Desmond Lynam hosts an evening of programmes devoted to boxer Muhammad Ali.
Throughout the night, he traces Ali's journey from Louisville,
Kentucky, to his current exalted status as perhaps the sport's greatest ever champion.
Ali be praised!: page 26
After RT feature pages went to press, Ali Night was rescheduled from Saturday
9.15 When Harry Met Ali Harry Carpenter covered Ali's career for over two decades and, in that time, formed a close bond with the "Louisville Lip". Their liaison covered Ali's early boxing triumphs, his controversial political allegiances in the sixties, the night in 1971 when Joe Frazier handed him his first professional defeat in the so-called "Fight of the Century", as welI as Iighter moments away from the ring, exemplified by his spontaneous duet with soul singer Sam Cooke on satellite television.
9.50 Film premiere - When We Were Kings
Oscar-winning documentary- a Storyville presentation starting a double bill of boxing films-that tells the story of Muhammad Ali 's fight to regain the world heavyweight title from George Foreman in Zaire in 1974. Combining archive footage and interviews, the film explores the significance of the "Rumble in the Jungle", both for Ali's career and African-American politics, and features the comments of Don King , James Brown, BB King, Spike Lee, Norman Mailer and George Plimpton. The film is preceded by material chronicling the build-up to the battle, including an interview with George Foreman , as well as with Ali's trainer Angelo Dundee. Director Leon Gast (1996,PG)
Champion, at 12 midnight, concludes the double bill of films on the subject of boxing ♦ See Films: pp 56-67 *****
11.25-12.00 One Punch Too Many
Muhammad Ali continued to box for years after his physical peak and won a further 13 world title fights after regaining the crown at the age of 32. However, as interviews and archive footage illustrate, the grace of yore had deteriorated, and both his financial and personal affairs were in turmoil. Many people felt his third bout against Joe Frazier plumbed hitherto unseen depths of savagery and, having ignored advice to quit, the last days of Ali's career were overshadowed by the onset of Parkinson's disease.
Ali Night: Director Stuart Cabb Producer Peter Allden
Videoplus code for
9.00-12.00(notPDC)