Muhammad Ali 1942 - 2016: The boxing world pays tribute

The three-time world heavyweight champion, who had battled Parkinson's disease for 32 years, was admitted to hospital with a respiratory condition earlier in the week.

His family's spokesman Bob Gunnell confirmed Ali's death in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday evening local time.

Boxing promoter Ron Gray, from Cannock, actually featured on the undercard both times Ali fought Henry Cooper and met him on several occasions.

He said: "When you ask people who the two most popular names are in the whole world they say Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela. They are both mentioned in the same breath.

"I met him on several occasions. He was just a lovely, lovely man. Absolutely different to the way he was when he came out with his outbursts. He was a quiet person actually but so loveable with the press. You would ask him a question and get a half an hour answer. He was absolutely brilliant and marvellous for boxing. It is a terrible shame."

Scott Murray, owner of Bar Sport in Cannock, has hosted four of Ali's opponents at the venue including Henry Cooper, Earnie Shavers, George Chuvalo and Ken Norton.

He said: "They were all in awe of him. He was just an inspiring character. All the guys we have hosted who met him have said the same. A lot of them said he's the reason they took up boxing. He was Sugar Ray Leonard's hero. It's tremendous the amount of influence he has. I never met him. I do have a load of his memorabilia though. It is very sad. He was the greatest boxer that ever lived I don't think we'll see anyone greater. He shook up the world literally. Today he would have been the president of the United States of America he was that sort of person."

Tanny Khan, manager at Merridale Boxing Club in Wolverhampton, said he still uses videos of Ali to train upcoming fighters.

He said: "We have got pictures of him all over the place. Whenever we go on trips we have his DVDs on and just go through with the boxers how he used to fight. He was a big inspiration. I don't think you can ever replicate someone but you can learn from what they are doing. The way we see him is that he is a big inspiration in the ring and out of the ring. He was one of those characters that will never come again. There will never be another Muhammed Ali."

The greatest fan of Muhammad Ali was considered to be Leslie Ward, from Wolverhampton, who passed away in 1993. Leslie built up a close relationship with the boxing icon and would often fly out to America to stay with Ali at his training camp in Pennsylvania. Leslie's daughter Pat met Ali on numerous occasions and saw the boxer pay a visit to their family home. Pat, aged 60, from Wolverhampton, said: "I'm sad that Ali has passed but in a mixed sort of way. It is also a happy relief due to the state of his health with his battle against Parkinson's disease. He was a firm believer in peace. I'm very happy that he is now at peace. I hope he meets up with my dad up there in heaven, I'm sure they will."

Chairman of Priory Boxing Club Paul Gough paid tribute to the boxing icon. He said: "Muhammad Ali is a legend in the sport and he inspired that many people and brought them into boxing. A lot of young lads and girls have taken up boxing because of him. He was very respected in the sport. It is a big loss but he has been ill for some time."

Former Midland Boxing Champion Jason Brewster said: "It is a loss of an icon. He was a legend and pure class. Muhammad Ali spoke his mind and said what he believed in. Some of his fights were superb. As a boxer growing up I definitely looked up to him, every young boxer does."