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OC Interview RC Worksheet
In 1971, chat show host Sir Michael Parkinson conducted a famous interview with legendary
boxer Mohammad Ali. Read the interview transcript below and answer the questions.

Michael Parkinson: Tonight my guest is an extraordinary man. Few would argue if I call him
unique. In an age when the demarcation line between sport, showbiz and politics has become
blurred, he’s a prime example of a man who is an athlete yet he represents so many other
things for so many other people. To me, as someone who’s interested in sport, he’s without
doubt the most beautiful and complete athlete I’ve ever seen. To others he’s a political leader, a
figurehead in the battle between black and white. And yet to more people who care little about
sport and even less about politics, he’s one of the world’s great entertainer. A character, a
comedian, and a sometimes poet. Here he is in all his splendour. Ladies and gentlemen,
Muhammad Ali.
Could I first start of by asking you, you’ve been the champion of the world three times, and
you’re now the ex-champion, do you feel that people are treating you differently now that you
are the one-time champion?

Muhammad Ali: Right, it’s different to others who have lost - or so called lost - the titles and
others would say have gone downhill slightly. I have more fans and more followers and more
supporters. Because the people who actually saw the Joe Frazier Muhammad Ali fight, they saw
me win at least nine rounds - the people who know boxing. I admit I lost three rounds - playing
around four rounds. And I lost the eleventh round - he shook me pretty good. He knocked me
down in the fifteenth round. But those were the rounds I lost. The average I hit him was four
times to every one he hit me. Then the publicity after the fight said he had to spend four weeks
in intensive treatment at the hospital he took such a terrible whooping. But I still looked the
same - I had a swollen jaw. No features or nothing distorted, like him. So people still recognise
me. One judge was so outrageous he gave Frazier eleven rounds and I only won four rounds -
and even the least boxing fan would know that was totally impossible for me just to have won
four rounds.

MP: But without that, even without the dispute about the judging, the fact is that you’re a
crowd-puller and Frazier is not. Why is that?

MA: Well, number one: he is ugly. He has no rhythm, no footwork, no class, he cannot talk. And
who told him he could sing? He got him a big band to travel the world with his new title
thinking that he’s gonna sell ‘em all out. Every time I read the paper they say, ‘Joe Frazier, he
played an area that held ten thousand and 37 people showed up’. So I think I could beat Joe
Frazier singing. I was in a Broadway musical called Big Time Buck Wright. The play didn’t make
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it but I was a success. It lasted six days but I sung four songs and there were critics, seriously,
in New York who said that my part was perfect. So I can beat Joe Frazier singing.

MP: I think one of the things that are undeniably true about you Muhammad is that you’ve got
this gift, this flair, for publicity. You attract it. Have you always had this gift, thinking right
back?

MA: No. I was training for a fella called named of Duke Sabedong - he was Hawaiian fighter and
a giant about 6 feet 8 inches tall. And I was due to fight him in Las Vegas and I was on television
saying something like this. Gorgeous George, a famous American wrestler who is deceased
now, was there talking before myself. I came on after him and he was talking about, ‘I am the
prettiest wrestler. I am great! Look at my beautiful blond hair. And if that bum even messes my
hair up I’ll annihilate him’. They said, ‘George, what if you lose?’. And he said, ‘If I lose, I’m
catching the next jet out to Russia. I want everybody out there to know’. He was getting all mad
and saying. ‘I’m sick and tired I’m getting off this show’. And he ran off the show. And I was so
nervous and thought, ‘boy, he sure talks a lot’. I had to go to see what he would do - would he
win or lose? I was nervous for him.
Many people were there for various reasons. And when Gorgeous George came down the aisle
he had these two blonde beautiful girls carrying his robe so it wouldn’t get dirty. Real conceited
and arrogant. I was 21 years old, I was the Olympic champion but I hadn’t started talking yet.
One fella stood up, looked at him and said, ‘boy, he needs a good whoopin’.’ And he reached
over and took a keg of beer out of a man’s hand and threw it in the man’s face. Later I found out
that this man worked for the show. But the people didn’t know. The fella had a little boy beside
him and a lady. And then he got in his opponent’s corner and got some deodorant and sprayed
it, holding his nose, and he was trowing out at people and making out all kinds of bad gestures.
He won the first, lost the second and won the third. But then I saw all those people coming
through the door to see Gorgeous George get beat - and they all paid to get in - that’s the thing -
and I said, ‘this is a good idea’. And right away I start talking: “I am the greatest. I am beautiful.
If you talk jive you’ll fall in five. I cannot lose.” People sold everything - their cars, their land for
miles, to come in and see me beat. I went to the bank laughing every time.
I don’t talk no more. I don’t have to do that no more.

1. Which of the following was not used by Michael Parkinson to describe Mohammad Ali?
a. Political leader
b. Comedian
c. Olympic champion
d. Poet
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2. Why does Ali believe he is different from other ex-champions?

a. He is not just a fighter, but an entertainer.
b. He and his supporters believe that he unfairly lost the championship match.
c. He thinks he is better than them
d. He was the Olympic champion at 21

3. Which of the following words best summarises Ali’s attitude towards Frazier?
a. Demeaning
b. Friendly
c. Reverent
d. Whimsical

4. Which of the following words is most similar in meaning to “annihilate” as it is used in

the passage?
a. Devastate
b. Collapse
c. Fight
d. Scold

5. For what purpose did Ali share the story of Gorgeous George?
a. To share the story of his personal hero
b. To recount his childhood experiences
c. To remember a late friend of his
d. To explain what inspired him to develop his own persona

6. Why does Ali say: “I don’t talk no more. I don’t have to do that no more”?
a. He is successful enough to not have to rely on those marketing gimmicks
b. He doesn’t want to talk to his fans anymore
c. Now that he is no longer champion, there is no longer any point in promoting his
fights
d. After George passed away, Ali no longer uses his methods
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Answers
1. C – although the words “Olympic champion” are used in the interview by Ali, Parkinson
never uses the phrase. The other descriptions are used in Parkinson’s opening
introduction.
2. B – none of the other options are mentioned in relation to previous champions
3. A – Ali was constantly talking poorly of Frazier, an attitude best summarised by the
word ‘demeaning’ – causing someone to lose their dignity and the respect of others
4. A – ‘annihilate’ means to ‘destroy’ or ‘devastate’ completely.
5. D – Ali talks about how his experience watching Gorgeous George highlighted the
benefits of developing a similar, marketable persona
6. A – Ali was talking about how his controversial persona built up his success and
insinuates that he now no longer has to worry about that anymore.