when should ali called it quits?

[rightsideup]

Often crossed my mind. Which version of Ali was the better?
Had the more ring-wise version of '74 beaten the quicker, brilliant Ali of '67? ...

They had different attributes I think the best of Ali would have been in 70 if he had been allowed to have kept fighting unless there were not suitable opponents to represent the challanges he would get in the 70's

[KnockoutNed]

He should have stayed retired after the second Spinks fight.

[joseph5620]

He should have stayed retired after the second Spinks fight.

I agree with this. Other than money it was totally pointless for Ali to return two years later after that fight.

He also could have avoided the worst beating of his career which unquestionably did considerable long term damage.

[Sugarj]

For his career, record and legacy he should have retired after Spinks 2.

But in hindsight he 'probably' should have retired before Frazier 3 if he was to have any chance of avoiding his Parkinson's syndrome.

There are a lot of opinions regarding whether Ali today has Parkinson's 'syndrome' due to the punishment he absorbed in a 21 year pro boxing career (not to mention a six year 120 odd bout amateur career!). Or whether he had a genetic tendency towards Parkinson's 'disease' regardless. There is a difference between syndrome and disease.

I have heard claims that Ali is not the only one in his family with symptoms of Parkinsons and that he might have ended up in a similar condition if he never took a punch his entire life and followed his Father into sign painting!

But I never saw any of the symptoms of Parkinsons prior to Frazier 3 in interviews or film. But I did start noticing some early signs around 1976.......and they appeared to worsen as the 70s came to a close. Perhaps due to increasing numbers of head shots landed, perhaps due to the diseases natural progression, perhaps a bit of both!

Ali was clearly a little different in the run up to his 1980 bout with Holmes and the very next year I could barely understand him in his post fight interview after the Berbick defeat.

That his condition has further worsened since retirement is clearly not due to further punches. Perhaps once the condition starts (whether syndrome or disease) it does naturally exhibit more progressively noticeable symptoms. It is very sad either way, but what a life and what a legend.

He is outliving many, if not most of his rivals.......bless him!

[Anthony342]

When watching his career set, I was checking out some of his interviews and noticed he started to slur his words a bit after the Foreman fight, some pre fight interview in his very next fight, probably on ABC.

[Ben Bolt]

For his career, record and legacy he should have retired after Spinks 2.

But in hindsight he 'probably' should have retired before Frazier 3 if he was to have any chance of avoiding his Parkinson's syndrome.

There are a lot of opinions regarding whether Ali today has Parkinson's 'syndrome' due to the punishment he absorbed in a 21 year pro boxing career (not to mention a six year 120 odd bout amateur career!). Or whether he had a genetic tendency towards Parkinson's 'disease' regardless. There is a difference between syndrome and disease.

I have heard claims that Ali is not the only one in his family with symptoms of Parkinsons and that he might have ended up in a similar condition if he never took a punch his entire life and followed his Father into sign painting!

But I never saw any of the symptoms of Parkinsons prior to Frazier 3 in interviews or film. But I did start noticing some early signs around 1976.......and they appeared to worsen as the 70s came to a close. Perhaps due to increasing numbers of head shots landed, perhaps due to the diseases natural progression, perhaps a bit of both!

Ali was clearly a little different in the run up to his 1980 bout with Holmes and the very next year I could barely understand him in his post fight interview after the Berbick defeat.

That his condition has further worsened since retirement is clearly not due to further punches. Perhaps once the condition starts (whether syndrome or disease) it does naturally exhibit more progressively noticeable symptoms. It is very sad either way, but what a life and what a legend.

He is outliving many, if not most of his rivals.......bless him!

What science has learned us by now, I don’t think there’s any argument left for even hinting that (pro) boxing isn’t destructive to the human brain.

“The American Association of Neurological Surgeons say 90 percent of boxers suffer some kind of brain injury while boxing. Because of these brain injuries, boxers are more prone to mental deterioration during their later years that can lead to Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.”

(Note, it’s not just the fights, but also all those sparring rounds you have in the gym. The head is a constantly target.)

New rules (as sometimes have been suggested) could make professionall boxing a lot safer, and less damaging to the brain. And the KO would be a rare ending to a fight.

But, in that case, would we fans stick to the sport and continue watching it?
No, we wouldn’t. The harsh truth.

“but what a life and what a legend”
I do believe a lot of us wouldn’t mind switching life with him.

You show me a perfectly able 95 year old who passes away with no chronic burdens from living hard...and I will show you a man/ woman who accomplished little.

Hear, hear!