Читать книгу Ali vs. Inoki. The Forgotten Fight That Inspired Mixed Martial Arts and Launched Sports Entertainment онлайн

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“Listen, I’m going to play the ropes. We’re going fifteen rounds, three-minute rounds. He’s allowed to use his bare fists. He’s allowed to use karate. No punching in the eyes and no hitting below the belt. If I can grab the ropes when I’m down he’s going to have to turn me loose, and you saw a sample on Wide World of Sports a few days ago when I beat these rasslers to bloody messes. That’s right. And that’s what I’m gonna get. Plus he’s starting to talk. He’s talking about, I better bring a sling and crutches with me, and I don’t like fighters or wrestlers who talk too much.”

The Carson stand-in and the audience howled with laughter. Stevenson noted that Inoki, whom he called “Hokey Finoki,” causing Ali to turn and poorly conceal his snickering from the crowd, was willingly taking kicks to the face in preparation for the impending onslaught.

“He got two or three teeth knocked out, I understand, accidentally,” Ali said. “People jumping on his face because he don’t do this for rasslin’. He’s trying to get ready for shock, but the shock he’s taking isn’t like my punches.” Ali then showed a little bit of humility, considering what he was facing. “I’m a little nervous, I must admit. If this man grabs my arm, or gets in behind me and gets one of those body-snatchers or those backbreakers on me, I’m in trouble. But I’m counting on my speed and my reflexes, because if I hit him right and he don’t fall, then he can do what he wanna do.”