“Felt Like the Muhammad Ali of Bodybuilding”: For the First Time Ever, Arnold Schwarzenegger Boasts About His Contribution to the Sport 43 Years After Retirement

Arnold Schwarzenegger, a boy from Thal, Austria, with a dream of becoming something, left his hometown with hope and determination to turn his life around. He made a name for himself in three different professions: bodybuilding, acting, and politics. Despite not having the required resources, he built his body to compete in his first bodybuilding competition and then went on to become one of the greatest bodybuilders ever.

Recently, Schwarzenegger announced he was going to release a book based on what he learned from his experiences and lessons he had inculcated from his father. In an interview with the New York Times,  The Austrian Oak talked about the new self-help book, and also made an interesting comparison between himself and the boxing legend, Muhammad Ali.

Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to bring glory to the sport 

Arnie was asked about his journey, motivation, and how he became a superstar in his era. The legend stated that his main objective was to raise bodybuilding to its highest level. He also wanted it to be acknowledged as a sport from which athletes could earn the respect they deserved.

The seven times Mr. Olympia said, “It was clear to me that I had to make bodybuilding hip. Bodybuilding had to become something people follow and admire — and you could make money off it. That was the idea.“He further added that he felt like “the Muhammad Ali of bodybuilding, that I could bring personality to it and therefore people would pay attention.” 

According to Schwarzenegger, “

That’s exactly what happened with “Pumping Iron.” Before the movie was released, I got a call from Ed Pressman.” Ed Pressman was the producer of movies like “Conan the Barbarian,” “Wall Street” and “American Psycho.” Arnie was already a star in bodybuilding at the time and he marked his territory even more with Pumping Iron. Arnold further shared a story of his first breakthrough in the movie ‘Conan the Barbarian’.

Pressman sees Arnie as Conan

While talking about his friend, the 76-year-old legend said, “He was a quiet, shy guy, but he did all these great movies. He saw “Pumping Iron”, and he said, finally, we have someone who could play Conan. He went out with his lawyer friend, and they bought the “Conan” rights. All of a sudden, there was Schnitzel.”

READ MORE: “Was Never Looking for Closure”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Who Had Troubled Relationship With His Father, Makes an Emotional Confession About Him

Having played a huge role in giving the bodybuilding legend his role in the movie, Pressman, who died earlier this year at 79, went on to become a dear friend of Arnie. The father of five has always emphasized being at the right place and time, seizing every opportunity once comes across. “This is what happened. It was timing, but I created it and I willed it,” said the former California governor.

Do you think Arnie was the Muhammad Ali of Bodybuilding, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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