The Men Behind The Champion Being Cassius Clay Is Big Business

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30956, 12 January 1966, Page 13

The Men Behind The Champion Being Cassius Clay Is Big Business

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK. The varied aspirations of three groups interested in Cassius Clay and his world heavy-weight championship have apparently converged in Main Bout, Inc., the proposed vehicle for a neo-golden age in boxing history, the “New York Times” New s Service reported.

At the moment, Main Bout, Inc., is the reserved title of an incorporated dream that would eventually use money earned from Clay’s title defences for investment in Negro-owned businesses.

At a press conference, Clay announced that the first championship bout under the new plan would be against Ernie Terrell, the boxer recognised as world champion by the American-dominated World Boxing Association. Chicago is the likely site, with New York still a strong possibility. Late March is the current target date. FOOTBALLER’S PLAN Jimmy Brown, an American football star, is generally given credit for initiating the plan. As the leader of Group No. 1, Brown has been active in the movement to help Negroes become more involved in the country’s economy as producers.

While such thinking is not new, its strongest contemporary advocate is Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Black Muslim sect of which Clay—known as Muhammad Ali —is a member. The Muslims are the second of the three groups. MORE SAY, MONEY

Although they have Clay’s spiritual fealty, they have chafed, of late, at his contractual bonds with the Louisville Sponsoring Group, the rich Kentucky businessmen who have directed Clay since 1960. The Muslims want more of a legal voice in Clay’s activities, and a greater financial share in his success.

The third group is Lester M. Malitz, Inc., a white-owned, closed-circuit television concern that wants to get into the big leagues in sports promotion.

Michael Malitz, the president, has handled the last two

Terrell fights and the Floyd Patterson-George Chuvalo bout.

Brown was hired by Malitz to provide a commentary for the Terrell-Chuvalo W.B.A title bout. From discussions between Brown and Malitz emerged the outline of the expected plan of action. CLAY 50 PER CENT

A company would be set up in which Malitz and his associates would own 40 per cent. Brown 10 per cent, and Clay 50 per cent. Clay’s share would be further divided among Herbert Muhammad, Elijah’s son and the champion’s personal manager, and John Ali, an accountant and real estate man who is national secretary of the Black Muslims. Herbert Muhammad would probably become president of the company, Brown vicepresident, and John Ali treasurer. A. Malitz would be executive vice-president and Malitz’s lawyer, Robert Arum, would be the secretary. Other professional athletes would be hired to help promote the closed-circuit showing of the fights. Clay’s announcement apparently caught the heavy-weight

boxing establishment by surprise. One observer pointed out that “there are still a lot of contractual obligations between Clay and the Louisville group." Such obligations, however, will have run their course by October of this year, when the group’s legal right to negotiate for Clay ends. It has been indicated that if the group’s attitude toward the new company continues to stiffen into hostility. Clay could blackjack the group into compliance by refusing to fight until November. But it is expected that he will continue with his new plan, and merely give the Louisville people their 40 per cent share in his fight earnings. NEW HIERARCHY Although John Ali said that he and Herbert Muhammad are representing themselves rather than the Muslims, sources have indicated that none of this could be possible without the blessing of Elijah Muhammad. It has also been implied that Madison Square Garden, shut out of the heavy-weight title picture by recent promoters, is now back, and strongly so. Thus, boxing may soon have a wholly new hierarchy. Only the fighters will be the same.