Broadcast and cable channels have started airing tributes for the late Muhammad Ali. The legendary boxer just recently passed away at the age of 74. According to Deadline, specials about “The Greatest” are airing on ABC, CBS, Spike TV and Bounce TV. More specials from other channels are expected to be announced soon.
CBS has two Ali tributes airing. The channel has just aired 60 Minutes: The Greatest, a re-airing of Ed Bradley’s 1996 profile of Ali. The 60 Minutes segment follows Ali as he lives his life battling Parkinson’s. CBS also aired an hour-long, live special episode of 48 Hours titled Muhammad Ali: Remembering A Legend. CBS News anchor Josh Elliot, along with various correspondents, hosted the tribute celebrating the life of the cultural icon.
ABC aired a 20/20 special called Muhammad Ali: The Greatest Of All Time, anchored by Elizabeth Vargas and David Muir. The 20/20 special portrayed the boxer’s legacy, along with interviews of those close to Ali.
Spike TV televised Pete McCormack’s 2009 documentary Facing Ali. The documentary contains vintage footage of Ali’s phenomenal boxing career and has interviews with many of Ali’s most famous rivals. George Foreman, Joe Frazier, George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Leon Spinks, Earnie Shavers and Ernie Terrel all speak on their personal experiences with “The Greatest” both in and out of the ring.
Bounce TV is set to air Tom Gries’ 1977 film The Greatest, in which Muhammad Ali played himself. The film is a dramatization of Ali’s life up to the late ’70s, including his 1960 Olympic victory, his conversion to Islam and his legendary Rumble in the Jungle bout with George Foreman.
On Wednesday night, El Rey Network is planning to air all 13 episodes of the occasionally supernatural, crime-solving 1977 animated series I Am The Greatest: The Adventures Of Muhammad Ali. The series originally aired on Saturday mornings on NBC.
Tributes and specials for “The Greatest” are available on streaming services as well. On HBOGo Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Muhammad Ali: In Memoriam and the Will Smith film Ali are all there to stream. Hulu has the 2013 documentary The Trials of Muhammad Ali as well as NBC Today‘s retrospective on the boxer. Amazon Prime members can stream the Les Krantz documentary Muhammad Ali – The Man, The Moves, The Mouth, Jim Jacbos’ documentary A.K.A. Cassius Clay and Muhammad Ali: Fighting Spirit. Netflix simply has ESPN’s 30 For 30 on Muhammad Ali and his fight with ex-sparring partner Larry Holmes.