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Muhammad Ali hospitalized with respiratory condition

Muhammad Ali is in a Phoenix hospital with a respiratory condition.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Muhammad Ali, the former world heavyweight champion and the man known as "The Greatest," has been hospitalized with a respiratory illness which, according to a release from his family spokesman, was expected to result in a "brief hospital stay," but the AP is saying that the condition may be more serious than that.

Ali, 74, has been hospitalized a number of times in recent years, but a source is saying that this may be a more serious issue than those times:

"The people told The Associated Press on Thursday that Ali is fighting respiratory issues that are complicated by the Parkinson's that he was diagnosed with in the 1980s. The two spoke separately in describing Ali's condition that they say is concerning to family members."

Ali, who retired in 1981 for good after showing signs of severe decline, and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984, thought to be because of the massive amount of punishment he took from blows to the head over his long career.

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