Last month NTV in Japan, which aired the Ali-Inoki match, celebrated its 50th anniversary by airing its 50th highest rated programs. Ali-Inoki was one of these, and the network aired a one hour documentary on it. Anyway this prompted Dave Meltzer to write a very interesting feature on the match in issue of the Wrestling Observer that is dated April 1, 2009. I remember years back reading somewhere, I can’t recall where, that Freddie Pacheco had said that he thought that the damage done to Ali’s legs in the match had a great effect on his later career. Anyway, the final paragraphs of the Meltzer story got me thinking about this again. How much did the Inoki fight speed up the decline of Ali? Two extracts from the Meltzer piece are quoted below. One is about the rules of the bout and the other about the bout itself. For those who are interested, Meltzer's website is http://www.f4wonline.com/ First about the rules of the bout... And then the match itself....
Ali's legs had been beginning to go for years before that fig... Thing, but it certainly didn't help. On the other hand, some kickboxers take serious punishment to the legs for years on end, so one shouldn't exaggerate the possible effects of one night's punishment, however harsh.
I agree. How much career-ending damage could really accrue from one night of semi-combat? I think Ali's nightlife and extra-curricular womanizing and whoring did more to undermine his late career greatness than any kicks from Inoki!
According to Dr. Pacheco, I only heard him mention that the fight with Inoki affected Ali's leg strength for his rubber match with Kenny Norton in Sept. 1976.... Prior to training for the rubber match, Ali received some medical aide to relieve swelling in certain areas of his legs..... STILL! By September, Ali looked in great shape at 221 pounds for Norton.... Ali was age 34 and slipping, but still a bad-ass...... In fact, since I am a self admitted Ali nut-grabber, I gave Ali the close shave nod over Norton at Yankee Stadium.... Norton pissed away the crucial 15th and final rd.... Peace... MR.BILL P.S. Ali was age 35 for his epic war with Earnie Shavers in 1977 at MSG...... Ali was faded, yet still good enough to out-box Shavers..... I truly believe Ali was healthy mentally and physically in his fight with Shavers....... By 1978, well, that's another story... I have NO proof at all, but I think Ali was in the early stages of Parkinson's syndrome by the time he was facing Leon Stinks in the ring...... But the illness didn't become official until 1984...... MR.BILL
Ali definitely had parkinsons years before it was diognosed. he shouldn't have been allowed to fight those last fights. his record would look much better too.
Here a link for the pre hype fight, and the ahem, round by round action which start around 4:20 seconds in. You will laugh. http://video.search.yahoo.com/video...ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&tnr=21&vid=000166427377
