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Muhammad Ali
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==Exhibition bouts== Ali boxed both well-known boxers and celebrities from other walks of life, including [[Antonio Inoki]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/1716-the-joke-that-almost-ended-ali-s-career/|title=The Joke That Almost Ended Ali's Career|author=Aaron Tallent|work=The Sweet Science|access-date=July 11, 2015|archive-date=February 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221001501/http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/1716-the-joke-that-almost-ended-ali-s-career}}</ref> [[Michael Dokes]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/sports/michael-dokes-larger-than-life-heavyweight-boxer-dies-at-54.html |title=Michael Dokes, Larger-Than-Life Heavyweight Boxer, Dies at 54|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 14, 2012|access-date=July 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823203212/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/sports/michael-dokes-larger-than-life-heavyweight-boxer-dies-at-54.html |archive-date=August 23, 2012 }}</ref> [[Sammy Davis Jr.]],<ref name="LasVegasSun.com">{{Cite web |title=Sammy Davis Jr. |url=https://lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2014/may/24/0524_sammy_davis/537957/ |access-date=June 8, 2023 |website=LasVegasSun.com |language=en |archive-date=October 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015134250/https://lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2014/may/24/0524_sammy_davis/537957/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Richard Pryor]],<ref name="LasVegasSun.com" /> [[Marvin Gaye]],<ref name="LasVegasSun.com" /> [[Burt Young]],<ref name="LasVegasSun.com" /> [[Lyle Alzado]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boxinghalloffame.com/muhammad-ali-boxing-footballs-lyle-alzado/|title=Muhammad Ali Boxing Football's Lyle Alzado|website=Boxing Hall of Fame|access-date=July 11, 2015|archive-date=July 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715043410/http://boxinghalloffame.com/muhammad-ali-boxing-footballs-lyle-alzado/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Dave Semenko]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2008/01/ali-vs-semenko-it-really-happened.html|title=Greatest Hockey Legends.com: Ali vs. Semenko – It Really Happened|work=Greatesthockeylegends.com|access-date=July 11, 2015|archive-date=July 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706200625/http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2008/01/ali-vs-semenko-it-really-happened.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and Puerto Rican comedian [[Jose Miguel Agrelot]] (with [[Iris Chacon]] acting as Agrelot's corner-woman).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doncholito.org/filantropia.html|title=Filantropia – Fundación José Miguel Agrelot|work=Doncholito.org|access-date=July 11, 2015|archive-date=July 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706181727/http://www.doncholito.org/filantropia.html}}</ref> ===Ali vs Inoki=== {{Main|Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki}} [[File:Muhammad_Ali_Boxing_Robe.jpg|thumb|243x243px|Muhammad Ali's boxing robe at Antonio Inoki Exhibition]] On June 26, 1976, Ali participated in an exhibition bout in Tokyo against Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist [[Antonio Inoki]].<ref name="sweetScience">{{cite web |last=Tallent |first=Aaron |title=The Joke That Almost Ended Ali's Career |url=http://www.thesweetscience.com/articles-of-2005/1716-the-joke-that-almost-ended-ali-s-career |access-date=December 4, 2007 |publisher=The Sweet Science |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709012841/http://www.thesweetscience.com/articles-of-2005/1716-the-joke-that-almost-ended-ali-s-career |archive-date=July 9, 2016 |date=February 20, 2005}}</ref> Ali was only able to land two jabs while Inoki's kicks caused two blood clots and an infection that almost resulted in Ali's leg being amputated, as a result of Ali's team insisting on rules restricting Inoki's ability to wrestle.<ref name="sweetScience" /> Because of this, the fight has been criticized for causing Ali trouble healthwise, mostly in terms of movement, later down the line; Ferdie Pacheco stated "Ali was still feeling the effects of his leg injury, and his mobility was not what it had been".<ref name="sweetScience" /> The match was not scripted and ultimately declared a draw.<ref name="sweetScience" /> After Ali's death, ''The New York Times'' declared it his least memorable fight.