I will not go 10,000 miles from here to help murder and kill. To his battle with parkinsons disease. I cant talk no more. Im all messed up. Humanitarian, philanthropist. Global ambassador. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. This morning, celebrating the greatest of all time on gma. Good morning, everyone. And welcome to a special edition of gma as we remember the man once called the sportsman of the century. Muhammad ali died overnight in a hospital in arizona. He had battled parkinsons decide for 32 years. He was 74 years old. He is expected to laid be rest me his hometown of louisville, kentucky, later this week. And reactions coming in from all over the world. Onetime opponent George Foreman saying on twitter, ali, frazier, and foreman, we were one guy. Part of me slipped away, the greatest piece, muhammad ali. And alis daughter hana he had nine children, of course. Said, our father was a humble mountain and he has gone home to god. God bless you, daddy. You are the love of my life. Muhammad ali was a towering figure in sports and culture. We have the iconic image of the man, cassius clay, his upset victory over sonny liston in 1965. This morning, we will be hearing from friends, family, experts and of course from the man himself. But we do begin with jim avila who is outside the hospital where ali died in scottsdale, arizona. Good morning, jim. Reporter good morning, paula and dan. The champ was rushed to this hospital four days ago. His spokesman said at the time, we shouldnt panic. Ali was in fair condition. But by the end of the week as his family began to gather here, it became clear alis condition was grave. Muhammad ali was taken from his home in paradise valley, arizona just outside phoenix by ambulance on may 31st at 1 00 in the afternoon. The ambulance call said a 74yearold man with respiratory issues needed transport to the hospital. He suffered from parkinsons disease and had a similar breathing problem that led to a similar hospitalization in scottsdale last year. His daughter, laila, changed her facebook picture to a photo of ali and her and posted a message thanking fans for their thoughts and prayers. Those thoughts poured out over night as friends and fans alike mourned the loss of a legendary boxer. He was the greatest ever as far as i was concerned. But for far more reasons than boxing. He set a standard i dont think any other athlete in the world has ever, ever met. Reporter bill clinton called ali greater than his legend. And don king, the fighters former promoter, told the associated press, ali will never die. He stood for the world. Ali spent lots of time in scottsdale with a charity that supports research in parkinsons. He was last seen in public at that charity in april, he appeared slumped over, looking frail. Muhammad ali had three homes. Here in arizona, one in michigan and in his hometown in louisville. Where his body is being taken for the memorial. The family to release more details on funeral arrangements at a News Conference later today. Dan and paula. We will be standing by for that. Jim, thank you. We should say, ali remained a fighter right up to the end. He did not let his condition sideline him. It was boxing that made him a star, but it was his personality that made muhammad ali a legend. Abcs Robin Roberts conducted one of the final interviews with ali, and she has a look back at his extraordinary life. Reporter muhammad ali was a lightning rod both in and out of the boxing ring. Known for his grace and his power and his poetry. Im handsome, im fast, im pretty, and cant possibly be beat. Reporter he was born cassius clay in louisville, kentucky, in 1942. He learned to fight as a boy after his bicycle was stolen and soon climbed the ranks of amateur boxing. By 18, he was the star of a u. S. Olympic team. Light on his feet and unlike anything the boxing world had ever seen, he took home a gold medal. But the victory was bittersweet, returning home to a segregated south. Where he was still treated like a second class citizen, ali said he threw his gold medal in the ohio river in disgust. Four years later, the young boxer was up against reigning Champ Sonny Liston in his first title fight. Defying 71 odds, he stole the heavy weight title in one of the biggest upsets in history. I dont have mark on my face and i upset sonny liston. And i just turned 22 years old. I must be the greatest reporter ali loved the spotlight but privately, he was going through his own transformation. After the height of the Civil Rights Movement and under the guidance of malcolm x, ali joined the nation of islam and rejected what he called his slave name. I would like for you to call me by my name now, muhammad. Muhammad ali. Reporter cassius clay would now be known as muhammad ali. He was a revolutionary in terms of race by standing up for things that a lot of people were not yet standing up for. And at same time, he gave up a lot for his politics, and he was criticized and vilified by many people. Reporter but the public uproar couldnt distract hirm from the ring. Last week, i injured a rock, murdered a stone, hospitalized a brick. Im so mean, i make medicine sick. Reporter then a new controversy, this one, landing him in court. The year was 1967 and the u. S. Was deep in the vietnam war when ali got his draft notice. He refused to serve in the war, arguing the war violated his muslim beliefs. No, i will not go 10,000 miles from here to help murder and kill another poor people simply to continue the domination of white slave masters over the darker people of the earth. Reporter ali was convicted of draft evasion, stripped of his title and banned from the sport. He lost the heart of his athletic career because he refused to fight in vietnam. Now, that doesnt make him Nelson Mandela, but it was something. And it was striking to Many Americans that he not only had beliefs but he stood up for them. Still no comment. Not now. Reporter it took almost three years for ali to win his appeal at the Supreme Court and get back into the ring. And he returned with a vengeance, taking on the seemingly invincible George Foreman in the rumble in the jungle. Ali won the hearts of the