WMBD Muhammad Ali 1980 interview raw video

In the winter of 1980 Muhammad Ali was in Peoria to help Bob Wallace campaign for U. S. Senate.
WMBD's assignment manager, Thom Serafin was able to arrange a one and one interview with Mr. Ali which took place at the then Peoria International Airport. Bob Leak was the videographer.
Before this interview Mr. Ali took part in a boxing demonstration at the Peoria's Boy's Club. I was told that Mr. Ali was "more than generous" with his time. That any young person who wanted to get into the ring and spar or box with Mr. Ali was allowed to. And he put just as much energy with the last young person as with the first.
That meant he was severely tired when he arrived at PIA. You can see it in the interview.
Our main Saturday crew shot the Boy's Club video, which was the b-roll for the story. Thom and I shot the one on one, which is what this video is.........

[@michaelc1413]

You get the feeling this is a man who truly has seen it all. Hard to impress him, mentally tired but still has awareness.

[@Tourist-Q.]

He wasn't mentally tired...he was sick you mook.

[@mister8800]

I've never seen an interview that made me so damn thirsty for a soda.

[@taliquewhack1597]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 i popped open a coke when he went fir his second one🤣🤣🤣

[@mb-st8it]

Istg

[@blastproces]

he could sure guzzle coke !

[@travels731]

Could listen to this icon all night

[@OjanMusic]

“Another Muhammad Ali.. Never in lifetime” Pure Prophecy ❤️‍🔥

[@devilstyle1161]

Straight up🦋🐝

[@grengrenhuskey]

Man, Ali REALLY liked soda!

[@x_flies]

Should’ve retired after Foreman. He’d still be the greatest of all times. But the fact that he did fight 2 more times after this and still didn’t get knocked out, makes him even greater.

[@dropway9108]

Not sure you can call the Holmes contest a real fight. Ali was mauled in the ring, and Holmes took it easy on him. The Holmes disaster should never have taken place. Ali desperately needed the money. No tune up fights (not that they would have helped-he was beyond shot in 1980). So the Berbick fight in 1981 took place outside the United States because no state would sanction another Ali bout. So they fought in the Bahamas. It is absolutely shocking to watch Ali interviews circa 1970 and then to this in 1980. It was ten years but Ali seemed to have aged at least 35 years. This is the behavior and speech of someone in their 70's and suffering cognition and speech issues. He's only 38 years old here!

[@harlemmarine1234]

How you gonna get the title from foreman and not defend it...that's where the $$$ at??? Fight a few guys then retire with Frazier

[@juanman75]

Was nice to see this interview as I’ve never seen it before, but it was also sad to see the deterioration in Ali’s speech and health. Hard to think that he went on to fight twice after this against Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick.

[@josephgeorge7385]

I just can't believe he fought after this interview its obvious he was detoriating in this interview.

[@croftonjohn4466]

alis speech wasnt that bad its when he came back to fight holmes thats when it really happens

[@user-sp1ud6bo8q]

His doctors and coach who knew the truth about his health should not of let him back in the ring

[@emzid5105]

@@croftonjohn4466 Maybe because he was already taking medications to feel and look better. Perhaps that's why he seemed to be in a decent shape from time to time when he was talking to the medias at this time. He really looks exausted here.

[@bigbrotherlivefeeds8625]

And he had 3 more exhibition matches

[@connshawnery6489]

Ali was notorious for his sugary treats. He always had a youthful, playful energy while being the baddest man on the planet.

[@irenegaruba48]

On a Barbara Walters interview, when asked about something he didn’t like about himself, he said that he gained weight easily and that he disliked it! Now I see why he struggled with weight after his prime.

[@leodavies9383]

I literally watch and hear Ali do ASMR

[@progressivelibertarianview8832]

Muhammad Ali slowed down considerably right when his voice was needed the most...

[@JuanAlberto-en3jf]

The worst mistake Alí ever made was signing to fight Larry Holmes after years of retirement. He was the Greatest and had many activities. We still remember Muhammad Alí, the greatest boxer of all times, although he did this last mistake. Thanks for the video.

