With rumors that boxing legend Muhammad Ali is knocking at death's door, his daughter May May Ali, said that contrary to previous reports her father is doing well and that he watched the Super Bowl on Sunday.
"He's fine; in fact, he was talking well this morning," she said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press on Sunday. "These rumors pop up every once in a while but there's nothing to them."
The rumours of his declining health began when Ali's brother, Rahman Ali, said the former heavyweight champion cannot speak and no longer recognises him. The rumors were started by a report in a British tabloid quoting Ali's brother. The article was shared multiple times on Facebook and Twitter, causing the rumor that Muhammad Ali was near death to grow.
He feared his 71-year-old brother may not survive the summer.
Rahman has in the past accused his sister-in-law, who has been married to Ali for 26 years, of refusing to let the family visit his ailing brother.
Despite what his brother had to say, an image of the iconic former world heavyweight boxing champion emerged in the early hours on Twitter holding his fists in the air and wearing a Baltimore Ravens jersey at his family home in Phoenix, Arizona, where he watched the Ravens' 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers with his wife Lonnie.
Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984 but remained active for many years and made a moving appearance at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games where he lit the flame.
Ali's most recent public health scare was December, 2011, when the champion was taken to hospital after falling unconscious.
Emergency services were called days after Ali made a frail appearance at the funeral of fellow boxing great Joe Frazier.
He was treated for dehydration after collapsing at his 6,000 sq ft estate in Arizona.
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