Main Bout, Inc. was a company founded for the benefit of
Muhammad Ali, then heavyweight champion, in 1966 as a promotional corporation.
Formation The idea for the company arose during promotion of the November 1965 Ernie Terrell–George Chuvalo fight, when professional football player
Jim Brown was approached to do
color commentary. Television producer Mike Malitz (son of Lester Malitz) and his attorney
Bob Arum suggested forming a company to give Ali more financial control. Brown brought Arum's proposal to Ali, who received approval from the Nation of Islam's leader,
Elijah Muhammad, leading to the eventual founding of Main Bout, Inc. Ali had declined to renew his 1959 deal with the
Louisville Sponsoring Group (LSG), 11 wealthy Kentucky businessmen who sponsored him. LSG received 40% of Ali's total earnings while covering only training costs. His contractual agreement was up for renewal on October 26, 1966. Ali's move reflected his association with the NOI, Jim Brown's union initiative, and growing scrutiny of how white owners exploited Black athletes. In early talks, Arum proposed boosting Ali's share of his gross earnings from 40% to 60% and engaging more Black entrepreneurs to manage closed-circuit outlets for his fights.
Jim Brown, recently retired
Cleveland Browns star and head of the
Negro Industrial and Economic Union (NIEU), controlled 10% of the company. Jim Brown was Main Bout's vice president in charge of
public relations. Brown believed famous
Black athletes should focus on building economic power to help achieve equality, rather than joining the
civil rights movement.
Ali-Terrell At a January press conference, Ali revealed the new corporation and named
Ernie Terrell as his next title challenger set for March 1966. Ali became draft-eligible six weeks before the fight and drew criticism for opposing the
Vietnam War draft. After Ernie Terrell withdrew over contract concerns, Canadian heavyweight
George Chuvalo filled in.
Ali-Chuvalo In spring 1966, Main Bout Inc. held the
ancillary rights to
Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo. As its first major endeavor, Main Bout promoted the theater-TV presentation of the Chuvalo fight. Through Main Bout, Jim Brown partnered with
Cookie Gilchrist, granting him rights to televise the fight in
Buffalo. Brown gave 15 fellow African American football players the chance to earn through the Main Bout closed-circuit setup as theater exhibitors, including Gilchrist,
Ernie Green, and Johnny Brown. Despite early interest, only 20% of the 200 American theaters committed to the closed-circuit broadcast.
Europe Closed-Circuit Market Following Ali-Chuvalo, Ali's managers scheduled his next three title defenses in Europe, including
Henry Cooper,
Karl Mildenberger, and
Brian London. Main Bout, Inc. granted
ABC-TV the rights to televise all three bouts live on
Wide World of Sports.
Ali-Chamberlain Ali and Main Bout, Inc. explored a potential match with
Wilt Chamberlain in March 1967, but Herbert Muhammad, Ali's manager and key decision-maker, blocked the idea. Jim Brown, then vice president, had planned to leave Main Bout to manage Chamberlain. By April 1967, Main Bout, Inc., the closed-circuit television firm, handled five of heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali's title bouts.
End of Main Bout, Inc. Over his April 28 refusal to join the
United States Army during the
Vietnam War, Ali faced the possibility of jail time and having his titles stripped. The refusal endangered the promotional firm's future earnings, with millions at stake if he went to prison. After promoting multiple Muhammad Ali fights, Main Bout Inc. faltered following his conviction for refusing military induction and the loss of his boxing licenses on June 20, 1967. Recognizing Main Bout's collapse, Arum, Malitz, and Brown established Sports Action, Inc. in 1967. Bob Arum's early ties to Main Bout, Inc. led to his 1973 partnership with Herbert Muhammad in founding
Top Rank. ==References==