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CU Ali of fund raising drive speaks (SOF)
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TRANSCRIPT SEQ 1: ALI: "I would like to do all I can to get as much money. We can all talk about it and help, but what's going too help is getting a chunk of money somewhere so you can pay doctors and people to go in laboratories and really work, and that costs money, up in millions. So I'm going to talk to my manager, and some people, and probably another qualified opponent. And I'd like to donate my next fight to it -- all the money, if the Government won't be so greedy to step in and take all the taxes, and let it go for something worthwhile, the money. And so if we could have a fight which might draw two-three million dollars, and donate as much as possible to the Foundation, this is what I want to do. And also I'd like to go to some more entertainers and athletes who are well followed, and comedians, who are black, to out on an all-star show, all of the proceeds going to it, to get it started off. This is the main thing I'm trying now."



REPORTER: "You're training for a fight with Ellis now, and you talk about a fight, I presume you mean one beyond that, do you have anybody in mind?"



ALI: "Not yet. We have to find a qualified opponent, who would be willing to donate his proceeds also. Just now I'll have to try to get him to take so much for himself but donate say half to the cause."




Initials SGM/2125 SGM/2130



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In a month's time, top heavyweight fighter Muhammad Ali -- the former Cassius Clay -- starts his campaign to regain the world heavy-weight crown with a bout against Jimmy Ellis. But Ali is already looking further ahead. He's just announced a plan to fight to raise money for medical research.

Ali wants to help physicians deliver a knock-out blow to a disease called Sickle-Cell Anemia, which occurs almost exclusively in negroes. He talked to an interviewer about his ideas for raising money for this cause: