Muhammad Ali went to Iraq

In 1990, Muhammad Ali flew to Iraq to help free 15 American hostages. Without the U.S. government’s permission, the heavyweight champ directly negotiated with Saddam Hussein and convinced him to let the Americans come home safely.

By 1990, Ali was no longer the fighter who had dominated the ring. He was retired, his body already showing the effects of Parkinson’s disease, but his voice and reputation still carried enormous global weight. When Iraq invaded Kuwait that year, Saddam Hussein took hundreds of foreigners hostage, using them as human shields against potential U.S. military strikes. Among them were 15 Americans.

With tensions high and diplomacy stalled, Ali decided to act. Despite objections from the U.S. government, who feared his mission might backfire, he boarded a plane for Baghdad. Ali’s fame had long transcended sports — in the Middle East, he was admired not just as a boxer but as a Muslim and a symbol of resistance against Western power. Hussein agreed to meet him.

During their meeting, Ali appealed not as a politician, but as a human being. His health was declining, his speech slowed, yet his sincerity was undeniable. Hussein, perhaps seeking publicity or swayed by Ali’s presence, ultimately agreed to release the American hostages.

Ali returned home with all 15 freed, proving that his influence reached far beyond boxing. It was one of the most extraordinary acts of private diplomacy in modern history.