Which fight damaged Ali's health the most?

I have not watched the fight in years, but I remember him taking a lot of head shots against Trevor Berbick. He was trying to knock him out, that's for sure.

 

Ali was showing signs of having issues several years prior to his final bout. Certainly taking more blows at that stage did no good.

 

The 3rd fight with Joe, Ali said he felt close to death, I've never heard a boxer talk like that before..

Ali was having Kidney, and Thyroid problems prior to the Holmes match, how he was granted a license to box is anyone's guess?

 

It was actually the George Foreman fight. Ali looked great in the ring for the Norton rematch. He looked very good against Frazier in their rematch, easily decisioning him. He was on his toes most of both fights, jabbing and moving, landing good combinations.

But Ali was pummeled for eight rounds against Foreman. He was essentially a punching bag. While he took it all and won when George exhausted himself, Ali never looked like he did in the second Norton and Frazier fights ever again.

He looked terrible against Wepner. Lyle was actually ahead on the cards. The guy he easily outpointed in January 1974 (Frazier) stood toe to toe with him in Manila and nearly made him quit. In the third Norton fight, he spent nearly the entire time with his back on the ropes.

I believe it was the Foreman fight that took the big chunk out of him that left him vulnerable to the beatings he took after.

 

It was Foreman plus the cumulative effect as well. The Norton 3rd, Frazier in Manilla, Shavers, etc...he went on his bum of the month tour for almost two years. atsch I think he was the best ATG heavy, having not seen him from 67-70 but IMO (I've said this before and it's difficult to say in retrospect) but he played the public like trained bears after Zaire. IMO he threw the 1st Spinks fight knowing young, looking for bucks, Leon would give him an immediate rematch. Sadly, it was only his talent that kept him going those last 3 or so years. My $0.02

 

Holmes and Berbick.

 

I wouldn't discount the amount of damage incurred during sparring. I believe Ali used to train himself to take punishment, especially towards the end of his career which probably didn't do him any good.

 

^^ Exactly. Ali's took beatings in sparring while he was in his early 30s and beyond. Thats what really did the damage. He was lazy during sparring in the twilight years. He would lay on the ropes stationary and allow sparring partners to land everything. I remember Holmes said Ali urinated blood during training sessions.

 

The idea that Ali was used as a punching bag for eight rounds when he fought Foreman is a myth. Punching bags are not winning the bulk of the rounds. Watch the fight.

 

Sounds like you have never watched the fight, Ali was out boxing Foreman throughout the whole fight.

 

Agreed. He was leaning back from and/or blocking a lot of shots while laying on the ropes. He let Foreman punch himself out. He was not taking a beating.

 

These were the most stupid fights in the history of boxing .... Endanger the health of a fighter like that was a crime.

 

It's more than that. Ali side stepped around the perimeter of the ring in many rounds as George ponderously followed him. Ali constantly picking him off with jabs and combinations. You see this especially in rounds 6 and 8. You would have seen it also in round 7 but a Foreman thumb in the first few seconds of the round made Ali cover and hold for most of that round.

 

Fights 1 thru 61 had something to do with it.

Or, he was always going to get it.

 

I agree, and even though not a lot of head shots landed, I don't think many fighters have taken more punishment in a fight than Ali did in this fight. (Foreman) I swear to god Foreman would have broken the ribs of most men with those body shots he hit Ali with, round after round after round.