Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74

[Asid]

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74


The former heavyweight champion was widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all time

Muhammad Ali has died at the age of 74, a family spokesman has said.

The former world heavyweight boxing champion, one of the world's best-known sportsmen, died at a hospital in the US city of Phoenix, Arizona, after being admitted on Thursday.

He was suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson's disease.

The funeral will take place in Ali's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, his family said in a statement.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Ali shot to fame by winning light-heavyweight gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

Nicknamed "The Greatest", the American beat Sonny Liston in 1964 to win his first world title and became the first boxer to capture a world heavyweight title on three separate occasions.

He eventually retired in 1981, having won 56 of his 61 fights.

How Ali wanted people to remember him

"I would like to be remembered as a man who won the heavyweight title three times, who was humorous and who treated everyone right. 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.

"And if all that's too much, then I guess I'd settle for being remembered only as a great boxer who became a leader and a champion of his people. And I wouldn't even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was."

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[Frankie]

My dad brought my brother and I to see Muhammad Ali arrive at the Kuala Lumpur international airport back in 1975. I saw him from afar as he stepped out of the plane and raised both hands in the air. Lightbulbs went off everywhere. Too many people. The crowd was huge. All standing shoulder to shoulder. It was quite a distance and I never did see his face. Just a figure standing at the door entrance of the plane.

He's still floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee.

[Asid]

Nice story Frankie.