Ken Burns Names Muhammad Ali’s Secret Weapon: An ‘Uncomfortable’ 4-Letter Word

The filmmaker's next project is about how Ali "intersected with all of the most important issues of the second half of the 20th century."

Boxing legend and activist Muhammad Ali relied on a four-letter word as his “secret weapon” ― one that documentarian Ken Burns said is “so uncomfortable, we don’t know how to talk about it.” That word: Love. Burns, whose upcoming documentary on the late boxing champ is set to hit PBS later this month, spoke to CNN’s John Avlon on Sunday about how Ali’s legacy transcended what he accomplished in sports. He also talked about how the boxer, nicknamed “The Greatest,” “intersected with all of the most important issues of the second half of the 20th century,” including race, politics, war and faith.