african crowd and the biggest match of his career. Too late its over. Muhammad ali with an eighth round knockout recaptures the heavy weight championship of the world. So many people doubted him and thought this bigger, tougher, strong man was going to beat him. He won the fight with his smarts. Reporter and with his razor sharp whit outside the ring, ali met his match in abc sportscaster howard cosell. You should have enough of me by now. I havent had enough of you by now. Apampbltly im going to have a lot more of you. Reporter their verbal sparring born out of affection, turned into an irresistible comedy team in the world wide of sports. Im not sure theres anybody left for you, to fight. You. That may come about some day. Thank you for coming by. Just stay in shape. Reporter alis triumphs like this one over joe frazier in the thrilla in manila made for some of boxings greatest fights and made ali one of the most Popular Figures of his time. It was the golden age of heavy weight boxing. And ali was king. But years of punishment in the ring took its toll. Cant talk no more. Im all messed up. Reporter ali retired for good in 1981. Three years later at the age of 42, he was diagnosed with parkinsons disease. This time, he would have someone else in his corner. In 1986, he married lonnie whom he first met during a trip to his family home in 1963. That meeting immortalized in this photo. Little lonnie didnt even know who he was. Together, they have faced the toughest fight of alis life. And when ali grew physically weaker over the years, he could still inspire lighting the olympic flame in atlanta. Raising millions for charity and speaking out for peace and solidarity with all muslims in the wake of september 11th. The United States honors muhammad ali. Reporter in 2005, president bush awarded ali the president ial medal of freedom. The highest u. S. Civilian honor for a man, who will forever be remembered for that boast of a young fighter. The man who beat me hasnt been born yet. Im the worlds greatest. Im a confident man. Im always confident. I will whip all of them. Im the greatest. Reporter i am the greatest. And so in so many ways, muhammad ali lived up to his word. And our thanks to Robin Roberts for that wonderful tribute. Equal parts power and poetry but its all about the legacy and what you leave behind. He did so much outside of the ring. I think so many people are going to remember him for his humanitarian and philanthropic efforts as well. Stlutly. Were going to be talking about this morning. As we said, there are plans in the works right now for muhammad alis funeral that will take place in his hometown of louisville, kentucky. And the citys mayor is ordering flags at all City Government buildings to be lowered to halfstaff. Abcs ryan smith is in louisville with more on alis childhood and how he got into boxing. Good morning, ryan. Reporter good morning, dan and paula. All night long, people have been stopping by this Muhammad Ali Center, created with his values in mind, a museum just for him with his values. And theyve been remembering their star, their hometown hero. People have been leaving signs, flowers, saying prayers for the family. Remembering the moments that muhammad ali touched their lives. As you mentioned, here in the city center of government in louisville, they will be lowering the flags to halfstaff and they will remain there until muhammad ali is laid to rest. But this was his hometown. This was his home. The place where he identified most closely with, and the place where he was star and a legend. In so many ways, people talked about the experiences they had with him, seeing him over the years. Not only that, this is where he got his start in boxing. At 12 years old, another young man in the community stole his bike. He went to report it to a police officer, and that police officer, sensing that ali wanted to start a fight, said why dont you come down and train in my gym. Just six years later, he became an olympic gold medalist. And ten years later, at age 22, heavy weight champion of the world. While his boxing was incredible so many talking about outside of ring that made him a legend. His humanitarian efforts, his ability to speak his mind no matter the cost. Earning him respect worldwide, making him one of the most recognizable faces and one of the most respected human beings of all time. So many people mourning the loss and celebrating muhammad ali, saying the legend will live on especially here in the city. Again, his funeral is expected to stake place here. And we will learn more about his funeral announcements later this morning, dan and paula. Lets bring in john ramsey, a man who has been friends with muhammad ali for more than three decades. He was with him in his final hours in arizona. John, we do thank you for joining us this morning. Thank you for having me. Good morning to both of you. Good morning to you. First and foremost, can you tell us what its been like there at the hospital over the last few days with friends and family . You know, it was a mixture of emotions. There were a lot of hugs, there were a lot of tears. A lot of old stories. I think the family and his wife, lonnie, find a lot of comfort in their spirituality. But it was a tough night, no question about it. Hearts are heavy and i know that doesnt just include myself and the family. Hearts are heavy around the world. That is right. John, did he try to communicate anything in these last days . You know, muhammad was able to communicate the way muhammad communicates, which is via his eyes, via his actions, via his smile. He still had the charisma. Theres nothing like the muhammad ali magic. That always existed all the way to the very end. Muhammad went out with dignity. As i said, the prayers were heard and certainly appreciated. You said he went out with dignity. He was able to communicate with his eyes. Did he seem to be at peace with how things were going in the hospital . Did he seem to be at peace with his life and what was happening . Only muhammad and the big man upstairs would be able to answer that question. The time in the hospital room alone with muhammad was spent with the family