mrl muhammad ali, boxing

muhammad ali died friday at the age of 74. he suffered for decades from parkinson's disease, a disease most likely caused by boxing. he was surrounded by his family when he died, a family spokesperson talked about those emotional final moments with ali. >> monday night he was in the hospital, but he was in fair condition. and we expected that to be the case. you know, muhammad has battled back many times and we expected it to happen this time. the family was called when things became more serious. still had a lot of hope that it was going to turn around, but it became clear, in discussions with lonnie ali and with his doctors, that his condition wasn't going to improve. and so, you know, they were able to bring all family members in the last 24 hours, when we knew that things weren't going to improve. they were given time to say goodbye. >> as the world mourns the loss of the legend, so does muhammad ali's hometown of louisville, kentucky. at a ceremony at the city's metro hall, the flag was lowered to half-staff and the mayor

ali! ali!" holding my hand and i am thinking, this is the most surreal moment of my entire life. just imagine that. all of churchill downs and they're cheering him on, and he thrived off of that! you could tell, he loved it. he loved being in the spotlight, making people happy and he would just stop. he let go of my hand and you would do the one-two punch move that he loved to do and put a big smile on people's faces. he just loved making everyone happy. he just left such an indelible mark on people really all around the world, including myself. >> you really sort of point out an interesting feature of muhammad ali that's not talked about so much, and that is his connection with children. he really seemed to be the kind of man who loved children and children, in turn, loved him. >> it's so true! joe, i remember -- i was thinking back on all these memories. when i was a little girl, he gravitated toward me. had he this little twinkle in his lie and you could tell he just loved being around me and

abc's ryan smith is in louisville where he spoke to muhammad ali's brother. >> reporter: tonight, ali's hometown celebrating the man they simply called "the champ." >> he was the greatest of all time. >> reporter: a final salute to their favorite son. he was the city's transcendent star and perhaps its great ets stores source of pride. his brother returning to their childhood home today. >> i feel like crying. >> you all were close. >> very, very close. my brother was my best friend. >> reporter: ali's boxing career, starting inside a louisville ring at 12. by 18, an olympic gold medalist. at 22, heavyweight champion of the world. today, at louisville's muhammad ali center, many remembering stories of how the hometown hero touched their lives. >> what was he like in high school? >> i remember this guy who stood up and talked like, "i don't care what you think about me." >> reporter: his brash, outspoken manner earning him the nickname louisville lip early in his career. >> float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. >> reporter: but ali had a softer side. when this man's father was dying

. >> ali! ali! >> ali! ali!pelley: louisville, america, and the world say farewell to muhammad ali. >> we all are here for the greatest man on earth, that's muhammad ali. muhammad ali is the man! >> pelley: he had fists of steel. >> one of the things that he would tell people, "it's not bragging if you can back it up." and look at how many times he backed it up. >> pelley: and a heart of gold. >> i can specifically tell you that they played patty cake. those are things that, as a dad, you never forget your entire lifetime. >> he was funny. he was beautiful. he was the most perfect athlete you ever saw, and those were his own words. ( laughter ) captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley, reporting tonight from louisville, kentucky. >> pelley: today, this city, named for louis xvi, gave muhammad ali a send-off befitting a king. he was american royalty, one of the most famous and most admired people in the world, a champion fighter, ambassador for peace, and the world came here to

[cheers and applause] [chanting] ali, ali, ali, ali. ali. >> time is not our friend. remarks. honorable first man, william j. clinton. principle spiritual of his people, a true friend of the earth and beloved to all who know him, he is a leader whose spirituality is coupled with the passion for truth, justice. we are honored that he has come here today to share a few words and a few thoughts with us. [applause] [speaking indian] [speaking indian dialect] >> translation, he said, my relatives, it is my responsibility to pick up the words for the people of the long house. they wish you well. they want you to be at peace of mind. now this great darkness that has happened to us, you must understand that you who have gathered us here, that his road is straight. peacefully, he will arrive at his land. our creator. it is the same as you call him, allah. these were the words. he took the family, your relatives and friends of muhammad ali. muhammad ali was the leader among men. and a champion of the people. he fought for the people of color, yet he was man of peace and principle. a man

