How was Muhammad Ali allowed to fight Trevor Berbick when it was clear there was something wrong?

How was Muhammad Ali allowed to fight Trevor Berbick when it was clear there was something wrong with him? It was clear that Ali had Parkinson`s during his fight with Holmes and there is footage of him training for the Holmes fight where Ali clearly couldn`t hit a speedbag properly so how did the Berbick fight go ahead?

 

It was clear that he had Parkinson’s in the fight with Holmes, you say? Give some detail. What did you see that made you think “Hey, that guy’s not just an old, shot fighter. It’s clear he has a goddamn disease!”

 

Promoters were still willing to exploit Muhammad in spite of there being something very obviously wrong with his health.

 

I believe that his physician, the fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco pointed out to Muhammad Ali following The Thrilla In Manila, that his kidneys were failing him. There was also evidence of neurological issues as well, slurred speech in particular. But people like Don King were more interested in making a buck than Ali's health, so Ali kept on fighting. It was pretty sad to see, especially the Larry Holmes bout in 1980, then the last one against Trevor Berbick. In reality, Muhammad Ali became the Mountain Rivera of boxing, that character was played by Anthony Quinn in the 1962 motion picture, Requiem For A Heavyweight that also starred Ali, who puts an end to Rivera's career, it also starred Jackie Gleason and Mickey Rooney. Parkinson's Disease was very cruel to Muhammad Ali.

 

I am sure he had some dodgy people in his camp that helped him get a clear medical test from some dodgy clinic.

 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

I am willing to get Boudini had something to do with it, just a gut feeling

 

Agreed. I also think they didn't know how hurt Ali was. We can look back and "see the signs", but at the time it wasn't considered as serious as it turned out to be. "He's getting older and slowing down. He's been in a lot of tough fights; he's bound to be slurring his speech a little bit."

Also, the Berbick fight was promoted by Harold Smith, the guy who financed his promotions from embezzling from Wells Fargo and later got caught and, I believe, imprisoned. Not an above board guy. And it wasn't "allowed" in the U.S. mainland; I don't think any states would license Ali at that point (that could be wrong, someone let Quarry fight in the 90's), it had to be taken to the Bahamas.

 

I can’t remember the specific details, but things were highlighted regarding Ali’s condition in the build up to the Holmes fight, especially to do with his medication.

 

As usual, money talks.
That's what it all boils down to.

 

The O'jay's said it best....... Money, Money, Money,Money, Money, Old mighty Dollar.

 

As long as the commission didn’t deny him a boxing license then there really wasn’t anything anyone could do. So why did they grant him one ? Maybe they were paid to. Or perhaps they never received any medical documentation to warrant denial. Either way it was a sad state of affairs. I often wonder that if Ali had retired years earlier if he’d still be with us today or if nothing else lived a better quality of life post boxing. The Thrilla in Manila should have ideal been his last outing

 

This was made public in the lead up to the fight?

 

This is one of your more sensible posts Mark

 

From memory, I think Pacheco ended his dealings with Ali after the Shavers fight.