Muhammad Ali, boxing legend and three-time world heavyeight champion, is suffering from a mild bout of Pneumonia that requires hospitalization. The boxer is also suffering from a degenerative disease, Parkinson's. Ali's spokesman, Bob Gunnell, said on Saturday night that the boxer is in a stable condition.
He went into the hospital this morning," Gunnell said in a phone interview. "He has a mild case of pneumonia and the prognosis is good."
Gunnell said that the doctors have initiated a treatment with antibacterials in order to prevent the disease from progression into a more severe type. However, he declined to say where the 72-year old Ali is hospitalized. He added that the boxer's Pneumonia was caught quickly.
"This all came about this morning," Gunnell said. Yet there are no other information disclosed by Gunnell due to the family's request for privacy. In the recent years, the public appearance of the boxer has decreased as he is continuously battling Parkinson's disease. However, sources said he is still enjoying going out and watching sports events.
He was last seen publicly in September when he attended a ceremony in Louisville for the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards. The boxer did not speak during the event but was spotted posing with the winners.
Muhammad Ali was one of the most sought after boxers during his time. By 1981, he retired from boxing and has devoted his time to social causes ever since. In 2005, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former president George W. Bush and he has traveled the world in all sorts of humanitarian missions.
He established the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville which was dedicated to his humanitarian missions. Aside from that, it also shows the highlights of the boxer's career. He is married to his wide, Lonnie. They own properties in Arizona, Michigan and Louisville.