[ALI (Muhammad).] &
THE BIG FIGHTS INC.
Muhammed Ali: Skill, Brains, and Guts.
THE GREATEST
Controversial and celebrated, Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) was the most famous athlete of the twentieth century.
First released in 1970 as a.k.a. Cassius Clay, this documentary on Muhammad Ali enjoyed a brief re-release in 1975 under this title. The film provides an overview of Ali’s career from his youth, through his exile for refusing to be inducted into the army during the Vietnam war, to his return to boxing and the landmark fights against Joe Frazier and George Foreman. It includes archival footage of Malcolm X, heavyweight fighter Drew Bundini Brown, and cornerman Angelo Dundee.
Very rare in any condition, this dramatic oversize poster would’ve been used for drive-in theatres and is much rarer than the smaller format occasionally seen. Big Fights Inc. was a collaboration between Bill Cayton and Jim Jacobs, who directed this film. This re-release was likely to coincide with the Thriller in Manila, the third and final fight against George Foreman in October, 1975.