I taught Muhammad Ali everything he knew, Bobertz. It was my expert tutelage in the 1950s that made him not just a contender...but soon to be world champion. Very few people knew this. He kept it real secret. If he'd paid me what he really owed me for all the coachin' I provided him, I could buy up half of Chicago with it. But that's okay. He needed the help, and I was glad to provide it. Now, it is a fact that no man can ever outbox a pro-Chimp boxer...and that is why yer mass media have kept Chimps off the TV screen when it comes to boxing. Yessir. We are deadly in the ring or outside it. I figger Muhammad made it just about to introductory level for a Chimp boxer...not bad, considerin' he was a human.

I coulda coached Sonny Liston too, but ya know what that dummy did? He called me a "monkey"...to my face. I said, "Okay, Sonny, guess what? I am goin' across town to the other camp. The competition. YOUR competition. And guess what happens then? Do I gotta spell it out for you? Let's just say yer gonna be kissin' the canvas like it was yer longlost lover, mister specist dupe fathead bigtime loser."

He laughed. So did I. Guess who got the last laugh on that one.

I always got along okay with Ali. He never called me a monkey. He did call Joe Frazier a gorilla a few times, and that was pretty insensitive, I guess. Gorillas did not take it well nor did Frazier. I don't know WHO was worse insulted. Bit of a puzzle, that is.

But anyway, he was polite to me, so I ain't carryin' no grudge against him, even though he shoulda paid me more.

- Chongo