DEATH OF AN ICON : Sporting icon passes away aged 74

 
The three-time former world champion, widely considered among the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport, has passed away after being taken to an Arizona hospital with respiratory issues.
Ali had suffered for 35 years with Parkinson’s disease, having been diagnosed three years after his retirement in 1981.
His family's spokesman Bob Gunnell confirmed Ali's death in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday evening local time.
Former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield told MSNBC: "I'm glad to have known Ali because when I was a kid, at eight years old, I was told I would be like Ali.
"To take it upon yourself and say; 'I'm the greatest', you put yourself in a position for people to take pot shots at you. This is what Ali did. It's amazing him becoming three-time heavyweight champion of the world. At that time people thought, 'Who could beat three?
"You have to be stronger to get up from a loss to go on and that's what Ali proved to be."
The last several years have seen the former boxer’s public appearances diminish as he continued to battle the crippling condition. Recently he was forced to cancel a planned trip to London to open an exhibition on his life.
Two years ago reports surfaced the Olympic gold medalist’s health had deteriorated so much he was unable to speak. It led him to miss the premiere in Hollywood of the new I Am Ali movie, due to his frailty.
Several days later however he took to Twitter in attempt to reassure fans he was alright posting a picture of himself smiling alongside two women at the Boar's Head in Charlottesville, Virginia.

However, prior to his admittance to hospital, Ali hadn't been seen publicly since April, when he attended a Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix.
He was taken to hospital on Thursday suffering from respiratory issues, after guests at his house in Scottsdale failed to wake him.

Reuters

Muhammad Ali lighting Olympic Torch in 1996

At the time sources said: “He wasn’t responding.
“He went to bed night, but didn’t wake up in the afternoon or evening the next day. He was sleeping for 24 hours.'
“They thought he might be too exhausted.”
However, his condition decreased on Friday and he was put on a life support machine with his respiratory problem complicated by his Parkinson's.