Muhammad Ali, famed boxer, conscientious objector, and crowd-pleasing champion, has passed away at the age of 74. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome in 1984, Ali’s health slowly declined, although he would go on to remain active for decades after his diagnosis. He was hospitalized for a respiratory illness on June 2^nd, 2016, and soon went into septic shock—a serious condition, even for a healthy patient. Dr. Natalie, Azar, medical contributor at NBC News, states that, while Parkinson’s doesn’t affect the immune system, “any chronic illness like that makes you less able to deal with a huge insult like an infection.” Ali succumbed, and passed on June 3, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Ali was known for his strength—both of body and personality. Beginning his training at 12, and going on to win the world heavyweight boxing championship at the mere age of 22, Ali would go on to become one of the biggest personalities to ever grace the history of boxing, famous for taunting his opponents with creative lyrics during his matches, and for proclaiming his greatness after his wins. Ring Magazine names Ali the number 1 greatest heavyweight boxing champion from all eras. Ali’s record reflects this; he retired in 1981 with a record of 56 wins and just 5 losses.

Ali’s interest in boxing began with a stolen bike at age 12, when he was told by police officer and boxing trainer, Joe Martin, that if he wanted to make good on the threats he made against the thief, he was going to have to “learn something about fighting.” Ali’s propensity for beating those who took advantage of him didn’t end there, however. Ali famously refused the draft, asking, “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?” Ali went on to be cleared of charges, his conscientious objector status verified, and the prison sentence that hung over his head for refusing the draft, lifted. His actions and bravery, as someone very much in the spotlight at the time, inspired others through his pride in his ethnic heritage, and his refusal to bow down to oppression.

On his death, one of Ali’s daughters, Hana Ali, wrote on her Twitter account that “Our hearts are literally hurting. But we are so happy daddy is free now. We all tried to stay strong and whispered in his ear, ‘You can go now. We will be okay. We love love. Thank you. You can go back to God now.’ All of us were around him hugging and kissing him and holding his hands, chanting the Islamic prayer. All of his organs failed, but his HEART wouldn’t stop beating. For 30 minutes…his heart just kept beating. No one had ever seen anything like it. A true testament to the strength of his Spirit and Will!”

Even to the end, Muhammad Ali had the heart of a champion, and his legacy as not only the greatest boxer of all time, but of a courageous fighter in the war for equality, will live on in his place.

Muhammad Ali is survived by his nine children and his fourth wife, Lonnie.