Before the greatest boxer of all time tragically died on June 3rd, he attended his annual Celebrity Fight Night at the JW Marriott resort in Phoenix, Arizona.
Dressed to the nines in a crisp white shirt and black bowtie, the 74-year-old sat alongside country music star Carrie Underwood for what would become the last picture to be taken of him.
The Celebrity Fight Night events have raised more than $118 million for The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in 20 years.
The image emerges as the athlete made his final journey home to Louisville, Kentucky, where he is set to be buried on Friday.
Eleven funeral cars waited on site to transport the coffin to a local funeral home as the aircraft carrying the legend’s body touched down.
Muhammad, who battled Parkinson’s disease for 32 years, allegedly planned his funeral arrangements years prior to his death.
He wished for a procession to carry his body down the avenue in Louisville that bears his name, back through the streets where he grew up and down the roads where he proudly brought home a gold medal from the 1960 Olympics.
Since his death on Friday, devastated family and friends, neighbours, celebrities and supportive fans have taken to social media to remember the icon.
Family, friends and neighbours of the star have decorated the street of Louisville with flowers and tributes for their hero.
Sharing a heart-warming message with her 1 million followers, Madonna shared a snap of the two with the caption, “This Man. This King. This Hero. This Human! Words cannot express. He shook up the World! God Bless Him.”
Actress Susan Sarandon also took to Twitter with a touching tribute. “Muhammad Ali, courageous in all things in which he believed. Led by example. Dignity, humor, generosity, love. Still dancing,” she penned.
Hana Ali pictured with her father, who she fondly refers to as “THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!”
And while these touching messages from A-listers around the world brought tears to the eyes of many, no tribute meant more than then that of his daughter Hana.
“Our hearts are literally hurting. But we are so happy daddy is free now,” she began in a lengthy statement.
“We all tried to stay strong and whispered in his ear, ‘you can go now. We will be okay. We love love. Thank you. You can go back to God now,’” she went on, giving the world an insight into his final moments.
“All of us around him hugging and kissing him and holding hands, chanting the Islamic prayer. All of his organs failed but his HEART wouldn’t stop beating.”
“For 30 minutes… his heart just keep beating. No one had ever seen anything like it. A true testament to the strength of his spirit and will!”
Watch a young Muhammad Ali talk about his boxing career during an appearance on Parkinson back in 1971 in the player below. Post continues…
The sporting legend died surrounded by family on Friday, one day after he was rushed to hospital for respiratory issues.
“After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74,” spokesman Bob Gunnell said.
Our thoughts are with Muhammad’s family and friends during this difficult time.
