Tributes pour in for boxing legend Muhammad Ali who has died aged 74
Saturday 4 June 2016 21:22, UK
Boxing stars have been paying tribute to sporting legend Muhammad Ali, who has died at the age of 74.
Former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield said: "I'm glad to have known Ali because when I was a kid, at eight years old, I was told I would be like Ali.
"To take it upon yourself and say; 'I'm the greatest', you put yourself in a position for people to take pot shots at you.
"This is what Ali did. It's amazing him becoming three-time heavyweight champion of the world. At that time, people thought, 'Who could beat three?
"You have to be stronger to get up from a loss to go on and that's what Ali proved to be."
Mike Tyson tweeted: "God came for the champion. So long great one."
Fellow boxing champion Roy Jones Jr tweeted: "My heart is deeply saddened yet both appreciative and relieved that the greatest is now resting in the greatest place.
"May God bless the family and all of us that are left behind that were deeply touched by his life. There will never ever be another one like him."
Former WBC super-middleweight champion Andre Ward has also paid tribute to Ali, telling Sky Sports News HQ that he "transformed" boxing.
"Inside the ring, Muhammad Ali dared to be great from the very beginning," he said.
"This was a guy in the 60s who was doing things and saying things and had the type of bravado and confidence that was just unheard of and the difference between Ali and most fighters, even today, is that he talked and he backed it up, even going so far as predicting the round that he would defeat an opponent.
"He transformed the game of boxing. Everything he did in and out of the ring has spoken to me throughout my life, throughout my career and he is a true legend because even though we lost him, his life is still speaking and that is how you know you made an impact on the world."
Argentine boxer Marcos Maidana, a two-weight former world champion, tweeted: "Muhammad Ali the all-time greatest has left us. Thanks for everything. Go with God."
Philippine boxer and politician Manny Pacquiao said: "We lost a giant today. Boxing benefited from Muhammad Ali's talents but not nearly as much as as mankind benefited from his humanity."
Ali's former promoter Don King said: "He's always been right there, Johnny on the spot, anything he could do for the benefit of mankind.
"Let us celebrate his life. This is not a time to mourn. This is a time to try to emanate the job he was doing and the burden he leaves behind for us to carry on, to remember that the people are the most important."
British boxer Amir Khan tweeted: "Our Prayers and thoughts are with Muhammad Ali and his family #AliBomaye."
Retired Irish boxer Barry McGuigan hailed Ali as "a remarkable human being".
He said: "He was hugely inspirational for me and many fighters all over the world. Everybody wanted to box because of him. He was just so amazing in every way.
"More than anything else it was how humble and how brilliantly charismatic he was. He was a beautiful looking man, a beautiful looking individual and he had so much compassion.
"He was the greatest sportsman there has ever been and we were very lucky that he chose boxing."
