Antonio Inoki, a combat sports trailblazer, influential politician and larger-than-life figure in his native Japan, died Friday at the age of 79. He fought Muhammad Ali in perhaps the highest-profile mixed-rules bout ever. Read more about his life:
The cause of Inoki's death was not released, but he had fallen ill in recent years and was relegated to a wheelchair.
Along with being an influential politician in Japan, Antonio Inoki was a trailblazer in combat sports as a pro wrestler, promoter and fighter On June 26, 1976, Inoki fought Ali in perhaps the highest-profile mixed-rules bout ever. Inoki had a background in amateur wrestling and judo and trained under catch wrestler Karl Gotch, developing a methodology of fighting he called"strong style.
Boxing was by far the most popular combat sport at that time, especially in the United States, but Ali vs. Inoki put the idea into many heads that maybe boxing was not the best style to win a more fluid, all-encompassing fight, a debate that raged decades before Ali vs. Inoki and years after until the dawn of the UFC.
In a current combat sports landscape where it has become common for boxers to fight MMA fighters and pro wrestlers to fight YouTubers and so on and so forth, Ali vs. Inoki was far ahead of its time.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Antonio Inoki, Japanese pro-wrestler politician with North Korea ties, diesAntonio Inoki, a Japanese professional wrestling star turned politician, widely known for his match with Muhammad Ali and ties to North Korea, has died aged 79, after years of battling a rare disease, the company he founded said on Saturday.
Read more »
Antonio Inoki, Japanese pro-wrestler politician with North Korea ties, diesAntonio Inoki, a Japanese professional wrestling star turned politician, widely known for his match with Muhammad Ali and ties to North Korea, has died aged 79, after years of battling a rare disease, the company he founded said on Saturday.
Read more »
'Dangerous Minds' Star Michelle Pfeiffer Mourns Death of CoolioThe famed rapper behind 'Gangsta's Paradise' died at 59 years old.
Read more »
Calvin Murphy, Elvin Hayes, Bruce Matthews headed to Houston Sports Hall of FameA pair of former Rockets stars and an Oilers star make up the Houston Sports Hall of...
Read more »
The Mid-’90s Belonged to CoolioFor a brief moment in the ’90s, Coolio could be anything to anyone. _brandoc writes on the late rapper
Read more »
Iranian Women Have Fought Restrictions Since '79 – With Hope Protests End Differently This TimeToday’s street protests are taking place in more than 50 cities throughout the country and have drawn the attention and support of the international community. — The Conversation
Read more »