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Evasion under guise of self interest?

The Trials of Muhammad Ali (Documentary; 2013)

This documentary offering is not an offering to highlight the achievements of the most famous pugilist of all time, the three-time heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Muhammad Ali but it concentrates on a particular time in his life when he had a brush with the American legal system.

It focuses a point in the late 60s and early 70s when Ali was at the height of his youth. It starts with him narrating of his experience back home in 1960 after winning the gold medal in Rome Olympics. A restauranteur refused to serve him even though he had made his country proud.

He goes on to tell about the hypocritical attitude of the members of his church. The calling to embrace Islam came in 1964, but his conversion came under the scrutiny of the radar when he decided to follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and his association with Nation of Islam, Malcolm X and Dr ML King. The Nation of Islam was classified as a radical group which fought for a black separatist America.

When Ali was draughted for the Vietnam War, he refused on the defence that it was against his religion. He had famously said that he had no bone to pick with the Vietnamese, his beef was with the American system and the whites. In the trials which miraculously turned into his favour after a unanimous decision when a judge admitted erring in the first seating!

In this documentary, one can see that Ali is only quick with his legwork and punches, he is quick with his wit as well as sharp with his words. He is poetic in his sentences and has the charisma to lure the public. This, with his humble background to entice the impoverished black population in the volatile era of the 60s, must have given the US government machinery many jitters.

Believe it or not, Muhammad Ali, at a time when his boxing licence was revoked, actually took part in a musical. He appeared as a black slave in chains being transported to America. He seems to be in the lead role.

Sometimes, I cannot help but wonder. Are all these talks about not fighting a war because it is, as Ali alleges is not ordained by Allah, is just an excuse of convenience? Of course, it not for mortals to judge the religiosity of a believer, sometimes actions may appear otherwise. Ali is infamous for his weakness for the fairer sex. Who can forget the fiasco that happened in Manila when his girlfriend was wrongly referred to his wife at the Presidential dinner with Marcos and was televised on the US TV. Then there are the two daughters that Ali had outside the sanctity of marriage.

Whatever said and done, Ali did make Boxing a real world event. After his retirement, the interest in boxing has waned.
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