Boxing legend, activist and 'The Greatest' to a world of fans dies aged 74.
His hands and his mouth were furiously fast. His skill as a boxer made him "The Greatest" in his mind and in the minds of many others.
He antagonized opponents with his taunts, amused reporters with his boasts and angered government officials with his anti-war speeches. At the same time, he goaded a stubborn, hard-nosed society with his stinging jabs against pervasive racism.
The former world heavyweight boxing champion, one of the world's best-known sportsmen, died at a hospital in the US city of Phoenix, Arizona, after being admitted on Thursday.
He was suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson's disease.
The funeral will take place in Ali's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, his family said in a statement.