RIP Muhammed Ali

[MatParker116]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16011175

Muhammed Ali has died at the age of 74, a family spokesman has said.
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.

Thank you for everything champ, you were simply the greatest. The world is a lesser place for your passing.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

He dies yet Jake Lamotta is still alive in his 90s.

And Parkinson's Disease? My granddad passed away because of it. (And he lived surprisingly long for a man in his condition)

Now I worry that I might get it if its a genetic thing.

But anyway RIP to a great boxing legend. Best fight was him and George Foremann:

 

[JimB]

Now I worry that I might get it if it's a genetic thing.

Parkinson's is a ridiculously complicated disease almost impossible to generalize about, but the short version is, while we don't know what causes it, we're pretty sure it's not genetic.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Now I worry that I might get it if it's a genetic thing.

Parkinson's is a ridiculously complicated disease almost impossible to generalize about, but the short version is, while we don't know what causes it, we're pretty sure it's not genetic.

But that makes it even more scarier. The unpredictability of it. And it does not matter how person lived his life.

Muhammed Ali is a man that obviously must have treated his body well and kept it as healthy and strong as possible and yet he ended up with the condition.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I thought this was a hoax when I saw it on Facebook. Sad to see it wasn't.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Possibly one of the greatest athletes in known history, rest in peace dude.

 

[JimB]

Now I worry that I might get it if it's a genetic thing.

Parkinson's is a ridiculously complicated disease almost impossible to generalize about, but the short version is, while we don't know what causes it, we're pretty sure it's not genetic.

But that makes it even more scarier. The unpredictability of it. And it does not matter how person lived his life.

I'm just saying, name a factor that might cause Parkinson's, and the response will usually be, "No, that doesn't cause the disease...except in the fringe cases where it does." You are not significantly more likely to develop Parkinson's just because your granddad had it, is about the only thing to take away from it.

 

[KissingSunlight]

I am not a big boxing fan. The sport hasn't been relevant for at least 25 years. One thing you can't say about Muhammad Ali: He's modest. I think his showboating started a really bad and annoying trend in sports that we are still struggling with. I can appreciate why he was considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. Also, I can appreciate his stance against the war. Here is a classic George Carlin clip putting that moment into perspective as only he can.

 

[BrawlMan]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16011175

Muhammed Ali has died at the age of 74, a family spokesman has said.
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.

Thank you for everything champ, you were simply the greatest. The world is a lesser place for your passing.

Thanks for the link; I found out last night on Bing news. He can rest easy now. Float like butterfly, and sting like a bee Ali.

 

[Saltyk]

It does warm my heart to see all the love that other boxers have expressed for Ali.

[tweet t=https://twitter.com/GeorgeForeman/status/738976875440021504]

Yes, George Foreman may have lost to Ali, but he still expresses his admiration for the man in his death. Muhammad Ali was a legend.

Yes, that's Muhammad Ali meeting the Beatles. The best part? The Beatles didn't know him and he didn't know them. This was before he became heavyweight champion. They actually wanted to meet Sonny Liston who he beat not long after to become heavyweight champion.

Oh for fuck sake, piss of 2016, give us a fucking minute would you?

"Fuck you, asshole."
~2016

 

[CrazyGirl17]

That... is some pretty sobering news. At the very least we know he isn't suffering anymore...right>

Oh for fuck sake, piss of 2016, give us a fucking minute would you?

The problem with time passing is that the people we respect grow older... it's kinda depressing, honestly.

 

[chocolate pickles]

I am not a big boxing fan. The sport hasn't been relevant for at least 25 years. One thing you can't say about Muhammad Ali: He's modest. I think his showboating started a really bad and annoying trend in sports that we are still struggling with. I can appreciate why he was considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. Also, I can appreciate his stance against the war. Here is a classic George Carlin clip putting that moment into perspective as only he can.

How do you define 'relevant'? As in its not a big sport anymore? I would beg to differ - Froch vs Groves II grossed 22 million and was broadcast across 60 countries, with a peak viewing rate 830,000 in the US. I wouldn't call that irrelevant.

Ali's showboating is a weird one. On the one hand, i hate sportsmen acting like that. On the other hand, that was all it was - an act. Ali himself said it was largely a way to drum up attention, with a lot of it even being pre-planned.

 

[Sonicron]

Oh for fuck sake, piss of 2016, give us a fucking minute would you?

My thoughts exactly. This fucking year just won't let up.

Sleep well, champ.