ali goes down. >> it was ali's first ever professional loss.and smokin' joe were far from finished. >> joe frazier is in trouble because the muhammad ali joe frazier is going to meet is going to be better than the muhammad ali he met three years ago. >> when we return, the greatest comeback ever. >> i thought he was going to fall. this was going to be a long night. >>> too much speed. too fast. i'm too fast. >> it was 1974 and 32-year-old muhammad ali was on a mission. >> i'm going to retire the heavyweight champion of the world. that's right. if you think the world was surprised when nixon resigned, wait till i kick foreman's behind. >> big george foreman was boxing's most feared fighter. destroying joe frazier in two rounds. >> i'm sitting on the throne. i thought i was doing a charitable contribution to muhammad ali by allowing him to fight for my title. >> the match was called rumble in the jungle. >> i was being offered 5 million to fight muhammad ali. i went to africa to get my money and beat up someone and go home. >> they want to be lik

ali a guest of honor. a global ambassador for whom parkinson's could all but silence his speech, but not his presence. >> he was a presence. he showed up. he spoke out for causes he believed in. i was sorry i didn't get a chance to speak to him one more time. i'm sorry for his family, for his fans, for people around the world who loved him. and at the same time, too, i was somewhat relieved for him that he was no longer battling or confined by it, that he's his true self again. >> reporter: in the ring, he had fuel peers, often compared to the great joe louis. it was said that louis was the first athlete to make america see and admire a black man. it was ali who made them listen. >> he was a credit to his race, the human race. i think in the final analysis rnls muhammad ali did us all a great service. >> our thanks to byron pitts. when we come back, our very own barbara walters with muhammad ali on women, religion, happiness, even what color he believes god to be. and since no one can sell the greatest bet

so through the muhammad ali center website, muhammad ali center.org.t's in the release, i believe, that you got that you received. but through muhammad ali center the actual service will be streamed throughout the world and translated as well. so they'll be available to follow along. well, it's going to be in the muslim tradition, obviously that's why the by the imam. there will be further updates in louisville tomorrow night. thank you. >>> all right. you've been listening to bob gunnell in scottsdale, arizona. that's where muhammad ali passed away last night at 9:10 p.m. local time. that's 12:10 eastern time. the spokesman for the family there gave us details of the funeral and memorial arrangements. extensive details. very interesting details. over the next 24 to 48 hours muhammad ali will return to louisville kentucky, his hometown. on thursday there will be a private service for the family only and then friday, friday will be a day that, i think, will go down in history in this city. muhammad ali's hometown. there will be a funeral procession thro

frasier really des piesed ali. >> he called him a gorilla. >> ali was-- ali was awful to joe frasier. he humiliated him as if show joe frasier were less black. he grew up, a share croppers kid from south car a. he was humiliated by him. and even though frasier lost this fight and couldn't come out, he was essentially blind and his quarterman said no more, he wouldn't sacrifice him to his incredible credited. both men said that they had been essentially near death, that's how brutal this fight was. >> rose: that's what ali said. >> and frasier said of ali, i hit him with shots that would have brought down a building. and ali said that we both came to manila as, you know, glamorous young men and we came back old men. and yet boxers, even the great ones, even the transcend ent one like ali can't stop. they can't stop. >> if you looked at the film or tape of that fight when they wave it off after the 14th round because frasier was blind in his left eye and could not see the right hand coming, when they waved it off, all ali could manage to do was barely stand up off his stool to acknowled

ali was able toll pick him off. a strategic triumph for muhammad ali. the consequences of that fight where he and joe frazier just thrashed each other for 14 rounds, taking so much punishment and all those other fights, there's not much doubt that that had something to do with him and the parkinson's. it really is a tragedy. >> stay with us. >> thank you. >> he was tweeted as a giant among men. ali displayed a greatness in talent, courage, and conviction, that most of us will ever be able to truly comprehend. here are some of his best moments. >> i don't like fighters who talk too mump. >> i must be the greatest. i told this world. >> float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. >> i'm the quickest in the ring. >> this might shock and amaze ya but i will destroy joe frazer. >> i'm so bad you know what i was doing? i went out to the jungle. i'm bad, man. >> can i dance? is the pope a catholic? >> the man to beat me haven't been born yet. >> well, i'm the greatest. if you get too small, i'll knock you out. >> last week i murdered a rock, injured a stone, hos

