.

Clay's eyes are wide open now.

- Come on, Cass! Move!

- Step back.

- Come on, Cassius!

- Come on, Chi-Chi!

I'm not prognosticating

anything...

but merely his survival

to this juncture--

Cass, hit him!

Break.

Let him go.

Sonny Liston is hurt.

He's bleeding from his eye.

He's defying the experts early.

We have to take a look at this man and

say he is not in awe of the champion.

He ain't nothin' to me.

And he know it.

This is it now.

Let me have that, John.

And now they're ready.

You gonna knock

the ugly off of him.

That's gonna take a long time,

but you can do it.

There he is. Get him off.

Do your job, ref.

Shake him.

Do your job, ref.

There it is.

Come on, ref.

Break.

- There he is.

- Clay slips around and out.

Up against the ropes.

Right above me now.

Too tight. Get in there.

My eyes. There's something in my eyes.

I can't see nothin'.

Come on.

- What's going on?

- Nothin'.

The guy's punchin' on the breaks.

Just take care of it. We're fine.

I can't see nothin', man.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes