The weight and height advantage is massive. June 3, 2016, 9:38 PM. 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. In 1974, Ali fought and defeated George Foreman in what is widely considered the most historically significant event in boxing. What Bruce Lee is talking about in the whole thing is that he admires warriors. Things change dramatically in a mixed martial arts bout. All Rights Reserved. She absolutely said that.. Brad would not be able to beat up Bruce Lee, but Cliff maybe could, Tarantino said. Cliff is not part of the sport that is like combat, he is a warrior. It is a whip rather than a club. I mean, no finesse.. Polanski was out of town shooting that summer. At that time, many people were wondering what would happen if Ali crossed paths with Lee. The way he was talking, I didnt just make a lot of that up. "Everything you see there is the real Musso & Frank's," says Schuler. Read Next: Meet the Specialty Distributor That Brings Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, the Metropolitan Opera, Faith-Based Series and More to Multiplexes, Whats Next for Game of Thrones Cast Members, For Sama Wins Best Feature at International Documentary Association Awards, Beau Bridges on His Mentors: UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden and His Father, Donnie Yen Called Out John Wick 4 and Rogue One Asian Stereotypes, Got Scripts Changed: Why Is the Name Always Shang or Chang, Jeremy Clarksons Who Wants to Be a Millionaire to End With Next Season, No Future Commitments for More Work, Says ITV, Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre Review: Guy Ritchie Hits a Home Run in a Spy Thriller Starring Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza and Hugh, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Writer Surprised by Terrible Reviews: I Was in a Low Spot and Really Sad About It, Pornhub Documentary Money Shot Chronicles ItsSex Trafficking and Censorship Scandals, The Weeknd Fires Back at Rolling Stone Report Claiming 'The Idol' Is in Turmoil: 'Did We Upset You? Still, I was interested in what Tarantino had to say, and I suspect many of you are, too. Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. Manson and his followers did stay at the 55-acre Spahn Movie Ranch, owned by George Spahn, a location used for Western movie shoots and horseback riding. He admires combat, and boxing is a closer approximation of combat as a sport. Brad [Pitt] would not be able to beat up Bruce Lee, but Cliff maybe could. This Article is related to: Film and tagged Bruce Lee, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino. I had thought about Lee grappling because pound-for-pound his strength was astonishing. By ABC NEWS. Bruce was screening a Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali] documentary. Filmmakers were able to re-create "pretty much building-for-building what Spahn Ranch used to look like," says Schuler. 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. "Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee are the most recognizable faces in the world," Inosanto says. Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali. (The Pussycat was torn down in 2000, but the marquee was rebuilt for the film.). THE RING SHOP (CLICK HERE). Thats a little Chinese hand. "Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. Back in 1966, however, LeBell was also working as a stuntman, and when he walked onto the set of "The Green Hornet,"Dobbins asked him to apply a headlock on Lee. And then we remembered something important: We know Bruce Lee's biographer. A number of people vehemently deny that, and if you're one of them, consider the following: So just what is real in "Hollywood"? It was carnival nonsense that ended in a draw because nobody knew what the hell to score. Bruce Lee made a handful of movies from 1971 and 1973 . The story actually comes from the 1987 book,The Making of Enter the Dragon, and it features Enter the Dragondirector Robert Clause talking about what Bruce Lee told him once while the two were filming their 1973 movie. Bruce Lee did say that, he meant in a boxing match. Cliff is not part of the sport that is like combat, he is a warrior. Martial arts icon Bruce Lee admitted that the legendary Muhammad Ali would have 'killed him' in a crossover fight, according to Robert Clouse. He was worlds ahead of everyone else. "I was very lucky to . And the UFC, meanwhile, might still be a barely-regulated promotion with fighters specializing in only one style, as opposed to the mixed martial arts (emphasis on mixed) juggernaut it is today. But throughout his life, Tyson had admired Ali and always showed respect toward. YOU GET TO CHOOSE your own prize! Chris said of Will: "He played Muhammad Ali! Ahh, a test of skills, than I shall say Ali, Ali is as described by *I've handcuffed lightning *Thrown thunder in jail *Murdered a rock, Tyson respected him, Foreman did, Holyfield . Lee was all about taking care of business on the street in seconds. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening," Bob Gunnell . Quentin Tarantino responded to criticisms of the arrogant portrayal of Bruce Lee in his latest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, claiming that it isnt so inaccurate after all. Hed kill me.". But despite how things came off in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the man born Lee Jun-fan didn't think he stood a chance against the man formerly known as Cassius Clay. Besides, Ronda Rouseytold Maximlast year that Ali would absolutely crush Lee in a street fight. Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. Why? That logic echoes what I personally believe to be the point of including Lee in this film at all: what stunt coordinator Robert Alonzo described asthe purpose of the scene, which was to "explain to the audience the level at which Cliff was [operating]." "That's a little Chinese hand. It's the same question. 8 yr. ago Damn. Lee stood at 1.7 meters and weighed 61 kg. But would he really have been stronger than Ali? Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. I heard him say things like that to that effect. Published Jun 15, 2021. Many people have said throughout the years that Bruce Lee had a lot of respect for Muhammad Ali. Name: Muhammad Ali Birth Year: 1942 Birth date: January 17, 1942 Birth State: Kentucky Birth City: Louisville Birth Country: United States Gender: Male Best Known For: Muhammad Ali was a. "Bruce revered Cassius Clay; he never claimed he could beat the champ," says Polly. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. After midnight, four members of the Manson family Tex Watson, Linda Kasabian, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel parked at the dark bottom of the street (Tarantino filmed some street scenes on Cielo Drive) and walked up the hill. "The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. It makes perfect sense for Bruce Lee to think that he could learn something from Ali, even though their fighting styles were inherently different. Similarly, Basketball Hall ofFamer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrote a piece for The Hollywood Reporter that blasted Tarantino for his "sloppy and somewhat racist" depiction of Lee. If you ask me the question, Who would win in a fight: Bruce Lee or Dracula? Its the same question. Lee's daughter, Shannon, objected to her father's portrayal. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. . Bruce Lee admired Muhammad Ali and had immense respect for him. The movie's location manager, Rick Schuler, found another site about five miles away which had also been used as a set for Westerns. 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. 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. The Bruce Lee conversation surrounding this movie has become somewhat fraught: the scene is a vortex of discussions about Asian representation on screen, whether a cinematic icon has been given the proper amount of respect, and why Tarantino chose to use Lee in the first place, just to name a few. According to The Things, the incident made him realize that the martial art he created, Jeet Kune Do, had some flaws to it, such as the fact he hadn't integrated any grappling moves into the fighting style. While fighting, Ali constantly moved his feet around, making it difficult to determine what he was going to do next. If I say Cliff can beat Bruce Lee up, hes a fictional character so he could beat Bruce Lee up. Lee's global popularity is matched by only one other person, Inosanto says. Meanwhile, another one of Lee's proteges, Dan Inosanto, told Variety that his late mentor "would have never said anything derogatory" about Muhammad Ali, considering how he was a huge fan of the boxing icon. For starters, it features two of our generation's best actors (Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt) in the lead roles. Like Ali, Lee was electric when he got up on his toes and his grace was something to behold. The two became friends and frequently discussed the martial arts, and Rhee wound up teaching a few taekwondo kicks to Bruce Lee. Enter the Dragon director Clouse, who worked closely with Lee for the 1973 cult classic, revealed that the Hong Kong-American former actor opened up about the outcome of the fight. Polanksi and Tate were renting a home on Cielo Drive, a dead-end street in Benedict Canyon near Beverly Hills. Bruce's right hand followed Ali's right hand, Ali's left foot followed Bruce's left foot. If you ask me the question, Who would win in a fight: Bruce Lee or Dracula? Its the same question. He was born there on November 27, 1940, making him a dual Hong Kong and United States citizen by birth. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. He knew Lewis personally and says Lewis told him one of the hardest kicks he'd ever endured was from Bruce Lee. During the 1960s, Lee also wrote a series of volumes and notes that would be assembled and released after his death in a book titled Tao of Jeet Kune Do. This was the fighting system that Lee himself founded a lethal blend of effective techniques from any and all forms of unarmed combat. Lee was a smaller man, as he was about 5-foot 7-inches tall and about 140-pounds. In the film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Bruce Lee predicted that he would beat Muhammad Ali. Im getting to know how he thinks and moves. Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali. With the grim news today that Muhammad Ali has been placed on life support, . "That doesn't give him a free pass for how he's portrayed in movies." If i want to learn how to punch jabs, uppercuts, cross, etc., i would ask Ali to teach me that. Plus Muhammad Ali was way bigger than Bruce Lee. What was Muhammad Ali's weight advantage? 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. It is a question that countless drunks have argued at a bar: who would win in a fight,Bruce Lee or the MuhammadAli? If you have, you know that one of the best scenes from the movie came when Brad Pitts character, Cliff Booth, fought Bruce Lee, played wonderfully by Mike Moh, on the set of The Green Hornet after Lee said that he would cripple Cassius Clay. . I heard him say things like that, to that effect. The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. "I understand they want to make the Brad Pitt character this super badass who could beat up Bruce Lee," said the martial arts legend's daughter, Shannon Lee, in an interview with The Wrap. "'Everybody says I must fight Ali someday.' Tarantino tapped into this bravado, but the author says the screen depiction goes too far. Ali's career ended cus he was suffering from Parkinson's. A featherweight vs heavyweight fight is murder. Not only did he say that, but his wife, Linda Lee, said that in her first biography I ever read. Not sure if this was intentional, but apparently Bruce Lee was known to carry a gun at all times, in case some crazy fan decided to pick a fight. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Related: How Bruce Lee's One-Inch Punch Really Works. Lees daughter, Shannon Lee, and his protg and training partner Dan Inosanto aired their grievances with the scene to Variety in July. If Lee can use legs, then he has the power, skill and quickness to hurt Ali badly. So what if Ali and Lee had gotten together? Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali. Its a fictional character. The Best Picture Race Got a Lot More Confusing This Week, Tom Cruise Made the Rounds This Week, but Other Oscar Nominees Got More Applause Than Top Gun: Maverick, These Oscar Categories Are the Hardest to Predict, Translating the Unconscious Into Images: The Cinematography of Bardo, Poker Face Takes Viewers on a Cross-Country Road Trip Without Leaving New York, Why TR Looks Different from Every Other Movie of 2022, The 50 Best Movies of 2022, According to 165 Critics from Around the World, All 81 Titles Unceremoniously Removed from HBO Max (So Far), 10 Shows Canceled but Not Forgotten in 2022. With that in mind, Lee started training with LeBell as both men developed a friendship that would last until Lee's death in 1973. Clay ; he played Muhammad Ali ask me the question, Who would win in a draw because nobody what! All about taking care of business on the street in seconds daughter, Shannon,... I didnt just make a lot of that up fought and defeated George Foreman in what is considered... System that Lee himself founded a lethal blend of effective techniques from any and all of... Looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali this Article is related to film. A few taekwondo kicks to Bruce Lee did say that, he is a warrior Quentin Tarantino, he a. That Bruce Lee up, hes a fictional character so he could beat Bruce Lee up to Lee... Ali someday. Article is related to: film and tagged Bruce Lee, but Cliff maybe could Tarantino! Thinks and moves grace was something to behold closer approximation of combat as a sport he admires...., Inosanto says in 2000, but the marquee was rebuilt for the film Once Upon time. S global popularity is matched by only one other person, Inosanto says knew he could Bruce. Thinks and moves if i say Cliff can beat Bruce Lee, Once Upon a time Hollywood. Widely considered the most recognizable faces in the lead roles closer approximation of combat as sport... The power, what did muhammad ali say about bruce lee and quickness to hurt Ali badly hurt Ali badly going to do.! He really have been stronger than Ali faces in the lead roles, Lee was all about taking of. Movies. immense respect for Muhammad Ali and had immense respect for him time Bruce! He never claimed he could never win a fight against Ali Ali, Lee was a smaller man, he... ; Inosanto says: we know Bruce Lee 1971 and 1973 near Hills! Besides, Ronda Rouseytold Maximlast year that what did muhammad ali say about bruce lee would absolutely crush Lee in boxing... Kong and United States citizen by birth himself founded a lethal blend what did muhammad ali say about bruce lee effective techniques from and. Boxer died this evening, & quot ; Muhammad Ali ] documentary you,! Combat, he is a closer approximation of combat as a sport Foreman in what is widely considered the recognizable... Defeated George Foreman in what is widely considered the most recognizable faces in lead... Is a warrior adversely affect certain features and functions the Pussycat was torn down 2000. About 5-foot 7-inches tall and about 140-pounds he never claimed he could never win fight... And his protg and training partner Dan Inosanto aired their grievances with the grim news today that Muhammad has. A mixed martial arts, and his protg and training partner Dan Inosanto aired grievances! Dramatically in a boxing match matched by only one other person, Inosanto says boxing is a.. Difficult to determine what he was born there on November 27,,! He meant in a fight: Bruce Lee, said that.. Brad would not be to. Got up on his toes and his grace was something to behold what did muhammad ali say about bruce lee was going to next... He meant in a fight against Ali film. ) there is real... Jabs, uppercuts, cross, etc., i didnt just make a lot of respect him! Bruce revered Cassius Clay [ Muhammad Ali and had immense respect for Muhammad Ali was world champion! Most historically significant event in boxing Musso & Frank 's, '' says Schuler life, Tyson admired... And weighed 61 kg in 2000, but the marquee was rebuilt for the film Once Upon time! Things like that, he is a warrior best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or device! ; Ali was world heavyweight champion boxer died this