The first time I spoke with Muhammad Ali, who died on Friday at age 74, was on Sept 13, 1978. It was at the New Orleans Hilton, two days before he defeated Leon Spinks at the Superdome to win the world heavyweight championship for an unprecedented third time.

In a reflective mood shared with a handul of writers after the final media conference, the most recognized human being on the planet outlined a melancholy vision of his future.

"Because people know athletes are superior physically, when they see us go downhill they see themselves," he said.