Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight

by Nate M.

Muhammad Ali and his trainer Lance Miller had just finished watching the Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1967 Super Bowl, and were sitting down at a diner eating dinner. “Hey champ, did you hear?” said Lance. “They lowered the standards for the military qualifying test! They’re probably going to draft you,” he added.

Muhammad Ali speaks to the press

“I ain’t gon’ fight for no country that called me n****r. I ain’t going to war unless directed by Elijah Muhammad or Allah themselves. War is against the teachings of my religion.”

“All right, champ, we already know the press is going to be all over this looking for a sound-bite. They know you at this point; you never fail to deliver what they want in terms of a headline,” said Lance.

“I always tell the press the truth, Lance, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea this time. I don’t think people will fully understand my point of view on war,” said Ali.

“Don’t worry about it, champ; speak your mind and it will all work out in the long run, ” advised Lance.

“Fine, I trust you coach,” said Ali, with a smile on his face.

“Now before you get mobbed by people with cameras and microphones, how about going to see that new movie Bonnie and Clyde in the cinema?” suggested Lance.

“Sounds good. I’ll get some Jujubes and popcorn,” replied Ali.

As predicted, the next morning Ali was attacked by the media while taking a walk. When asked for his thoughts about the war and the draft, Ali responded, “War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. I ain’t trying to dodge the draft. We are not supposed to take part in no wars unless directed by Allah or The Messenger. We don’t take part in Christian wars or wars of any believers. I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong. They never called me n****r,” Ali stated. Not surprisingly, Muhammad Ali was on the front page of the newspaper the next morning. After weeks of media frenzy, about not only his upcoming fight but his remarks about the war, Ali realized that the only way around fighting in the war that did not involve arrest would be to apply as a conscientious objector. Which would basically mean that the military would allow him not to fight because he had a valid personal reason to refuse military service. So Ali did just that, his trainer helping him fill out the required form and application for conscientious objection. They decided that the best things to put down that would most likely persuade the board to accept his application would be that war was against the teachings of the Qur’an, and his opposition to American involvement in the Vietnam War.

“Good luck, champ. I helped all I could. I understand how much you don’t want to fight in this war. I really hope this works out for you. If they don’t accept your application it will be because they don’t understand you. To be honest, I didn’t quite understand you when I first started training you. You’re like an onion, really. You need to be peeled back a layer at a time. Let’s just pray they catch on faster than I did,” said Lance.

“Appreciate it, Lance. I know that you knew you didn’t have to help me with this,” said Ali.

Lance Miller smirked. “It’s no issue, kid. Just pray and things will work out how they’re supposed to.”

Weeks of hard work and anticipation passed, and Ali was finally brought into court to be told if his application had been accepted or not. Ali was brought in front of the judge in a packed courtroom that seemed much smaller than it actually was. Out of all the faces in the room, Ali found the face of Lance Miller, who mouthed the words, “Things will work out how they are supposed to no matter what. Just have faith.”

Ali nodded back, as if to say that he understood what he meant. After five minutes the judge then continued to speak, but in a louder and clearer voice:

“So, that being said, Muhammad Ali’s application as a conscientious objector for the Vietnam War has been rejected. This decision has been made because an applicant’s objection must be against participating in war of any kind or form. Not just a particular form. Mr. Ali’s application seemed to only be against military service in the armed forces of the United States. An applicant’s objection to service in the military must be based off religious training and belief. Claimed objections to war were insofar as they were based on the teachings of the Nation of Islam, which rests on primarily political and racial grounds. Also, an application’s objections must be sincere. Ali has not proven to be a devoted Muslim until military service came into the picture. Dismissed.”

The judged banged his gavel. Muhammad Ali resembled a trial himself, because he could change and influence so many things by just talking and hitting his opponents like a judge bangs a gavel. After this judge hit his gavel, though, the massive crowd circling the courtroom was in an uproar, and Ali was distraught, as he was escorted out of the room.

Muhammad Ali is escorted to jail

Ali was taken to the Military Entrance Processing Station, where he was handed paperwork to fill out, for he was now supposed to be a part of the U.S. military. Ali looked down at the papers he had in his hand, and stood in silence for three minutes until he threw the paper on the ground, and yelled.

