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"48 Hours" Presents: Muhammad Ali: Remembering a Legend

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From the start, he called himself "The Greatest." And for Muhammad Ali, even then, it was no empty boast. He had a gift ... the talent to back up his words - every last one of them.

CBS News celebrates a man who seemed larger than even his own singular life, recognized in every corner of the planet, one of the most famous people who ever lived.

A three-time heavyweight champion, poet laureate of pugilism, a philosopher with fists of steel. And a fighter who dedicated most of his adult life to peace.

He was controversial, too -- some of his biggest fights were outside the ring -- for civil rights and against the establishment.

Friends remember the final days of "The Greatest"

Muhammad Ali, who'd suffered from Parkinson's disease for over three decades, died Friday night at a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 74. Carter Evans reports from Phoenix.

Remembering Muhammad Ali

Scott Pelley looks back at the life and times of the boxing legend.

Muhammad Ali dies at 74 05:22





Louisville mourns native son

In Louisville, Kentucky, Ali's loss is personal. As Jericka Duncan reports, it's because that's where a boy named Cassius Clay grew into the man who shook up the world.

Ali and Foreman's "Rumble" immortalized in documentary

Muhammad Ali's 1974 comeback win against George Foreman in Zaire was one of the greatest fights of all time. The "Rumble in the Jungle" was the subject of director Leon Gast's 1996 documentary, "When We Were Kings," and was the subject of a report by the late CBS News correspondent Harold Dow.

Don King: Ali a "fighter for the people"

The famously flamboyant Don King promoted many of Muhammad Ali's fights, including the "Rumble in the Jungle." He shares memories with CBSN's Josh Elliott.

Promoter Don King remembers "the legend" 01:33


World mourns "The Greatest of All Time"

At his peak, Muhammad Ali was incandescent -- a light that shone well beyond the ring, illuminating dark places. And yet, he always felt like a man of the people See how he's being remembered by everyone from former foes to the president.

Ali: An inspiration beyond the sport

In 1999, "Sports Illustrated" named Muhammed Ali "Sportsman of the Century." Despite his boxing brilliance, Ali's life transcended sports, and his impact was felt far beyond the ring. Professor Todd Boyd of the University of Southern California, one of the nation's leading experts on race and popular culture, discusses Ali's legacy.

Analyzing Ali's impact 01:38

1996: Muhammad Ali vs. Ed Bradley

One of Muhammad Ali's most famous television appearances was on "60 Minutes" in March of 1996. The effects of Parkinson's disease were obvious, but Ali's wit was as sharp as ever. Watch as he gets the best of the late Ed Bradley.

Muhammad Ali: In his own words

"It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am," Ali boasted -- and managed to back it up, throughout an extraordinary life.

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