Training the Greatest: The Story of Ali and Dundee
Photograph and caption courtesy of Miami News, May 4, 1967.
From a Champion to an Exile
Muhammad Ali, with the support of Angelo Dundee, defended his title of Heavyweight Champion of the World nine times after he won it from Sonny Liston in 1964. He faced Liston a second time and knocked him out in the first round, he defeated former champion Floyd Patterson by technical knockout in twelve rounds, he defeated George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Brian London, Karl Mildenberger, Cleveland Williams, Ernie Terrell, and Zora Folley. Ali, the Champ, was now undefeated in 29 professional fights.
This meant nothing to boxing commissions as soon as they got word that Ali refused to be drafted into the United States military to serve in the Vietnam War. As a result, on April 28, 1967, Muhammad Ali was stripped of his title of World Heavyweight Champion.
No state would grant him a license to box, meaning Ali was forced into exile from the only career he had ever known.
Angelo Dundee repeatedly told reporters that he was as American as anyone, but he, too, did not understand the purpose of the Vietnam War. He was angry that newspapers had blown Ali's religious affiliation out of proportion, and fabricated rumors that he was unpatriotic and hateful. Dundee knew this was untrue. He believed Ali, a man true to his word, could not go against his beliefs in Islam.
He was also sad, as this meant he would not be in the light that shone whenever Ali was around. For a while, there would be no practical jokes played on him by Ali, there would be no grand publicity stunts, and there would be an empty spot in both the Fifth Street Gym and in Dundee's life.
