Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer who proclaimed himself “The Greatest” and was among the most famous and beloved athletes on the planet, died Friday in Phoenix, Arizona, a family spokesman said.
Ali, 74, had been at a Phoenix hospital since Thursday with what spokesman Bob Gunnell had described as a respiratory issue. The three-time heavyweight champion also had battled Parkinson’s disease since 1984.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama on Saturday mourned the loss of the boxing legend.
“Muhammad Ali shook up the world,” the Obamas said in a statement released by the White House. “And the world is better for it. We are all better for it. Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family, and we pray that the greatest fighter of them all finally rests in peace.”
