“Has Major Risks Associated With It”: Doctor Blamed Muhammad Ali’s 21-Year Boxing Career for Late Legend’s Deteriorating Health

Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest sports persons of the 20th century, is no more in this world, but the legacy he left is eternal. He took his last breath in 2016 at the age of 74. According to doctors, he succumbed to injuries in his head that were inflicted on him while he was capturing the heart of fans in the ring by showcasing his art.

The three-time world heavyweight champion Ali faced some of the greatest hitters in boxing history. In his 61-bout boxing career, the former champ defeated the likes of Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and many others.

Although wins against these lethal hitters were making Ali great, the punches he was taking en route to the victories were damaging him from the inside. Since these damages were not visible on his face, Ali was unknown what was going on inside his head.

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Cope, who worked with Ali since 1980, diagnosed Ali for the first time with Parkinson’s syndrome when Ali was 45.

In an interview on phone, Cope said, “Our feeling is that Muhammad Ali’s condition is ‘pugilistic brain syndrome,’ caused by injuries to the brain from fighting.”

What was the effect of this syndrome on Muhammad Ali?

Parkinson’s syndrome began to impact Ali’s life after he entered his 40s. Because by this time, the nerve centers, which control the movement of the body, began deteriorating. The injuries he sustained in his 20s and 30s began impacting his nervous system.

As Ali entered his 50s and 60s involuntary shaking of his hands and head become common. He lost coordination, which affected his movements and speech.

When the disorder caused chemical imbalance in Ali’s body, then Cope said, “At this point, his symptoms are not severe enough to warrant this operation, which is still very experimental and has major risks associated with it.”

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Notably, boxers are more vulnerable to these syndromes than the common folk. Ali was not the only boxer who faced several health issues in the later years of his life.