Muhammad Ali was arguably the most iconic sportman of the 20th century, and one of its most extraordinary, and conflicted, figures. A brilliant boxer who didn't fight like a heavyweight was supposed to; a deeply religious man, associated with a crank cult, whose personal behaviour was far from saintly; a political figure, once hated then loved; a fallen champion who came back from defeat; a campaigner for racial justice who insulted his opponents in language that resembled that of the racists he denounced; an eloquent individual reduced to incapacity by the injuries he sustained. Ken Burns's documentary is mostly reverential in tone, pointing out the contradictions but mostly reinforcing the legend. But Ali's was such an incredible story, and even to those of us who hate boxing, it remains a compelling one, fully able to fill eight episodes. Today, boxing no longer atttacts the attention it once did; indeed, in our age of fragemented audiences, perhaps no-one will ever have the opportunity to play the type of role that Ali did. In technical terms, his claim to have been the greatest may be disputable; but there might never be another sportman with the same impact on the world.
Review of Muhammad Ali
