▁Ali ' s ▁life ▁story ▁for ▁the ▁film ▁Ali ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁Ar d aj i ▁became ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁Hor izon / Me am co ▁after ▁Me am co ' s ▁mer ger ▁with ▁Hor izon . ▁During ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁third ▁largest ▁market ing ▁ag ency ▁serving ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁and ▁filled ▁in ▁a ▁highly ▁cru cial ▁gap ▁for ▁connecting ▁Western ▁products ▁to ▁consum ers ▁in ▁Arab ▁cult ures . ▁ ▁Film ▁industry ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁Ar d aj i ▁founded ▁Round hill ▁Pictures ▁Corporation ▁and ▁obtained ▁the ▁film ▁rights ▁to ▁Muhammad ▁Ali ' s ▁life ▁story . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁Ar d aj i ▁had ▁visited ▁Ali ▁on ▁his ▁ 5 0 th ▁birth day ▁and ▁persu aded ▁him ▁to ▁allow ▁a ▁film ▁to ▁be ▁made ▁about ▁his ▁life . ▁ ▁Sign ing ▁on ▁with ▁Sony ▁Pictures , ▁Ar d aj i ▁then ▁partner ed ▁with ▁producer ▁Jon ▁Peters , ▁who ▁started ▁developing ▁the ▁film ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁Ar d aj i ▁and ▁Peters , ▁other ▁film ▁produ cers ▁of ▁Ali ▁were ▁ ▁Michael ▁Mann , ▁James ▁L ass iter , ▁and ▁A . ▁Kit man ▁Ho . ▁All ▁five ▁produ cers ▁were ▁given ▁equal ▁credit ▁as ▁for ▁their ▁roles ▁in ▁the ▁film ' s ▁production . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0