CBS News' "48 Hours" to present "Muhammad Ali: Remembering A Legend"
CBS News will present "'48 Hours:' Muhammad Ali: Remembering A Legend," a live, hour-long special celebrating the life and legacy of the outspoken boxing champion tonight at 9 p.m.
CBSN anchor Josh Elliott will anchor the special from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York. He'll be joined by a team of correspondents providing in-depth reports on Ali's life, his career and his enduring impact on the world of sports, civil rights and celebrity.
The three-time heavyweight champion and worldwide celebrity died Friday night after a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 74. He had been hospitalized at a Phoenix-area hospital this week with a respiratory problem.
Carter Evans will be in Phoenix, Jericka Duncan in Ali's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and Dr. Jon LaPook will report on the connection between boxing and Ali's Parkinson's disease. "CBS Evening News" Anchor and Managing Editor Scott Pelley will report on Ali's life. The special will also mine CBS News' rich archive of interviews with Ali, including a classic sit-down with "60 Minutes"' late correspondent Ed Bradley.
In the boxing ring, Ali captivated the sports world by beating the biggest names of his era in some of the largest worldwide spectacles ever.
Outside the ring, he was outspoken about civil rights and the Vietnam War, which earned him as many fans as detractors. He transformed the sport of boxing, first as an Olympic gold medalist then as a pro, and in the process changed the world's view of boxers in and out of the ring. He was a true global superstar and celebrity royalty, who continued to wow audiences in recent years simply by walking into a room.
CBS News' coverage the life of Ali continues on CBSN, CBS News' 24/7 digital streaming network, with additional reports on the "CBS Weekend News" (6:30 p.m. ET) and on "CBS Sunday Morning." (9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. ET).
Susan Zirinsky is the senior executive producer of "'48 Hours:' "Muhammad Ali: Remembering A Legend."
The special broadcast preempts the previously announced edition of "48 Hours," "Father and Son."