Muhammads Ali The Whole Story - Case Study Example

MUHAMMAD ALI College Mohammad Ali is known to be one of the most famous boxers of all times. He was born in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was born Cassius Marcellus Jr. His father was called Cassius Clay Srand the mother was Odessa Grady Clay. The father was a muralist but he worked as a painter in order to meet the needs of the family. His mother worked as cook and a housecleaner. Mohammad Ali was motivated to join boxing after an incident that took place in Columbia auditorium. He had been there for the free hot dogs that were given to the visitors who came from Louisville Home Show. After eating the free hot dogs, he discovered that his bicycle had been stolen. He reported the incident to the police. He was furious and he said he wanted to join the gym because he wanted to beat the person who stole his bike. Few days later he joined boxing in that Columbia gym and he was trained as a professional boxer. He later participated in 1960 Olympics where he won a gold medal. He later became more of a fighter when he started to become voice of civil rights, nation of Islam and also he was known to be one of the anti-Vietnam wars. Many political symbolisms surrounded his boxing career but he still became the greatest fighter in boxing. Throughout his career, he portrait different cultures and the way he was loved by many all over the world. Through many films in which he featured, political and economic issues were portrait. In the documentary called When We Were Kings, different cultures and politics are portrait. This documentary shows Ali’s beliefs on African-American and the Africans. Through Mohammad Ali’s films, it explains clearly how sports can be presented on televisions. Presentation of sports in television also brings in many issues pertained to politics, society and economics. Through Mohammad Ali’s life in the ring, it has been found out how boxing has improved the sport broadcasting in terms of finance and other innovations (Wiggins, 2006, pp.56). Boxing has been used to show how sports can be related to a particular race differences. Through boxing, issues of racial conflicts have been reported. This is shown by the relationship between heavyweights champion called Jack Johnson and some black heavyweights like Mohammad Ali and Joe Louis. These racial differences in sport are linked to the colonial traditions that existed long time ago. Racial differences are evidenced in the film When We Were Kings. This film shows how history of racial differences is redeemed. The career of Mohammad Ali is the clear evidence of these racial differences in sports (Hauser, 1991, pp.13). Mohammad Ali acts aprotagonist in the documentary when we were kings. This documentary was acted in Zaïre in 1996. It involves a fight between Mohammad Ali and George Foreman. This fight took place in 1974. This film illustrated ways I which Mohammad Ali appreciated African music during the action. In this film, both interview style filmmaking and cinema verite are combined together to bring the flow and the themes of this film. This film does not use any narrator to guide the viewers throughout the film. Narration of this film is improved through the interviewing done by Tailor Hackford, the editor, with Spike Lee, George Plimpton and Norman mailer. From the beginning of this film, Muhammad Ali is struggling to win the fight between him and the champion George Foreman. This fight describes more about black men in Africa, America or any other part in the world. The struggle that Muhammad puts in the fight shows how black men were struggling for equality, freedom and self-knowledge(Wiggins, 2006, pp.59). In this film, Muhammad Ali symbolizes a black man and on the other hand Foreman symbolizes the establishment of America. Ali fights makes him like he is fighting for the future of the other black man and the viewers are sucked to his hubris. Ali shows how he cares for others the ways he cares for himself. Ali is very confident that he will win the fight. This character is always associated with the antagonist in many films but this was completely different in this film. He is very confident and he wins the fight. This shows that he is well determined in whatever he goes for. Many viewers expects foreman to win the fight but it comes out different since Muhammad Ali, who talks a lot wins the fight. This boxing sport has been used to bring in the context of African independence movements and the American civil rights movements. Ali is given a portrait to act like Christ like figure. He is fighting in the name of the American blacks and Africans who were oppressed. On the other hand, Foreman has been portrayed as the representative of the Europeans and the western establishments(Jacobs, 2007 pp.154). In this film, boxing as a sport has been used to portray the African culture. The setting of this film shows what defines African culture. Ali shows love