Muhammad Ali's Battle Against Parkinson's Syndrome: Is Boxing to Blame?

Muhammad Ali is perhaps the most recognizable face in the world. As a championship boxer who is considered by most experts to one of the best fighters of all time, Muhammad Ali transcended the world of sports. He became a champion of social causes; he fought the government when he refused induction into the armed forces based on religious grounds; and, because of his popularity and charisma, he became a well-known spokesman for a myriad of companies and causes. He was much more than just a boxer, but his name will always be linked with his outstanding boxing career. And, unfortunately, as is plain for all the world to see, Muhammad Ali is sick. He can barely speak; he can barely walk without assistance; his hands tremble and shake. It's almost painful to juxtapose Muhammad Ali's current state with that of his "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" self; the Muhammad Ali who dazzled opponents with his blinding hand and foot speed, and the Muhammad Ali who would brag, boast, and proclaim that "I am the Greatest!" That Muhammad Ali is forever entombed in the world of video and fight footage, never to be heard from again. Muhammad Ali has Parkinson's Syndrome, a neurological condition that affects motor and speech control. While it's clear as to what Ali's affliction is, it's been a point of controversy over whether or not Ali's Parkinson's-like affliction was the direct result of his boxing career or not.

There are many people who believe that Ali would have developed his Parkinson's Syndrome if he had been an accountant or a librarian. That Ali's boxing career, which resulted in him taking numerous head shots and punishment over the years, had nothing to do with his affliction. While there has never been a definitive study linking boxing-related trauma to that of the development of Parkinson's Syndrome or Parkinson's Disease, most in the medical community believe that in Ali's case there was a definite cause and effect relationship. When Ali was first diagnosed with Parkinson's Syndrome, he went through a battery of tests, first at the renowned Mayo Clinic, then at a series of other highly respected institutions. Ali's physical exams and tests indicated a surprising amount of abnormalities, all of which seemed to be boxing related. It was found that Ali had a hole in the membrane separating the two sides of his brain. While this type of abnormality is often congenital, being punched in the head repeatedly, if not causing such a condition, can certainly exacerbate and worsen it. Further complicating matters, Ali was shown to have a series of degenerative changes in his brain stem; a part of the brain that is linked with dopamine production, a neurotransmitter that is lacking in those afflicted with Parkinson's-like afflictions. Ali's brain stem was shown to be significantly damaged, and his attending physicians, in a statement released at Muhammad Ali's behest, stated that they believed Ali's brain damage to be boxing-induced.

Taking their diagnosis a step further, the difference between organic and non-organic causes of disease were illustrated. In many cases of Parkinson's-like conditions, a simple cause is not readily observed. Many people develop neurological problems in the absence of any outward cause or contributing factor. However, in Muhammad Ali's case, his Parkinson's Syndrome was likely caused as the result of repeated blows to the head which irreversibly damaged his brain stem. Ali's case was non-organic in nature; his affliction had its roots in boxing. Many in the boxing community have taken issue with that, but from a scientific stand point, their denials and doubts seem to be baseless. Many in the anti-boxing establishment often cite the sorry physical condition of Muhammad Ali as exhibit A as to why the sport of boxing should be banned. Boxing is brutal, they say, and punching an opponent with the goal of knocking him unconscious is too barbaric to be considered a sport! The pro-boxing establishment has a different view. Many, including Muhammad Ali's long-time ringside physician, Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, state that boxing in and of itself is not the cause of Muhammad Ali's brain injuries, but rather, it was Muhammad Ali fighting for too long and fighting at an advanced age that resulted in his injuries. Those familiar with Ali's career know that he fought well-past his prime, and that in Ali's last two bouts before he retired for good, he took a bad beating from Larry Holmes, and he was whipped handily by Trevor Berbick. Ali took a heavy amount of head punishment in both of those bouts. If Ali had retired at the top of his game when his skills were still intact and at a point in time where he had received relatively little punishment, Dr. Ferdie Pacheco and many other pro-boxing people believe that Ali would not be in the sorry state that he is in now.

What is the truth? Which side is right? At best, the casual observer will have to look at both sides of the argument and use their better judgment in terms of arriving at a logical conclusion. But in examining the available data and obvious link between repeated head trauma and lasting brain damage, it seems logical to infer an obvious connection between Muhammad Ali's Parkinson's Syndrome and his boxing career.