When Muhammad Ali was asked where he got his great and playfully arrogant interview skills, he frequently credited seeing a clip of Gorgeous George, the wrestler who gained national fame in he 1950s as a narcissistic TV presence. Years later, it’s said that Ali realized that the one who had actually influenced him was another blonde grappler, Freddie Blassie. He had gotten them confused. In this 1976 clip, Tonight Show guest host McLean Stevenson and Ed McMahon welcome Ali and Blassie as the two hyped a mixed boxing-wrestling match featuring the Greatest versus Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki.

Postscript: In 1990, Inoki, who had entered politics the year prior, was sent to Iraq to negotiate with Saddam Hussein for the release of Japanese hostages. Inoki secured their passage and converted to Islam later that year (Muslim name: Muhammad Hussain). He’s since had a contentious career in politics, even being elected to a seat in Japan’s Upper House.