[@tigerward88]

25 months was the time he was out of the ring Leon Spinks 2nd fight Sept 78 to Holmes fight in Oct 80

[@cabura-X]

he needed the money I think.

[@unclelloyd]

@@tigerward88 Correct, which equals years, i.e. plural (more than one) which is what he said.

[@SJ-ty5rw]

He shouldn't have fought Berbick either after that . Just inviting more damage to his brain .

[@cliffbot638]

​@cabura-X Thats what it always came down to. He needed money. That's why he took those fights. A legend like him should've been set for life. His crew and King stole all his money and drove him to this.

[@WalkerOne]

People who think Tyson should be fighting at 50+ should watch this.

[@CapAnson12345]

Been looking at Ali interviews to see when he really started to go downhill with his speech.. and although he's obviously having some issues here he's miles better than he would be a year later. Big difference between his speaking in 1980 and 81.

[@b3aun3lson]

Unless he"s drinking here; there's a big difference between 1979 and 1980

[@mister8800]

@@b3aun3lson I did the same exact thing with his interviews and 1978 was the last year where you wouldn't notice his speech starting to slow, but there's one in 79 where you can start to see the signs of it. All I ever do when seeing those late 70's interviews is wish he had stopped fighting from that day forward, then maybe it could've made a difference.

[@claydogmadman6295]

Ali was declining rapidly year by year... The 2nd Frazier fight he had was miles apart from the 3rd fight Thrilla In Manilla and it was just from 1974 to 1975 and Ali skills had eroded in just that short time span... Sadly his motor functional abilities soon followed...

[@claydogmadman6295]

@mind Larry did what he had to do, Larry wanted to keep his heavyweight championship... Muhammad Ali "as much as l love the man" had no business in the ring with Larry Holmes in the year 1980...

[@claydogmadman6295]

@mind You don't know shit about boxing boy...

[@bigtommy9715]

Could the extreme thirst be a side effect or symptom of something?

[@mohammadmalik2957]

Champ chugging that coke down.

[@thedarksaiyanlord3406]

Champ had a sweet tooth

[@claydogmadman6295]

The Champ really gunning for that Coca cola commercial wasn't he?...

[@pugilistking5606]

He drunk about 8 litres during the interview! Bet he always called it Coca Cola.

[@claydogmadman6295]

Man oh man did that rope'a dope tactics take it's toll on the champ...

[@lwj24]

I'm a huge Ali fan, but got damn he was killing those cokes 😂. Also, Ali recycled many jokes over the years; " You're not as dumb as you look", " If I had a lower IQ, I'd enjoy this interview", " I love your show and admire your style, however your pay is so cheap I won't be back for a while". Just to name a few lol. He still the greatest though. Miss you Champ!

[@dhan3704]

Ali had many households to support. Even his m&d who he helped lived apart. Had no choice. Hana talks about it in one of her books.

[@ravimahira2092]

Al Fatihah for Muhammad Ali

[@flyingchimp12]

Shame on every single person (including himself) who let him fight after this

[@shanebowers7902]

When he beat goerge Forman in 75, he should of stopped then.

[@natebell651]

I believed he beat George foreman in 74

[@jonathanpence9067]

It was 74.

[@Danimal77]

@@shanebowers7902 George Foreman*** You managed to misspell his first and last name as well as the year they fought.

[@clayremy5346]

i realize I am kinda off topic but does anybody know a good place to stream new movies online ?

[@RuudBrood-hu6jc]

He is on tranquilizers to stop the shaking for sure...he is high here

[@royaljai5009]

I can't believe he continued to fight after this.....

[@elnino4398]

I appreciate the zooming

[@elvicare35]

He's SO witty and smart!!!!!!!!

[@youremybiggestfan]

And kinda an asshole.

[@elvicare35]

@@youremybiggestfan If you say so, what do I know...NOTHING!!!!!

[@youremybiggestfan]

@@elvicare35 I think he was kinda a bully and a bit overrated.. I just dont see why some people see him as some kind of a black civil rights hero.. He seemed way to arrogant and mean spirited. Sure it might have been an act but I got more respect for Mike Tyson. At least hes real to himself

[@ChrisPBacon3000]

@@youremybiggestfan awwww....somebody's triggered

[@Infam0usKiller]

@@youremybiggestfan He may have been a bully toward certain opponents but overrated I think not. You better take another look at his accomplishments and resume.

