Saturday, December 11th, 2021
“Drama in Bahama”
The “greatest” leaves the ring forever
When Muhammad Ali stepped into the ring for the last time, he was almost 40 years old, marked by many fights. The first signs of Parkinson’s disease are obvious, but “The Greatest” wants to know again. An unequal fight that goes down in history as the “Drama in Bahama”.
Muhammad Ali wrote boxing history with the “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975 against “Smokin ‘” Joe Frazier. His last fight on December 11, 1981 in Nassau against Trevor Berbick, however, became a “drama in Bahama”. Although Ali, the most important and greatest pugilist in history, was already suffering from the consequences of his Parkinson’s disease at this point in time, “The Greatest” climbed into the ring again – at almost 40 years of age.
Ali wanted to be world champion of all classes again – for the fourth time. But the fight against Berbick meant a bitter and unfortunate exit for the champ, who had suffered a crushing defeat against his former sparring partner Larry Holmes on October 2, 1980 in Las Vegas. Holmes even spared him, renouncing the knockout victory that was humiliating for Ali. In the tenth round the towel flew out of Ali’s corner and ended the unequal fight.
The traces of a long career
Wistful memories of the great Ali of yore were also awakened against Berbick, because he was not a real adversary for the Jamaican. Ali never really had a chance in the ten-round fight, and Berbick was unanimously chosen as the points winner at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Center in Nassau. It was the fifth loss for the light heavyweight Olympic champion from Rome in 1960 as a professional boxer.
Ali had emphasized that he was fit for the fight. But already the first laps showed that the “greatest” had passed its zenith. There was a lack of speed and liveliness, occasionally he tried to dance like in his heyday, to embarrass the opponent with jabs struck from half distance. But it wasn’t enough anymore. His millions of fans around the world sadly watched the last Ali appearance.
The doctors advised against fighting again. His long career and numerous head hits had left their mark. His hands were already starting to shake, his pronunciation became indistinct, the mumbling was a clear sign of Parkinson’s. But it was not until a good two years after the last fight that the disease was officially announced to Muhammad Ali.