HOUSTON ASTRODOME; CLAY SPARRING; CLAY SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS; TERRELL SPARRING.


1.
GV TILT DOWN INT. OF ASTRODOME
0.08

2.
GV ZOOM TO CU 'WELCOME TO THE ASTRODOME, EIGHT WONDER OF THE WORLD'
0.14

3.
GV CLAY (ON RIGHT OF SCREEN AT START) SPARRING WITH PARTNER (2 SHOTS)
0.40

4.
CU CLAY SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS
0.49

5.
GV TERRELL AT PUNCHBALL
0.53

6.
SV DITTO
0.56

7.
SV AND CU TERRELL PUTTING ON GLOVES
1.05

8.
SV TERRELL (ON RIGHT OF SCREEN AT START SPARRING WITH PARTNER (2 SHOTS)
1.31

9.
CU REFEREE
1.32

10.
GV TERRELL PUTS SPARRING PARTNER DOWN
1.38



Initials JSU/V/MGT/K


THIS FILM IS FOR SCHEDULED NEWS PROGRAMMERS ONLY. NO MORE THAN TWO MINUTES MAY BE USED IN ANY ONE BULLETIN

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION CASSIUS CLAY -- OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MOHAMAD ALI -- WAS RATED A 5 TO 1 ON FAVOURITE IN HOUSTON TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TO RETAIN HIS TITLE AGAINST CHALLENGER ERNIE TERRELL IN NEXT MONDAY'S FIGHT. BOTH MEN HAVE BEEN WORKING-OUT AT THE ASTRO HALL NEXT DOOR TO THE VAST ASTRODOME WHERE THE FIGHT WILL BE HELD.

CLAY HAS PREDICTED THAT HE WILL KNOCK OUT TERRELL SOMETIME BETWEEN THE FIFTH AND TENTH ROUND. BUT THE CHALLENGER, RECOGNISED AS CHAMPION BY THE WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION, HAS BEATEN MOST OF THE BEST AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHTS. AS 6 FT 6 INS HE IS MORE THAN THREE INCHES TALLER THAT CLAY, OUTWEIGHS AND OUT REACHES HIM. AT THE WEIGH-IN ON TUESDAY TERRELL SAID: "I AM BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER."
THE ASTRODOME IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.... SCENE NEXT MONDAY FOR THE TITLE FIGHT BETWEEN CASSIUS CLAY, OF MOHAMED ALI AS HE CALLS HIMSELF, AND ERNIE TERRELL.

THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO JUDGE THE FORM OF BOTH MEN. THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING OUT AT THE ASTRO HALL, NEXT DOOR TO THE VAST STADIUM. CLAY HAS PREDICTED THAT HE WILL KNOCK OUT TERRELL SOMETIME BETWEEN THE FIFTH AND TENTH ROUND. HE TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE: "I WILL LET IT GO AT LEAST FIVE TO BE FAIR TO PEOPLE WHO TURN OUR IN THIS WONDERFUL ASTRODOME."
BUT THE CHALLENGER, RECOGNISED AS CHAMPION BY THE WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION, HAS BEATEN MOST OF THE BEST AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHTS. AT SIX FEET, SIX INCHES TALLER THAN CLAY. HE ALSO OUTWEIGHS AND OUT REACHES CLAY.

AT THE WEIGHT-IN ON TUESDAY TERRELL SAID: "I AM BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER."