TOKYO: The iconic Japanese professional wrestler, Antoni Inoki, widely known for his match with Muhammad Ali, has died aged 79, after years of fighting a rare ailment.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling – the company Inoki founded in 1972, took to Twitter to announce the passing of their pioneer.
“New Japan Pro-Wrestling is deeply saddened at the passing of our founder, Antonio Inoki,” NJPW stated on Saturday.
“His achievements, both in professional wrestling and the global community are without parallel and will never be forgotten.
“Our thoughts are with Inoki’s family, friends and fans.”
Inoki rose to fame globally after competing in a mixed martial arts match against the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali – booked as “the bout of the century”.
The highly-anticipated fight between the two legends, however, ended in a draw and the result of the fight had long been debated by the fans.
In 1976, Inoki was challenged by Pakistani wrestler Akram commonly known as “Akki” and came to Pakistan for the match scheduled at National Stadium Karachi, which saw 50,000 fans coming to witness the bout.
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