- Muhammed Ali
Boxing legend and former World Heavyweight Champion, Muhammed Ali is dead.
The 74 year old boxer died on Friday after years of battle with Parkinson disease.
Before his death he has been in intensive care embroiled in his most courageous bout – for his life.
The children of the sporting icon have rushed to be at his bedside as doctors treating the former heavyweight champ have told them they fear he “is near the end”.
Already four of the 74-year-old’s nine children, including daughters Laila, Hana and Maryum, are at the hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, where medics continue to fight a breathing problem picked up by the star.
The children flew in last night from around the US as doctors said the future survival of the champ was “uncertain”.
Sources close to the star says Ali’s battle with his respiratory problem has been complicated by the Parkinson’s that he was diagnosed with in the 1980s.
“Like in the ring, Ali is a fighter on the ward,” said a source. “Doctors are working to regulate his breathing put it is being hampered by his Parkinson’s.
“His children are all extremely concerned and dropped everything to be with him. They fear the worse.
“Ali is everything to them and they are worried his problems are worse than first feared.”
The boxer has children – two sons and seven daughters – from three marriages although two of his kids are from extra marital relationships.
Confirming his daughters had flown to be with him the fighter’s third wife Veronica Porche, 60, said Laila – a 38-year-old retired professional boxer — and Hana Yasmeen, 40, were with him.
Ali’s second wife, Khalilah, 66, said one of her three daughters by Ali “is on her way” to the hospital as well.
She was married to him from 1967 to 1997, and was succeeded by Porche.
Maryum, who is extremely close to her father, was the daughter Ali’s first wife Belinda Boyd.They are joined by Ali’s current wife Lonnie.
