Training the Greatest: The Story of Ali and Dundee

Throughout Muhammad Ali's professional boxing career, he often referred to himself as 'The Greatest', and while many people agreed with him later in his career (and still today), there were those who disagreed. Several newspapers responded to his self-proclamation by nicknaming him 'The Louisville Lip' due to his inclination to speak loud and speak often. Prior to his fight against LaMar Clark, which would be his sixth professional fight, he decided to name the round in which he would knockout Clark. Ali said Clark would fall in two rounds, and that he did. After this fight, Ali announced to reporters that, "I just had the feeling he must fall. I said he would fall in two and he did...From now on they all must fall in the round I call." 

From then on, every time a fight was scheduled, Muhammad Ali would announce in which round he would be declared the winner. Angelo Dundee kept telling him that he needed to talk if he wanted people to know who he was, and he found a way to make sure everyone was listening. One could say that Dundee was a trainer to Ali in the ring, and in the press room. He would collect newspaper clippings about Ali and send them to Ali's manager, Bill Faversham, Jr., to let him know that Ali was getting his name out there. 

Dundee was a key instigator when it came to publicity for his fighter, and that especially rang true the night of Ali's fight against Alejandro Lavorante on July 20, 1962. Ali did not have an opponent lined up after Lavorante, and after defeating him in round five, Dundee pulled Ali aside and told him to call out his next foe right then and there, and pointed to Ali's former mentor: Archie Moore. Ali, of course, grabbed the microphone from the television announcer and called: "Archie Moore, I know you're out there...I want you next, old man. Moore will fall in four!"

That was the first time Ali would rhyme his challenge, and it certainly would not be the last.