It seems that I find myself saying this every time I review a PBS documentary, but it bears repeating; although they tend to edge towards the dry side, they have a way of making even the most off-beat topics incredibly interesting. Thankfully, Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami is a topic that isn't off-beat, and even with the PBS treatment really interesting.

The hour-long documentary covers the early career of boxer Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay), his eventual turn to Islam and the social issues that surrounded both. The documentary begins with Ali returning from the Rome Olympics only to find that his gold medal wasn't enough to help him break through professional boxing's color barrier. Eventually he found an opportunity with a group of businessmen in Louisville, Kentucky who decided that he needed to travel to Miami, Florida to train with Angelo Dundee.

For the next six years, Miami served as Ali's home base. Once in Miami, the documentary breaks into behind-the-scenes footage of Ali training, as well as interviews with Dundee and various members of the press. At the same time, it introduces the black culture in Miami at the time. This also serves as a jumping off point to show the cultural and social upheaval that was going on at the time - mainly the racial tensions surrounding the civil rights movement. Given his status in the community, Ali was heavily politicized. Eventually, Ali would meet one of the civil rights movement's most feared figures, Malcolm X, which leads him to become a follower of Elijah Muhammad.

The later part of the documentary deals with the after effects of his conversion. On the eve of his championship fight with Sonny Liston, Ali's managers did everything they could to make sure no one found out about his conversion out of fear that the fight would be dropped. Once it was made public, it apparently made several people in power nervous and eventually led to the draft board upgrading his draft status. Ali was a conscientious-objector to the Vietnam War, which led to his boxing license being revoked. Despite these issues, Ali continued to fight the good fight - helping to cement his place as a source of pride for the black community.

Not only is Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami an excellent introduction to Ali, it is also incredibly topical when viewed alongside certain "hot button" issues in the US. While it may not change your outlook, it is worth a watch to see why Ali really is the greatest of all time both in and out of the ring.