ali.the poet who in 2009 poem one inaugural president obama first took office and we will do back with them in a minute. -- we will be back with them in a minute. ♪ ♪ ♪ amy: this is democracy now! to talk more about the life and legacy -- and legacy of mom ali, we're joined by two guess. his new book is the complete mohammed ali. he is currently a visiting scholar at the college of arts. a new york, we're joined by poet and professor elizabeth alexander, director of creativity and free expression at the ford foundation. she is the former chair of african american studies at yale. she is the author of the persona poemem "narrative: alili", writn from the perspective of muhammad ali. elizabeth alexander recited the amount real poem when president obama took office in 2009. we w welcome you both to democry now!w!. can you start off by sharing your reaction to hearing of the death of mohammed ali and talk about why you spend years researching his life? his death is a great tragedy because this

he said look, ali was drab and ali risked all.ou got to respect that he. >> you know, i keep coming back to his title. the greatest and how many millions of people are really going to learn what they know about muhammad ali over these next few days? those of us lucky enough to share a patent and a time frame and part of a lifetime with him i'm not talking about those of house were lucky enough to know him. i did not. those of us who were lucky enough to watch him to, see him, to exist alongside of him, he was the only one who proclaimed himself the greatest. and then backed it up. and it's through tracing his life and times that you trace american life over the past few decades. mike, we've been saying, warfare, race relations, the struggle. athletics. marketing, branding to be gross about it. communications, and just being a charismatic icon. >> brian, there about it. the moment that we've all continued to circle back to tonight is the olympics in atlanta in 1996. and even in that impaired state, his voice stolen, his grace stole

word of ali's passing came about 90 minutes ago now. we have team coverage tonight on the legacy that ali leaves be sports director larry beil. larry. >> reporter: ama, the boxing legend hospitalized in arizona with a respiratory condition, and tonight the sports world, celebrities, fans, they're all remembering one of the most famous people in the world. known simply as the greatest 37 muhammad ali, brilliant boxer who of course could float like a bulletfly and stinbee, passing away at the age of 74. ali was a three-time heavyweight champion. in his prime he was part fighter, part promoter. the consummate showman. abc news reporter marci gonzalez looking back now on the life and legacy of the champ. >> reporter: he called himself the greatest and told us how pretty he was. and for more than 20 years he backed up his words with his fists. beginning with a gold medal at the 1960 summer olympics, cassius clay took the boxing world by storm. in one of his first big pro fights he brashly predicted an upset over heavyweight champion sonny li

ali, ali.they loved this map. he was a giant all over the world. for more reasons than i could ever count. but for some reason he meant so much to a lot of people. his identity is yet to be explained or expressed. all i can say is he made the word the greatest. now you look at muhammad ali and you see the greatest. that's the definition of the greatest, is muhammad ali. >> george, he went from showman to statesman of sorts. he seemed to be living a life of teaching moments. what did he want people too understand he felt like they didn't? >> didn't have to say a lot because once he got on the scene, you looked at him and you felt better. muhammad ali made you look better, feel better. during a period where he suffered with the parkinson's. people who would get sick, would retreat, especially celebrities who didn't look like they did when they were young. they would hide. muhammad ali came out to the world and said, look at me. lighting that olympic torch. he had a tremble but for some reason he

, ali, ali, did you notice it and what was that like? >> for a legend like muhammad ali to come to my fight, it was a dream come true. you know, i never dreamed that had ali would come to see me fight. and when he did come see me fight, that made me want to go out there and perform that much better. >> was he the greatest fighter of all time. he's called the greatest. he called himself the greatest. that's how he's known worldwide. is he? was he? >> well, in his era. we're talking about was he the greatest -- one of the big skpes greatest athletes of his time. yes. you know, will there ever be another ali. we just don't know. we may never see another ali in our generation. you know, but he's such a great person. such a great person. he will be missed. truly missed. i legend. >> do you have a special moment or something personal that you can share with our audience of time that you spent with him? >> when i first touched ali's hand, i shook his hand and he put his arms around me. i can remember. i was 19 years old. and i said to myself, i

