The Latest on the death of Muhammad Ali (all times local):
5:40 a.m.
British boxer Amir Khan has paid tribute to Ali in a video message from his family’s native Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
“Muhammad Ali was my hero. I’m so happy that I got to meet the guy,” said Khan, who admired every aspect of Ali’s game: his unique skillset, his confidence and his faith.
“He was one of the only fighters who predicted what round he was going to win and then knock his opponent out in that round. That’s something you hardly ever see.”
“He used to beat opponents with his mouth before he ever got into the boxing ring. He would win the fight before the fight even happened.”
Khan, a British-born Muslim, said Ali showed courage for converting to Islam in 1960s America. “What he believed in, he did.”
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4:30 a.m.
Tributes to Muhammad Ali rolled in from around the world Saturday, just hours after his death.
“The Greatest” had been hospitalized for respiratory problems Thursday, and news spread that this illness was serious. Late Friday, his family confirmed that he had died.
Reaction came in from around the world of sports, entertainment and politics. President Bill Clinton who awarded Ali the Presidential Citizens Medal, mourned the death of the three-time heavyweight champion.
“Hillary and I are saddened by the passing of Muhammad Ali,” Clinton said in a statement. “From the day he claimed the Olympic gold medal in 1960, boxing fans across the world knew they were seeing a blend of beauty and grace, speed and strength that may never be matched again.”
A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Louisville, Kentucky, Ali’s hometown.
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