Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki

Date	June 26, 1976
Location	Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan
Title(s) on the line	N/A
Muhammad Ali vs.  Antonio Inoki
The Greatest		Moeru Toukon (Fighting Spirit that Burns)
Tale of the tape
Louisville, KY, USA	From	Yokohama, Japan
50–2	Pre-fight record	1–0
Western boxing	Style	Catch wrestling, karate
WBC/WBA Heavyweight Champion Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion	Recognition
Result	15 round Draw

On June 26, 1976, a fight was held at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo, Japan between American boxer Muhammad Ali and Japanese Professional Wrestler Antonio Inoki. At the time, Ali had come off a knockout victory over Richard Dunn in May and was the reigning WBC/WBA Heavyweight Champion. Inoki had been taught the art of hooking and shooting by legendary wrestler Karl Gotch and had been staging exhibition fights against champions from other martial art backgrounds, in an attempt to show that pro wrestling was the dominant fighting discipline.^[1] The fight itself, which was fought under special rules (and the result of which has been long debated), is seen as being a precursor to modern mixed martial arts.^[2]

Background

In April 1975, at a reception held in the United States, Muhammad Ali was introduced to Ichiro Yada, president of the Japanese Amateur Wrestling Association. Ali characteristically bragged to Yada: "Isn't there any Oriental fighter who will challenge me? I'll give him one million dollars if he wins". This flippant remark from Ali made national news headlines in Japan and was accepted by Inoki, whose financial backers offered Ali $6m for the fight. The deal was struck in March 1976, with the date and venue set as June 26. at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.^[3]

Several press conferences were held to promote the fight. When the two men first met, Ali announced he would nickname Inoki 'The Pelican', because of his prominent chin. Inoki replied, via an interpreter: "When your fist connects with my chin, take care that your fist is not damaged". He then presented Ali with a crutch, to use after he had been thrown from the ring.^[4] Inoki said afterwards: "I don't know how seriously Muhammad Ali is taking the fight, but if he doesn't take it seriously, he could suffer damage. I'm going in there fighting. I may even break his arm".^[5]

Around this time, diplomatic relations between Japan and the US were tense, still suffering the from when then president Richard Nixon took the US dollar off the gold standard in 1971, leading to massive appreciation of the yen and ruining the Japanese export market. In addition, the US had only relinquished administrative control of Okinawa back to Japan in 1972.

On the day of the fight Ali made a scene upon his arrival at the airport, bellowing "There will be no Pearl Harbour! Muhammad Ali has returned! There will be no Pearl Harbour!" as he walked past the mass of journalists. Anticipation for the fight was huge, with footage of it being broadcast in 34 countries around the world to an estimated audience of 1.4 billion.^[6] Because of time zone differences, the bout was seen on June 25 at over 150 closed circuit TV locations in the US. In New York, Vince McMahon Sr was selling tickets to a closed-circuit telecast of the fight at Shea Stadium, and drew a crowd of 32,897. At Shea the Ali and Inoki fight would be the main event on a card also featuring wrestler Andre The Giant vs. Boxer Chuck Wepner in a worked match.^[7] The Budokan itself was sold out, with the most expensive seats costing 300,000 Yen.^[8]

Rules

The fight itself was contested under specific rules. Due to varying claims over the years, it is difficult to know the reasons behind their implementation. It has been alleged that the fight was originally to have been a worked match. According to boxing journalist Jim Murphy, the original plan was for Ali to accidentally punch the referee and knock him out. While standing over the referee, looking concerned, Inoki would knock him out with a kick to the head. The referee would then come around and count Ali out, giving Inoki the win in front of his fellow countrymen, and allowing Ali to save face because of his noble instincts. However, when Ali found out he had to lose, he refused, turning the fixed fight into a real one.^[9]

According to Inoki, Ali and his entourage had signed on expecting the fight to be an exhibition rather than a real contest. It was only when they went to see Inoki train 6 days before the fight, and saw him use a series of brutal drop-kicks and violent grapples on sparring partners, that they sensed it would be legitimate fight. Inoki alleges he was asked by Ali "OK, so when do we do the rehearsal?", with Inoki replying: "No, no. This isn't an exhibition. It's a real fight!".^[10]

In the days leading up to the fight Ali and Inoki’s representatives began to renegotiate the rules. A list of restrictions was imposed on Inoki. He would not be allowed to throw, grapple or tackle Ali, and could not land any kicks unless he had one knee on the mat.^[11] Ali’s camp also demanded that the rules not be made public before the fight. As Judo expert and United States Marine Donn Draeger noted: "The rules have been so seriously modified that the contest is no longer boxing versus wrestling. Unless this were done there would be no way to choreograph the match and make it look convincing. Ali can grapple or punch the man down; Inoki is not allowed to leg-dive or tackle. That latter restriction is the same as prohibiting Ali from jabbing. What a farce!".^[12]

The Fight

As soon as the opening bell rang, Inoki ran the 16 feet gap and slid at the legs of Ali, who dodged by stepping back. Inoki stayed on the ground for 2:46 of the first round, kicking at Ali and landing one clean hit to Ali’s right leg. He stayed like this for all but the first 14 seconds of the three-minute round. The majority of the fight saw Inoki on his back kicking Ali’s leg’s, occasionally connecting. By the third round, a wound had appeared on Ali’s left knee.^[13]

