A spokesman for the family of Muhammad Ali said on Saturday (4th June) that the boxing legend died of "septic shock due to unspecified natural causes."

SOUNDBITE (English) Bob Gunnell, Ali family spokesman (confirming details of Ali's death):

"His official time of death was 9:10pm Mountain Standard Time (0300 GMT Saturday). His official cause of death was septic shock due to unspecified natural causes."

SOUNDBITE (English) Bob Gunnell, Ali family spokesman (on events leading up to Ali's death):

"Monday night he was in the hospital, but he was in fair condition, and we expected that to be the case. Muhammad has battled back many times, and we expected it to happen this time. The family was called when things became more serious. We still had a lot of hope that it was going to turn around."

SOUNDBITE (English) Bob Gunnell, Ali family spokesman (on Ali's family):

"They certainly believe that Muhammad was a citizen of the world, and he truly was and they know that the world grieves with them, and they've received, as you can imagine, tens of thousands of well-wishes, and support."