Pasqualina Marchegiano, Mary Anne Marciano & Jimmy Ellis React to "The Super Fight" Premiere 1/3/70

The Super Fight was a fictional boxing match between Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali shot in 1969 and released in 1970. At the time, Ali and Marciano were the only undefeated heavyweight champions in history and fans often debated who would win had they met in their primes. Ali and Marciano were filmed sparring for 75 one-minute rounds producing several possible scenarios for a genuine fight, with the result claimed to have been determined using probability formulas entered into a computer.
The final film was only shown once in select cinemas around the world, grossing $5 million ($38 million adjusted for inflation) from 1,500 theaters across North America and Europe.[1] After its run in theaters, the film was broadcast on television before eventually being released as a DVD over three decades later.
In 1967, radio producer Murray Woroner had the idea of determining the all-time great heavyweight champion of the world by placing boxing champions of different eras in a series of fantasy fights.[2] Woroner sent out a survey to 250 boxing experts and writers to help determine which boxers would be used in what would become a fantasy tournament. Hank Meyer, president and salesman with one other partner in SPS, was instrumental in setting this competition up and contended at the time that it was his idea. Woroner picked the first round of fantasy matches to be.
After Ali lost a fantasy fight in one of the radio broadcasts, he filed a $1 million lawsuit against Woroner for defamation of character,[3] stating his anger at his elimination at the second round to Jim Jeffries, a boxer Ali had previously called "history's clumsiest, most slow-footed heavyweight." [4] The lawsuit was settled when Woroner offered to pay Ali $10,000 while also getting his agreement to participate in a filmed version of a fantasy fight in which he would fight Marciano.[1] Ali and Marciano agreed on the condition that they would also receive a cut of the film's profits.
Marciano, whose last fight before retiring undefeated at 49-0 was 14 years prior,[5] also agreed to participate with a similar deal. In preparation for the film, Rocky lost over 50 pounds (23 kg) and wore a toupee in order to look as he did in his prime. Both he and Ali were reported to be enthusiastic about meeting each other and getting back in the ring.
The same formulas as the radio fantasy fights were used and entered into the NCR 315, with filming commencing February 1969 in a Miami studio. The two fighters sparred for between 70 and 75 rounds, exchanging mainly body blows with some head shots in-between, which were later edited together according to the findings of the computer. Braddock, Louis, Schmeling, Sharkey and Walcott also recorded commentary to be used in the film.
The outcome would not be revealed until the release of the film on January 20, 1970, shown in 1,500 theaters by video link in the United States, Canada, and throughout Europe. American and Canadian audiences were shown a version of Marciano knocking out Ali in the 13th round, as staged by the boxers, while European audiences were shown another ending in which Ali was depicted as the winner after opening cuts on Marciano, also simulated.[6]