Ali’s death was confirmed in a statement issued by family spokesman Bob Gunnell late Friday evening, a day after he was admitted to a Phoenix-area hospital with a respiratory ailment. But he once was known not only for his athletic prowess as a three-time heavyweight champion but also for his social activism.
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Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, Ali took up boxing at age 12, when his bike was stolen and he wanted to find and whip the culprit.
Ali’s original name was Cassius Clay, but he changed it when converting to the Nation of Islam.
He engaged in some of the world’s most iconic fights even though his career was interrupted for more than three years when he refused to be drafted for military service during the Vietnam War. Ali’s appeal worked its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where in 1971 his conviction was overturned.
Ali compiled a 56-5 record as a heavyweight.
The announcement came hours before the official announcement by an Ali spokesperson on the passing of the boxing great.
“He was tremendous, not just a boxer, a great human being, an icon”, King said.
Although weakened by illness, Ali has continued to loom large on national stage.
At a time when most fighters let their managers do the talking, Ali, inspired by professional wrestler “Gorgeous” George Wagner, thrived in-and indeed craved-the spotlight, where he was often provocative and outlandish.
He became a worldwide idol and a true inspiration, transcending the sport of boxing to become one of the most recognisable faces on the planet.
Celebrity Fight Night is a major fund-raiser for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute. He was exceptional in the ring; as one journalist described him: “A fighter with a big man’s power, a little man’s speed and a Renaissance painter’s creative genius”.
The former heavyweight champion has been in and out of hospital several times in the past few years and was treated for a severe urinary tract infection in early 2015.
The 74-year-old boxing great is fighting respiratory problems that are complicated by Parkinson’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in the 1980s, the people told The Associated Press on Thursday. Notable among these were the first Liston fight, three with rival Joe Frazier, and one with George Foreman, in which he regained titles he had been stripped of seven years earlier.
USA retired fighter and promoter Oscar de la Hoya praised Ali as “the fighter who ushered in the golden era of boxing and put the sport on the map”.
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Ali received the honor of lighting the Olympic torch at the 1996 opening ceremonies in Atlanta. I do what I say. Ali was the father of nine children, seven daughters and two sons. As a man who never looked down on those who looked up to him. who stood up for his beliefs. who tried to unite all humankind through faith and love.