“No, I ain’t going no ten thousand miles to help murder and kill other poor people! You want me to go and fight for you? You won’t even stand up for me right here in America! For my rights! And my religious beliefs! You can’t even stand up for me right here at home!”

Shocked, the man who handed Ali the paper signaled the police, who handcuffed Ali, and took him to jail.

“You’re under arrest for draft evasion, son. You’re headed to jail,” said the officer.

“Send me to jail! I’ve been in jail for four hundred years. I can be there for four or five more.”

Ali was taken to the jail, where he spent the next two weeks, before being visited by Lance.

“How are you holding up?” asked Lance.

“I’m good. They can put me in jail all they want. I’m still not fighting for them, when they won’t fight for me. Now once I get out, who am I fighting next?” asked Muhammad.

“Well, good to know you aren’t shaken up, kid. But you’ve been banned from the WBO for the next four years. You aren’t going to be able to box for a while, champ. I’m sorry.”

“Well, is there any way I can appeal this case?” asked Ali.

Lance responded, “You read my mind, kid.”

“Well, I think I should argue that I should not be forced to go against my will to fight in a war that I am not supportive of in the first place,” said Ali.

“Champ, they won’t accept your application if you’re opposed to the war. You need to be opposed to war, period,” added Lance.

“You are just like the rest of them. I should not go out and fight for a country that won’t fight for me!” shouted Ali.

“I’m totally with you on that, champ. It’s just that the rule is that you need to be against all war and the board will not accept your appeal or application if that is the thing we are trying to explain,” responded Lance.

“No, you’re just hiding behind those words. I can’t believe this. I’m going back to my cell,” said Ali.

On Lance Miller’s walk home he stopped at Dixie’s Cream and Donuts to ponder his last discussion with Ali.

They were both unsure if they were angry or sad. The one thing that stuck with Lance and truly bothered him was when Ali told him that he was just like all the rest of the people who frequently criticized Ali. Lance remembered years back when he first began training Ali, who was back then just a talented potential-filled kid from Louisville, who went by the name of Cassius Clay. Lance came from a white family; however, he had never understood why a person’s heritage made them superior or less of a person. So he saw no issue with training an African American young man with all the potential in the world, who was always claiming that he would one day be the greatest. Lance trained him day in and day out in the gym every day, and pushed him to work harder and harder until his protege’s prediction that he would one day be the greatest seemed like it was soon to be true. Eventually, this young talented fighter began attracting more and more attention. As his fighter became more and more recognizable, so did Lance. Lance then began to go through things he had never gone through before; he began to get criticized by more and more people just because he was a white man, who helped and befriended a black athlete. However, Lance never let that affect his relationship with Ali, and he didn’t plan to let their argument do that either. Lance finally decided that it would be good to go back and try to work things out with Ali.

Weeks later, Lance headed to the prison. He explained all the things that he had thought about since they last saw each other, which he had never bothered to share with Ali before. After telling Ali his story, Lance finally exclaimed, “Muhammad, I still think you should fight this. If you appeal this case in court, you have a chance of being a free man. Also, there are plenty of other points that can be backed up with laws and actual facts.”

“Wow Lance, I never thought about what it might be like for you. Thank you for always sticking with me through the times of adversity, and times of success. I truly appreciate it. Though coach, I see what you’re saying about appealing the case, but ain’t nobody gon’ listen to me. Ain’t none of them ever listen,” said Muhammad.

“Look son, trust me and everything will work out how it is supposed to in the end,” said Lance.

Ali responded, “Okay coach. I trust you, and also every time you say that, it seems to end up being true.”

They called lawyers and got everything prepared by the court date. The trial was intense and the courtroom had an aura of suspense and anticipation. Finally, the judge said, “The Louisville, Kentucky draft board did not properly specify the reasons behind Ali’s application’s denial, and his conviction shall be overturned,” in a booming voice.

Ali immediately stood up and ran over to high five Lance and jumped and hugged in celebration.

“Unfortunately kid, while you are a free man now, you still are banned from boxing for the next four years,” said Lance.

“That’s fine by me. Things will always work out how they are supposed to in the end, right?” said Ali, smiling.

“Damn right, kid. Damn right,” said Lance Miller, patting Ali on the back as they exited the courtroom.