congress in terms of legislation and what was going on on the west coast or the east coast and why things weren't moving the way they should in terms of general movement. he said you know, i'm the same muhammad and i need your help. i asked him what was he working on and he had a list of pieces of legislation that he thought was very important and wanted to make sure that if anybody that i got it and i would know what to do with it. so he never stopped fighting for the opportunity to change the society, to make us better as a nation. to give us a great sense of pride to make sure that all people were included. he was adamantly against racial discrimination and segregation and very prideful. i think his pride got in the way of some people understanding him in the early days and took it to be an arrogance, but he was just

proud of who he was and proud to make sure he did what he could do in his own time and own ways to make a difference. >> and he certainly did. he was born cash shus clay. you talked about his passion for his faith. can you share a little more about what you knew of his faith personally. >> i can tell you that he was a deep believer in the tenants of islam. when he decided he would become a member of the nation of islam. it was right after the death of elie gentleman muhammad. ali credited more than anybody else bringing him into the nation of islam or into the sunni nation, i should say.

he believed that if somebody had a belief that it was theirs it was sacred so regardless of your religion, he thought everybody should be guaranteed the right to believe what they want to believe. so when he changed his name and there were some boxers who were mocking him and calling him all sorts of names and refusing to call him muhammad ali, he took that, i think, as an insult. not only to him, but his faith and his determination to define himself as a man. he had defined himself by changing his name. and thought the people would respect that. floyd partyson would never call him that. with the famous fight with patterson. i think they fought twice. muhammad ali beat on him so bad and kept saying what's my name, what's my name, what's my name. it was one of the more memory bl

fights for people who follow patterson because patterson was supposed to be a tremendous boxer, but he had a glass chin. so muhammad ali worked on that chin. he worked with his jabs and after a while it was clear that he had pretty much beat patterson into submission, but i think it may have been a more personal fight for him because patterson had mocked him in the fact that he had become a muslim. >> one of his famous quotes is it is lack of faith that keeps people from meeting challenges and i believed in myself. he certainly did. he fought another battle later in life. parkinson's. can you talk a little bit about that battle. >> well, that was a much more private battle to begin with. i think after the torchlighting in atlanta at the olympics in 1996 it became a much more public battle.

ali was proud to use himself and to have everyone else use him as the example of how to live with it, how to fight it, how to learn about it. you know, people were more apt i think in many respects to get into the better understanding of parkinson's disease when they realize it affected the champ. so he became an ambassador in that sense and it became public and it has been -- >> it sounds like we just lost our guest there. we are talking about the life and legacy of muhammad ali who is dead this evening. we're learning his funeral will be in lieu equiouisville kentuc somebody who is a transformative figure who began his career in boxes after his bike was stolen when he was just a 12-year-old

kid in louisville. someone who was told by a police officer who happened to be a boxing coach that maybe he should learn to box and he did. he went on to be one of the greatest boxing champions of all times visiting over a hundred countries, traveling around the world later in his life doing humttarian work and really sharing with the world his legacy and his life. we also have been talking about the face of muhammad ali. he converted to islam and changed his name. he actually had been born cash us clay. he said that was a slave name. he shed that name to take on the name muhammad ali and was very strong in his faith. earlier today i was watching some yids of his boxing and it's hard to watch him in the ring without feeling the power of his punch. that's one of the things we've been talking about as well. how this was a man who was so

strong in his words outside the ring and take them into the ring in every fight in every battle and we've also been talking about his battle later in life with parkinson's disease and how that was sort of a private battle that he fought, but one that became public as his symptoms were symptoms that could be seen. tonight a reporter is has been in touch with us and has been talking to us outside the hospital. she's telling us that his family is asking for privacy right now, but has been talking about how the community has just been sort of starting to build there. how he was a figure that was very involved in the community. and how they'll be continuing to watch and weight and hear more from the family and from the community where he passed away this evening. right now i'm hear we have someone else on the phone who knew him. it's doctor earnest patty joining us today.

