Muhammad Ali vs Inoki Before and After

[Vadrigar.]

The fight stank, and made a huge financial loss, but Ali's camp had more serious concerns, as Bob Arum remembers:

"So fine, OK. It was terrible, it was embarrassing. But Ali is bleeding from the legs. He gets an infection in his legs; almost has to have an amputation. Not only the [Ken] Norton fight would've been not happening, but Ali could've been a cripple for the rest of his life."

Ali was due to fight Norton in September. Inoki's repeated kicks to the leg had left him with two blood clots. Before he flew to the US, he was due to fight exhibition bouts in the Philippines and South Korea. Pacheco recalls advising Ali, as he lay in bed with ice-bags around his thighs, to skip the fights and go to hospital. As it was he went through with them, and spent two weeks in care in LA when he returned to the US.

Pacheco, who would stop working with Ali in 1977, disgruntled that his concerns were being ignored, insists that Ali's mobility as a fighter never quite recovered from the kicking he took in Tokyo and the subsequent infection of his legs. Certainly he suffered in his fight against Norton, eking out a narrow win on points, and he would never knock anyone out again.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki

This must have contrbuted to Ali's decline. what do you think?

[Toney616]

This must have contrbuted to Ali's decline. what do you think?

There were a lot of factors which contributed to Ali's present condition, that is just one of them

[Vadrigar.]

There were a lot of factors which contributed to Ali's present condition, that is just one of them

Those kicks were savage.

[BattlingNelson]

It was a terrible event. Ali thought it was merely an exhibition but Inoki wanted otherwise. He stayed upright for less than a round as he felt Ali's right. After that he threw himself on the floor and from there he just kicked and kicked and kicked. Ali couldn't do anything.

So Ali, or rather his legs, took a heavy shellacking for 15 rounds and he could barely move at the end. Ali's pride kept him from quitting this awful event.

Wheter Ali's legs took permanent damage is difficult to assess. He had long stopped being the butterfly in the ring. He just did the rope-a-dope. But surely it didn't do him any good. Except for his bankaccount that is. He pocketed some 5M USD if I remember correctly. Same amount as he got for Foreman. Huge money BITD and very much needed as Ali was always in financial need largely due to him feeding the large entourage of bloodsuckers always travelling with him around the globe.

[SplitSecond]

is their suppossed to be a video here?

[Toney616]

Those kicks were savage.

The beatings he took in sparring was savage as well, not to mention the aftermath of The third Frazier fight

[Toney616]

Same amount as he got for Foreman. Huge money BITD and very much needed as Ali was always in financial need largely due to him feeding the large entourage of bloodsuckers always travelling with him around the globe.

The Nation of Islam would take around half of all his purses as well

[BattlingNelson]

The Nation of Islam would take around half of all his purses as well

Do you have a credible source for that or are you just spreading a bad rumour?

[Toney616]

Do you have a credible source for that or are you just spreading a bad rumour?

The Ghosts of Manila - Mark Kram
Herbert Muhammad as his manager was talking around a third, plus Ali had to contribute to various Nation "projects"

Also check out Ali: one punch to many I cant find it on youtube, but I can upload it if you want

[Vadrigar.]

It was a terrible event. Ali thought it was merely an exhibition but Inoki wanted otherwise. He stayed upright for less than a round as he felt Ali's right. After that he threw himself on the floor and from there he just kicked and kicked and kicked. Ali couldn't do anything.

So Ali, or rather his legs, took a heavy shellacking for 15 rounds and he could barely move at the end. Ali's pride kept him from quitting this awful event.

Wheter Ali's legs took permanent damage is difficult to assess. He had long stopped being the butterfly in the ring. He just did the rope-a-dope. But surely it didn't do him any good. Except for his bankaccount that is. He pocketed some 5M USD if I remember correctly. Same amount as he got for Foreman. Huge money BITD and very much needed as Ali was always in financial need largely due to him feeding the large entourage of bloodsuckers always travelling with him around the globe.

Excellent post.

IMO it accelerated the process, but It didn't solely cause it. Also Anoki chose a cowardly way to fight.