ali was on a roll again. but his great athletic comeback was in can sha sa in what was then zaire. >> only last week, i murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. i'm so mean, i make medicine sick. >> ali knocked out the heavily favored young champion george foreman. it was called the rumble in the jungle. his last fight in 1981 would mark the beginning of another battle that ali described as his toughest. the diagnosis that he was afflicted with parkinson's disease. after two decades of redefining the heavyweight division, ali was forced to retire. his lifetime record, 56 victories, just five defeats. but he never retreated from living a very public life. in 1996, ali provided one of the most poignant moments in sports history. with 3 billion people watching, he lit the olympic flame at the summer games in atlanta. his hands tremendous being but never wavering. ali remained the consummate showman. as his condition grew progressively worse, he struggled each day to whisper a word. his hands and l

ali said, i got through. it and ali, and that changes the fight.he fight game is great and strong. the heavy weight is strong. i follow it regularly. we have the heavy weight and middleweight. is it like ali. he could have been the greatest football or baseball player he could do it all. he had the magic outside to make people sign and laugh and signed oofr autograph and made kids smile. >> final thoughts. >> it is a time for everybody to reflect and wake up every day no matter the situation and suffering about. enjoy the day. mohammed loved living and didn't matter about parkinson or anything else. hemented to wake up and have a good time. >> george forman i appreciate it. and more remembrance now of the champ. >> you know how good i am. i don't have to tell you about my strategy. tell him what you are going to do. float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. rumble young man, rumble. >> this is it who i am. when i was eight years old i was told i could be be like ali and if you listen, and don't quit, and you know, you have to have confidence and

muhammad ali.e have new details at cnn about the final hours of muhammad ali's life and also what the ali family will do in the coming days. a private service just for the close family members already planned for here in louisville on thursday. and then the rest of the world will have a chance to celebrate the life and really that is what the family wants. a celebration to celebrate the life of muhammad ali and remember the extraordinary accomplishments of america's legendary heavyweight champion. in the past couple of hours, we learned that the official cause of death of muhammad ali, a family spokesman said in his final moments ali was surrounded by family. cnn's jason carroll is in scottsdale, arizona, where ali passed away nearly 24 hours ago. jason, tell us what you've learned. >> reporter: well, a little earlier we heard from the family spokesman, he gave us a lot of information, lot of details about what happened. he started out by explaining muhammad ali's family checked e him into hospital

"i am ali." i am not the fighter that ali was. and i may not have the courage which he never lacked, and i am definitely not as pretty. [ laughter ] but in my heart and in my hope and in my prayers, i am muhammad ali. [ applause ] when we say that, in our hearts, when we live that in our lives, then we together can build a legacy worthy of the greatest of all time. so say that now with me. in your heart and in this room, i am ali. [ applause ] >> you know, one of the amazing things that we've witnessed during our time here in louisville has been just so many stories of common, ordinary people. there's folks on the street, working in the hotels, the restaurants, virtually everyone has a story concerning how muhammad ali touched their lives. he came to my fourth grade class. he helped me out in this or that way. he came to visit me when i was sick. just on and on and on. and collectively, those experiences, they become sinner ginnic, they become greater than the individual parts. and when we rose through the streets of the city toda

muhammad ali, the greatest of all time. tonight, muhammad ali. he floated like a butterfly, stung like a bee. the three time world champion boxer who took on racism, intolerance and finally parkinson's. the humor still there'ven in silence. tonight we remember the death and life of an american legend. this special edition of "nightline" will be right back. >>> good evening. thank you for joining us. we begin with the breaking news, the ledge dare boxer, muhammad ali has died at 74. he was the beloved iconic three-time boxing champion. as byron pits tells us tonight, he was so much more. >> you out, sucker. >> reporter: he was a lightning rod in and out of the boxing ring. known for his grace and power and poetry. >> i'm handsome. i'm fast. i'm pretty, and can't possibly be be >> reporter: he was born cassius clay in louisville, kentucky in 1942. he is learned to fight as a boy after his bicycle was stolen and soon climbed the ranks of amateur boxing. by 18 he was the star of the u.s. olympic team. light on his feet and unlike anything the boxing

