Sir Michael Parkinson says meeting Muhammad Ali was an 'unforgettable experience'
Saturday 4 June 2016 15:47, UK
Sir Michael Parkinson interviewed the one and only Muhammad Ali on four separate occasions.
And the veteran broadcaster has spoken to Sky Sports News HQ about his encounters with the legendary boxer, who has passed away at the age of 74.
Parkinson said: "I met him for the first time in 1970 and I was struck by the grace and elegance of his movement. That, and the size of him.
"He had the longest fingers of any boxer I've ever seen - they belonged to a concert pianist, really. And then when he talked, it was just stardust.
"He was the most extraordinary man I've ever met, it's difficult to think of another person who was his equal.
"He didn't always talk sense but that didn't matter. He didn't have any reservations about how he should behave.
"He could be funny or aggressive - he was a package you could not predict. He never let you down, the audience adored him.
"In England, in particular, we loved him unconditionally and he loved being here."
Parkinson thinks Ali was a genuine one-off, the likes of whom will never be seen again.
"You were sitting with a guy who was box office," he said. "He could sell himself better than anyone I've ever met and he was a cocktail of emotions.
"It was never an easy ride with him but it was an unforgettable experience.
"Anybody who tries to copy him, and one or two have, won't be able to. He was a one of a kind and people should just watch him and learn from him."
Click on the video above to see Michael Parkinson's interview with Sky Sports News HQ.
