MUHAMMAD Ali, who died aged 74 after battling Parkinson’s disease for 32 years, leaves behind an astonishing legacy of unforgettable sporting performances. He was considered to be the greatest boxer of his generation and played a monumental role in defining the sport.

Ali was born in Kentucky as Cassius Clay but changed his name when he converted to Islam later in life. He learned to box as a teenager and carved a niche for himself as a professional. Renowned for the Ali Shuffle – a foot maneuver designed to outwit his opponents – he went on to become the first person to win the heavyweight championship of the world three times. His astounding record was a total of 56 wins and five losses – beating the likes of Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and George Foreman.

Photographers around the world have captured the mesmerized grace and power of Ali the boxer and also the incredible amount of hard work, dedication, and personal sacrifice that went into each fight. We take a look back at the life of one of the world’s most photographed iconic sports figures in pictures.

 

He passed away in a hospital in Arizona, USA, with his fourth wife Yolanda – known as Lonnie – and his seven daughters and two sons at his bedside. He had children – Maryum, Rasheda, Jamillah, Hana, Laila, Khaliah, Miya, and Muhammad Junior – with his first three wives and adopted Assad, then aged five, after marrying Lonnie in 1986.

Leading the tributes, retired boxer George Foreman, his rival in the famous Rumble in the Jungle fight told the BBC: “We were like one guy – part of me is gone.”