Watch Muhammad Ali Doing Magic Tricks in an Airport
One of the world’s most celebrated boxers could also make a handkerchief disappear with ease.
The late Muhammad Ali will always be remembered as one of the world’s most extraordinary boxers, as one of the most iconic sporting figures of the 20th century, and as a champion in the fight for black and Muslim rights.
Thanks to candid footage like this, we’ll also be able to remember his greatness in another form: as a gentle soul with a penchant for amateur magic.
The video above was shot in 1995 at a Japanese airport around the time of the World Championship Wrestling “Collision in Korea” event. The footage shows a 53-year-old Ali, by then deep in the throes of Parkinson’s syndrome, entertaining fellow wrestlers with a magic trick and a sly smile.
Every day we track down a Video Wonder: an audiovisual offering that delights, inspires, and entertains. Have you encountered a video we should feature? Email ella@atlasobscura.com.
Update (6/7): We originally referred to a Korean airport—the airport is in Japan.
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