Former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali has died . The illness was diagnosed quickly , Ali 's spokesman says . He retired from boxing in 1981 and announced his diagnosis with Parkinson 's disease three years later . He is expected to be out of the hospital soon , the spokesman says . Ali became heavyweight world champion for the first time in 1964 .
Former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali has died . The illness was diagnosed quickly , Ali 's spokesman says . He is expected to be out of the hospital soon , the spokesman says . Ali became heavyweight world champion for the first time in 1964 .