>> yes, good evening. i did not personally know muhammad ali. >> thank you for sharing that with us. what can you tell us. >> at his age, 74, with his condition of parkinson's issues he has, i'm sure, a low reserve and i'm not susure that any hea issues that could have affected him could have contributed to his untimely demise unfortunately. kor m what can you tell us about parkinson's disease? >> well, you know, the problem with parkinson's is a lot of it -- a lot of its affects are still not known. one of the things we do know is when you lose your ability to have proper cognition, you also lose the ability to properly care for yourself. therefore your nutrition, your

exercise, and all the other functions of daily living are -- you're dependent on other people to make sure you're getting proper amounts of all those different modalities. >> we had learned he had been admitted to the hospital for respiratory problems. does that typically translate or how does that translate into his passing. >> well, what most folks mean when they say that, you can go in with an upper respiratory infection, which many times translates or turns into a lower respiratory infection which may lead to infection like pneumonia. pneumonia in an older person in their 70s who is healthy can be a challenging infection, let alone in someone with a disease like parkinson's which affects their whole body which could make it more series of an

infection and lead to worse consequences. >> all right. doctor patty, thank you so much for joining us. right now we have jim grey who is a fox news contributor and sport caster. jim, can you take us through the sports legacy of this incredible man? >> we don't have enough time on this network or time on this show to take your through this man's legacy. he is the greatest athlete for the 20th century. he transformed sports as we know it in this country. he's a global icon. he meant so much to society. he lit the torch at tt 1996 olympics after winning a gold metal as you see right there in 1960 and his passing is tremendously sad and true end of

an american icon and national treasure. >> and incredibly sad evening, but also an evening to celebrate an amazing person, an amazing american who really contributed too much to our country, to our sports. can you talk about what made him so unique in the ring? >> well, you know, he was obviously captivated the world by winning three titles, three time linear heavy weight champion. he beat the man who beat the man. he was taken away from us at his prime he had to go because he would not go to the vietnam war and i'm now joined right now by the perfect 49-0 record of floyd may weather.

flooi fli floyd, what are your thoughts on the passing of this legend. >> thank you. he was a lejd. a person with so much charisma. he was an icon. a man that so many different things. and he's going to be truly missed. you know, i was at the fights tonight. when i got the information about him passing, it hurt me deeply. still hurt from that because i mean i love him so much. i see social media pages and their comparing me with ali is great to even be in the same sentence as a person so legendary and a person so great. he will be missed. >> floyd, what did he mean to the sport and will there ever be anything that will even remotely compare? >> he means so much to this

sport of boxing. i mean, the main thing is -- i mean, he changed sports period. you know, ali may still be the most popular man ever, you know, the most popular person ever and he comes from the sport of boxing. every day when i came home from school, i would watch tapes of muhammad ali and just watch his movement. i mean, just -- he was just a remarkable person. >> what was best. >> so many great words to describe this person. >> what were his best attributes as a fighter or when he was in the ring.

>> his best attribute was combination punches, but most of all, his movement. his legs. moved to gracefully. so beautiful. it was like watching a butterfly float. >> what was he like to other boxers and other fighters? how did he inspire you and what was your personal relationship with him. >> i met him before, you know, i was so overwhelmed i couldn't believe i met him when i was young. i met muhammad ali. out of all the fighters that i've met, he was at the top of the list of people i wanted to meet in life period. you know, just to be touched by his greatness.

it could have been love. then with him touching me, me shaking hands with muhammad ali it made me want to two out there and surpass. this is not about me. this is about a legend. a man that is going to be truly missed. a man that i love. >> floyd, you were in the stadium as an olympian in 1996. what do you remember about the night that he lit the torch and that overwhelming moment for the whole world to see? >> i said if anyone deserves to do this, it's muhammad ali. if anyone deserves to light the torch for the 1996 olympic games, they couldn't chose a better person. >> when you look back and you see how athletes behave today,

