Family spokesman Bob Gunnell said Ali died Friday at 9:10 p.m. of septic shock “due to unspecified natural causes” and said a public funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. this Friday at an arena in Louisville, Ky. He was hospitalised in the Phoenix area with respiratory problems earlier this week, and his children had flown in from around the country.
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Back in 2002, before Ali’s star ceremony, then-chairman of the Walk of Fame committee Johnny Grant said that Ali was worthy of a star for several reasons, including this: “Since the day he won worldwide recognition with an Olympic gold medal, his life has been walking theater”.
Despite Ali’s failing health, his youthful proclamation that he was “the greatest” rang true until the end for millions of people around the world who respected him for his courage both inside and outside the ring.
In a Muslim world with a seemingly infinite number of people called “Mohammed Ali”, the Louisville, Kentucky, native was mostly referred to as Muhammad Ali Clay – ironically retaining one of the “slave” names that he argued so hard and long for people to drop after he became a Muslim.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer ordered flags lowered to half-staff to honour Ali.
“Muhammad Ali became a symbol of hope and love, and among other things he was also a musician”, said Teddy Abrams, conductor of the Louisville Orchestra.
“I didn’t know anything about boxing, never seen it…”
“His boxing was on top of the world”.
Ali has suffered from Parkinson’s disease for more than three decades and has kept a low profile in recent years.
Despite his debilitating illness, he travelled the world to rapturous receptions even after his once-bellowing voice was quieted and he was left to communicate with a wink or a weak smile. “He was attractive. I’ve watched every single one of his fights”, he said.
“He was a transformative figure in our society”.
Ali loved to fight with his mouth as much as with his fists.
He famously said he could he “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” in the ring.
He would go on to reclaim his status as the best heavyweight on the planet when he beat George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle in Zaire in 1974. Frazier was unanimously declared the victor of the bruising bout and succeeded Ali as heavyweight champ.
And rumble Ali did.
“His fight outside the ring would cost him his title and his public standing”, Obama said in a heartfelt statement.
Inspired by black rights activist Malcolm X, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964.
Muhammad Ali crafted the plan for his final tribute years ago, long before he died. Three years later, his refusal to serve in the U.S. Army in Vietnam – “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong” – and his subsequent loss of the world title resonated with Muslims, many of whom saw that conflict as the epitome of America’s global tyranny. I’ve been a Muslim for 20 years…. “You’re not as dumb as you look”. “At fights he was booed because they felt that he was too outspoken”, he said.
Ali couldn’t fulfil that goal because Parkinson’s robbed him of his speech.
Wherever you went, people knew who Muhammad Ali was… You’ve shown me how to be fearless and courageous in situations beyond my belief!
“I’m going to meet God. My heaven was being with Ali”.
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I was a big fan of Cassius Clay. He was a man who fought for what he believed in and never seemed to take the easy path toward greatness. Boxing, he said, has helped him turn his life around – and Ali is inextricable from boxing.
