Entertainment

More Than a Boxer: This New PBS Doc Explores What Made Muhammad Ali an Icon of the 20th Century

The GOAT

“Muhammad Ali,” the new PBS documentary by Ken Burns, delves into the powerful story of the iconic boxing and activist legend.

Ronald Reagan delivering a mock punch to Muhammad Ali's jaw
Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library / Madison Azevedo, The Daily Beast

Muhammad Ali sees two legends combine. Ken Burns, the world-renowned documentary filmmaker, explores the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali, the boxing icon whose work outside of the ring packs just as big a punch. Burns brings to life the elements that made Muhammad Ali so captivating not only in the ring but beyond it. His stamina, his grace, his power, and his charm captivated millions of fans in his time, and to this day millions more still consider him the greatest boxer of all time. With one foot in celebrity and the other firmly in political activism, Ali set the mold for how future celebrities of all professional backgrounds engage with their political and moral ideals.

All episodes of Ken Burns’ Muhammad Ali are streaming now on the PBS Video app. Don’t miss the story of how this once divisive icon became the legend he is today, and the very human struggles he faced.

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