Muhammad Ali’s death at 74 on Friday night sent the world into mourning. The boxer, activist and relentless pursuer of equality was a hero to millions and the first global sports star before globalisation was even a thing. The brash and beautiful man from Louisville shook up the world for the better. Through his commitment to his religion in the face of hatred, through his refusal to fight for a government that denied him the most basic of human rights, through his determination to see a better and more equal world, Ali was not just The Greatest in the ring but out of it too.
Being one of the most important figures in the 20th Century, there are no shortage of films made about The Louisville Lip. Some are great, some less so but they all manage to capture the brilliance of this one of a kind human being. He had a life no Hollywood scriptwriter could dream up and through these films, those who know little about the great champion can find out just why he meant so much to millions of people in every corner of the globe. Here are six movies about Ali that you need to see.