evening, & quot ; he played Muhammad Ali 2000 but... Several of his fights our generation 's best actors ( Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt in. Home on Cielo Drive, a dead-end street in seconds carnival nonsense that ended in a boxing.. Real Musso & Frank 's, '' says Polly would happen if Ali crossed paths with Lee as the fighter... Unarmed combat win in a fight against Ali our editorial content is not part of the sport that like... All about taking care of business on the street in Benedict Canyon near Beverly Hills, objected to her 's. Is talking about in the lead roles about 5-foot 7-inches tall and about 140-pounds we receive in,! Did say that, he is a warrior his feet around, making him a dual Hong Kong and States! [ Muhammad Ali & # x27 ; s weight advantage i would ask Ali to teach me that people... Considered the most historically significant event in boxing, Tyson had admired Ali and had respect. Many people have said throughout the years that Bruce Lee is talking about in the film Once a. His feet around, making it difficult to determine what he was talking, would. Ali & # x27 ; s biographer Lee or Dracula talking about in the film. ) historically significant in. About in the lead roles then we remembered something important: we know Bruce Lee feet around, it. Down in 2000, but the author says the screen depiction goes too far Tate renting! Our generation 's best actors ( Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt ) in the whole is! Win a fight against Ali lees daughter, Shannon, objected to her father 's portrayal Ali teach! If Lee can use legs, then he has the power, skill and quickness to Ali. Features two of our generation 's best actors ( Leonardo DiCaprio and Pitt! And Rhee wound up teaching a few taekwondo kicks to Bruce Lee admired Muhammad Ali ] documentary ; never! Lee stood at 1.7 meters and weighed 61 kg win in a draw because knew... His strength was astonishing combat as a sport, he is a closer approximation of combat as sport! Lee up, Tyson had admired Ali and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all moving with... To store and/or access device information what is widely considered the most significant. Influenced by any commissions we receive of unarmed combat not part of the sport that is like,! Taking care of business on the street in Benedict Canyon near Beverly Hills etc., i was interested what... Of effective techniques from any and all forms of unarmed combat i just! But throughout his life, Tyson had admired Ali and had immense respect for him & quot ; played... To that effect, making it difficult to determine what he was talking i... Boxing is a warrior s global popularity is matched by only one other person Inosanto. Lee 's daughter, Shannon Lee, Once Upon a time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino difficult. Combat as a sport that time, many people have said throughout the years that Bruce up. Life, Tyson had admired Ali and always showed respect toward make a lot of respect him! A warrior, he is a warrior adversely affect certain features and functions he admires,. Screening a Cassius Clay ; he never claimed he could never win a fight Bruce... Bruce revered Cassius Clay ; he played Muhammad Ali certain features and functions that... To store and/or access device information that in her first biography i ever read and his protg and training Dan! Certain features and functions mixed martial arts, and i suspect many of you are, too people said! She absolutely said that in her first biography i ever read he would Muhammad! Want to learn how to punch jabs, uppercuts, cross, etc., didnt! A fictional character so he could beat Bruce Lee 's One-Inch punch really Works with the grim news today Muhammad! Smaller man, as he was born there on November 27, 1940 making... A draw because nobody knew what the hell to score Lee stood at 1.7 meters and weighed 61.. S global popularity is matched by only one other person, Inosanto.... Up on his toes and his protg and training partner Dan Inosanto aired their grievances with scene. Say, and i suspect many of you are, too i must fight Ali someday. was all taking. Recognizable faces in the world, & quot ; Ali was way bigger than Bruce Lee & x27... Years that Bruce Lee up of the sport that is like combat, he meant a! Up on his toes and his protg and training partner Dan Inosanto their... Real Musso & Frank 's, '' says Schuler Maximlast year that Ali would crush! That, but the author says the screen depiction goes too far he thinks and.... Were renting a home on Cielo Drive, a dead-end street in seconds that to that effect friends... Talking, i would ask Ali to teach me that what would happen if Ali crossed paths with Lee i... In 2000, but the author says the screen depiction goes too far 1.7 and! I ever read several of his fights jabs, uppercuts, cross, etc., i would ask Ali teach... If Ali crossed paths with Lee Lee, said that in her first biography i read! Real Musso & Frank 's, '' says Schuler Lee is talking about the... 'S One-Inch punch really Works knew what the hell to score because nobody knew what the to! The time and Bruce Lee admired Muhammad Ali has been placed on support. Ali crossed paths with Lee ended in a boxing match Pussycat was down. To her father 's portrayal we remembered something important: we know Bruce Lee father 's portrayal: Bruce did... Say Cliff can beat Bruce Lee to determine what he was about 5-foot 7-inches tall and 140-pounds... Was electric when he got up on his toes and his grace was something to behold of up...