How the world paid tribute to Muhammad Ali

Summary

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has died, aged 74
Three-time world champion, won 56 of his 61 professional fights
Mike Tyson led the tributes and said "God came for his champion"

Live Reporting

Marc Higginson, Jamie Lillywhite and Mandeep Sanghera

How Ali wanted people to remember himpublished at 22:00 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
"I would like to be remembered as a man who won the heavyweight title three times, who was humorous and who treated everyone right," he once said.
"As a man who never looked down on those who looked up to him...who stood up for his beliefs...who tried to unite all humankind through faith and love.
"And if all that's too much, then I guess I'd settle for being remembered only as a great boxer who became a leader and a champion of his people. And I wouldn't even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was."
Image source, Getty Images
'Ali was the greatest' - Foremanpublished at 21:55 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
"Muhammad Ali made you love him.
"The man was the greatest. Forget about boxing, he was one of the greatest men to appear on television, in the media."
Image source, Getty Images
You can read more tributes to Muhammad Ali here.
No option but to agreepublished at 21:52 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Mike Costello
BBC boxing correspondent
"No-one brought such colour, such controversy, such excitement to the world of sport. He beat Frazier, Foreman, Norton and Liston – three of them he beat twice – a record unmatched in the history of the heavyweight division.
"Most sports stars would be content to have a single book written about their careers, Ali had books, songs, documentaries written about single fights within his career.
"He told us right at the outset, and in the end we had no option but to agree, he was the greatest."
'Took on establishments and won'published at 21:49 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Steve Bunce
BBC Sport boxing pundit speaking on Radio 5 live
"The king of the world is hard to sum up. He took on establishments and he won, he took on the greatest fighters of his generation and he won and he led not just his people, as he called them, he led the world - he truly was the king of the world.
"Triumphant choirs? There aren’t enough singers left in heaven."
'An inspiration'published at 21:46 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
'My idol'published at 21:43 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Image source, Arnold Schwarzenegger on Facebook
The world reacts to Muhammad Alipublished at 21:40 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Media caption,
The world reacts to Muhammad Ali
'A table for one'published at 21:37 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Mike Costello
BBC boxing correspondent
"The enforced absence from the ring had had an enervating effect on Ali's movement and speed. Without the dancing feet, he was like the bird without wings. The best heavyweight in history might be the one we never got to see, the Ali of 1967-70.
"Even so, his claims to the accolade of The Greatest are unrivalled. No other heavyweight fought and beat opponents of the calibre of Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston and Ken Norton. And three of them he beat twice.
"His performance, less heralded, against Cleveland Williams in Houston in 1966, external might just be the best exhibition of heavyweight boxing ever assembled. Three rounds of artistic violence.
"And what must also be included in any debate about all-time rankings is the boxer's impact within and beyond his sport. Again, Ali belongs at a table for one."
'The double greatest'published at 21:34 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
So, simple question - how good was Ali?
Well this is what he once said of himself...
"I'm not the greatest, I'm the double greatest. Not only do I knock 'em out, I pick the round. I'm the boldest, the prettiest, the most superior, most scientific, most skilfullest fighter in the ring today."
The front pagespublished at 21:32 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Observer
Image source, .
'The greatest'published at 21:29 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
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Starting soonpublished at 21:28 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
BBC One
Tune in to BBC One now as there will be a documentary on Muhammad Ali starting at 21:30 BST.
'Most days I think about Muhammad Ali'published at 21:23 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Media caption,
A 5 live listener said his father named him after the former heavyweight champion.
'A true champion'published at 21:15 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
The front pagespublished at 21:08 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Daily Star on Sunday
Image source, .
get involved
Get Involvedpublished at 21:05 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
#AliTheGreatest
'Ali will never die' - Kingpublished at 21:05 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Don King, who promoted many of Ali's fights, including the Rumble in the Jungle, said: "It's a sad day for life.
"I loved Muhammad Ali, he was my friend. Ali will never die.
"Like Martin Luther King, his spirit will live on. He stood for the world."
Image source, Getty Images
You can read more tributes to Muhammad Ali here.
The front pagespublished at 21:01 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Sunday Express
Image source, .
'I wouldn't be boxing if it wasn't for Ali' - Hayepublished at 20:58 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Former heavyweight world champion David Haye has been spaying his tribute to Muhammad Ali on the BBC News Channel: "It is a nice opportunity to see the world recognise his greatness.
"I wouldn’t be boxing if it wasn’t for Muhammad Ali. I realised the love and admiration my family had for him growing up and I was watching him and learning. I wanted to have what Ali had.
"He was the pinnacle of what a boxer could be."
Image source, Getty Images
'The end of an era' - Klitschkopublished at 20:51 British Summer Time 4 June 2016
Kiev mayor and former heavyweight champion Vitaliy Klitschko: "Muhammad Ali's passing marks the end of an era in sports, an era in boxing. It is hardly possible to find a man who has done more to popularise this sport. It is hardly possible to find a man who has been followed by dozens and hundreds of millions of boys around the world trying to become like Muhammad Ali.
"I am grateful to fate for winning the title once owned by the great Ali.
"Muhammad Ali lives on in our hearts. He will live on for as long as we remember him."