Support has flooded in for ailing Muhammad Ali as doctors battled his breathing problems.
The boxing legend was rushed to hospital suffering respiratory difficulties and fans took to social media to offer their prayers and thoughts.
Twitter user Glen posted: “Get well Muhammad Ali .... It’s been a year of celebrity deaths let’s hope it’s not too serious.”
Another begged “please make it” and added: “You are great man, so you deserve your life. Please don’t give up.”
Fan Justin wrote: “Get well soon Muhammad Ali... 2016 is not the year for heroes.” And one wellwisher said: “I Hope The Great One Muhammad Ali Is OK...”
Ali’s spokesman Bob Gunnell confirmed the former fighter was in hospital. He said: “Ali, who suffers from
Parkinson’s disease, is being treated by his team of doctors and is in fair condition.
“A brief hospital stay is expected. At this time, the Muhammad Ali family respectfully requests privacy.”
The setback comes 19 months after Ali was admitted to hospital after guests at his house in Scottsdale, Arizona, failed to wake him.
At the time sources said: “He wasn’t responding.
“He went to bed night, but didn’t wake up in the afternoon or evening the next day. He was sleeping for 24 hours.’
“They thought he might be too exhausted.”
The Olympic gold medalist had suffered a “mild case” of pneumonia but was discharged after a few days in hospital.
When he was released his daughter Rasheda Ali-Walsh said: “My daddy is a strong man. He’s so resilient and we’re all very grateful and blessed.”
However he was readmitted several weeks later in January 2015 suffering a severe urinary tract infection sparking further fears for his health among his millions of fans.
In November Ali’s close friend and former manager Gene Kilroy sparked concern when he described the boxer as “a prisoner in his own body”.
“It’s hard seeing him as he is today,” said Kilroy.
“He can just about walk and his speech is slurred. It takes huge effort for him to make the simplest communication now, but when he does, every word is worthwhile.
“But even now he has no fear. He says, ‘I’ll stay here as long as God wants me to. When my time comes I’ll have no regrets. I have achieved a lot.’”