for African people and how he shares some lineage with them. The sense of spiritualism has been showed in this film through Ali’s love to the African music. The music played is poetic and they determine the results of the game. The music frames Ali as the hero and also it conveys some spirituality. To some extent, Ali won the fighting due to the spirit that the African people put into him. He was loved by the people in Zaire despite his pride and jokes that he made. He loved these people back and this shows that he appreciated his roots. He hopes that the African Americans prosper and this portrays his political views on his people(Jacobs, 2007 pp.154). The film starts by giving Muhammad Ali godly features. Before the fight, Ali was portrayed to have no relationship to anyone but in the morning after the fight, he hugs and kisses a young girl. This was a good moment between him and his supporters and also it brings him back to the human life where he can move beyond boxing to the rest of his life (Remnick, 1998, pp.32). This film has been used to show the political situations existing in Zaire. For the last fifteen years, this country has been under a coup. When Muhammad Ali went into the ring, he was facing Foreman who was far bigger, stronger and younger than him. This event portrayed Ali as brilliant and strategist fighter. During this time, Mobutu SeseSeko also was to show his brilliance in his political career. Mobutu had promised to change the shape of Congo after the second coup. He had started some campaigns that aimed at repossessing the African traditions. The media had put Congo as one of the countries under political unrest and rebellions. This fight was to give a chance to Mobutu to present a new image of Congo that involved post-colonial Africa that embraced the future. During Ali’s fight, he used two tactics in order to win his fight. These tactics included the perseverance and focusing on the weaknesses of the opponent. Mobutu later used these tactics for thirty years he was in power and they were successful. He was able to capitalize any fears posed by the external factors like economic privileges loss or communism. He created new image for Congo by defeating the cold war dictators through manipulation of their discourses, symbols and images and by exploitation of their weaknesses. He leant all these through Muhammad Ali and he was able to continue with his dictatorship for long time (Jacobs, 2007 pp.154). Boxing is a sport that has been associated with racial conflicts which bring many differences. These racial differences are clearly illustrated through the lives of Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis. These two boxers faced racial discriminations during their boxing careers for very long time. During the colonial times, boxing was asport that was identified as the black masculinity. Many blacks participated in this sport despite the racial discriminations that they got from the white participants. Muhammad Ali rose in 1960, the time when America was full of racial differences. During this time, there were black liberations that emphasized on the mass civil rights. United States was claimed to be the land of the free but blacks were racially abused by the other races. This started since the colonial times. Blacks had to fight for their rights to get even the basic rights by forming alliances to ensure that this racial discrimination ends. These racial differences were clearly illustrated during Ali’s career in boxing. Boxing made him one of the greatest men in U.S. he had changed his religion from Christianity to Islam. In 1964, he became a member of Black Nationalist Nation of Islam. Despite being unforgotten sportsman, he also fought for black rights. He succeeded in his sports and this oppressed many people around the world. This success made the black Americans proud and they had the power for fight for their rights. Muhammad Ali was brought up in society full of racial discriminations. Being born in Kentucky, which acted as the gateway to the south, he saw many gangs that posed terror on the state. During this time, there were many lynching that were never recorded. Many blacks were killed without any reports made. Blacks were forced to leave some seats for the white. They were given segregated seats that were considered to fit only the blacks. The drivers abused them by calling them names like ‘apes’ and ‘niggas’. Muhammad Ali was greatly affected by this racial differences and he had to attend the civil rights demonstrations frequently. These events moved along and he joined boxing which had showed some impacts on opposing racism. Before boxing was professionalized, whites who owned some slaves used them for sports and gambled. When boxing was professionalized may whites champions refused to go into the ring with the black challengers. One of the white champions who refused to fight with a black man was Jim Jeffries. He refused to fight with the