The Big Fight: When Ali Conquered Ireland

Soundtracked by The Dubliners, Muhammad Ali climbed through the ropes to fight Al ‘Blue’ Lewis at Croke Park on a balmy July evening in 1972. The most famous athlete in the world had somehow been inveigled to Ireland by Butty Sugrue, a charismatic circus strongman whom nobody took seriously until Ali and his entourage touched down at Dublin Airport. Moments later, a politician on the runway thrust a shillelagh into the champ’s hand and so began a week of the most glorious mayhem as he charm...