MUHAMMAD ALI, regarded as the greatest boxer and one of the best sportsmen of all time, has died.
Ali passed away late on Friday at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, a family spokesperson, Bob Gunnell, confirmed.
Ali, nicknamed ‘The Greatest’, overcame the previously unbeaten Sonny Liston in 1964 to win his first world title.
Ali went on to become the first boxer to win a world heavyweight crown three times. To this day, Ali remains the only three-time lineal world heavyweight champion.
[adrotate group=”57″]Tributes to Ali have poured in from across the globe. Former opponents and current boxing stars have paid their tributes.
Donegal middleweight Jason Quigley tweeted: “RIP Muhammad Ali ,inspired so many inside and outside the ring , what a legend what a character, you will be sadly missed.”
RIP Muhammad Ali ,inspired so many inside and outside the ring , what a legend what a character, you will be sadly missed ???? #MuhammedAli
— Jason Quigley (@jay_quigley) June 4, 2016
The President of the Donegal Boxing Board, Peter O’Donnell, had been a fan of Ali during a career that saw the legendary fighter win 56 of his 61 bouts.
“That man will never die,” O’Donnell said this morning on learning of Ali’s death.
“He was a great champion and a great show man. It was very sad to see the way he deteriorated in his later years. Ali was a great inspiration to boxers, even well after he retired himself.”
Ali rose to prominance in winning gold in the light-heavyweight division at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and immediately turned professional.
Ali was involved in what are some of the most famous fights in history, including the win over George Foreman in Zaire dubbed the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ and his triumph against Joe Frazier, the ‘Thrilla in Manilla’.
When he was just 42, in 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He died overnight after having been admitted to hospital on Thursday with a respiratory condition.