and the family alone. And i respected that. There was a small group of Close Friends with him there in the waiting room. But the one on one interaction at the very end was reserved for family members only and i think everyone can understand that and i respect that. Absolutely. You have known him for 35 years by our account. Im just curious, are there moments that stand out most clearly in your mind this morning . You know, as my relationship with muhammad evolved, it became less and less about what he did in the ring, which was the initial allure, and became more and more what he did out of the ring. You know, muhammad, the compassion, the kindness. He was a once in a lifetime not just a once in a lifetime kind of athlete. He was a once in a lifetime kind of person. And, you know, it wasnt just about autographs or kissing babies. If there was a child that was hungry in a third world country, muhammad was on a plane with a check in hand. If there was a conflict he could help resolve, muhammad was traveling. He was a man of action. And i think thats what impressed me most about muhammad. Usually with athletes, you could follow the money. With muhammad, it was always follow the heart. I want to ask you quickly. He went over to rome and won the gold medal at age 18, the olympic medal. He came back to louisville and threw that medal in the ohio river. Does he ever regret throwing it into the river . He did that because of segregation reasons. You know, i talked to muhammad about that a number of times. Yeah, he wasnt allowed in a restaurant and he said, i represented my country and yet i cant be served in my hometown. Again, muhammad was a vehicle of change and a man of action. So i think that was symbolic that we need change in the country. Certainly, muhammad led that charge with the Civil Rights Movement. No, i dont think he regretted it at all. He was glad to get a replacement medal in atlanta. But i think he knew that was his destiny. He doesnt seem like a man with many regrets. John ramsey, we really appreciate having you on. Thank you very much. Long time friend of muhammad ali. John ramsey. We also want to bring in abc news and espn contributor l. Z. Granderson. L. Z. , good morning. Muhammad ali is now as the New York Times called him this morning, a secular saint. As we discussed in the 1960s, he was really controversial. In your view, how did he go from a polarizing figure to a legend . Reporter time and distance heals a lot of wounds. We have seen countless socalled controversial figures who fought for things that were controversial in the past. And then over time, as weve seen our errors as a nation, we begin to see they were more enlightened than the nation at that time and they become beloved heroes. You know, we remember when Nelson Mandela passed away. He was boiled down to a lot of inspirational quotes. But what we forgot to talk about what was the fact that he was actually on the u. S. Terrorist list. And he was seen not as someone who was beloved but hostile with u. S. Interest. But with time, we were able to see he was fighting for something greater. That is true of muhammad ali. You mentioned Nelson Mandela, but in the world of athletics, he was really the first africanamerican athlete. You have Jackie Robinson. But the first to be a truly global superstar. What did it mean to the community . Its really interesting that you bring up Jackie Robinson. He was with christians fighting for human rights movements. And muhammad ali lined up with islam and malcolm x. Who was not fully embraced by the africanamerican community. And Jackie Robinson actually criticized malcolm x and muhammad ali at times because they felt like islam was hindering the Civil Rights Movement. Its really interesting you bring up his name. But youre absolutely right. He was the first truly global icon in large part because he brought his sport and he brought the entertainment factor of his sport to so many countries in the world. And they got a chance to see someone who while brash was still someone approachable and comical. Even though some people may have been put off his seeming lack of humbleness in terms of his craft, the fact he was so engaging, he was attractive and he was the best made him really hard to resist. Couldnt take our eyes off him, no question about it. L. Z. , a pleasure to have you on this morning. Thank you. I want to remind everybody, we will have much more on muhammad ali coming up later on gma and a special edition of 20 20, a tribute to the champ, tonight at 8 00 also right here on abc. He was irresistible. Wasnt he . We do want to check in with rob marciano and the weather this morning. Good morning, rob. Hi, paula, hi, dan. We are covering of course the flooding in texas. More rain there today. Some of the rivers still in major flood zone. And flood watches posted at least through the afternoon as the stubborn low pressure drifts across the northern gulf coast. 2 for 4 inches from houston to new orleans, heavy rain right now across the florida panhandle. Cold front across the midwest today. Thunderstorms will fire up from chicago to detroit, hard in nashville up through cincinnati, getting in pittsburgh today and tomorrow, that front gets a little closer to the east coast. Squeezing more moisture out of the atmosphere and the threat for Severe Weather exists, some of the big cities along i95. Raleigh, virginia beach, richmond, d. C. , baltimore, even up in new york city and a swath good saturday morning. Im lisa. Its partly cloudy around the bay this morning. Well see temperatures slightly cooler with cooling further into tomorrow and then 80s arrive next week. So as for today still a spare the air alert. Inland east bay with the poor air quality today. Still, cooler than yesterday. 96 in livermore and the sevenday forecast few more 90s inland the next few days. And as we continue to celebrate the life of muhammad ali, he even had some weather quips. He said, i handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail. Sums it up right there. Probably true. Yeah. You know, the greatest was known for his lightning quick moves inside the boxing ring and also his quick whit, delivering many