Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali held the world in his hands during his prime, and his confidence in his fighting skills was sky-high. In an interview on television, the former heavyweight champion squared up Wilt Chamberlain, claiming he could beat up the 7-feet-1 center.

Despite Chamberlain’s incredible stature, Ali shrugged off the dominant center’s 9-6 standing reach in his own colorful way:

“Reach don’t mean nothing if he can’t find nothing to hit,” said Ali. “Man this don’t mean nothing. David slew Goliath. That don’t mean nothing. This man don’t have a chance against me.”
Chamberlain then threw a slow mock punch during the TV interview, which 6-3 Ali slapped it and tried to shadowbox the big man’s 275-lb body.

As confident as ‘The People’s Champion’ was, Muhammad Ali posted a challenge to all athletes from across sports who would like to test his skills.

“After you, I want all the basketball players out there, football players, they want me to beat so bad, they want to get everybody. I’ll go to Mars, I don’t care,” Ali said.
The two sports icons were supposed to fight at Madison Square Garden in 1971. Chamberlain challenged Ali to put the heavyweight title on the line, and Jim Brown was even tasked to promote the fight.

Ali never wanted any excuses as his fight with Chamberlain was being prepared and hoped that the two-time NBA champion would come into the ring in 100% condition.

“I have one thing to say here on TV: I want the doctor to check you. I don’t want your age checked, I want your stomach checked. I want your arm checked, I don’t want no back trouble or no eye trouble,” said Ali to Chamberlain.

Muhammad Ali’s fight with Wild Chamberlain got canceled

The proposed fight between Muhammad Ali and Wilt Chamberlain never materialized. Some point to failed negotiations between both camps trying to raise the guaranteed money to make it happen.

The bout almost happened when Muhammad Ali offered more money than he had ever earned for a fight to Chamberlain.

Ali was 29 in 1971, while Chamberlain was 35 and was a season away from retiring from basketball. Reports came out that Chamberlain’s lawyers prevented the contest from happening, advising him that it was a bad decision.

Chamberlain cleared the air on the real reason why he withdrew from the fight. He said that his father talked him out of it and that he should work on his free throws instead.