Muhammad Ali is being treated in hospital for a respiratory condition, his spokesman has confirmed to Press Association Sport.
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According to Ali’s spokesperson, Bob Gunnell, Ali is being treated by his team of doctors for a respiratory issue and is in fair condition. It was also the year he converted and joined the Nation of Islam, changing his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali.
All told, Ali finished with a record of 56-5, including 37 wins by knockout.
The three-time heavyweight champion is expected to have a “brief stay” where his situation will be regularly monitored.
Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease since 1984 after a boxing career of over 20 years. When a person has Parkinson’s, their brain slowly stops producing a neurotransmitter called dopamine. “The four primary symptoms of PD are tremor, or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability, or impaired balance and coordination”. Throughout his career he suffered from many repeated blows to the head and began showing symptoms of the disease – hand tremors, slurred speech, and sluggish body movements – soon after he retired.
There is now no cure for the disease.
Ali has remained away from the limelight in recent years.
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Ali has been hospitalized several times in recent years, most recently in early 2015 when he was treated for a severe urinary tract infection initially diagnosed as pneumonia.