how they're able to speak so freely, be bragging, be outspoken, whether it's yourself, charles barkly, or several other athletes that have come, do you give him the credit for opening that door? >> absolutely. if it wasn't for muhammad ali, sports, entertainment period wouldn't be like it is. muhammad ali's name stands next to people like martin luther king and malcolm x. people that stood for a very, very strong cause in a very, very rough era. when you talk about black history period, one of the first

names you have to say is muhammad ali. if you talk about legends, one of the first names you talk about is muhammad ali. talking about entertainment. you mention michael jackson, you also have to mention muhammad ali. >> what did he mean to the african-american community floyd before he was accepted worldwide and particularly to the white community and white society her >> well, in his era, muhammad ali made people believe -- in his era, entertainers as well as boxers as well as any other athlete, everyone wants to be like muhammad ali. everyone wanted to be like muhammad ali.

dress like him, talk like him, move like him. a true class act. a true class act. >> when he would come to your fights and you would be boxing and the fans in the middle of the fight would start to chant, ali, ali, ali, did you notice it and what was that like? >> for a legend like muhammad ali to come to my fight, it was a dream come true. you know, i never dreamed that had ali would come to see me fight. and when he did come see me fight, that made me want to go out there and perform that much better. >> was he the greatest fighter of all time. he's called the greatest. he called himself the greatest. that's how he's known worldwide.

is he? was he? >> well, in his era. we're talking about was he the greatest -- one of the big skpes greatest athletes of his time. yes. you know, will there ever be another ali. we just don't know. we may never see another ali in our generation. you know, but he's such a great person. such a great person. he will be missed. truly missed. i legend. >> do you have a special moment or something personal that you can share with our audience of time that you spent with him? >> when i first touched ali's hand, i shook his hand and he put his arms around me.

i can remember. i was 19 years old. and i said to myself, i will never wash this hand again because ali touched it. now i got good luck and i'm going to go out here and win a gold metal. even though i ended up receiving a grobronze metal, it was great be in the same room with such a great person. with such a legend. >> floyd, i would often see muhammad ali and we would speak and his condition obviously deteriorated as he went on in life, but he never felt sorry for himself and he never wanted any pity and he would always say that he had no pain associated with this. was it sad for you and other fighters to see this man who we had grown to see so bold and strong in the ring decline. >> it really hurt.

it really hurt deeply because the same thing is going on within my family with my uncle roger. every day my uncle roger, some days he knows me. some days he doesn't know who i am. and it hurts deep inside. just when i look -- i was telling myself over and over again. i need to go see ali. . i need to go see ali. he's getting sick. i know he's getting sick. i want to take pictures with him. i don't think the first time i met ali i had a chance to take a picture with him. technology has changed. now you can take a thousand pictures in a day. at that particular time in 1996,

i didn't get a chance to take a picture with ali. someone may have snapped a picture with me and ali. i'm not really sure, but when you just say the name, it just remarkable. even if it's a person named muhammad, first name muhammad or last name muhammad or first name ali or last name ali, it always puts you in the mind frame of muhammad ali. >> well you said that exactly right. it sure does. do you remember the last conversation or last time you interacted with him. >> yes, in 96 when i shook his hand. i was stuck for words. i didn't really know what to say. i couldn't believe it. i didn't even want to show my

true feelings and emotions of how i felt. i can remember after meeting ali and that was the day i wasn't fighting. so i had an off day. maybe go out there and run and ride a bike for an hour and run over five miles. >> flieoyd, what do you think t greatest lesson that ali will leave behind and his legacy will be? >> never be afraid. never strop believing. and never settle for less. >> let me ask you a few other questions. we really appreciate floyd may weather joining us here with the

passing of muhammad ali earlier this evening. floyd, did muhammad ali make it possible for a man like you to earn $300,000 in the ring like you did last season? is he the reason? >> absolutely. because of ali i worked hard. when something wasn't right as far as -- i'm sorry. someone was knocking on my door. i apologize. let me go back and say what i have to say. at one particular time when -- the first time i was going to face manny, the only thing i wanted was urine test. no different from what ali believed in when he said he wasn't going to two to another country and kill innocent

