--- description: It took only moments after the death of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali was announced before social media was flooded with reactions of sorrow title: Athletes Pay Tribute to Muhammad Ali Following His Death image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc92b64730279ea90/6988966acf40a889adc43833/muhammad-ali-001.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Sports](/section/sports/) ## Sports Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [remembrance](/tag/remembrance/) ## remembrance Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Athletes Pay Tribute to Muhammad Ali Following His Death by [Dan Hirschhorn](/author/dan-hirschhorn/) ## Dan Hirschhorn Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 4, 2016 5:19 AM CUT  Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali stands over fallen challenger Sonny Liston in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965. Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali stands over fallen challenger Sonny Liston in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965.John Rooney—AP by [Dan Hirschhorn](/author/dan-hirschhorn/) ## Dan Hirschhorn Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 4, 2016 5:19 AM CUT It took only moments after [the death of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali](http://time.com/muhammad-ali-dead/ "undefined") was announced before social media was flooded with reactions of sorrow, messages of admiration, words of farewell, and so much more from current and former sports stars. [Ali](http://time.com/4357436/muhammad-ali-dead-sonny-liston-fight-photo/?xid=homepage "undefined") was 74. His fellow fighters were quick with their condolences. “My heart is deeply saddened yet both appreciative and relieved that the greatest is now resting in the greatest place,” Roy Jones Jr. said on Twitter. “God came for his champion. So long great one. [@**MuhammadAli**](https://twitter.com/MuhammadAli "undefined") [#**TheGreatest**](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheGreatest?src=hash "undefined") [#**RIP**](https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIP?src=hash "undefined"),” Mike Tyson said. See more of the reactions below. > [](https://twitter.com/RealRoyJonesJr/status/738952030161502208) > [](https://twitter.com/MikeTyson/status/738957087477227521) > [](https://twitter.com/GeorgeForeman/status/738952710364352512) > [](https://twitter.com/alexmorgan13/status/738953274246766592) > [](https://twitter.com/Edelman11/status/738950862245105667) > [](https://twitter.com/ScottiePippen/status/738950942951772161) > [](https://twitter.com/JJWatt/status/738953522410987522) _For much more on Muhammad Ali, see TIME’s_ ALI: The Greatest_, a 112-page, fully illustrated commemorative edition. Available at retailers and at_ [_AMAZON.COM_](http://amzn.to/1rbALvP "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4357460/muhammad-ali-dead-reaction/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4357460/muhammad-ali-dead-reaction/"},"headline":"Athletes Pay Tribute to Muhammad Ali Following His Death","datePublished":"2016-06-04T05:19:50.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T09:44:00.635Z","description":"His fellow fighters were quick with their condolences","url":"https://time.com/4357460/muhammad-ali-dead-reaction/","keywords":["remembrance"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc92b64730279ea90/6988966acf40a889adc43833/muhammad-ali-001.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dan Hirschhorn","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/dan-hirschhorn/"}],"articleSection":"Sports","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc92b64730279ea90/6988966acf40a889adc43833/muhammad-ali-001.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"CLAY LISTON","caption":"Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali stands over fallen challenger Sonny Liston, shouting and gesturing shortly after dropping Liston with a short hard right to the jaw on May 25, 1965, in Lewiston, Maine. 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