He started the year by beating Joe Frazier in Superfight II to avenge his loss to Smokin' Joe from three years earlier. 9 months later, in the Rumble in the Jungle, he shocked the world by knocking out George Foreman to once again become the Heavyweight Champion of the world. So how did Muhammad Ali cap off this eventful year? By being named the 1974 Sports Illustrated Man of the Year.
It wasn't just the two iconic fights that cemented his place in boxing history, but the way Ali did it. Seven years after being stripped of his belt for refusing to partake in the Vietnam War, Ali made the comeback of all comebacks, beating two of the most feared heavyweights of his, or anyone's time.
Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman idolized the Greatest as a child from afar until a chance meeting at a banquet brought them together in 1979 and for the next 37 years, the two were as tight as tight can be, with Muhammad playing a vital role as a mentor and friend of Nancy's until Ali's death.
Now, this trailblazer for women in sports, Nancy talks about the impact Muhammad had on her life and how she is attempting to pay it forward each day to honor him; How the Ali and Foreman families have come together 50 years after the famous fight in Zaire in a show of strength and peace and how George's biggest regret was not being able to congratulate Muhammad for his win between the two. There are too many stories to tell but Nancy does her best to bring a side of Ali only a few got to witness, and she shares that side with us on the Past Our Prime podcast.
Join us for a look into "The Greatest" that we've never heard before wherever you get your podcasts and make sure to hit that subscribe button if you wouldn't mind.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices (megaphone.fm/adchoices)