ali. with patty ann brown who is in on the fox report. >> for this fight i have wrestled with alligators and handcuffed lightning and you know i am bad. i murdered a rock and hospitalized a brick. i am so bad i make medicine sick. im so fast, man, i run through a hurricane and don't get wet. and i drown a drink of water and kill a dead tree. wait until you see mohammed ali. >> the world celebrating the life and legacy of the greatest mohammed ali. i am patty ann brown in for julie band p band. ali died in a phoenix hospital surrounded by family days after being admitted with respiratory problems. he was 74 years old. and he called himself the greatest of all time. he was a ledge sxend moves that dazzled fans and bewildered opponents and outside of the ring a man larger than life, political and controversial. he will be remembered as a man of the world who spoke his mind and wasn't afraid to take a chance. and went out of his way to be a kind, benevolent individual, that really changed the

ali boma ye! ali boma ye! ali boma ye!n the street, kids follow me screaming "george foreman boma ye." then i don't think that's so nice so me as i'd like if they have anything to say about me they can say, george foreman loves africa. george foreman loves being here. not, george foreman killed him, i don't like that. >> boma ye! george foreman boma ye! boma ye! there he is. boma ye! sucker, you aren't nothing. they understand me. >> we were all for muhammad ali. foreman, we didn't know him. foreman said, why? i'm black. blacker than muhammad ali. why all this bias? yes, muhammad ali, he was lighter. he was a real person. he was genuine. muhammad ali could have been even lighter-skinned than he was. but for us, he was defending the good cause. for africans and the whole world. [burke] hot dog.seen it.covered it. we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two. ♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪ poallergies?reather. stuffy nose? can't sleep? take that. a breathe right nasal strip instantly opens your n

wait until you see muhammad ali. >> and saw him we d muhammad ali the greatest boxer whoever lived captivatedhe world with his amazing skill, larger than life personality and unyielding commitment to civil rights and tonight we're remembering the legend who passed away at the age of 74. >>> good evening everyone, i'm natasha brown. thanks for joining us. ali died in an arizona hospital surrounded by his family. the champ was an artist between the ropes bringing speed and grace never before seen among heavy weight boxers but it was his actions outside of the sport that will truly come to define his life and tonight we're remembering an american original. diane vault called muhammad ali louisville can end ken's the greatest. >> he was for all people. >> reporter: she told us she'll never forget what an honor it was to meet him not once but twice. >> he just was the sweetest man i ever meant. >> reporter: she was one of a steady stream of fans who left cars and flowers outside the muhammad ali center. ali died friday night in phoenix arizona after suffering from respiratory problems. he battled

ali was in fair condition. but by the end of the week as his family began to gather here, it became clear ali's condition was grave. muhammad ali was taken from his home in paradise valley, arizona just outside phoenix by ambulance on may 31st at 1:00 in the afternoon. the ambulance call said a 74-year-old man with respiratory issues needed transport to the hospital. he suffered from parkinson's disease and had a similar breathing problem that led to a similar hospitalization in scottsdale last year. his daughter, laila, changed her facebook picture to a photo of ali and her and posted a message thanking fans for their thoughts and prayers. those thoughts poured out over night as friends and fans alike mourned the loss of a legendary boxer. >> he was the greatest ever as far as i was concerned. but for far more reasons than boxing. >> he set a standard i don't think any other athlete in the world has ever, ever met. >> reporter: bill clinton called ali greater than his legend. and don king, the fighter's former

ali goes down. >> it was ali's first ever professional loss.and smokin' joe were far from finished. >> joe frazier is in trouble because the muhammad ali joe frazier is going to meet is going to be better than the muhammad ali he met three years ago. >> when we return, the greatest comeback ever. >> i thought he was going to fall. this was going to be a long night. what's it like to be in good hands? man, it's like pure power at your finger tips. like the power to earn allstate reward points, every time i drive. ...want my number? and cash back for driving safe. and the power to automatically find your car... i see you car! and i got the power to know who's coming and when if i break down. ...you must be gerry. hey... in means getting more from your car insurance with the all-powerful drivewise app. it's good to be in, good hands. only one network gives you more than just great coverage. it's t-mobile! only t-mobile's lets you stream video and music - for free! and we doubled our lte coverage in the last year. the other guys can't say that! we