[@RRR-is3rf]

Ty

[@sinisterstories540]

Very sad 😪😪😥 to watch his deterioration

[@nomo4u886]

Ali made soda look dope

[@drsyedmuhammadnadeem6944]

♥️👌👌AWESOME ALI👌👌♥️

[@therealkingtytrill2661]

Yes thank u

[@hungrysurfer9471]

Ali was already finished before Ernie Shaves in late 1977. So really the remaining 4 fights and 1000s of rounds of sparing got him.

[@stevestarr9769]

It is shocking to think he fought 2 more times after this interview.....he's having trouble forming words, he seems on the verge of falling asleep....I guess there was too much money to be made by too many people to stop him from fighting.

[@adriancustodio5818]

In memory of muhammad ali

[@BufordTGleason]

Fact remains, no one twisted his arm to continue, he knew. That said if he was surrounded by people that cared about him, they would have discouraged him not the opposite

[@hayatokuda]

Ver y nice quality

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

Muhammad Ali o Mohamed Alí​ (nacido como Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.; Louisville, Kentucky, 17 de enero de 1942-Scottsdale, Arizona, 03 de junio de 2016) fue un boxeador estadounidense, considerado uno de los mejores de todos los tiempos. Fue una figura social de enorme influencia en su generación, en la política y en las luchas sociales o humanitarias a favor de los afroamericanos y del islam. 74 AÑOS.

[@cabura-X]

damn ali looks high after he finished the coke...😅❤

[@barbaraglover4451]

R I P Muhammad Ali you are the greatest Boxer of time

[@robbereal1982]

Lol he called Magic johnson Magic Davis lol

[@alexdonaldson1087]

This is just sad to see and hear.

[@sliczedkaidzo2225]

Had early signs of Parkinson’s and then it gradually got worse as the years past

[@Flippie123]

He was very VERY thirsty 🤣

[@lukerodick6649]

At the end of the interview he’s asking the interviewer about the lady on the phone haha good old Muhammad loved his women. Listen carefully he asked does she like black or white and the guy says a bit of both haha classic ❤️ we miss you and love you champ, boy that cold coke was good too xxx

[@5olioo149]

No man, are u drunk or something

[@jasmineplacide5300]

He keeps drinking up the coke and pouring more in his cup and doing the same thing.

[@user-ew7bk3dj5c]

best reclaimed Coca-Cola ever 😂😂😂

[@_amirghods_]

Muhammad ali ASMR

[@pronoober6217]

1980 ASMR video

[@davidcheung7789]

If he didn't fight Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick prior to this interview, he probably would have not have his already acquired parkinson's disease progressed. Holmes did the added damage big time and Berbick put the icing on the cake a year later. So sad 😢.

[@dimes2crypto]

Ernie shavers messed up Ali more than both of those guys combined.

[@davidcheung7789]

@@dimes2crypto Very true. Shavers had the much harder blows, but Ali could take them. He couldn't take them anymore with Holmes and Berbick.

[@nyshoefly]

"That's heavy"...haha

[@derrickbergtop1239]

He should not have been drinking with his enemies, that is what really brought him down...🙄

[@capoislamort100]

The honorable Elijah Muhammad warned him to quit for years, he chose not to listen….but, I think the government gave him that “disease”, rather than from taking punches in the ring.

[@RuudBrood-hu6jc]

African American paranoid schyzofrenia.....?????? WTF...​@@capoislamort100

[@user-ui8or8cq7l]

I blame Dundee and Shavers.

[@3rdStoneObliterum]

Ali is barely getting the words out, but still witty and creative.... Slurring and prePark going on.... Shoulda retired after Thrilla. No Shavers, no Lyle, no Wepner, no Spinks, no Holmes, no Berbick. Totally unnecessary

[@kings_of_tekken6795]

thats crazy... i was drinking coca cola watching this :D

[@frederickanderson1860]

His divorces made him fight the money, always the money.

