The Greatest dies, Muhammad Ali gone at 74

Legendary boxer and Human Rights activist, Muhammad Ali has died at the age of 74. He had been struggling with Pakinson disease for over 30 years “The Greatest” was the most famous boxer and one of the most beloved athletes on earth. He died Friday in Phoenix hospital, Arizona, a family spokesman announced.

Ali, had been at a Phoenix hospital since Thursday with what spokesman, Bob Gunnell had described as a respiratory issue.

“After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening,” Gunnell said in a statement. “The Ali family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and support and asks for privacy at this time.”

Ali, was not only a boxer, he was a principled man, who championed human rights. In his book, the Greatest, Ali told the story of how he threw the Olympic gold he won in Rome in 1960 into the Ohio  river, after he was denied entry into a restaurant, in protest against racial discrimination.

It was in the ring that Ali released his aggression against his mostly white opponents.

He was a leading voice in the civil rights movement in the 60s. Ali also criticised the Vietman war and refused to be drafted into the war. He was convicted for five years and was stripped of his world heavyweight ttitle in 1967. At that time, Ali said that the Vietnamese were not his enemies, rather his enemies were at home. He could not understand why he should go to war against people, he felt did not do anything to him.

He lost millions of dollars in endorsements and earnings but he never cared. He would never go to a war he termed despicable and unjust.

In 1971, the Supreme Court overturned his conviction and he got his licence back and he returned to the ring.

Ali was famous for his dancing in the ring. He once said that he float like a butterfly and stings like a bee. And that “your hands can not touch what your eyes cannot see.” He was also vocal in the ring, belittling his opponents as he proclaimed his abilities. He did not only beat his opponents, he also told them how he was going to beat them, by rightly predicting the round in which they will fall.

He recorded famous victories against Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Floyd Patterson, Leon Spinks and George Foremann in the legendary bout titled, “Rumble in the Jungle”, which took place in Zaire in 1974. In this way, Ali and Don King helped to bring Africa to spotlight.

He also went on in 1975 to defeat Joe Frazier in the “Thriller in Manila”. A stunned Frazier later told the press that he threw punches at Ali, which would normally bring down the walls of a city, but they could not bring down Ali. However, Ali also confessed that at a point, he thought he was close to death. Nevevrthless, Ali succeeded in retiring Joe Frazier as he boasted before the fight.

Former rival, George Foremann reacting to Ali’s death said “a part of me has slipped, the greatest piece.” However, his rivalry against Joe Frazier was the greatest sporting rivalry of all times. Mike Tyson tweeted: “God came for his champion.”

Promoter Don King described Ali as a special athlete he loved. Saying that he cared and loved the people. He is of the view that the world could not see the best of him because of the three, four years the conviction and ban took away from him. But he said Ali chose to go through all that due to the love he had for people. “Ali was the greatest of all times,” King said.

Don King recalled how George Foremann initially did not want to fight Ali because according to him, only him had something to lose. Foremann had told King that people love Ali and if he beat him, he loses. And if Ali beat him, he lost too.

King said that it was Ali who brought him into the boxing business and into limelight, with his talent and show.

In his book “The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life’s Journey,” Ali said he wanted 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, and who helped as many people as he could. As a man who stood up for his beliefs no matter what. As a man who tried to unite all humankind through faith and love.”

He added, ” 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.”

United States President, Barack Obama, in his tribute said he and first lady Michelle Obama mourn Ali’s death.

“But we’re also grateful to God for how fortunate we are to have known him, if just for a while; for how fortunate we all are that The Greatest chose to grace our time,” the Obamas said in a statement. Saturday.

The President said he has a pair of Ali’s gloves on display in his private study off the Oval Office, just underneath a photograph of the legend.

Obama added that Ali “fought for us.”

“He stood with King and Mandela; stood up when it was hard; spoke out when others wouldn’t. His fight outside the ring would cost him his title and his public standing. It would earn him enemies on the left and the right, make him reviled, and nearly send him to jail. But Ali stood his ground. And his victory helped us get used to the America we recognize today,” the President said in an enotional statement today. “He was the greatest, period.”

Louisville Mayor, Greg Fischer, at a ceremony today in honour of Ali, said “he lived a life so big and bold, it’s hard to believe that any one man could do everything he did, could be all the things that he became in the course of just one lifetime.”

He added, “Muhammad Ali belongs to the world, but he only has one hometown. The ‘Louisville Lip’ spoke to everyone, but we heard him in a way no one else could — as our brother, our uncle, and our inspiration.”

Ali was the most recognisable athlete and figure of the 20^th century, who stood out for equality and religious freedom. Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942, he later changed his name to Muhammad Ali after he converted to Islam in 1964 and rejected the “slave name” he was given at birth. He had renounced his name in support of the civil rights movement.

In his first professional fight he defeated the man, Sony Liston, which many had seen as invincible. He redefined boxing and went on to win 56 times and lost only five professional fights. He was known for knocking out opponents between the 6^th and 8^th rounds. Ali’ s last fight was in 1981 against Trevor Berwick.

He lit the Atlanta Olympic light in 1996, as three billion people watched his hands tremble  but he never wavered.

In 2005, former US president George Bush Jnr. honoured Ali with the highest US civilian award, Bush called him “the greatest of all time and a man of peace” as he tied the presidential medal of freedom around the former heavyweight champion’s neck.

Ali won many fights and three heavy weight belts but finally lost his fight against Parkison disease. His death is a very sad news for boxing fans and billions of his lovers around the world. He would also be remembered for his bombastic press conferences and speeches of great motivation.

Ali was the greatest sportsman that ever lived and no other even comes close. With his death, the world has lost a great sportsman and thinker. The late Nelslon Mandela was a great admirer of Ali.