Updated

Muhammad Ali says he will always remember Joe Frazier with admiration and respect.

Frazier died Monday night after a battle with liver cancer at age 67. He and Ali will be linked forever, both heavyweight champions and bitter rivals in the boxing ring who fought each other during three epic bouts in the 1970s.

Ali won the last two, cementing his legend as The Greatest, and was as rough on Frazier outside the ring as he was between the ropes. He called him a gorilla and mocked him as an Uncle Tom.

But after Frazier's death, Ali issued a brief statement with kind words for Smokin' Joe and expressed sympathy for his family and loved ones.