“The Trials of Muhammad Ali“: Boxing Champ’s Refusal to Serve in Vietnam Was The Fight of His Life

- In a broadcast exclusive, we air excerpts from a new documentary that examines the struggle Muhammad Ali faced in his conversion to Islam, his refusal to fight in Vietnam, and the years of exile that followed before his eventual return to the ring. Ali is considered the greatest boxer in the history of sports. When he refused to be drafted into the military and filed as a conscientious objector, he was sentenced to prison and stripped of his heavyweight title. He appealed his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and did not go to prison, but he was forced to wait four years before regained his boxing license. “The Trials of Muhammad Ali“ has its world premiere tonight in New York City at the Tribeca Film Festival. “This isn’t a boxing film, but it is a fight film“ says our guest, Director Bill Siegel, “It’s a journey film that I hope says as much about us as it does about him.“ We also speak with Gordon Quinn, executive producer.