Muhammad Ali, perhaps the world's greatest ever sporting [legendary / legend] , passed away on Friday, aged 74. Ali had spent the [previously / previous] few days in hospital in Phoenix, Arizona with breathing problems. His children [flew / flown] to Phoenix to join their father for [his / this] final days. Ali is thought to be the best boxer [on / in] history. He was the world heavyweight champion three times. He is [widely / wide] known by his nickname – The Greatest. However, many people [believe / belief] he was the greatest because of what he did outside the boxing [rink / ring] , not inside it. He was a civil rights hero and [strength / strong] opponent of the Vietnam War in the 1960s. He was an ambassador for world [peace / piece] and worked tirelessly for charities for five decades after.
World leaders, sporting figures and [celebrity / celebrities] have been paying tribute to Ali. Boxing promoter Bob Arum said: "Ali transformed this country and [impacted / compacted] the world with his spirit. His legacy will be part of our [history / historical] for all time." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Ali for changing the world. He said Ali used his [charming / charm] , wit and grace to [fought / fight] for a better world, "and used his platform to [lift / lifting] up humanity". The daughter of Martin Luther King wrote: "You were a champion in so [much / many] ways." Ali once said: "I would like to be [remembered / remember] as a man who won the heavyweight title three times, who was humorous and who [treating / treated] everyone right… As a man…who tried to unite all humankind through faith and [lovely / love] ."
