Ali, who famously had a crossover fight with Antonio Inoki in 1976, suffered a long battle with Parkinson's disease before he passed away in 2016 at the age of 74. 3. Lee highly respected Ali for being a role model for all martial artists, saying that Ali had a way of "using what he knows to be free" when standing in the ring. 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood': Everything you should know about Sharon Tate, Box-office winner: 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood' is Tarantino's biggest debut ever. 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood': What's truth, what's pulp fiction? Bruce Lee was a martial arts legend known for his kung fu skills, but even he felt that there were a few things he could learn from the world-famous heavyweight boxing champion. All Rights Reserved. Ali, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 74, called it time on his professional boxing career after defeats to Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick. For the record, Lee was 5-foot-7 and 145 pounds, while Ali was 6-foot-3 and more than 200 pounds during their respective heydays. In the past, Lee claimed that if he ever met Ali, he would be assassinated. I'm getting to know how he thinks and moves. Thats a little Chinese hand. Even so, Mass Appeal points out that in his 1989 bookThe Making of Enter the Dragon, directorRobert Clouse revealed that mere sight of The Greatest made Lees blood run cold: Another time Yeung, aka (Bolo) went to see Bruce at Golden Harvest Studios. Aside from all those heroics, one of the more memorable scenes from "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" features Pitt's character, stuntman Cliff Booth, recalling an altercation he had with Bruce Lee(Mike Moh) on the set of"The Green Hornet"that got him fired. Tarantino tapped into this bravado, but the author says the screen depiction goes too far. Lee is introduced holding court for everyone who will listen, bragging that he could beat boxing champ Cassius Clay, a.k.a. In his 1987 book, The Making of Enter the Dragon, Clouse says that Lee was once screening an Ali documentary at Golden Harvest Studios in Hong Kong and revealed what he thought would happen if the two ever fought. "That was a must-have and we showed quintessential Hollywood locations that have survived. Lee was all about taking care of business on the street in seconds. Bruce Lee can't even use most of his kicks, because of how much larger Ali is. Bruce Lee made a handful of movies from 1971 and 1973 . Bruce Lee fans have also taken Tarantino to task for the outcome of the fight scene. "'Everybody says I must fight Ali someday.' He is so much taller and stronger. "Bruce Lee was often a cocky, strutting braggart, but Tarantino took those traits and exaggerated them to the point of caricature," says Polly, who takes exception with Lee boasting about. Lee then challenges the stuntman to a best-of-three fight that ultimately ends in a draw when a stunt coordinator(Zoe Bell)angrily puts a stop to the "friendly contest.". Unlike the Inoki affair, we can choose our rules. A cerebral edema (swelling of the brain) had claimed the life of this extraordinarily gifted 32-year-old, who would achieve posthumous superstardom when his seminal movie Enter the Dragon was released in U. S. theaters the following month. Ali probably never heard of Lee during Lee's lifetime. Bruce Lee can be seen employing a similar approach to his own footwork in his martial arts movies. And then we remembered something important: We know Bruce Lee's biographer. Lee passed away in 1973 at the age of 32. Bruce was screening a Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali] documentary. OP did say he based this on the Superman vs Muhammad Ali comic. The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. "That doesn't give him a free pass for how he's portrayed in movies." Lee's global popularity is matched by only one other person, Inosanto says. Finding oneself is . Bruce set up a wide full-length mirror to reflect Ali's image from the screen. "Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. On July 20, 1973, the great martial-arts movie star Bruce Lee mysteriously died in Hong Kong. With that in mind, Lee started training with LeBell as both men developed a friendship that would last until Lee's death in 1973. Hed kill me. It's worth pointing out that author Matthew Polly, who wrote the biographyBruce Lee: A Life, disputes Tarantino's claim about Linda Lee's comment: WRONG: Linda was quoting a TV critic. The Japanese giant kicked at Alis legs for 15 rounds and absorbed a handful of jabs. ", The Incident That Inspired The Bruce Lee Scene In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. With that, the recent passing of Ali and some Ali-Lee chatter on social media in mind, we thought it would be interesting to explore a mythical Battle of Icons.. So what if Ali and Lee had gotten together? He knew Lewis personally and says Lewis told him one of the hardest kicks he'd ever endured was from Bruce Lee. Profile. Critics, including Inosanto, took umbrage with the scenes depiction of a stuntman holding his own against the Enter the Dragon actor, at one point catching Lees kick and throwing him into a car. 9:07. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening," Bob Gunnell . That didnt come from nowhere. In his long career, Ali defended his title from an impressive number of 21 experienced challengers, many of which being some of the best fighters in the sport at the time. And how about Lee against modern UFC stars? A cerebral edema (swelling of the brain) had claimed the life of this extraordinarily gifted 32-year-old, who would achieve posthumous superstardom when his seminal movie Enter the Dragon was released in U. S. theaters the following month. . Despite his reputation, Ali went into the fight as an underdog against Foreman, the then-undefeated champion. Because while he may lay more hits on Tyson, one hit from. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-n1h13z{color:black;color:#fff;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-n1h13z{color:#fff;}}Published15:16,09 January 2020 GMT.css-qdg7d1{color:#72B97D;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-qdg7d1{color:#72B97D;}}| Last updated23:14,09 January 2020 GMT. Topics:.css-wpf514{color:#72B97D;}Boxing News, MMA News, Boxing, muhammad ali, MMA, Steve McClaren embraces Erik ten Hag in heartwarming moment after Man United win, fans think they know what he said, Roy Keane delivered hilarious rant about West Hams defending, Ian Wright had to hold in his laugh, Martin Odegaard turned a slide tackle into a five-star skill, he's a magician, VAR controversy as West Ham go 1-0 up against Man United when ball looked out, Alejandro Garnacho scores stunning goal as Man United advance in the FA Cup, Man United fans are discussing what Paul Pogba could have been with Casemiro alongside him, Spurs knocked out of the FA Cup in fifth round by Sheffield United, who would win in a fight between Lee and Mike Tyson, before he passed away in 2016 at the age of 74, Muhammad Ali once fought in the first ever MMA event back in 1976, the footage is wild, Muhammad Ali's undefeated grandson is chasing major fight in Australia, Mike Tyson 'Would Have Been Knocked Out' By Muhammad Ali Claims Larry Holmes, Deontay Wilder Reacts To Who Would Win Out Of A Fight Between Him And Muhammad Ali. Lee actually incorporated Alis footwork into his own fighting style. Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali. "If people are saying, 'Well he never said he could beat up Muhammad Ali,' well yeah, he did,"the director continued, via Deadline. Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. The film depicts Lee (played by Mike Moh) swaggering around the set of Green Hornet, denigrating boxer Muhammad Ali and picking a street fight with the evenly matched stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). In these 1967 bouts, the now-famous Lee uses the techniques of Jeet . Lee was referring to Alis dancing legs and the Ali shuffle, which he became known for in the ring. Martial arts icon Bruce Lee admitted that the legendary Muhammad Ali would have 'killed him' in a crossover fight, according to Robert Clouse. Lee was a smaller man, as he was about 5-foot 7-inches tall and about 140-pounds. Ali was later hospitalized with blood clots. He admires combat, and boxing is a closer approximation of combat as a sport. Ali changed what he called his "slave name" to his new Muslim name in 1964. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Alright? So yeah, Lee was probably right. It is a whip rather than a club. Bruce was screening a Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali] documentary. Fans of scripted and non-scripted combat sports alike may be familiar with the name Gene LeBell "Judo Gene" helped train Ronda Rousey before she became the biggest name in women's mixed martial arts (at least until Holly Holm knocked her out at UFC 193), and his LeBell Lock was adopted by former (as of this writing) WWE Superstar DanielBryan as his finishing move. He can be reached by email at cnrmail@bellsouth.net and on Twitter at @cnraymond91. "But they didn't need to treat him in the way that white Hollywood did when he was alive.". During the chat, Lee can be heard referencing boxers for the first and, as far as this reporter is aware, only time in terms of available audio. But would he really have been stronger than Ali? Furthermore, Lees martial arts philosophy was built on the idea that a fighter shouldnt be stuck on a particular style. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood': What's truth, what's pulp fiction? Published Oct 3, 2021 Bruce Lee, who always had great confidence in his kung fu skills, admitted there was one fighter he knew he couldn't beat - Muhammad Ali. Watch Lee in any of his movies and youll get frequent glimpses of swift lateral movement. Muhammed Ali passed away this evening: Ali has the height, weight, and reach advantage over Lee, but Lee has an ace up his sleeve. Given the apparent differences between the Bruce Lee vs. Cliff Booth fight scene in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and how Lee had a much more positive real-life relationship with Gene LeBell, it's not surprising that Lee's friends and family were very critical of how Quentin Tarantino wrote his character. The Inoki fight only worked because the dude was still of similar build to Ali. ET and will be broadcast in the U.K. on BT Sport 2 tomorrow (June 8) at 9.00 p.m. Tom Gray is Associate Editor for Ring Magazine. Cliff is not part of the sport that is like combat, he is a warrior. One of the biggest points of controversy surrounding the film is the scene in which Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) fight each other on the set of The Green Hornet. Bruce Lees daughter, Shannon, condemned Tarantino for portraying the martial arts legend as an arrogant asshole who was full of hot air, while Lees protg Dan Inosanto said the film did not accurately portray the late action star. "The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. "The reality of the situation is this: Cliff is a Green Beret. Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali. Lewis was a heavyweight kickboxer; Lee was 5-foot-8 and weighed less than 150 pounds. Laila Ali and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have told a couple of excellent stories about Ali thus far, but one of our favorites comes to us courtesy ofMass Appeal, which dug up an old Ali tale from the 1970s. Martial arts icon Bruce Lee admitted that the legendary Muhammad Ali would have 'killed him' in a crossover fight, according to Robert Clouse. Joe Frazier, theres a man who is capable of using his tools and who is very determined in a savage, relentless attack, said Lee of the then-reigning heavyweight champion before taking a swipe at one of Fraziers predecessors. All rights reserved. He was persistently challenged by stuntmen on the set of Enter the Dragon, and lets just say he emerged undefeated amid a shower of blood and teeth. At that time, many people were wondering what would happen if Ali crossed paths with Lee. As a martial artist, Lee had to understand that the best way to improve was to look to those who were superior in one way or another. He is a combat person., Tarantino concluded, If Cliff were fighting Bruce Lee in a martial arts tournament in Madison Square Garden, Bruce would kill him. In 1972, a telephone conversation was recorded by one of his first-generation students, Daniel Lee (no relation). The two became friends and frequently discussed the martial arts, and Rhee wound up teaching a few taekwondo kicks to Bruce Lee. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. Bruce set up a wide full-length. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. "I went and worked out with [Lee] at his school," LeBell was quoted as saying. While this was Tarantino's fictional take on a typical day in the life of Bruce Lee, there was actually a real-life incident with a stuntman that inspired the aforementioned scene. Ask yourself, did he have a good chin? Could Cliff beat up Bruce Lee? The great boxer Muhammad Ali was still using his given name, Cassius Clay when, in 1961 at the age of 19 years old, he posed for some unusual photographs in a Miami swimming pool. 'Mandalorian' star Pedro Pascal, creators on new Grogu revelations and 'Last of Us' comparisons, Saved by the bell: Contestant ordered to keep mask on, in historic 'Masked Singer' first, Chris Pine admits 'it does look' like Harry Styles spit on him but this is what actually happened, Rebel Wilson 'collapsed' after Ramona Agruma proposal: 'I was so overwhelmed', Amy Grant recalls being 'so scared' to return to touring following serious bike accident. Bruce was fighting in Alis shoes. So just what is real in "Hollywood"? Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with AliBruce was fighting in Ali's shoes," the book fascinatingly states, before revealing what the martial artist thought might happen if they met in the ring. An entire cottage industry was created after his death to essentially clone him through impersonation Bruce Le and Bruce Li were the two most prominent imitators in film. The real Lee was a big fan of boxing and "worshipped" Ali. He comes across as an arrogant (expletive) who was full of hot air, she told The Wrap. The list goes on and on. Bruce Lee's exact age would be 81 years 5 months 15 days old if alive. Sure, it's technically possible that Lee once claimed he could beat up Muhammad Ali, but an excerpt from the 1987 bookThe Making of Enter the Dragonsays otherwise. Cliff is not part of the sport that is like combat, he is a warrior. If people are saying, Well he never said he could beat up Muhammad Ali, well yeah, he did. In his later fights, Ali weighed in at about 230-pounds. Alright? It makes perfect sense for Bruce Lee to think that he could learn something from Ali, even though their fighting styles were inherently different. "The way he was talking, I didn't just make a lot of that up. 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