>> ali!> reporter: with a couple of wins under his belt, his next opponent, kuncht heavyweight champion joe frazier. >> an explosion to the joe and muhammad ali goes down. >> reporter: ali suffers his first professional defeat. determined to reclaim the title, he trains harder than ever, and epic fights soon followed. in zaire, the rumble in the jungle. ali wins the title back. then the thriller in manila. the third and fim fight with frazier. >> this is muhammad ali at his very best. >> ali would become boxing's first three-time heavyweight champion. in 1981, with 56 wins and only five losses, he retires at the age of 39. his agility and speech pattern now noticeably different. >> didn't realize how scientific and quick it was. >> reporter: just three years after retiring, ali was diagnosed with parkinson's. and for the rest of his life, that disease would affect his movements and eventually silence his voice. >> i believe all of you remember muhammad's pre-parkinson's days, when he moved mi

he was an ali man and he came to kentucky. i moved to kentucky about 20 years ago. when he came about ten years ago the first thing he said is i know ali was born here. i want to know where. i want to go to these museums. it was all about him. my house in peru you'll see a huge picture of muhammad ali. so you know how big of a fan he is. and it's all kinds of people from all walks of life. all parts of the puzzle. it's really something. >> he was and i think a hot of young folks don't necessarily appreciate this long before michael jordan. he was a global star. undeniably the most famous person walking this earth for the better part of two decades. i also had some conversations with some folks who never -- they didn't share the ring with him but they were boxers. here's what he told me and it's to be happy for all things and he put all the memories he had given everybody to try to be the best in their endeavors. >> take me back to that first time you met him. it was in the mid 80s. >> and i met ali and it was a great thing. >>

ali said, i got through. it and ali, and that changes the fight.at and strong. the heavy weight is strong. i follow it regularly. we have the heavy weight and middleweight. is it like ali. he could have been the greatest football or baseball player he could do it all. he had the magic outside to make people sign and laugh and signed oofr autograph and made kids smile. >> final thoughts. >> it is a time for everybody to reflect and wake up every day no matter the situation and suffering about. enjoy the day. mohammed loved living and didn't matter about parkinson or anything else. hemented to wake up and have a good time. >> george forman i appreciate it. and more remembrance now of the champ. >> you know how good i am. i don't have to tell you about my strategy. tell him what you are going to do. float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. rumble young man, rumble. what are you doing right now? making a cake! ayla reminds me of like a master chef and emiana reminds me of like a monster chef. uh oh. i don't see cake, i just see mess. it's like awfu

and the mayor paid tribute to ali. >> muhammad ali belongs to the world, but he only has one hometown. [ applause ] the louisville lip spoke to everyone, but we heard him in a way no one else could, as our brother, our uncle, and our inspiration. >> nbc's craig melvin joins us for more from louisville. craig, what can you tell us more about funeral plans that are coming up later next week? >> coming up later next week? >> reporter: harry, muhammad ali will return to where it all began here in louisville. this, of course, was not just where he was born. this is where he learned how to box at the age of 12. the story's been told a number of times today, but his bicycle, his $60 schwinn bicycle had been stolen and he said he wanted to whoop whoever took his bike. so he found the guy running the local boxing training center there who also happened to be a police officer. he said, you should probably learn how to fight. that's how it all began. it will be a funeral. president clinton will be there, bryant gumbel and billy crystal. there will also be a private ceremony for his closest famil

it was a comeback for ali. after 3 1/2 years of being defrocked for failing to come forward for the draft in housto houston. he was now a hero to those people who were against the vietnamese conflict. conversely, joe frazier was adopted by the hard hats, let's call them. those people in favor of our participation in the vietnamese conflict. >> this is the first time in the history of boxing that two undefeated world heavywieght champions meet for the sole possession of world title. >> this fight was too soon for him. rather than rely on his legs and his physical skills, he leaned against the ropes. taunted frazier. hope frazier would punch himself out. >> i don't know how he survived the 11th round. remarkable round. he had a thing about sucking it up and coming back. he came back. until that 15th round, where he got nailed with that sucker left hook. >> he actually lost it. and i was devastated. just devastated. you don't expect him to lose. you think he isn't going to lose. when he lost, i didn't understand i