first black champion Jack Johnson in order to show that whites are better than the blacks. He was later defeated by Johnson despite the crowd screaming ‘kill the nigga’. This made many blacks proud(Hauser, 1991, pp.23). After Muhammad Ali won the match between him and Liston, he exposed hoe the Us was full of racism. He said the Negro churches were blown up and the killers were not found. People got hit by stones and dogs were used to attack innocent civilians yet there was nothing done on the police using the dogs. He said some neighbourhoods were very dangerous and he could not go there despite being the world heavyweight champion. He would rather stay in his home to avoid troubling anyone. This would enable him dodge the dogs and the booby traps. Despite him exposing this racist nature of US, he said that he believed that the black and the whites can live together without troubling one another(Hauser, 1991, pp.33). Muhammad Ali was conquering the boxing world at the same time he embraced the religion. This made him famous in the Nation of Islam. He became the topic of discussion in the civil rights movement and the centre of the Nation’s power. His victory over Liston was congratulated by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Jackie Robinson said that Ali’s conversion to Islam meant nothing to the movement on the civil rights. He warned that if the number of blacks converting of Islam increases, it will due to the fact that the whites do not recognize the Negro people leadership. Ali and Floyd Patterson exchanged word before the fought in 1965. These words were based on political battles between them. Patterson called the black Muslims a menace to the Negro race and the US at large. He said there was no difference between the person supporting Muslims with the ones supporting the dangerous gang called Ku Klux Klan. Patterson believed that the whites would one day come into their senses and racism will put into an end. Muhammad Ali responded by saying that he will put Patterson to lie on his back for him start acting as a black. He said that Patterson did not act that way he should when he was a champ. Ali further pledges that Patterson forced himself to live in the only-whites neighbourhood. These conflicts were brought about by the racial differences in the boxing sport (All &Evanzz, 2002, pp.73). Muhammad Ali like the black movement leaders, he had to battle with the US state. As the war in Vietnam developed, many blacks opposed the war. All Many blacks were drafted to participate in the war but most of them did not want to be part of it due to some reasons that they had. Ali refused the call to join the army that was to fight in the Vietnam War. This denial was based on the racial differences in US. He refused the draft since his religion could not allow him participate in that war. He participated in the anti-war movement that demonstrated in Los Angeles. The main reason why he refused to join army was because he claimed that he could not support a nation (for whites) yet the blacks were being the country. There was no need for him to put his life in danger in trying to free a country yet he has not freed himself from country’s racial conflicts. He was an icon in sports and his voice gave him the potential to give opinions on politics in television broadcasts like NBC. He fought the Supreme Court that there was no right to join the army that would fight in the Vietnam War. His snub to sign the draft made him to be sentenced to five years in jail in 1967. His title was stripped by the World Boxing Association (WBA). This was overturned by the Supreme Court and the WBA reinstated him in 1970 (Riess, 1997, pp.36). Boxing like any other sport helps in boosting the financial status of the player as well as the country’s economic improvement. There many ways in which boxing can get money from. One of the ways includes the fans who watch the match. They are charge some entrance fee that will help in managing the stadium and pay the winners of the game. The government also benefits from boxing through by taxing the management as well as the winners. Muhammad Ali benefited a lot through boxing. He came from very poor family but the family financial status changed when he joined boxing. Television broadcasting played an important role in boxing career. Initially, during the end of the World War 2, funding the boxing professionalism was hard. From the mid-1950s, boxing was broadcasted more than any other sport. This helped in funding this sport. When many boxers won the medals, the audience was interested in the game and the number of fans increased. This increased the amount of money that was gained through this sport. Introduction of cable TV led to the increase in the number of young boxers who were trained for professional boxing(Ostenby& Hauser, 1993, pp.60). The TV broadcasts increased and a lot of money was gained through this sports. In 1960s, multimillion earnings were realised