MUHAMMED ALI -- MUHAMMAD ALI'S 32-YEAR-LONG FIGHT WITH THE PARKINSON'S DISEASE THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY CLAIM HIS LIFE

Ali lit the Olympic torch in Atlanta in 1996

December 1981: Ali announced his retirement after a defeat to Trevor Berbick - and immediately began showing symptoms of Parkinson's soon afterwards, the Guardian reported.


1984: Three years later, he was officially diagnosed with the incurable disease. His tremors became noticeable, his speech was slurred and his body movements slow.

He responded to his diagnosis in typically magnanimous fashion by saying: 'I feel fine... I'm older and fatter, but we all change.'

July 1996: In what has become an iconic and historic image, a visibly shaking Ali carried the Olympic torch and lit the cauldron to kick of the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

His condition continued to worsen but he remained active as far as the early 2000's and even helped promote his own biopic, Ali, in 2001.

January 2005: After then US President George Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom - the highest US civilian honor - he began to retreat from the public eye.

November 2011: Aged 69, the three time heavyweight champion was taken to an Arizona hospital to be treated for dehydration after passing out in a car.

December 2014: Ali was admitted to an undisclosed hospital, presumably in Arizona, to be treated for what was initially thought to be a mild case of pneumonia. It later transpired that he was suffering from a urinary tract infection.

January 2015: Unlike on his 73rd birthday, the family released no pictures of themselves celebrating his birthday on January 17.

A tweet was posted on his Twitter account to mark the event.

March 2016: Ali's wife revealed that his Parkinson's had become so severe, the legendary boxer spent his days watching old videos of past fights and interviews.

Lonnie Ali told The Times he enjoyed winding back the clock and re-watching his historic bouts with arch rival Joe Frazier and interviews with Michael Parkinson.