20th Century icon whose fame transcended
sport during a remarkable career that
spanned three decades, died Friday, his
family said.
The beloved 74-year-old sports hero, who had
been battling Parkinson's disease for decades,
passed away in a hospital here where he had
been admitted earlier this week suffering from
respiratory problems.
"After a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease,
Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of
74," spokesman Bob Gunnell said.
"The three-time World Heavyweight Champion
boxer died this evening."
Funeral arrangements for Ali would be
announced on Saturday, he added, with the
champion to be buried in his hometown of
Louisville, Kentucky.
Ali had been living in the Phoenix area with his
fourth wife, Lonnie, whom he married in 1986.
He was survived by nine children, seven
daughters and two sons.
As the family gathered at his bedside on Friday,
concern for Ali had grown.
Upon his death tributes immediately poured in
for "The Greatest," who was known globally not
only for his storied ring career but also for his
humanitarian activism.
"Muhammad Ali transformed this country and
impacted the world with his spirit," said longtime
boxing promoter Bob Arum. "His legacy will be
part of our history for all time.
"He is, without a question in my mind, the most
transformative person of our time," Arum said.
Ali had been hospitalized multiple times in
recent years.
In 2014 he was treated for a mild case of
pneumonia and again in 2015 for a urinary tract
infection.
His Parkinson's, thought to be linked to the
thousands of punches he took during a career
studded by bruising battles inside the ropes, had
limited his public speaking.
But he continued to make appearances and offer
opinions through his family members and
spokespeople.
In April, he attended a Celebrity Fight Night
Dinner in Phoenix that raised funds for
treatment of Parkinson's.
In December, he issued a statement rebuking US
presidential hopeful Donald Trump's call for a
ban on Muslims entering the United States.
- 'The greatest' -
His 30-year career, which stretched from 1960
to 1981 and saw him retire with a record of
56-5, included such historic bouts as the Rumble
in the Jungle against George Foreman.
Don King promoted that watershed bout in
Kinshasa, Zaire, in 1974, in which Ali used his
"Rope a Dope" strategy to best Foreman and
become just the second fighter to regain the
heavyweight world title.
"His spirit will go on forever," King said of Ali.
"He represents what every athlete and sports
person tries to do, an attitude of getting it done,
success, he was fabulous.
"A great human being, and a champion of the
people. The greatest of all times."
Other defining moments of Ali's career included
two knockouts of Sonny Liston and his thrilling
rivalry with Joe Frazier -- which saw the two men
slug it out in the ring and verbally spar out of it.
"Ali, Frazier & Foreman, we were 1 guy. A part of
me slipped away -- the greatest piece" Foreman
wrote on Twitter shortly after Ali's death was
announced.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson
added: "God came for his champion. So long
great one. @MuhammadAli #TheGreatest #RIP."
Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr in Louisville,
Kentucky, dazzled fans with slick moves in the
ring, and with his wit and engaging persona
outside it.
His refusal to serve in the Vietnam War saw him
banned from the sport for years, but the US
Supreme Court overturned his conviction for
draft dodging in 1971.
He took the name of Muhammad Ali after
converting to Islam in 1964, soon after he had
stunned the sport by claiming the title with a
monumental upset of Liston.
He was vilified in some quarters for that
conversion and his outspoken stance on Vietnam
and civil rights issues. His refusal to fight in
Vietnam saw him prosecuted for draft evasion,
and led to him being effectively banned for
boxing for three years of his prime.
But he held firm to his beliefs and eventually
earned accolades as an activist.
He received the highest US civilian honor, the
Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 2005.
- 'A giant' -
He represented the United Nations as a
messenger of peace and was chosen to light the
Olympic torch in 1996, when he was already
weakened by Parkinson's.
Floyd Mayweather, who walked away from
boxing last year with a perfect 49-0 record,
recalled the awe he felt in meeting Ali in '96,
when he himself was a US Olympian.
"I didn't really know what to say. I couldn't
believe it," Mayweather said. "I didn't even want
to show my true feelings and emotions of how I
felt."
Twenty years on, Mayweather was clear on his
view of Ali's legacy -- forged inside and outside
the ring.
"Never be afraid," Mayweather said. "Never stop
believing. And never settle for less."
Mayweather's great rival Manny Pacquiao of the
Philippines said the world had lost "a giant".
"Boxing benefitted from Muhammad Ali's
talents, but not as much as mankind benefitted
from his humanity," Pacquiao said.
No comments:
Post a Comment