"The Greatest" is gone.
Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer and transcendent cultural icon, died Friday at the age of 74, according to a family statement released by spokesman Bob Gunnell.
Ali battled Parkinson's disease for 32 years. He had been in the hospital since Thursday with what Gunnell described as a respiratory issue.
As an athlete, Ali was one of the best and most recognizable of all time. He was one of boxing's great heavyweights and a multiple-time champion. Ali beat Joe Frazier in the storied "Thrilla in Manila" in 1974 and defeated George Foreman in "The Rumble in the Jungle" in 1975.