people. i said i wanted to be treated fair. this is my era. i just wanted to be treated fair. just like ali held out, i held out. at one particular time, i held out because i believed in what i truly believed in. just like ali believed in what he believed in, i believed in what i believed in. ali believed it's not right to kill innocent people. i believe the same thing, but in a different way. i just wanted to be treated fair. that's all i was saying. i wanted to be treated fair. i held out from a fight where i was going to make 70 million or 80 million and ended up making 300 million and that's all because of muhammad ali. >> do you expect to travel to the funeral in louisville kentucky and do you expect

everybody from the boxing world to be there as well. >> i'm real cautious. i haven't been to a funeral in so long. so long because i try to remember a person how they were when -- the last time i seen them. sol so we really don't know what we're going to do, but we will be a part of his funeral. and be a part of his family. you know, sending him home in a special way. >> well, floyd, you have honored him quite well here. we appreciate your time in doing this interview. is there any final thoughts you would like to add on the passing of the great muhammad ali.

>> there will never be another muhammad ali. the black communities all around the world, black people all around the world needed him. he was a voice for us. he was a vice for me to be where i'm at today. i just want to thank muhammad ali and his family for being such strong people. he will always be missed. my prayers two out to ali and his family. >> floyd, thank you very much for joining us this evening. >> thank you. >> 49-0, floyd may weather. unknown whether or not he will return to the ring. obviously muhammad ali a

tremendous admiration for him. saying his career would not have been possible, the money that he has made, theagelation and family he has gained without muhammad ali. i'm sure that will be echoed by all of the living boxers who have obtained some form of fame and greatness in the game. >> thank you for that touching interview with floyd. he talked about how he transformed the sport, but you've been somebody who has been involved in sports for a very long time. how do you see muhammad ali as having transformed the sport of boxing? >> well, it wasn't just boxing. he transformed testimony worlhe he took a stand at the height of his career. he stood for something much much greater than himself. he stood up and said i ain't got nothing against no vietnam and

would not go fight over there based on his religious brief. having converted to islam and was forced to sit out for more than three wreeyears and he was convicted of that and they did not send him off to jail for his sentence. or pay the fine. because the po was pending in the supreme court. he was vindicated by the supreme court. an 8-0 verdict. unanimous. the only one who elected not to vote was thur good marshal. he transformed sports. he transformed our society and he became a global icon. this was the most popular man and most recognizable man on the face of the planet. it was because of what he had done in the ring and his stance outside of the ring.

it was very, very unpopular at the time. there were several of course veterans from world war one and world war ii and korea that did not like his stand and thought it was anti-country, but later on in life, and as the war went on and the policies of that war and the movements in the street combined with the civil rights movement, ali became someone who was despised and detested to somebody who became respected and admired, and, of course, with the resignation and endsing of the war and richard nixon resigning and ali continued his career. lost to fraser. and winning the title back and losing it in 1978 and beating him and winning for a third time and then going on and continuing to fight fought against larry holmes and that took an awful

lot out of him and he finally finished up againin the bahamas you can see when he gave us the great great moment in the 1996 olympics after parkinson's had set in and that announcement was made in approximately 1984 that he was starting to suffer from that and he was obviously a different man at that time and shaking and hollyfield ran around the track and thought he is going to light the torch. he's from atlanta. he's a georgia y she handed it to a man who emerged out of the shadows and the man who emedical personnrged ali. the man who had won the metal

and lost the metal and the legend which a lot of people said it is not true. that he had thrown the metal into the chicago river. in fact, he had lost the metal and there he was standing to light the flame to pass on this torch to future generations admired, loved, beloved, and so respected across the globe. it's a moment i still get chills thinking about being in that stadium and doing that broadcast that evening for nbc's and then being able to be with ali a few nights later when the dream team of 1996 at half time he was given back and rewarded the metal that he had lost from 1960 by juan antonio the president of the international olympic committee and to see he had come to where he was and battling parkinson's and when he was shaking and trying to

desperately to light that flame and then he finally got it lit. the man had tremendous resolve, tref determination. amazing courage. and he was so much fun to be around. and he lit up a room and lit up the stage and lit up a globe like nobody ever has. there will never be anybody like this man. >> you talk about him being someone who stood for what he believes in, and boy he certainly took risks in his life. thank you so much for joining us this evening, for your experience in covering him and spending time with him and for your interview with floyd may whether. thank you so much. >> thank you. >> now we have adam housely standing by in our la bureau. adam, are you with us? >> we have the statement from the family we'll go through again. also some reaction. you're talk with jim there.