hannah ali, one of muhammad ali's daughters, talked about that private, very emotional moment. she said all of his organs failed, but his heart wouldn't stop beating. for 30 minutes, his heart kept beating. no one had ever seen anything like it. a true testament to the strength of his spirit and his will. also, miriam apply weighing in. as you know, she's been a friend of mine for many years. she e-mailed and said, "jason, i am happy my father no longer struggles. he is in a better place. god is the greatest." john? >> nice of the family, that they got a private moment with muhammad ali. they'll have more time thursday. a private service in louisville before the public service where they share muhammad ali with the world. the world that came to love him. jason carroll in scottsdale. thank you very much. >>> let's go back to jim sciutto live in washington. jim? >> thank you, john berman, from louisville. one known as a champion boxer. known for his mouth. he was also a man of faith. muslim americans across the nation reacting in personal ways today. back in the 1960s, ali conver

ali boma ye! ali boma ye! ali boma ye!kids follow me screaming "george foreman boma ye." then i don't think that's so nice so me as i'd like if they have anything to say about me they can say, george foreman loves africa. george foreman loves being here. not, george foreman killed him, i don't like that. >> boma ye! george foreman boma ye! boma ye! there he is. boma ye! sucker, you aren't nothing. they understand me. >> we were all for muhammad ali. foreman, we didn't know him. foreman said, why? i'm black. blacker than muhammad ali. why all this bias? yes, muhammad ali, he was lighter. but he was a real person. he was genuine. muhammad ali could have been even lighter-skinned than he was. but for us, he was defending the good cause. for africans and the whole world. >> punches, seven punches. >>> i'm going to fight for the . (jon bon jovi) with directv there is. ♪ you see, we've got the power to turn back time ♪ ♪ so let's restart the show that started at nine ♪ ♪ and while we're at it, let's give you back your 'do ♪ ♪ an

the young ali fighter lady. laila ali that's her mother. so here he is ready to fight foreman.nd i remember as a kid i'm thinking he's got woman troubles and he's going to fight george foreman. who in the heck can concentration. but he broke up with belinda and became romantically involved with veronica and knocked out george foreman. that was a busy week, but he was that great. he could compartment lies his troubles. and i believe that's belinda next to him, screen left. >> '74 addressing the nation of islam. the next year he left the nation and became sort of more mainstream. >> i believe the foreman fight was '75. you see him there with belinda and then the next one was the next portion of his life. >> this is in new orleans, and once again lost the title. and got it back. >> i'll tell you back story there. he fought leon pinks. and -- michael spings, and leonspinks. he lost, he didn't train and he grew a mustache. he called himself dark gable. for clark gable. he was out of shape, and he grew a mustache. and leon spinks beat him. he came back in february of '78 he comes bac

and don king said ali will never die. ali stood for the world. ali with a charity that supports research in parkinsson's. muhammad ali had three homes. one in arizona, in michigan and in his hometown in looufd. the family to release more details on funeral arrangements later today. dan and paula. >> jim, thank you. ali remained a fighter right to the end. he did not let his condition sideline him. >> it was boxing that made him a star but his personally made muhammad ali a legend. abc's robin roberts conducted one of the final interviews with ali, and she has a look back at this extraordinary life. >> reporter: muhammad ali was a lightning rod both in and out of the boxing ring. known for his grace and power and his poetry. >> i'm hand some, i'm fast, i'm pretty, and can't possi beat. >> reporter: he was born cassius clay in louisville, kentucky n 1942. he learned to fight as a boy after his bicycle was stolen and soon joined the ranks of amateur boxing. by 18, he was the star of a u.s. olympic team. light on his fight and unlike anything the box

sir paul mccartney writing, dear muhammad ali ali, i loved that man.e first day we hit him in miami and on the numerous occasions when i ran into him over the years. besides being the greatest boxer, he was a beautiful, gentle man with a great sense of humor who would often pull a pack of cards out of his pocket, no matter how posh the occasion, and do a card trick for you. the world has lost a truly great man, love paul. a long facebook post from kareem abdul-jabbar, with the line, muhammad ali willingly sacrificed the best years of his career to stand tall and fight for what he believed was right. in doing so, he made all american, black and white. stand taller. i may have 7'2" but i never felt taller than when standing in his shadow. from oprah, the world has lost a religion je legend and champion, hashtag, h.i.h r.i.p. >>> up next, muhammad ali's legacy and his stinging jabs, both inside and outside the ring. >>> my intention is to box, to win a clean fight. in war, the attention is to kill, kill, kill, and continue lling innocent people. when they

