Substance abuse during fights.

Honey is hardly a substance, but Wali Muhammad is on the record in Hauser's book saying he gave, a by his account reluctant-to-continue, Muhammad Ali a drink of sweetened water, "honey and water, from a bottle I'd made up", in preparation for the 15th round against Frazier in Manila.

Isn't anything but water off-limits?

If the above is accurate, was Ali then given a cheating hand to victory in his biggest fight?

 

Shhhhhhhh:nono

 

yeah he was a cheat just like he cheated with the smelling salts when he got laid down by LHW henry cooper

 

"Blood" doesn't say he fed Ali the honey at any prior time during the fight, but it seems hard to believe he had prepared the bottle and waited until the last possible moment of a hellish bout to use it.

On the other hand, could the honey have accounted for Ali's late, game-winning surge?

 

There's a fight in the 80s when Holmes sits in the corner between rounds and asks for his blue bottle.

 

What?

 

From Merriam Webster: SUBSTANCE: (noun) something (as drugs or alcoholic beverages) deemed harmful and usually subject to legal restriction <possession of a controlled substance> <substance abuse>

Thus, honey is hardly a substance.

But it may have given Ali a cheating boost in Manila.

 

And check out Larry in his corner before Round 4 against Tyson: he is given two drinks from two different bottles. He seems to say: "Big one! Big one!"