Muhammad Ali Hospitalized In Phoenix Area For Respiratory Condition
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (CBSLA.com/AP) — Muhammad Ali is in a Phoenix-area hospital being treated for respiratory issues.
Two sources told the Associated Press that Ali's condition was complicated by the Parkinson's disease he's been fighting for decades. The two spoke separately in describing Ali's condition that they said was concerning to family members.
The sources declined to be identified because they were not speaking on behalf of the family.
Spokesman Bob Gunnell said earlier Thursday that boxing legend was in fair condition, and doctors were treating the former heavyweight champion as a precaution.
The 74-year-old has been hospitalized several times in recent years. The last time was in late 2014 when he was treated for a severe urinary tract infection initially diagnosed as pneumonia.
Ali has looked increasingly frail in public appearances in recent years, including on April 9 when he wore sunglasses and was hunched over at the annual Celebrity Fight Night dinner in Phoenix, which raises funds for treatment of Parkinson's.
His last formal public appearance before that was in October when he appeared at the Sports Illustrated Tribute to Muhammad Ali at the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
Ali has suffered from Parkinson's for three decades, most famously trembling badly while lighting the Olympic torch in 1996 in Atlanta.
Despite the disease, he kept up a busy appearance schedule until recently.
He has not communicated verbally in public for years. Doctors say the Parkinson's was likely caused by the thousands of punches Ali took during his career.
The boxing icon has lived in the Phoenix area with his fourth wife, Lonnie.
News of his hospitalization brought well wishes from boxers and others on Twitter, including Sugar Ray Leonard, who modeled his career after Ali.
Ali retired from boxing in 1981 and devoted himself to social causes.
He traveled the world on humanitarian missions and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.
The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville is dedicated to his humanitarian causes.