being a sports caster. howard that went on for so many years on the fights in the 70s that had so many viewers captivated with the white sports caster and the black boxer and their sparring on television. moments that so many people remember over the years. the statement from the family come from phoenix, after a battle with parkinson's, muhammad ali has passed away. muhammad ali's funeral will take home in his hometown of louisville kentucky. thank you for thoughts, prayers, and supports and ask for privacy at this time. as for some of the reaction coming in right now. mike tieson, good came for his champion.

so long great one. >> manny pack ratio, we lost a giant today. boxing benefitted from muhammad ali's talents, but not nearly as much as mankind benefitted from his humanity. a lot of quotes. known for his quotes. he was very famous for him. the ones that seems to be hitting social media consistently is one i will read to you. impossible is just a word thrown around by small men who find it'sier to. impossible is not a fact. it's an opinion. impossible is potential. impossible is temporary. impossible isthat's probably on famous quotes he's given. float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. impossible is nothing seems to be resinating with so many

people in the internet today. the way this man transcended age groups and colors. my mother-in-law is black. her favorite boxer. one of her favorite athletes. muhammad ali. my father is clearly white. same famous person. he loves muhammad ali. we have signed gloves in our home. locally a couple of years ago, muhammad ali's grands son was playing at a baseball game in southern california. he's sitting in the stands and kids 18, 19 years old. they were born well after his last fight. potentially 15 years after his last fight and would come up to him and shake his hands and get autographs. this man years later still had that kind of emotion that brought people to come and see him. these emotions are coming in on social media tonight. people who never met him, never knew him expressing their feelings. and the more famous ones who did

know them. we heard from jim gray of course. we will bring you more thoughts throughout the evening here as people start to hear of the news of muhammad ali's passing all 74 years old. >> you mentioned he is an incredible figure across generations, across different people around the world. he wasn't just known here in the u.s. he was a worldwide figure. visited over 100 countries. what do you know at this point though as far as what his family when we'll hear from his family and what more we can expect from him. also, what have we heard from his family and community lately. >> well, we got word of course this afternoon. this has happened before. this was the third or fourth time we have been told muhammad ali was near the end and he had fought through and beaten the other times we had heard this. so today seemed a bit different from people that were closer to

him. i was told you could sense an emotion that potentially this was unfortunately it did come to pass. the family of course is very private. i met his daughter a number of times. very sweet lady. she has not said anything or released any statements yet. we have been told the family is going to remain pretty private. tomorrow at noon there will be a press conference in the phoenix area. i don't know if we'll hear from anybody in the family. just said there will be a press conference. we do know the arrangements have been made and the funeral will take place in ali's hometown of louisville kentucky. those details haven't been given. we don't know if it will be a public ceremony or private s. you believe the nba will do

something. major league baseball will do ale moment of silence. because this man transcended ports. because he became an icon for society, you will see these types of tributes. every athlete knows who muhammad ali. every person. every athlete i grew up with had a picture at some point of ali standing over somebody after he had knocked him out and his fist still clenched and arm still cocked. he was known for being the ultimate champion. i think you're going to hear and see a lot of tributes coming in the next couple of days in promotional sports especially. . more people will be weighing in as we get more from social media of course. we'll let you know. president obama back in 2010. he has not weighed in by the way, but he wrote an essay of what ali meant to him. that is something we can bring to you at some point this evening as well. there's a lot there. there's a lot of outpouring of