. >> and muhammad ali.elf-proclaimed greatest. >> he was so good, so bright. >> just plain crazy. >> in this hour, the historic fight. >> muhammad versus frazier. >> and the draft. against the crippling disease. >> too many blows to the head. >> and then against america's enemy. >> can't we just get along and watch people -- >> hollywood had its version of his story. >> i never stopped being the champ. >> here is how it really unfolded. the greatness behind the greatest. muhammad ali. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen. this is headliners and legends with lester holt. >> he has been called by many the greatest athlete of the 20th century. if you are not old enough to remember muhammad ali's era it is almost impossible to convey just what a force he was. but his one-two combination of being a hero both in the ring and out made him a truly legendary figure. in this hour, how ali vanquished opponents, spoke truths people didn't always want to hear and always seemed to be ahead of his time time. >> the whole world t

it's muhammad ali, meaning worthy of all praises, and most high. >> reporter: muhammad ali remained theld heavyweight champion until 1967, but then his career came to a halt, when ali refused induction into the army, claiming he was a conscientious objector to the vietnam war. he was stripped of both his boxing license and his heavyweight title and convicted of draft evasion. >> i'm not allowed to fight in america. i'm not allowed to leave america, and i've been completely persecuted before prosecuted. >> reporter: ali was forced out of the ring for three years, until the supreme court overturned his draft evasion conviction. but he had lost some of his best boxing years. at madison square garden in 1971, in what was billed as the fight of the century, ali's comeback was stopped by long-time nemesis joe frazier. it was ali's first professional defeat. and it would take him three years and several more bruising fights to come back. >> ali quickly across the ring. >> reporter: in 1974, he regained his heavyweight title, his rope-a-dope strategy exhausted the hard-hitting george foreman, a

ali-- boxing. boxing-- ali. very seriously in our lifetime that we will ever see another one like him. >> sreenivasan: to discuss the life and times of muhammad ali"" sports illustrated" writer tim layden joins me now from hartford, connecticut. layden wrote the last "sports illustrated" cover story on ali, published last year. ali will appear on the magazine's cover for the 40th time next week. tim, you had the the good fortune of meeting him notoo long ago. is it possible to overestimate the impact muhammad ali had? >> i think back to when i saw him, which was in october, in louisville. his wife, lonnie, gave me some access to muhammad in order to write the for i did in "sports illustrated," and at that point, really, i view ali's influence over the course of his life through the prism of the people that met with him that night. it was a small group of people at a private function that were allowed to meet with him, and they were of all ages, both genders, many different races. and everybody was moved to some

ali! ali! ali! >> time, time, time is not on our side. after that speech, i have to edit my initial remarks, honorable first man william j. clinton. chief sidney hill in 2002 was selected as principal spiritual leader of its people and beloved to all who know him, a leader whose spirituality is coupled with a passionate pursuit of justice. we are honored that he has come here today to share a few words and a few thoughts with us. chief hill. [ applause ] [ speaking in foreign language ] [ speaking in foreign language ] [ speaking in foreign language ] [ speaking in foreign language ] [ applause ] >> this is united nation translation, he said, my relatives, it is my responsibility to pick up the words for the people of the longhouse. they wish you well. they want you to be at peace of mind. now there's great darkness that has happened to us. you must understand that you have gathered us here, that his road is straight. please believe he will arrive at his land, our creator. it is the same as you call him allah. these were the words and to

yet, ali, nobody pushed or informed that conversation better than ali himself.s a performer, he will go down as one of the most transformed figures ever too. >> he wasn't satisfied, though, just to be an athlete, just to be a boxer. >> famously, he said, i'm not going to be what you want me to be. i'm going to be what i want to be. "sports illustrated" has chronicled this over the years since muhammad ali was still a teenager fighting as an amateur. >> what is it? you are going to come out with a cover, i think it is behind you right now. the new cover of "sports illustrated." the 40th cover with muhammad ali. >> it is the 40th cover. it is the second most in "sports illustrated" history behind michael jordan. this isn't to diminish what he accomplished. remember this about boxes with basketball, basketball has a much more continuous schedule. there was a time in 1992 where we ran three consecutive covers of michael jordan. ali was a boxer. boxing is not a daily event. it is not a weekly event. it is not even a monthly event. yet, he ended up on the cover 40 tim