 

[doggy go 7]

I am not a big boxing fan. The sport hasn't been relevant for at least 25 years. One thing you can't say about Muhammad Ali: He's modest. I think his showboating started a really bad and annoying trend in sports that we are still struggling with. I can appreciate why he was considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. Also, I can appreciate his stance against the war. Here is a classic George Carlin clip putting that moment into perspective as only he can.

The thing is, as mentioned above, it was an act to drum up attention, but even more importantly, he was funny when he did it. Look through these quotes and tell me that they don't make you laugh, and they were a thousand times better when he said them because he understood timing and expression so well. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/16146367

"Sonny Liston is nothing. The man can't talk. The man can't fight. The man needs talking lessons. The man needs boxing lessons. And since he's gonna fight me, he needs falling lessons." Before fighting world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston in February 1964.

When someone like Christiano Ronaldo (footballer) boats, there's no humour in it, no wit, just boring arrogance. When Ali did it, it was funny, it was charming, it was true (it's hard to deny him the title of "greatest" because he really really was) and it made you listen. I tend to find most sportspeople aren't arrogant, but instead they will say as little as possible in order to not alienate anyone, but if you think there are people trying to be arrogant like Ali, it isn't his fault that they are false pretenders to his crown.

I think Usain Bolt is the only person who can even think about being talked about in the way Ali is talked about, because he's the best in what he does, and he's charming and funny and incredibly sure of himself as well, but Bolt has never given everything up because of his personal convictions, and though he probably has inspired plenty of poor black kids, Ali lead a movement, and purposefully gave those kids a voice and an icon. I've always admired him, and I still do, and I think he deserves all the respect people are showing him right now.

 

[McElroy]

Muhammed Ali is a man that obviously must have treated his body well and kept it as healthy and strong as possible and yet he ended up with the condition.

He was also a professional fighter. He got beat up over and over and over again for decades. It is likely that head trauma contributed to his illness.

 

[balladbird]

He was a super champion... I was cautiously optimistic when his condition seemed to improve recently, but alas, 2016 claims another victim. >.<

You were the man, Ali. Among all the legendary heavyweights, you'll always be regarded as the top. Above Jack Dempsey, George Foreman, Mike Tyson, and Wladimir Klitschko (Yeah, I'm saying Klitschko has the makings of a legend... people don't give the guy enough credit). Hell, in my book you're the greatest of all time, regardless of what Mayweather has to say on the subject.

We boxing fans are a dying breed these days, but it sincerely warms my heart to see this sports icon getting the love he deserves.

 

[CaitSeith]

RIP Muhammed Ali. May you keep being The Greatest of All Time (wherever you are now).

 

[balladbird]

Muhammed Ali is a man that obviously must have treated his body well and kept it as healthy and strong as possible and yet he ended up with the condition.

He was also a professional fighter. He got beat up over and over and over again for decades. It is likely that head trauma contributed to his illness.

it is as you say. Calling Ali's condition "parkinson's disease" is technically accurate, but somewhat incorrect. It's more correct to say he suffered from Parkinsonism, or atypical Parkinson's disorder... basically, a different means to the same end. Whereas most people who suffer from the condition contract a genetic disorder which brings about the symptoms gradually, roughly 10 percent of people who contract it have the symptoms brought about by outside or unknown causes. In Ali's case, it's almost certainly the end result of repeated head traumas he suffered during his career.

The Michael J. Fox foundation has a lot of literature on the subject. It's interesting stuff.

edit: fixed the wording i used a bit

 

[KissingSunlight]

How do you define 'relevant'? As in its not a big sport anymore? I would beg to differ - Froch vs Groves II grossed 22 million and was broadcast across 60 countries, with a peak viewing rate 830,000 in the US. I wouldn't call that irrelevant.

Ali's showboating is a weird one. On the one hand, i hate sportsmen acting like that. On the other hand, that was all it was - an act. Ali himself said it was largely a way to drum up attention, with a lot of it even being pre-planned.

Boxing, speaking from an American point of view, is no longer relevant as it once was. The last fight to grab the nation's attention was either Buster Douglas upsetting Mike Tyson or Mike Tyson's rematch with Evander Holyfield that ended with an ear getting bit. I am not saying that boxing is not profitable or there isn't anyone interested in the sport. Boxing, along with horse racing, were the national pastime. It was like how we are now obsessed with the NFL. How many people can tell you who is the heavyweight champion today? Compare that number with how many people can tell you who won the Super Bowl this year. That is what I mean by relevancy.