Muhammad Ali: Fighting the Whole World

About this episode

The episode explores the life and impact of Muhammad Ali, highlighting his achievements in boxing and his influence on history and society.

Few athletes have ever transcended their sport the way Muhammad Ali did. This week, Ben Thompson is joined by Dr. Patricia Larash and Mike Primavera to dive into the life of the heavyweight champion who didn’t just dominate boxing—he changed history. From winning Olympic gold and shocking the world by defeating Sonny Liston to refusing the draft at the height of the Vietnam War, Ali turned every fight into something bigger than sports. He was brilliant, controversial, hilarious, fearless, and impossible to ignore. Along the way, he battled legends, sacrificed years of his career for his principles, and became one of the most recognizable human beings on Earth. This is the story of Muhammad Ali—the boxer who conquered the ring, challenged a nation, and earned the title of The Greatest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Ben Thompson

Guests: Dr. Patricia Larash, Mike Primavera

Topics covered

• Muhammad Ali
• boxing
• Vietnam War
• sports history
• athlete activism

Keywords

• Muhammad Ali
• boxing
• Sonny Liston
• Vietnam War
• athlete activism
• heavyweight champion
• sports history

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Vietnam

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