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Round One: The Greatest (1942-1964)

Season 1 Episode 1 | 2hr 09m 25s

Boxer Cassius Clay rises up the amateur ranks to win gold at the 1960 Olympics. He turns professional, sharpening his boxing skills and honing his genius for self-promotion. In 1964, he upsets Sonny Liston to become heavyweight champion.

Aired: 09/18/21 | Expires: 02/28/22
Corporate funding for MUHAMMAD ALI was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by David M. Rubenstein. Major funding was also provided by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by The Better Angels Society and by its members Alan and Marcia Docter; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tudor Jones; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Gilchrist and Amy Berg; The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation, The Owsley Brown III Philanthropic Foundation and The Augusta Brown Holland Philanthropic Foundation; Perry and Donna Golkin; John and Leslie McQuown; John and Catherine Debs; Fred and Donna Seigel; Susan and John Wieland; Stuart and Joanna Brown; Diane and Hal Brierley; Fiddlehead Fund; Rocco and Debby Landesman; McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Mauree Jane and Mark Perry; and Donna and Richard Strong.
Extras
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier prepare for their third fight, the Thrilla in Manila.
Upon retiring from boxing, Ali was forced to confront his deteriorating health.
Muhammad Ali shocks the world by defeating George Foreman and becomes world famous.
Muhammad Ali returns from exile and twice faces his greatest rival, Joe Frazier.