To hell with Ali. I heard him described as one of the "greatest human beings". What rot. He was a champion at beating other silly peoples' heads in, and that was it. I'm sure that he is missed by his family, but the public lauding of him, dead or alive, is pathetic.

I am sorry this fine looking, anti-racist man had to die such a cruel death.
Parkinson's disease is an awful way to die, especially for someone who was so fit and active as a young man.

Boxing is well known to cause serious head injuries in boxers, especially later in life.
It is a nasty, dangerous sport that should be outlawed.
It makes me feel sick to watch two healthy young individuals punching the c##p out of each other, just for the enjoyment and gambling needs of mindless morons in the crowd watching them...

RIP to great Ali.

CBS News tells us that "Muhammad Ali is being remembered
not just for his legendary boxing career and his inspiring
public persona, but also for the dignity and grace with
which he battled Parkinson's disease over the last three
decades of his life."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/muhammad-ali-parkinsons-desease/

I watched Michael Parkinson's interviews with Ali
that screened last night on television.

Watching the interviews I began to understand why Michael Parkinson
stated that the boxing legend was "the most extra ordinary man I
have ever met."

Ali lived during a time in the United States when colour played
a huge role in a person's success or failure. This did not stop
Ali.

Ali could be arrogant, contemptuous and merciless. Then he would
turn a wicked phrase or a roguish smile - and the world loved him
for it.

Rest in Peace Muhammad Ali. You did see things much higher and
clearer than the short-sighted, and ignorant little people.
Your views were way above their heads and certainly way beyond their comprehension.

RIP.

cont'd ...

Please excuse the typo in my previous post.

The link should be:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/muhammad-ali-parkinsons-disease/

Ali is being buffed up by merchandisers for after sales.

Then there are the political interests and failed celebrities who claim his celebrity for their own secondary agendas.

Despite his bluster, I suppose that medical specialists would have picked up from the Parkinson interview the already apparent symptoms of brain damage and the sinister Parkinson's disease.

Ali already was well on the way to the shambling figure of the 'punch drunk' ex-boxer. His neurological damage shortened his career and make him susceptible to further damage in the ring.

A 'hero' and a model for kids? Perhaps not.

There is a more sober and worthwhile discussion to have however and that is the very casual treatment of concussion in sport. For example the 'round ball' game soccer that is presently being strongly marketed for children to boost paying spectator interest in the first grade division. It is a game where heading a hard football travelling at pace (100kph for skilled players) is a feature of the game. Head to head collisions or with other body parts and the ground are also common.

There is big money in soccer.

This is not intended to introduce Nanny State intervention in sport. However one would wonder about governments and schools that actively sold soccer to kids while at the same time not attending to the risks, for instance by removing one obvious hazard, heading the ball, from the game.

Incidentally, headgear has very little success in reducing the severity of concussion.