As AP reported today:

Two American hikers held captive in Iran for nearly two years have a big hitter in their corner: boxing champion Muhammad Ali, the self-proclaimed "greatest of all time."

Like the former heavyweight champion, the two Americans only "wanted to experience the world, they wanted to experience other cultures, they wanted to experience other people," said Ali's wife, Lonnie, who spoke on his behalf. The 69-year-old Ali sat in a chair next to her, in a dark suit and sunglasses. He did not speak.