The great boxing champ Muhammad Ali was also a master self-promoter.
The man once set a bear trap in front of Sonny Liston’s house saying, “I’m gonna’ get this ugly bear.”
Before he fought Floyd Patterson, he brought a bushel of carrots to an interview because he called Patterson “The Rabbit.”
Where did he get these ideas? Well, Ali used to watch the wrestler Gorgeous George, who would boast, “I’m the prettiest wrestler ever.”
That made Gorgeous George a target, and he would pack arenas with people hoping to see him get his due.
Ali basically said, “If he can do it, I can do it.”
How do I know all this?
I got it first-hand from Ali’s former wife Khalilah Camacho Ali, who recently came on the show for an outstanding interview.
Khalilah was Ali’s right hand during most of his career. She was his social media rep, handling PR, promotions and strategy behind the scenes.
When Ali was stripped of his boxing license and his U.S. passport for his refusal to serve in the military during the Vietnam War, Khalilah used her college money to help keep the family afloat.
And she also helped keep Ali’s spirit afloat. During a speaking engagement at a college in Fargo, N.D., in the 1960s, a heckler called him a draft dodger and used the N-word.
He didn’t want to continue, but during a break Khalilah gave him a story to use in response. He went back on stage and said:
“Ladies and gentlemen, that reminds me. A long time ago when I was a little boy, I would throw rocks at this donkey. And my grandmother would say, ‘Cassius, don’t throw rocks at that donkey because that donkey’s going to die and come back and haunt you.’ Ladies and gentlemen, I do believe that donkey is here tonight.”
They laughed so hard, they stopped heckling.
Khalilah Camacho Ali has a new book coming out in 2016 revealing more of her experiences during this eventful time.
“I divorced him years ago. We have four beautiful children, but I never divorced the family part. We stayed friends all through the time of our divorce,” she said.
Khalilah said Ali’s physical deterioration with Parkinson’s Disease is tough to watch, but his spirit is still as strong as ever.
“You know what he told me last week? He called me on the phone. He could barely talk. He said, ‘Guess what. I’m gonna’ make a comeback.’ And I cracked up for a week,” she said.
I have a famous photo of Ali in both my office and my home. It’s a shot of him shadow boxing underwater. It inspires me to this day because he turned the tables. He was something that nobody ever really realized he was. He was not a counter-culture figure but literally a cultural icon.
The culture had to come to him. He had to do things his way, and sometimes it was different.
In talking to Khalilah, it struck me that I’m successful for the same reason the champ was successful. I have behind me the most powerful, wonderful, beautiful woman in the world. She’s my strength and vision. She’s the person that keeps me together and keeps me going strong.
“That’s the way we were,” Khalilah said. “That’s why Ali became the greatest of all time. Because I was back there supporting him. I might not be ‘The Greatest,’ but I am the latest.”
Khalilah Camacho Ali and I had way too much fun together, and this blog post simply doesn’t do it justice. This is a must-listen segment, so click here to listen to the full interview with Khalilah Camacho Ali.
Also, check out the YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTvZ3HnlfKU.
