The legendary three-time world heavyweight champion was fighting for survival Friday at an Arizona hospital where respiratory problems coupled with his Parkinson’s disease put Ali’s life in peril.
“It could be hours,” tweeted Los Angeles Times sportswriter Lance Pugmire. “Can confirm from very strong source that it’s ‘very, very grave’ for Muhammad Ali.”
The 74-year-old was hospitalized Thursday, the latest in a series of health issues that plagued the poetry-spouting pugilist in recent years.
Muhammad Ali hospitalized with respiratory issue
Family members were warned that Ali’s health appeared worse than during other recent admissions for various problems.
“I can’t really say much more,” said Dr. Abraham Lieberman, Ali’s longtime Parkinson’s physician.
He was treated in early 2015 for a severe urinary tract infection initially misdiagnosed as pneumonia. And he was diagnosed with the degenerative neurological disease Parkinson’s in 1984.
The fighter, who changed his name from Cassius Clay when he switched his religion to Islam, transcended the boxing ring to become an international hero and role model.
But Ali’s public appearances waned dramatically in recent years as his health failed. A hunched-over Ali, his eyes obscured by sunglasses, moved feebly through an April 9 stop at a Parkinson’s fund-raising dinner.
Ali famously emerged, the Olympic torch in his visibly shaking right hand, to light the flame at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.
The Ali family, one day after releasing a terse statement about his health, said Friday that nothing had changed for the athlete and humanitarian.
But lung issues are particularly treacherous for Parkinson’s sufferers, with weakened muscles making it hard to swallow or cough.
The resulting aspiration pnuemonia, where bits of food or liquid land in the lungs, is the No. 1 cause of death among Parkinson’s patients.
As word of his health woes spread, long-time fans and friends surfaced on Twitter to send along their good wishes.
“Prayers and blessings to my idol, my friend, & Without question, the Greatest of All Time @MuhammadAli!” wrote former champion Sugar Ray Leonard.
Muhammad Ali knocks down defending heavyweight champion George Foreman in the eighth round of their championship bout of their 1974 ‘Rumble in the Jungle,’ bout in Zaire.
Ali, who lives in the Phoenix area, married his fourth wife Lonnie in 1986. He retired from boxing in 1981 with a career mark of 56-5, including some of the most memorable fights in history.
There were his two knockouts of the seemingly invincible Sonny Liston, including one with the mysterious “Phantom Punch” finish.
There were three wars with bete noire Joe Frazier, including two in Madison Square Garden and the unforgettable “Thrilla in Manila.”
And there was his memorable upset of George Foreman, using the “rope-a-dope” strategy to capture “The Rumble in the Jungle.”
After retiring from the ring, the Louisville, Ky., native become a global humanitarian ambassador. In 2005, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush.
Doctors believe Ali’s neurological woes are the result of taking thousands of punches during a 21-year pro career. Ali also won the gold medal at the 1960 Summer Games in Rome.
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