how bad is muhammad ali brain damaged?

Question

can he still talk and understand people? can he walk? can he write?

Answer 1

He's not brain damaged. He has Parkinson's. Brain Damage is usually instantaneous, whereas Parkinson's is progressive. He can talk and understand people. He can walk, but I imagine he has difficulty writing. An old man at the church I worship at has Parkinson's (absolutely awesome preacher - I heard one of his sermons on casette when he had just gotten Parkinson's, and it wasn't all that advanced), said to his daughter (who is an Assistant Pastor at church) that having Parkinson's is like being trapped. He can understand and assimilate what people may be saying to him, but has dificulty in conveying what he is thinking. He said that is very frustrating, because he feels as though he is a prisoner inside his own body because of the Parkinson's. I imagine this is how Ali feels.

Anyway, just to divert the question off-topic...

My opinion is that Ali would have been such a brilliant commentator if he was free of Parkinsons. He would most likely be a bigger attraction than the guys actually fighting. But in order to be free of that, he should have really retired in 1975, after the Thrilla in Manilla.

And also, you have to consider that Ali was in prison for a big proportion of his prime (1967 to 1970, although he was sparring in prison). It has been speculated that Ali would have probably torn Joe Frazier apart in 1971, knocked George Foreman out in about 6 rounds in 1973 (probably without having to rope a dope), and then most likely knocked Frazier out in 1975.

I guess the only reason he fought on was cos his entourage, many of whom lived off Ali's ring earnings, persuaded him to carry on. At the time, Ali himself was blind to his diminishing skill and reflexes and refused to quit, although he did acknowledge later in life that he should have retired after defeating Frazier in 1975. Ali's fight doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, who had been with Ali for most of his career, pleaded with him to quit, probably fearing for his health. But by about 1978, Pacheco and Angelo Dundee had lost their control over Ali to Herbert Muhammad and the entourage, who selected Ali's fights for him.

Pacheco feared correctly, as it would seem, because when his speed and reflexes went, he started taking more and more hits (Earnie Shavers actually knocked him cold - although didn't capitalise, because Ali fell against the ropes, and Earnie thought Ali was just doing the rope a dope, and refused to go in, fearing that Ali would come off the ropes and tag him Ali just about recovered). More and more hits caused him to develop punch drunk syndrome, which then degenerated into Parkinsons.

For those of us who love boxing, and either saw Mahammad Ali live or on video footage, it is such a sad sight to see Ali in the state he is now. Because of who he is, people gather round him to gawk at him as he twitches involuntarily, due to the onset of Parkinsons. All because he fought on, and took too many punches late in his career.

Answer 2

Muhammad Ali Brain Damage

Answer 3

Muhammad Ali's brain is NOT DAMAGED. His Parkinson's affects only his speech and movement. But he can still communicate. His wit and humor are very much intact. He signs autographs, which is actually one of the things he does for a living. He performs magic tricks for kids. And yes, he can still walk although a recent back operation really slowed him down.

Answer 4

Ali is not "brain damaged", his condition is physical not mental. In short, that great whit and intellect, that out going personality and poetic, energetic mind is trapped in a body that betrayed him. Somewhere between where his mind forms a word or decides to move his body and the actual movement or word, the neurological system fails. It's pretty horrible to understand that Ali is still in that body, but he is, his mind is still as nimble as it ever was.

He is the reason the blogbaba will always support stem cell research.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
how bad is muhammad ali brain damaged?
can he still talk and understand people? can he walk? can he write?

Answer 6

Stomach

Answer 7

although Parkinson's disease does affect the brain i am not sure they label it brain damage. i saw a press conference for his daughter where he couldn't control his hand and said writing is impossible

Answer 8

He is still his regular self. He just has a disease that has took his movements down 75% He is still the man!

Answer 9

He does not have brain damage. He is as sharp as always. Note the eyes when he is around people. Very mischievous still.