Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali Dies at 74

former heavyweight champion and boxing legend, Muhammad Ali has died at the age of 74. Ali died late on Friday at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

He was admitted on Thursday, and had been been suffering from a respiratory illness, which was complicated by Parkinson's disease. According to Ali's family the funeral will take place in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.

Tributes to boxing's biggest icon have been pouring in from around the world. “Muhammad Ali shook up the world. And the world is better for it," said US President Barack and Michelle Obama. George Foreman, another boxing great who lost his world title to Ali in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" fight, called him one of the greatest human beings he had ever met.

Muhammad Ali was not only one of the world's largest sports figures, he was a civil rights campaigner and poet.

In 1967, Ali made a decision to oppose the US war in Vietnam, and was criticized by his fellow Americans for making this choice. Refusing to to be drafted Ali was stripped of his world title and boxing license. He would not fight again for nearly four years. This eventually overturned.

His death was confirmed by Bob Gunnell who was his long-time spokesman, he said “It was a very peaceful passing.”

Muhammad Ali on how he would like to be remembered:

"I would like 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...who stood up for his beliefs...who tried to unite all humankind through faith and love.
"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."