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LOCAL boxing identity Graham Wallace has joined the global outpouring of emotion following the death of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.
Tributes have flowed from all corners for Ali, who passed away at the age of 74 in a Phoenix hospital on Saturday (Australian time) due to respiratory problems stemming from Parkinson's Disease.
Renowned by many as one of the greatest athletes of all time, Ali was the world heavyweight champion in a golden-age of boxing in the 1960s and 70s.
"He was the best ever," 63-year-old Wallace said.
"He was the most famous sportsman ever back in my day.
"You had The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Ali and we're never going to see another like him again.
"I remember going to school when he fought (Sonny) Liston and there was no one who didn't know who he was."
Wallace has been involved with the boxing game most of his life and has been a long-time collaborator with Dubbo's Robert 'Gummy' Toomey, who claimed the Australian lightweight title in 2014.
The trainer said it was Lionel Rose who got him into boxing but it was Ali who made he, and many others, sit up and pay attention.
With his brash outspoken attitude and the talent to back it up, Ali quickly became a global icon.
"He brought the world alive"
- Graham Wallace
While his boxing alone made the headlines, the man formerly known as Cassius Clay also had strong views on race and religion, and his decision to become a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War was a controversial one.
"He brought the world alive," Wallace said.
"There's no one who hasn't heard of him.
"Guys like (Floyd) Mayweather and (Manny) Pacquiao are good but not everyone has heard of them.
"No heavyweight ever moved like him, he moved like a feather and was so fast and he just brought boxing alive for everyone."
Ali's bouts with the likes of Liston, George Foreman and Joe Frazier are etched into fighting history.
It was the win over Liston in 1964 which really made him a star and the man nicknamed "The Greatest" went on to become the first boxer to capture a world heavyweight title on three separate occasions.
He eventually retired in 1981, having won 56 of his 61 fights.
Many stated the champion should have retired earlier as once the gloves were up rumours of his declining health began to circulate.
He was diagnosed with Parkinson's Syndrome and fought the disease for 30 years, receiving a tremendous ovation wherever he went around the world.
He lit the Olympic cauldron at the 1996 Games at Atlanta and also carried the Olympic flag at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Games.