from the heavyweight championships. Muhammad Ali was the boxing maestro and he earned $69,000,000 for the last 20 years he was in the ring. The changed the financial status of his family. In 1966, Ali formed a corporation called Main Bout Inc. that would manage the multimillion dollars he gets from his fight. This corporation was led by the black nation of Islam. They gained a lot of money through Muhammad Ali’s boxing career. It acted as the black economic empowerment. All the money Ali gained was through the television broadcasting. The last match before he formed the bout was showed by 210 telecast. This match was worth $4 million. His fight with Liston was showed by 260 telecasts and the amount to be won was $4.3 million. He had also fought with Sonny Liston 19944 and he won $4 million. All these three bout boosted him in coming up with the corporation. This shows how sports can change the life of someone. Ali’s life changed from poverty to richness. His boxing also had benefited the broadcasting television channels also (Ostenby& Hauser, 1993, pp.63). Muhammad Ali retired when he was diagnosed of Parkinson’s disease. He never regrets for boxing despite the disability the he had. He is still love and active in the society. After suffering from the disease, he decided to help those who are going through the disease by funding them. He is not able to speak in the public due to the disease. He supports many foundations like children, AIDS, health, poverty and physical challenges. Ali found World Organisation for Right, Dignity and Liberty. He established Muhammad Ali centre in his home town Louisville, Kentucky. He is known for not allowing his freedom of speech to be carried away during the time when racial differences were very high. He stood upon his beliefs on religion and he could not allow anyone to convince him otherwise. Boxing also changed his life as he says that if it was not for boxing he would be painting in Louisville. The televisions broadcasts during that time boosted his earning as the number of fans increased. His film like when we were the kings was used to portray different cultures in in Zaire and to shows the dictatorship in this country. However, through the life of Muhammad Ali, changes in sport representation in film and televisions are noticed. Films have been used to show some of different cultures in the society. This is evidenced in the film when we were kings. The culture in Zaire can be identified through the characters like Ali and others. Muhammad Ali’s life has been used to bring in the racial differences that were there in 1960s. These differences explain more on the racial discrimination that existed during colonial times. This is clearly shown through the fight that Muhammad Ali fought during his time. The white boxers never liked to fight the black ones. This never discouraged the black boxers but encouraged them rather. Furthermore, the broadcasting industries gain a lot of money through the boxing games and this helped in improving the industries up to the standard it is currently. This made boxing one the loved sport in the world today. Bibliography (1997). Film Reviews - When We Were Kings. Sight and Sound.7, 56. (2004). Sports leaders & success: 55 top sports leaders & how they achieve greatness. New York, McGraw-Hill. ALI, M., & EVANZZ, K. (2002).I am the greatest: the best quotations from Muhammad Ali. Kansas City, Mo, Andrews McMeel. CONSENTINO, J., CONSENTINO, S., LINDAHL, C. H., IZENBERG, J., DUNDEE, A., CONRAD, H., GAMBLE, D. D. S., SCHAAP, D., & PACHECO, F. (1996). Muhammad Ali: the whole story. [Atlanta, GA], TNT Productions. EARLY, G. (1997). ALIS RUMBLE - When We Were Kings is the Oscar-winning documentary about Muhammad Alis 1974 title-fight with George Foreman in Zaire. Gerald Early wonders if it does the legendary boxer justice. Sight and Sound.7, 10. HAUSER, T. (1991).Muhammad Ali: his life and times. New York, Simon & Schuster. JACOBS, B. (2007). When We Were Kings: Revisiting the Rumble in the Jungle.Screen Education. 153-157. KLEIN, W., ALI, M., LISTON, S., & DUNDEE, A. (2003).Muhammad Ali the greatest, 1964-1974.Chicago, IL, Facets Video. MYERS, W. D. (2001).The greatest: Muhammad Ali. New York, Scholastic Press. OSTENBY, P. M., & HAUSER, T. (1993). Review of Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography.117, 109-111. REMNICK, D. (1998). King of the world: Muhammad Ali and the rise of an American hero. Random House, New York. RHODES, J. (2011). Fighting for "Respectability": Media Representations of the White, "Working-Class" Male Boxing "Hero".Journal of Sport & Social Issues.35, 350-376. RIESS, S. A. (1997). Major problems in American sport history: documents and essays. Boston, Houghton Mifflin. WIGGINS, D. K. (1995).Sport in America. Champaign, Ill, Human Kinetics. WIGGINS, D. K. (2006).Out of the shadows: a biographical history of African American athletes. Fayetteville, University of Arkansas Press. Read More