Muhammad Ali, one of the most influential sports figures in the 20th century, has passed away at the age of 74 in Phoenix, Arizona, a family spokesman has confirmed to the media.
Boxing legend Ali won the heavyweight title three times and was known for his unorthodox fighting style, merging power and agility. Off the ring, he was famous throughout the globe for his charismatic personality, as well as social and political activism.
"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," family spokesman Bob Gunnell told NBC News Saturday.
Ali died from septic shock due to unspecified natural causes, Gunnell said during a press conference later in the day.
The family will gather for a private ceremony on Thursday.
On Friday, there will be a large funeral procession that will take Ali's body through the streets of Louisville, passing by the Muhammad Ali Center before winding through his childhood neighborhood on the way to Cave Hill Ceremony where he will be interred, according to Gunnell.
There will be an interfaith memorial service for Ali at the Yum! Center. Eulogies for the fighter will be led by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, journalist Bryant Gumbel and actor Billy Crystal. Other speakers may be added to the list, Gunnell said.
In 1967, three years after he won his first title, Ali refused to be drafted in the Vietnam War even though he registered for military service, presenting himself as a conscientious objector. Ali was stripped of his title, had his boxing license suspended, and a court found him guilty of draft evasion. His conviction was eventually reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
As the tide turned and public opinion shifted on the war, Ali became a spokesman for the anti-war sentiment, giving speeches at universities across the United States, even as he became increasingly active in the civil rights movement.
Boxing legend Ali won the heavyweight title three times and was known for his unorthodox fighting style, merging power and agility. Off the ring, he was famous throughout the globe for his charismatic personality, as well as social and political activism.
"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," family spokesman Bob Gunnell told NBC News Saturday.
Ali died from septic shock due to unspecified natural causes, Gunnell said during a press conference later in the day.
The family will gather for a private ceremony on Thursday.
On Friday, there will be a large funeral procession that will take Ali's body through the streets of Louisville, passing by the Muhammad Ali Center before winding through his childhood neighborhood on the way to Cave Hill Ceremony where he will be interred, according to Gunnell.
There will be an interfaith memorial service for Ali at the Yum! Center. Eulogies for the fighter will be led by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, journalist Bryant Gumbel and actor Billy Crystal. Other speakers may be added to the list, Gunnell said.
In 1967, three years after he won his first title, Ali refused to be drafted in the Vietnam War even though he registered for military service, presenting himself as a conscientious objector. Ali was stripped of his title, had his boxing license suspended, and a court found him guilty of draft evasion. His conviction was eventually reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
As the tide turned and public opinion shifted on the war, Ali became a spokesman for the anti-war sentiment, giving speeches at universities across the United States, even as he became increasingly active in the civil rights movement.
Hailing the fighter as "The Greatest. Period." -- a reference to Ali's now famous claim – U.S. President Barack Obama emphasized Ali’s role as a social justice champion.
"He stood with King and Mandela; stood up when it was hard; spoke out when others wouldn’t," Obama said in a statement, referencing the American and South African rights leaders.
"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," Obama added. "Muhammad Ali shook up the world. And the world is better for it."
"He stood with King and Mandela; stood up when it was hard; spoke out when others wouldn’t," Obama said in a statement, referencing the American and South African rights leaders.
"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," Obama added. "Muhammad Ali shook up the world. And the world is better for it."
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