[@glenngibbs1267]

He should never had ended up the way he did just sad pathetic shame

[@5olioo149]

Its sad to see people sad, he was not sad ! Never pathetic

[@hunterluxton5976]

Punch drunk. His ego would not let him retire when he should have

[@rhetoric5173]

Was this before or after holmes

[@claydogmadman6295]

That's what l'd like know...

[@dadhatdaddy9173]

Before

[@aminaismaiil]

Before

[@emzid5105]

the way he insults Holmes is mean. I never undestood this part of Ali. Here you won't find the excuse that it's a publicity stunt cause Ali was retired at this time. Called him ugly, no charisma, can't speak etc etc... waht's the point ?

[@aminaismaiil]

@@emzid5105 lmaoo Ali respected Holmes, but imagine losing to your own sparing partner. Ali is very good at trash talking as you May know. He was never cruel or mean In that way.

[@platzhirsch4275]

I still blame Holmes for beating an obviously sickness guy and justifying it with "he had too" and weaping after... Holmes lost all respect after that

[@shawnhallmon9245]

Parkinson's setting in ....sad

[@jacketofthe80s13]

he needed money that's why this fight happened and god damn it dude could have used his name to market and make money better than having your strongest weapon the mind rot

[@bigtommy9715]

He could have stopped he didn’t want to. Initially he said he’d be done by his early 30s At some point it becomes about the heart of a fighter.

[@ninoloadz]

His mind never rotted. He still had lots of common sense years later even in his 50s-70s he chose not to speak. Due to the chances of ppl not being able to hear him, or constantly saying huh.

[@jacketofthe80s13]

@@ninoloadz dude no that shit ate his brain when it didn't need to. The champ became a vegetable

[@ninoloadz]

@@jacketofthe80s13 Parkinson’s simply slowed his speech. There’s videos of him much older speaking very well. Still interacting. Still understanding everything that’s going on around him. He chose when to be verbal.

[@deller5924]

Too much suger in that coke. He should have drunk bottled water instead.

[@reoscorpio]

Thats my guy.. Coca Cola addict Lol hahaha

[@phill8005]

Ali was used and molded as a political instrument.

[@warfarenotwarfair5655]

You people vote for Biden but then feel bad for this man 😂

[@dinoram1983]

Wow he seemed so tired here , can barely speak 😢

[@kai_johnsonn]

Must admit Ali clinking and drinking from that glass was annoying the hell out of me. Like, can you not just focus on the interview for 4 minutes?

[@johnnym2069]

This is the raw footage of the interview, so of course there's going to be things like that. The Coke sipping would've been edited out otherwise.

[@scampbell777]

sad to see this interview, he sounds and looks poorly!

[@1deepIsraelite]

Look up on Google how he may have been poisoned

[@Gush27]

1 deepIsraelite lmao

[@1deepIsraelite]

@@Gush27 lmao@you

[@elvicare35]

He DOESN'T look poorly and he's very articulate and knows his stuff!!!!!!!!

[@Gush27]

elvicare35 stop it

[@cor2250]

He drink coke Rum lol ,looks tipsy ) ,but its the first sypthomes of his illnes ...Rip Champ 👊🏾🖤

[@jasmineplacide5300]

Looks like he's on drugs

[@Daize11]

He is progressing to a serious illness.

[@thebestchannel5456]

Probably the meds

[@shawnhallmon9245]

It's the Parkinsons setting in on him

[@georgecortina9481]

Its that Cassius Clay guy, the one that got kicked out of U.S.A. boxing for being a coward?

[@Infam0usKiller]

You sure ask stupid questions

[@thebestchannel5456]

Be nice

[@georgecortina9481]

@@thebestchannel5456 That was being nice, I could have said ha! ha!. He died a well deserved cowards death

[@irenegaruba48]

Jackass! And I don’t mean anyone on the video!

[@naxalite115]

Not a coward. Just the GOAT.

[@user-zk5ok7vt1j]

Loock what a man he was!!! You are right 100%. Alredy you could see he was with something wrong!! This show all of us my generation born in the 60s and all generations before and after

[@Columbocops]

Clay is rather overrated.