Boxing legend Muhammad Ali succumbs at age 74
Muhammad Ali, The Greatest, Passes Away at 74
Muhammad Ali, the legendary heavyweight champion and cultural icon, passed away at an undisclosed hospital in the Phoenix area on Friday night. He was 74 years old.
Born as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Ali brought a unique flair to boxing, with his showoff moves like the "Ali Shuffle," the counterintuitive "rope-a-dope," and the memorable "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" description of his fighting style.
His professional record was an impressive 56-5, with 37 knockouts. One of his most memorable fights was the first time two undefeated heavyweight champions faced off - the Ali-Frazier fight, which encapsulated the Vietnam conflict. Ali was on one side, while Joe Frazier was adopted by the other.
Their first showdown, known as "the Fight of the Century," and their third, labeled as "the Thrilla in Manila," along with the 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman, increased boxing's financial and entertainment clout exponentially.
However, the Ali-Frazier fight was not an easy one. It was an exhausting 15-round exchange of punishing blows that sent both fighters to the hospital. Ali lost the fight by decision but regained the title against Foreman in the Kinshasa, Zaire, rumble in 1974.
Ali was mostly out of the spotlight and virtually speechless due to Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disorder believed to have some relation to head trauma, which he was diagnosed with in 1984. His last public appearances were at a Sports Illustrated tribute in October 2019 and an April 2020 celebrity event to raise funds for Parkinson's disease.
Despite his struggles, Ali was championed as a humanitarian and global goodwill ambassador. His influence extended beyond the boxing ring, with his iconic status used in campaigns, such as when the New York City bid committee flew him to the United States in 2005 as part of their campaign for hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Ali's life was not without controversy. He was vilified for refusing military induction during the Vietnam War but later embraced as a cultural icon. Bert Sugar, a boxing historian, considered the March 8, 1971 Ali-Frazier duel as a requiem for all heavyweights.
Ali called himself "The Greatest" and is widely recognized as one of the most recognizable athletes in America. His legacy will continue to live on, not just in the boxing world, but also in the hearts of those who admired his courage, determination, and spirit.
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