Boxing superstar and social activist Muhammad Ali would have been 75 this week. In remembrance of Ali, who died in June, Boulder filmmaker Michael Aisner has released a rare interview with the heavyweight champion.
It was 1966, and Ali had recently changed his name from Cassius Clay after converting to Islam. Aisner, then a 17-year-old, had hounded the Chicago gym where Ali was training, trying to get an interview with the boxer for his high school radio station. Aisner eventually succeeded, and he and a friend drove into the city for the interview of a lifetime.
Ali started the meeting with an unheard fantastical story -- a trip to Mars where he'd fight a green giant to win the Universal Heavyweight Championship. Aisner had the clip illustrated by British artist Tom Milsom.
Aisner spoke with Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner about the interview, and what he hopes people take away from the rare clip.
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