support and love. i never had a chance to shake his hand, but i was in the room with him and the energy that certain people have. they just have it. he was one of those individuals. you knew you were the in presence of greatness. whether you understood what he did over the years. he won the heavyweight championship three times. won a gold metal. fought against the vietnam war and overcame that. changed his religion and fought when people said he was too old. went to the mayo clinicic to make sure he dould fight another battle when no one wanted to go in the ring and then fought parkinson's with such grace for so many years. he overcame a lot of things to become the great icon he was. i think jim said it best. you can make it a strong argument there are very few people in the world that are

known around the world like muhammad ali. >> people who knew him, his energy, being in the room with him. he was also a family man. he had nine children and one of his daughters is also a former promotional boxer, but you said you met one oz hi daughters. can you tell us what he was like as a family man and what it was like meeting one of his daughters. >> i met her with my wife. sweet lady. the measure of a man or woman is their children. here sometimes in hollywood in southern california you can people people that don't li up to their billing and when i met her, very sweet lady. you know, clearly a measure of her father. obviously a great boxer in her own right and you mentioned the family man. it goes back to the story i mentioned a moment ago. louisville was playing a few

years ago and muhammad ali went to his grandson's game and was sitting in the stands in malibu on a warm day in the spring watching his grandson play baseball. here's arguably the most famous man in the world and not a lot of security around him. not a big deal. they have an. managers, three and four body guards. you didn't see that wl ali. at least at this point in his life you didn't see that. if you look back at the video of the things he did over his lifetime there were a lot of times you didn't see him with a lot of people. he was known for being a man of the people in some ways. and very approach bl. i don't think i've ever heard i've covered a lot of sports myself. i've been around a lot of athletes in my life. i've never heard one negative

story about muhammad ali. don't get me wrong there's nobody perfect in this world, but when you talk to athletes generally speaking you'll come across someone who says something. you'll have somebody who says something. when it comes to ali, anyone that has ever met him, worked with him, met him at a signing one day and has a picture of him with his fist next to ali, he was a nobody and ali treated him as if he was a famous individual. this is the type of guy he was. this is the reason why there's so much support here for his family and memories and prayers for him after he has passed away now at the age of 74. >> one of the things he has said over the course of his life and so many things he said and usually they weren't very humble. oftentimes he came out with strong words especially when he was going out to fights. he at one point talked about being a nice guy at home. do you get a sense he was a

gentle giant? we see video of him shadow boxing with kids and speaking to children. >> it's kind of like a babe ruth figure in some ways. in the sense he was very open. very confident in himself. it didn't come across and people followed him from all ages and colors was because it was about -- he wasn't there to show you up, but he was, but it was about him. the point was it was about ali, but he wasn't doing it in a way -- it's funny you look at people today. look at all the people out there whether it be in sports or hollywood. it's the thing to do. ali was a salesman. he was fantastic at it. he was confident and while he wanted to beat you, his opponents all loved him because when he was done, it was a

battle that he still had the connection with them. i don't know if that makes sense. there's a lot there. it's no simple answer other than ali was somebody who liked to taught what he did, but he didn't snub. he didn't go beyond that point of snubbing. that's where we are in today's society. when you compare him to some of the athletes today, and tossing the bat a certain way and some of boxers out there. ali had that way you still liked him. he could say something and be coc cocky, but you still liked him because he had that confidence. he had that like blt. as you he thinksed, he didn't go out and think he was better when it came to a person. i think the quote was that ali respected everybody's right to believe in what they believed in. everybody's right and that's something i think is important to keep in mind. >> yes.

that like blt is a sign of a great sportsman and great a athlete. we'll be coming back to you to hear more of the reaction. for those of you who are just joining us, he had been in the hospital in phoenix arizona battling respiratory problems. the 74-year-old was hospitalized on thursday for what was said to be a brief stay. reports said his family was gathering outside. he had a total of nine children. had been battles advanced parkinson's disease for years. he was hospitalized in december of 2014 and january of 2015. he was of course first diagnosed in 1984 and as we all have been talking about, he is considered one of the greatest heavy weights in the history of b boxing, winning his first championship at 22 years old in

