Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist

Muhammad Ali vs. Jerry Quarry was billed as, "The Return of the Champion," and was a professional boxing match contested on October 26, 1970 at the Atlanta City Auditorium, for the Lineal heavyweight championship. This was Ali's first fight since his suspension from boxing in 1967. Ali was suspended for refusing to enlist in the United States Active Duty Services[Draft] to participate in the Vietnam War. This was a protest due to his Islamic beliefs, and against the racial bias, discrimination, and treatment towards African Americans at that time in The United States. Ali did not believe in fighting the Vietnam war stating, "My conscience won't let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They never called me 'ni**er,' they never lynched me, they didn't put no dogs on me, they didn't rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. Shoot them for what? How can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail."

Referenced in NBC Sunday Night Football: Week 1: Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions (2024)