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SV EXTERIOR "Cafe Royal", London
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CU Photographers filming Mohammed Ali with baby
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SV Poster advertising "The Greatest", Ali's film (4 shots)
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SV Ali being interviewed, baby in shot
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REPORTER: "Mohammed, your career is winding down, and you say that your belief in God won't worry you. Is it going to be traumatic though, that the fact is you won't be able to fight soon."



ALI: "Is it going to be what?"



REPORTER: "Is it going to be traumatic, is it going to be hard for you not to be able to ...



ALI: "No. It'd be hard if I got out of boxing knocked out, but getting out like I plan to get out with the title, getting out (indistinct) my bad girl's cutting up, getting out as champion this will make me feel much better. I know I can't go bad but I just want to use the fame that I have to go on to do other things, mainly working for God, trying to bring peace to various races, I say in all countries, all races are my fans and people admire me and follow me and maybe I might have some influence in helping us all through our problems, Jesus can solve them. No one man can solve them. May be I can start making things a bit better for other people."




Initials BB/0140


SPORT: BOXING
REPORTER: VISNEWS' IAN MCMIMN

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The world champion boxer, Mohammed Ali is in London to launch his first film. Ali plays himself in the film which covers twenty years of his life and is entitled, predictably, "The Greatest". He began his promotion only days before the film is due to open at three London theatres.

SYNOPSIS: Ali says that he wants to play Hannibal, crossing the Alps with hundreds of elephants for his next screen role. After that he wants to play a black Egyptian warrior. He says he intends to go into wholesome films with a helpful message for mankind. In the meantime he's concentrating on his film debut.

"The Greatest" begins in 1960 with the then named Cassius Clay easily winning the light heavyweight gold medal at he Rome Olympics. It ends with his win over George Foreman in 1974. Visnews' Ian McMinn asked him later about his boxing career.