1964. he is said to be the most recognized sports figure in history. we have the staff where her from "the wall street journal." >> thanks for having me. >> thanks for being here while we mourn, but also celebrate this incredible person. what can you say about him this evening. >> there's not much you can't say about muhammad ali that has not been said by i think it's easy to lose sight of what an enormous personality this was. muhammad ali for both his athletic achievements and his social impact is arguably one of the -- two of three most recognizable people in the world. there was a period where he was, i think, universally the most adored person on the face of this planet, especially if he

got. he was a great athlete. the two are linked. he was i think most boxes experts would agree one of the two or three greatest boxers to ever fight, if not the great et cetera, along with joe louis and robinson were his idols so he was inside the ring one of the greetest fighters who ever fought. on top of that there's is stance he took with his religion where being a part of his religion was highly controversial. the choice to change his name wasn't respected by a great deal of the american public. he stuck to his principals. he refused induction into the motion to compel tear during the vietnam war. that was a highly controversial decision. when he was doing these things that we consider made him great, people didn't really like it. most of the country thought this guy has a big mouth.

he's going to get killed by someone listening. he's refusing to going to the draft he's anti-american. today we look back and say wow he was willing to stand up to his principals. >> he certainly was and i remember after 9/11 he was outspoken saying i'm an american and i'm a muslim and speaking against killing from the muslim community. someone who as you mentioned controversial when he announced he converted to islam, but then at that extremely poignant point in american history, someone who spoke out about his faith and what it should mean in our country. what can you say about that point in his life? >> of course context is very important here. muhammad ali won the gold metal in 1960. there's a story.

it hasn't really been confirmed. i think t he came back from the olympics and encountered discrimination until he threw away his metal. they believe he lost his metal. he undoubtedly encountered segregation. it was still throughout the country and opportunities were not equal for african-americans. boxing was one of the areas where that was not the case. that was really the only thing he had planned on doing from a young age, but nevertheless, he was a key figure in the civil rights movement. he was closely associated with the mentored by malcolm x. he played a key role in his view of himself and the values he carried and the muslim values and is closely associated with the head of the nation of is

sl islam. back then this was seen as un-american by many people. especially not in accordance with say the other wing of the self-rights movement that was also controversial, but perhaps, you know, more acceptable. so muhammad ali was unapologetically african-american. willing to stand up. not willing to silence himself. he thought he was the best, the prettiest, the smartest, thee fastest and he told everyone about it. and the public wasn't used to seeing a black man who did that. >> thank you so much for sharing your insights. we have jim gray. jim, are you here with us. >> i am, leah. i understand that we have steve win joining us and don king. steve, thank you for joining us.

don if you're on the line as well. >> yes, don, i know you promoted a number of muhammad ali's fights. don, including the rumble in the jung jungle. don, your thoughts on the passing of the great muhammad ali. >> i think it was muhammad ali. i loved the man. he was my friend for life. ali will never die. i think we want to celebrate ali's life for being the man he was, a fighter for the people and becoming a champion of the people. he demonstrated the type of character. the inspiration to stand up for what you believe in and say what you mean and mean what you say and willing and ready to take the consequences of his actions. this is what really separates the weak from the strong. he was a tremendous guy. he brought me into the sport of

boxing. my first fight i was muhammad ali because i had asked him to help me with a charitable chags when i come out of the penitentiary to save a hospital that was only served to white poor and black. because the other hospital was segregated and you couldn't get in. ali literally came and boxed five guys and helped this hospital. good year and firestone are two great tire companies in america. they used their machine to carry out the message in the hospital. we kept the hospital open. and ali prevailed upon me to come upon the sport of boxing, but he's a tremendous american. >> don, what was it like to be around him, particularly in his glory years? >> in both, the glory -- all the

