Muhammad Ali’s Fatal Secret
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Ali Vs Spinks
Muhammad Ali wasn't just the "The Greatest" — he even went in the ring while secretly fighting the Parkinson's disease that took his life! Reporters for The National Enquirer unearthed boxing's biggest secret after learning the heavyweight legend was first diagnosed in 1979 with the debilitating condition. Ali then worsened his fragile health by going into the ring for two more punishing fights!
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay. 1977
The world's favorite heavyweight champion officially went public with his devastating disease in September 1984. Marvin Towns told The ENQUIRER that he sold life insurance policies totaling $10 million to the boxer, and doctors discovered Ali's debilitating disease during a routine checkup in 1979. "I was with him when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's," said Marvin, whose parents lived near Ali's estate in Berrien Springs, Michigan. "He had bought a $5 million life insurance policy from me in 1978, before he knew he had Parkinson's. The next year, after he had regained his heavyweight title by defeating Leon Spinks, his lawyers urged him to take out another $5 million policy, and he came back to me."
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Mohammad Ali Visits Ricky Hatton’s Gym
Ali had been diagnosed with "pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome," a condition which mimics Parkinson's disease in its effects — but which stems from taking blows to the head. He had already announced on June 26, 1979, that he was retiring. But with the deadly new diagnosis, Ali decided to risk the future of his longterm health by fighting Larry Holmes for the world title.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Muhammad Ali And His Daughter Hannah 1980
An insider told The ENQUIRER that Ali made the choice to stay in the ring because he was afraid of losing his fame — plus his $8 million paydays. "Ali couldn't bear the thought of walking away from the spotlight forever," said the source. "He loved being The Greatest and looked at fighting as his job, as his means of putting food on the table for his nine children."
Photo credit: Getty Images
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American boxer, muhammad ali, with his wife veronica standing by the tsar cannon in the kremlin during their visit to the soviet union in 1978.
"He thought he really was invincible," added Marvin. "No one seemed concerned about it except his wife Veronica [pictured]." Dr. Robert Cantu, medical director of the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, added that Veronica was right to fear for her husband's life: "There's no question that taking head trauma in any degenerative condition of the brain would have the expectation of accelerating that condition."
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Muhammad Ali
Ali, who estimated he took a million shots to his head during his 61 professional bouts, paid a price for his payday against Larry Holmes. The legendary fighter was was knocked out for the first — and only time — in his illustrious career during the 11th round.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Ali’s last stand: Muhammed Ali, right, tried yet another comeback and suffered another failure. Trev
One boxing writer said Ali "took what seemed like hundreds" of punches. A defiant Ali still insisted on one more big-money fight. He lost to Trevor Berbick (pictured here) in the Bahamas on December 11, 1981, before retiring with his fatal secret intact.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Boxer Muhammad Ali (R) and his wife Lonn
Dr. Cantu, who hadn't treated Ali, said that the boxer would probably not have been as impaired if he "had retired five years before he did." The boxing legend was thinking of his family, though — finally passing away at the age of 71 from septic shock on June 3, 2016. He died while surrounded by a family that had temporarily put aside their feuding over his $50 million fortune.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Ali Vs Spinks
Muhammad Ali wasn't just the "The Greatest" — he even went in the ring while secretly fighting the Parkinson's disease that took his life! Reporters for The National Enquirer unearthed boxing's biggest secret after learning the heavyweight legend was first diagnosed in 1979 with the debilitating condition. Ali then worsened his fragile health by going into the ring for two more punishing fights!
Photo credit: Getty Images
Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay. 1977
The world's favorite heavyweight champion officially went public with his devastating disease in September 1984. Marvin Towns told The ENQUIRER that he sold life insurance policies totaling $10 million to the boxer, and doctors discovered Ali's debilitating disease during a routine checkup in 1979. "I was with him when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's," said Marvin, whose parents lived near Ali's estate in Berrien Springs, Michigan. "He had bought a $5 million life insurance policy from me in 1978, before he knew he had Parkinson's. The next year, after he had regained his heavyweight title by defeating Leon Spinks, his lawyers urged him to take out another $5 million policy, and he came back to me."
Photo credit: Getty Images
Mohammad Ali Visits Ricky Hatton’s Gym
Ali had been diagnosed with "pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome," a condition which mimics Parkinson's disease in its effects — but which stems from taking blows to the head. He had already announced on June 26, 1979, that he was retiring. But with the deadly new diagnosis, Ali decided to risk the future of his longterm health by fighting Larry Holmes for the world title.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Muhammad Ali And His Daughter Hannah 1980
An insider told The ENQUIRER that Ali made the choice to stay in the ring because he was afraid of losing his fame — plus his $8 million paydays. "Ali couldn't bear the thought of walking away from the spotlight forever," said the source. "He loved being The Greatest and looked at fighting as his job, as his means of putting food on the table for his nine children."
Photo credit: Getty Images
American boxer, muhammad ali, with his wife veronica standing by the tsar cannon in the kremlin during their visit to the soviet union in 1978.
"He thought he really was invincible," added Marvin. "No one seemed concerned about it except his wife Veronica [pictured]." Dr. Robert Cantu, medical director of the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, added that Veronica was right to fear for her husband's life: "There's no question that taking head trauma in any degenerative condition of the brain would have the expectation of accelerating that condition."
Photo credit: Getty Images
Muhammad Ali
Ali, who estimated he took a million shots to his head during his 61 professional bouts, paid a price for his payday against Larry Holmes. The legendary fighter was was knocked out for the first — and only time — in his illustrious career during the 11th round.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Ali’s last stand: Muhammed Ali, right, tried yet another comeback and suffered another failure. Trev
One boxing writer said Ali "took what seemed like hundreds" of punches. A defiant Ali still insisted on one more big-money fight. He lost to Trevor Berbick (pictured here) in the Bahamas on December 11, 1981, before retiring with his fatal secret intact.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Boxer Muhammad Ali (R) and his wife Lonn
Dr. Cantu, who hadn't treated Ali, said that the boxer would probably not have been as impaired if he "had retired five years before he did." The boxing legend was thinking of his family, though — finally passing away at the age of 71 from septic shock on June 3, 2016. He died while surrounded by a family that had temporarily put aside their feuding over his $50 million fortune.
Photo credit: Getty Images
