Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time, has passed away at the age of 74.
Ali had been admitted to the hospital earlier this week for respiratory problems. While a rep stated that he was in “fair condition” at first, his health deteriorated quickly and the respiratory problems combined with his Parkinson’s disease caused his condition to become worse than what was expected. On Friday night, a family spokesman confirmed that Ali had passed away in the Phoenix area hospital where he was being treated.
Born Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali first started boxing at the age of 12 after someone had stolen his bike and he wanted to fight the thief. By age 18, he was already an Olympic gold medalist as a light-heavyweight. Four years later, Ali, who had risen to fame as a professional boxer, stunned the world when he upset Sonny Liston to become the heavyweight champion. Later in his career, he went on to fight Joe Frazier and George Foreman in some of the most memorable fights in history, and he ended his career as a three-time world heavyweight champion.
However, Ali was not just a champion in the ring, he was also a champion for social justice in America. During the 1960s, he converted to the Nation of Islam and officially changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He was known for his stance against racial discrimination in America as well as the Vietnam War. One of his most profound gestures was when he refused to be drafted into the U.S. Army for the Vietnam War, which caused him to be stripped of his heavyweight title and sentenced to prison. Most recently, Ali publicly criticized Donald Trump for his proposal to ban Muslims from the U.S.
A year after he retired, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and since then, his health had been getting worse year over year. He was in and out of the hospital many times in recent years and fortunately, his family was able to be with him in his final moments.
Rest in Peace to The Greatest. We’ll never forget the impact you had on boxing and the world.
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