Three times a world champ, he fought on for glory... even Parkinson’s could not break his spirit
But as Ali approached his 34th birthday two years later, the feeling among detached professionals was that he should call it a day.
He had won back his title from George F o r ema n an d defended it against Joe Frazier, which made him the greatest boxer of the sport’s golden era, thus the greatest of all time.
But Ali battled on, as much for glory as for the money that was being sucked out of him by the leeches that fed off his unparalleled global fame. He beat Jean-Pierre Coopman and Jimmy Young before knocking out Yorkshire’s Richard Dunn. It would be the last KO of his career.
And still he fought on, beating Ken Norton for the third time, then Alfredo Evangelista, and in September 1977 narrowly seeing off Earnie Shavers in a hard, punishing 15-rounder. The advice was coming in thick and fast for Ali to retire, except from those closest to him who had the most to lose. In February 1978 he lost his world heavyweight title to 1976 Olympic Light-Heavyweight Champion Leon Spinks, in another gruelling 15-round encounter. In September 1978, Ali fought a rematch in New Orleans against Spinks for the WBA version of the heavyweight title and won it for an unparalleled third time. Nine months later on June 27, 1979, the champ said he was retiring, much to the relief of the millions of Ali-lovers who feared for his physical and mental well-being.
Foolishly, if inevitably, he returned in October 1980, to challenge new world champion Larry Holmes in an attempt to win a heavyweight title an unprecedented four times. It was a catastrophic decision on many levels, with Ali suffering the worst defeat of his career.
From the off it was clear that Ali’s speed and power had vanished. Angelo Dundee refused to let his man come out for the 11th round, in what became Ali’s only loss by anything other than a decision. Holmes later admitted he had felt little elation in beating this shell of Ali’s former self.
By now the calls for Ali to hang up his gloves were deafening, but still he refused. Still he felt he was the best in the world, and believed he could win the world title for a fourth time.
He dragged himself over the ropes one more time, in December 1981, a month short of his 40th birthday, to face up-and-coming prospect Trevor Berbick in Nassau, Bahamas. It was a painful embarrassment, and Berbick won by a unanimous decision after 10 rounds. Shortly afterwards Ali conceded he would never fight again. Whether he would have been allowed to anyway is debatable, as concerns for his health were growing.
Two doctors, including his own former medic Ferdie Pacheco, had stated that Ali was suffering brain damage caused by absorbing too many blows. His speech had slowed and was occasionally slurred.
In 1984 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Syndrome, a disorder of the nervous system that stiffened his muscles, froze his face and reduced his voice to a whisper.
Ali refused to blame it on two decades of having his brain pummelled, but experts say people subjected to severe head trauma, such as boxers, are many times more susceptible to the disease.
He said he did not care what had caused this disease, put it down to God’s will, and refused to