Dundee will be largely remembered as Ali’s trainer, guiding the heavyweight from his early days as a professional right through a career which saw the boxer become ’The Greatest’ by winning the world heavyweight three three times and engaging in numerous epic fights.

His son Jim told the Miami Herald: “He was recuperating and coming along quite well. He was already making plans to (go) to Las Vegas for another event in two weeks.

“Thankfully, the whole family was with him. We have lost a great man.

“My dad led a wonderful life. Sadly, many of the great people from that generation are gone. This is the end of an era.”

Dundee will be remembered in England for his role in Ali’s defeat of British icon Henry Cooper at Wembley in 1963.

Cooper floored Ali – then still using his birth name of Cassius Clay – at the end of the fourth round in London with a trademark left hook which scrambled the American’s senses. Ali was saved first by the bell, however, and then by Dundee, who breached the rules by helping him to the corner.

Dundee then illegally used smelling salts to help his fighter regain his senses and made a small tear in one of Ali’s gloves, forcing a welcome delay while a new pair were sought. Ali then went out and beat Cooper on a cuts stoppage in the very next round.

Philadelphia-born Dundee’s achievements were not limited to Ali’s glory, though.

He played a significant role in the successes of the likes of Willie Pastrano, Jose Napoles, Jimmy Ellis, George Foreman and, famously, ’Sugar’ Ray Leonard.

Dundee, whose wife died in 2010, is survived by a son and daughter, six grandchildren and a great grandchild.