Ali's Parkinsons Syndrome

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by tezel8764, Aug 12, 2012.


  1. tezel8764

    tezel8764 Boxing Junkie banned

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    Does anyone know at what particular time (or fight) Ali was showing the smallest signs of the Parkinson's Syndrome? I remember watching an interview before the Holmes fight where he was literally rocking back and forth in his chair, a sad thing to see. :-( This is not a flame bait thread it's just I've heard people suggest over the years after Manila he should of retired but their were many other things going on inside his camp. Anybody can share more on this subject?
     
  2. Vsec

    Vsec Active Member Full Member

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    I think Ali knowingly had Parkinson's by then. I saw a documentary where former LHW champ Jose Torres was talking about how during the training for the Holmes fight, he caught Ali taking some pills. He asked Ali what they were and Ali says they're vitamins. Torres, upon further inspection, sees that Ali is lying. And that Ali is actually taking L-dopa, a drug for people with Parkinson's. Torres knew because his father had Parkinson's and was one of the first 10 or so people tested with that drug.

    Ali cared a little too much for his legacy man.
     
  3. Robbi

    Robbi Marvelous Full Member

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    Ali was diagnosed with Parkinsons Syndrome in 1984.
     
  4. Robbi

    Robbi Marvelous Full Member

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    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_oorRQ1rek[/ame]


    Ali before the Spinks II fight, 1978. Aged, 36.
     
  5. North Star

    North Star Member Full Member

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    I remember seeing Ali in a few brief TV interviews he gave in late 1976. The clarity of his speaking voice seemed somewhat reduced. I don't know if it was an early sign of brain damage or Parkinson's. Sometimes a boxer's permanently impaired speech can be caused by blows to the throat.
     
  6. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I first noticed something wrong in 1979 when Muhammad was in London for a TV appearance to celebrate his 'retirement' I just thought he had a cold,as his voice seemed a bit muffled. It appeared more so in the lead up for the Larry Holmes fight the following year. Between the Holmes bout and his final one with Trevor Berbick,it was VERY apparrent.
     
  7. salty trunks

    salty trunks Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Around the Holmes fight, he was clearly not the same.
     
  8. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Some say they noticed a slight change after 1976,but I played his 1977 biopic 'The Greatest' the other week,in which he played himself,and did n't notice anything.
     
  9. groove

    groove Well-Known Member Full Member

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    after shavers it was noticable. he took a lot of hard shots in that fight and pacheco left the camp cuz of ali's deteriorating condition.
     
  10. Senor Pepe'

    Senor Pepe' Boxing Junkie banned

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    September 18, 1979

    On The Mike Douglas Talk Show.

    Muhammad Ali was trying to discuss the Heavyweight 'scene', and
    Gerrie Coetzee' impressive 'knockout' over Leon Spinks.

    He was talking very softly, to shield his slurred speech pattern.

    Mike Douglas was strained in trying to understand Muhammad's comments.

    Something was not right, with both his speech and hand movement.
     
  11. slip&counter

    slip&counter Gimme some X's and O's Full Member

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    It was very apparent before the first Spinks fight. So '77/'78.
     
  12. Lord Tywin

    Lord Tywin Guest

    I was going to say the first Spinks fight also. I noticed in the post fight interview that his speech seemed pretty slurred.
     
  13. BatTheMan

    BatTheMan Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I am quite sure, but not 100%, that Ali's lines was dubbed.
     
  14. Arka

    Arka New Member Full Member

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    A casual observation.Voice is a lot softer and his face is like a mask-no expressiveness there....
     
  15. Arka

    Arka New Member Full Member

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    Before the Holmes fight, 1980.

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaQNJyDbNdo[/ame]










    Though looks and sounds somewhat better after the loss.Maybe he was on Parkinson's medication.

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfuGmb4G9M0[/ame]