years were glory because he wasn't a complainer. he was very great. all the things he would stand up and say at the height of his career and one of the points i want to make note, no one can truly say how great he was because four years of his career at the height of his career he was jeopardized by, you know, his trials and the charge of being a draft dodger. he stood up for what he believed in and was willing to take the consequence of going to jail. you can't say how good he was. this is after he lost the four years. to come back and go to rumble in the jungle and then go to the thrill la. which he said is the closest thing to death he ever had. he was a tremendous fighter that

would take whichever way it went. when he made up his mind to do something, he would do that. he didn't stop. he didn't apologize. he stood up. manhood was what was demonstrated with him and i loved him for that. he said never forget where you come from. this is why i admire him so much and love the spirit. he will never die. he's like martin luther king. the guy named steve. you aren't going to be able to get him back. you're going to get steve win, he's going to say what he means. he's not going to give up his manhood. >> steve you've seen all kinds of showman. you've been around frank si gnat ra. steve win joins us.

a man who is credited widely with transforming las vegas. where do you rank ali and what was it like for you to have dealt with him over the years. >> you know, jim, you and i both pals of him. of muhammad. all these folks are talking about what an unbelievable personality and character he was and what he stood for. to me, when i came home tonight and realized we had lost him. it's a moment for me. we were a week apart in age and we were pals. the thing i remember about this guy is his whit, his sense of humor. back in the early 70s, howard called me up and said the champ wants to have lunch with you and we're going to meet in la. and we met to have lunch. i got there before he did and i was sitting alone at the table and he walked in, he was the

most gorgeous thing. he was perfect. he was wearing a chocolate brown suit with a white silk shirt and a beige cream tie. he came in looking like god. the restaurant went crazy. sat down. we ate lunch. an hour and a half later i got up and started to walk away and howard was there with better and he said where are you going. i said i'm going back to las vegas. he said no you're not. you're going to come with me. in those days the restaurant was on rodeo drive. he said come on. you're going to come home and have dinner with me. on a july or august afternoon back in 1972 or 3, i'm walking down the street, rodeo drive at 2:30 in the afternoon with muhammad ali. this is an experience that most human beings don't get to have firsthand. people walk by, their eyes

popped open. he just said hello to everybody. he was gorgeous. we went into the store. the parking was behind the store. and i had my car there, but my driver and i said berth, follow me and ali said you're getting in my car. the guy pulls up a chocolate brown rolls-royce convertible. the suit and the car matched rupe peefrtly and so did the interior and his tie. we go down the street and we stopped at a light and we were on the inside lain. on the right closest to the curb a red mustang pulled up with two mexican-american construction workers with their hard hats on. the radio was playing at high levels. and you see the driver -- i was on the right. the driver is on the left of his

car. he looks down and sees the rolls-royce tire. he looks at the hood ornament. i'm watching his eyes. he sees me. his eyes go past me and he spots ali with the top down. and he screams ali, i love you ali. and the guy next to him starts screaming. ali, we love you. and he looks over with perfect aplum, looks at these two guys and says i love you too my mexican-american friends. and we pulled away. it was hysterical. >> you hear that story? >> tell us don, what it was like when the adoration and the entire nation of sighier would follow him on that run.

>> it was a beautiful thing. they would all be chanting running behind him. and the people he would just be going and he would say hey i'm black too why are you doing this with him. he had that type of a passion that he could touch with the people and all the kids would be running and then he would stop and they would shadow bax with some of them. keep your hand up. be confident. and he was just a teacher that he would go on and the fight was the same thing that the night of the fight, you know what i mean, the chant throughout the whole arena. he was -- he was a motivator. he inspired. nobody knew what he was going to do. he did it.

and when he thought that george had punched himself out, he did his thing to knock him out in eighth round. it's a an experience you can see from how he acts, what he did, ha he represented to the people. this is what you would see. . they would imitate, he would be able to give them that spark of confidence of you know, you can do it. whatever you want, if you mind can see it you're body can achieve it. he would be saying things like that to the skikids and people. it was a lesson. always let them know, be who you are. don't forget where you come from. >> it's unlikely -- you guys always been able to meet with kings and queens and presidents and don we have met with presidents, you have been in front of ev