Boxing, race and politics to take screen in upcoming TV series about Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali Note to journalists: A portrait of Purdue professor Randy Roberts is available for media use via a Google Drive folder. Journalists visiting campus should follow visitor health guidelines. Randy Roberts, professor of history at Purdue and author of “Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship Between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X,” will see his book adapted for television. (Purdue University photo/ Rebecca McElhoe) Show will be based on 'Blood Brothers,' a nonfiction book from Purdue historian WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — To Randy Roberts, the tragic friendship between Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali is more than a compelling story from the American past. As with much of history, the past can provide a useful lens for thinking about today’s world.