<ref name="leastMemorable">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/06/sports/who-lost-when-muhammad-ali-fought-a-pro-wrestler-the-fans.html |title=Ali's Least Memorable Fight |last=Mather |first=Victor |date=June 5, 2016 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 11, 2017 |archive-date=July 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730031616/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/06/sports/who-lost-when-muhammad-ali-fought-a-pro-wrestler-the-fans.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Most boxing commentators at the time viewed the fight negatively and hoped it would be forgotten as some considered it a "15-round farce".<ref name="forgottenInfluence">{{cite magazine |last1=Gross |first1=Josh |title=Muhammad Ali's Forgotten Fight Was Also One of His Most Influential |url=http://www.newsweek.com/muhammad-ali-antonio-inoki-mixed-martial-arts-ufc-japan-mma-boxing-wrestling-474502 |access-date=April 10, 2018 |magazine=Newsweek |date=June 25, 2016 |archive-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426153926/https://www.newsweek.com/muhammad-ali-antonio-inoki-mixed-martial-arts-ufc-japan-mma-boxing-wrestling-474502 |url-status=live }}</ref> Today it is considered by some to be one of Ali's most influential fights and CBS Sports said the attention the mixed-style bout received "foretold the arrival of standardized [[MMA]] years later".<ref name="forgottenInfluence" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Burkholder |first=Denny |url=http://www.cbssports.com/general/news/how-muhammad-alis-fascination-with-pro-wrestling-fueled-his-career-inspired-mma/ |title=How Muhammad Ali's fascination with pro wrestling fueled his career, inspired MMA |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=June 6, 2016 |access-date=June 11, 2016 |archive-date=August 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807202007/https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/how-muhammad-alis-fascination-with-pro-wrestling-fueled-his-career-inspired-mma/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Ali and Inoki began a friendship after the fight.<ref name="NK">{{cite web |last1=Hall |first1=Nick |title=Collision in Korea: Pyongyang's historic socialism and spandex spectacular |url=https://www.nknews.org/2020/04/collision-in-korea-pyongyangs-historic-socialism-and-spandex-spectacular/ |website=[[NK News]] |date=April 29, 2020 |access-date=June 1, 2020 |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603164258/https://www.nknews.org/2020/04/collision-in-korea-pyongyangs-historic-socialism-and-spandex-spectacular/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Ali vs Alzado=== In 1979, Ali fought an [[Exhibition fight|exhibition match]] against [[NFL]] player [[Lyle Alzado]]. The fight went 8 rounds and was declared a draw.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vaughan |first=Kevin |title=Goodbye, Mile High |publisher=Denver Rocky Mountain News |url=http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/milehigh/1223mile0.shtml |access-date=March 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611093646/http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/milehigh/1223mile0.shtml |archive-date=June 11, 2008 }}</ref> ===Ali vs Semenko=== Ali fought [[NHL]] player, [[Dave Semenko]] in an exhibition on June 12, 1983.<ref name="ali">{{Cite web|url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/when-muhammad-ali-fought-hockey-s-heavyweight-champ--dave-semenko-191217806.html|title=When Muhammad Ali fought hockey's heavyweight champ, Dave Semenko|first=Greg|last=Wyshynski|website=ca.sports.yahoo.com|date=June 4, 2016|access-date=January 23, 2021|archive-date=January 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131010806/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/when-muhammad-ali-fought-hockey-s-heavyweight-champ--dave-semenko-191217806.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The match was officially a draw after going three rounds, but the [[Canadian Press]] reported Ali was not seriously trying for most of the bout, instead just toying with Semenko.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ali Still Packs Quite a Wallop |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FAhlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA75 |access-date=June 20, 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |agency=Canadian Press |date=June 13, 1983 |language=en |location=Edmonton |archive-date=June 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621032934/https://books.google.com/books?id=FAhlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA75 |url-status=live }}</ref>
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