Ali began walking around the ring, out of reach of Inoki's kicks, taunting him by shouting "Coward Inoki! Inoki no fight!". In the fourth round, Inoki, still on his back, trapped Ali in a corner and started kicking wildly at his thighs. Ali leapt up on to the ropes and tucked his legs underneath him. In round six, Ali tried to grab Inoki's left ankle as he kicked him, but Inoki wrapped his right leg around Ali's right calf and flipped him over on the canvas. He then rolled over on top of Ali's chest. While in this hold, Inoki elbowed Ali in the face, costing him three points.^[14]

Ali did not throw his first punch until the seventh round. In the eighth, Ali's trainer, Angelo Dundee, demanded that Inoki tape the tips of his shoelaces, claiming that one of the eyelets came loose and was cutting Ali's legs. A wound had already opened up on his thigh. In the tenth, Ali threw his second punch, and two more in the thirteenth. He threw only six punches in total during the fight.^[15]

The fight, went the fifteen round distance and was scored as a draw. Inoki had been three points up but was docked all three for fouls. The result meant no one had to lose face; Inoki could claim he would have won had it not been for the penalties, whereas Ali could defend himself by saying his opponent had cheated.^[16]

Aftermath

The fight was poorly received. The crowd at the Budokan threw rubbish into the ring and chanted "Money back! Money back!". According to Donn Draeger, "the Budokan janitorial people took almost a full day to clean up the garbage that was hurled at the two 'combatants' as the result of their lousy performance".^[17]

The public, unaware of the restrictions put on Inoki, were critical of his tactics during the fight. Inoki’s right leg, the leg he had used for the majority of his kicks was broken. During the fight Ali’s left leg was badly swollen and bleeding, which led to an infection. He also suffered two blood clots in his legs affecting his mobility for the remainder of his boxing career. At one point amputation was also discussed.^[18]

Legacy

The fight is considered by boxing writers and fans as one of the most embarrassing moments in Ali’s career.^[19] Ali and Inoki became good friends following the fight. Inoki started using Ali's theme music, ‘The Greatest’ (taken from the film), as his own signature tune, and borrowed the catchphrase "bom-ba-ye" from Ali's fans at the Rumble in the Jungle. Ali would continue to box for the next five years. In 1978 he lost the WBA and WBC heavyweight championships to Leon Spinks, but regained the WBA title (The WBC had stripped him due to his refusal to fight Ken Norton, the Number 1 contender) in a rematch the same year (In 1986 Spinks would also fight and lose to Inoki in the eighth round of a match for the WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship).^[20] Ali would lose to Larry Holmes in 1980 (after a 2 year retirement) and following a unanimous decision loss to Trevor Berbick in 1981, retired from boxing.

Inoki continued to wrestle for the next twenty plus years. In 1989, Inoki established his own political group, the Sports and Peace Party (スポーツ平和党). He was elected to the House of Councillors of the National Diet of Japan. In 1990, he was sent to negotiate with Saddam Hussein over the release of Japanese citizens being held hostage in Iraq. He eventually left office in 1995 amid accusations he had been bribed by the Yakuza.^[21]

In 1998, 38 years after his wrestling debut, Inoki retired. Ali flew out from America to watch Inoki win his final match against Don Frye. After the match, Ali climbed into the ring and hugged Inoki. Ali's representative read a message over the PA:

"It was 1976 when I fought Antonio Inoki at the Budokan. In the ring, we were tough opponents. After that, we built love and friendship with mutual respect. So, I feel a little less lonely now that Antonio has retired. It is my honour to be standing on the ring with my good friend after 22 years. Our future is bright and has a clear vision. Antonio Inoki and I put our best efforts into making world peace through sports, to prove there is only one mankind beyond the sexual, ethnical or cultural differences. It is my pleasure to come here today."^[22]

References

1. ^ http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~YF7M-ON/ematch3.html
2. ^ http://www.180travel.com/the-historical-roots-of-mma-muhammad-ali-vs-antonio-inoki.html
3. ^ http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/1716/joke-almost-ended-ali-career/
4. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
5. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
6. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWlyD5u9KMs
7. ^ http://prowrestling.about.com/od/thebiggestrivalries/p/inokivsali.htm
8. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWlyD5u9KMs
9. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
10. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
11. ^ http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/1716/joke-almost-ended-ali-career/
12. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
13. ^ http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/1716/joke-almost-ended-ali-career/
14. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
15. ^ http://prowrestling.about.com/od/thebiggestrivalries/p/inokivsali.htm
16. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
17. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
18. ^ http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/1716/joke-almost-ended-ali-career/
19. ^ http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/1716/joke-almost-ended-ali-career/
20. ^ http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~YF7M-ON/ematch3.html
21. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki
22. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/nov/11/the-forgotten-story-of-ali-inoki

External links

• Guardian.co.uk article on the fight
• About.com article
• http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/1716/joke-almost-ended-ali-career/
• Inoki commentary part 1
• Inoki commentary part 2