Author Information
THE LEGEND OF MUHAMMAD ALI
This saga began during the second world war,
The world's best boxer was born at last.
Everyone had seen Rocky, Louis and Ray,
But they still had to see the feats of Clay.
At two he knocked out his mum's teeth,
It is now famous as the Champ's first feat.
When he was eighteen he was sent to Rome,
His fists and feet brought the gold to his home.
After this triumph he turned himself pro,
All the pretenders had now to go.
A bully named Liston, an awesome Big Bear,
Was then sitting on the champion's chair.
But now the Lip had come to claim his own,
And push aside Liston from what was his throne.
The world was shocked to see that a boy,
Had challenged Sonny, Liston the feared guy.
What they didn't see was the Louisville Lip,
Had spring-like fists and wing-like feet.
So the stage was set for the great big fight,
Everyone was sitting on their seats, airtight.
Ring-a-ding-ding, the first round began,
The 'Lip' dared the 'Bear': Catch me if you can.
With that came the stings: zip-zip-zip-zip-zip,
The result was a gash above the 'Bear's' lip.
Similarly went rounds two, three and four,
Liston appeared to be falling on the floor.
When round four was about to finish,
The 'Bear' rubbed some drug so that the 'bee' diminish.
The liniment crept slowly into the challenger's eyes,
And he looked like a baby that suddenly cries.
He knew the 'Bear' had done something, not in the book,
So that he could win by hook or by crook.
Somehow the 'Lip' managed to survive round five,
And now he decided to skin the 'Bear' alive.
He even taunted him: So you called me your meat,
Now see how I force you to eat your own feast.
He danced, he shuffled, he hit lefts and rights,
As he had predicted, he was carrying the whole fight.
One and all were spellbound as it became clear,
That Sonny Liston's reign was drawing near.
In the Miami arena, under a waxing moon,
A 'Big Bear' was prancing to a stinging bee's tune.
After this the feared Sonny kneeled,
And acknowledged before all that his fate was sealed.
The decision echoed: Clay is the new king:
But now the Lip declared the big thing.
I am not Cassius Clay, not a slave anymore,
But a Muslim and a free man through Islam's door.
He said his new name would be Muhammad Ali,
And a champ who can't be whipped by any big bully.
All his detractors called him a crazy fella,
Could not see him as a servant of Allah.
But brag what they may, what he said was done,
He was the new ruler of the heavyweight kingdom.
He was superb, fantastic, agile and trim,
Drawing more crowds than a super-hit film.
None could destroy him, not even Ku-klux-klan,
Because Allah was, is, with the 'Black Superman'.
