Has there ever been any proof that Alis Parkinson's was caused by boxing?

Ali had Parkinson's SYNDROME (or simply "Parkinsonism"), which can be caused by chronic brain injury, whether from blunt force trauma, drug abuse, etc.

 

Some additional information:

Among observers, questions long swirled about the extent to which Parkinson’s disease versus repeated hits to the head contributed to Muhammad Ali’s progressive tremor and cognitive impairment. Now, three neurologists who provided direct care to the boxing legend describe evidence in a JAMA Neurology viewpoint supporting a primary diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s disease over a form of dementia from repetitive head trauma.

In wishes expressed before his death at age 74 in June 2016, Ali declined an autopsy, so there was no post-mortem tissue diagnosis. But in the new article, published Oct. 24, physicians who treated Ali for more than 20 years at Emory University provide clear evidence to support a primary diagnosis of young-onset idiopathic Parkinson’s disease.

“Head trauma is a known risk factor for the later onset of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease; however, a causative association in the Ali case cannot be determined.”

https://mbi.ufl.edu/2022/10/24/neur...de-evidence-for-primary-parkinsons-diagnosis/

 

In a non professional address and analysis, I would probably say yes, in all likelihood.

Some physicians might even also say yes causally - but officially, they can’t say it with 100% certainty I guess.

Still, were there any real doubts remaining that smoking caused cancer until the Surgeon General officially decreed it to be fact?

You might have heard or will hear that Ali’s brother Rahman developed Parkinson’s (syndrome?) when well into his 70s I believe.

Rahman’s career in boxing was relatively brief so some might argue for a pre-exisiting, genetic disposition toward the disease.

Perhaps so but it still can be argued that Ali’s taking of so many blows to the head exacerbated that disposition and fast tracked him to much earlier onset of that condition.

Unfortunately also, an off peak Ali’s psychological disposition in his second career was to accept and absorb far more punishment than he ever did before.

Until I had full access to Ali fights via YouTube, I still didn’t have a full appreciation of the all the punishment Ali did take - quite shocking, really.

 

You don't have to smoke to get lung cancer, but if someone has smoked two packs a day for 50 years and gets it, you can kind of suspect smoking has something to do with it.

But the only way to have som form of real proof would be if Ali had an identical twin who didn't box and didn't get it.

 

Common sense tells me Ali got Parkinson disease from Fighting

 

He got it from all of the beatings he took in the 1970's. He couldn't move anymore like he did in the 1960's...he had a knack of pulling away from a punch in the "nick of time!"...he couldn't do that anymore. Lying on the ropes...having your opponent pounding on you...hoping your opponent gets tired...isn't the best of boxing strategies...Lots of younger fans say "Wow...what a chin he had!"...I say..."Wonderful...look how he ended up!"

 

He was fine before he had to leave the sport for 3.5 years. Came back and had no legs so started getting hit. Liston did catch him with some big hooks from his crouch head movement position though.

timestamped, Liston actually landed a couple of good hooks. well the 10.39 mark of the video shows Listons attempting everything he can and landing some good shots.

11.16 mark, big left hook from Liston

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I was going to make the same comparison. I also don't think the TS is actually starting this in good faith, but that's only from years of experience as a bad faith actor that I say this.

 

You cynic, you

 

Idiopathic means the cause is unknown. I used to think boxing did it to him now I'm agnostic on the issue. What's most interesting is that the medical experts intimately involved in his care said he developed Parkinsonism mid career. That means he whupped Foreman, Frazier, and Norton, even if you say the Norton decisions were hotly contested, with a degenerative neurological disease. That adds to the GOAT case.

 

I'm probably not kidding anyone. I'm the TS.

 

What is TS? And I'm certainly going to give credence to the opinions of neurologists from elite institutions that were intimately involved in his care.

 

Tenth Seriouser. It means I am the tenth commenter who is seriously replying, in forum speak. But I don't know why you're replying to me with this thing about the neurologists. I have not engaged with you. I rarely engage with anyone with that avatar. It brings up painful memories.

 

One of the negatives of having an insane amount of endurance and tough chin is you absorb a lot of punishment which unfortunately for Ali didn't help and must have contributed to his condition, pretty sure Freddie Roach blamed boxing for his Parkinson's