Muhammad Ali dies at 74
Heavyweight boxing legend Muhammad Ali died Friday in a Phoenix-area hospital. He was 74.
The news was announced by family spokesman Bob Gunnell in a statement late Friday.
Ali was hospitalized Thursday due to a respiratory issue and was initially said to be in fair condition. His battle was further complicated by Parkinson's disease, which he was diagnosed with in 1984.
A funeral service will take place in his hometown of Louisville, Ky.
Known simply as "The Greatest," Ali is widely recognized as one of the best heavyweights in boxing history. He first captured the heavyweight championship in 1964 with an upset of Sonny Liston, who failed to answer the bell for Round 7. Ali also knocked Liston out in the opening round of their 1965 rematch.
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on Jan. 17, 1942, Ali went on to engage in several of boxing's all-time classic bouts, including "The Rumble in the Jungle," Ali's 1974 title fight against George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire, and 1975's "Thrilla in Manila," the third of three fights with archrival Joe Frazier.
After first claiming the heavyweight crown, Clay changed his name to Ali and announced his conversion to Islam.
Throughout his career, the loquacious fighter was known for his showmanship, hand speed, and incomparable trash talk. In 1967, with the Vietnam War in full swing, he made his mark outside the ring by refusing to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, citing religious beliefs. He was stripped of his boxing license and heavyweight title and was widely condemned for his stance.
Ali was convicted of draft evasion and sentenced to five years in prison, but the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction in 1971 by unanimous vote. The act of rebellion set a new standard for social and political consciousness among athletes and celebrities. Civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. said of Ali's decision, "No matter what you think of Mr. Muhammad Ali's religion, you certainly have to admire his courage."
Ali, who won gold at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, recaptured the heavyweight title with his eighth-round knockout of Foreman. He would lose the belt to Leon Spinks in February 1978 before earning it back in a September rematch.
After a brief retirement, Ali returned in 1980 at age 38 to challenge champion Larry Holmes, who stopped him in a one-sided bout. He dropped a unanimous decision to Trevor Berbick in 1981 then called it quits for good, finishing his illustrious career with 56 wins, 37 knockouts, and five losses.