Ali vs. Inoki

On June 26, 1976, Muhammad Ali, possibly the most famous athlete in the world, flew to Japan to fight Antonio Inoki, Japan’s iconic pro wrestling champion, for the so-called “martial arts championship of the world.” Broadcast to an audience of 1.4 billion in 34 countries, the boxer versus grappler spectacle foreshadowed, and in many ways, led to the rise of mixed martial arts as a major sport. The contest was controversial, but the real action was behind the scenes, and various players in the underbelly of organized wrestling and boxing jockeyed for position.

In Ali vs. Inoki: The Forgotten Fight That Inspired Mixed Martial Arts and Launched Sports Entertainment, author Josh Gross gets inside Ali’s head leading up to the match by resurrecting pre-fight interviews that featured the boxer's famous pro wrestling-influenced trash talk he first encountered in Los Angeles in the early 1960s. Gross also introduces us to Inoki, little known in the United States but hugely influential in Japan. After the fight, Inoki became a household name throughout Asia, and his role in Japan’s popular Pride Fighting Championships helped shape modern mixed martial arts.

About the Author

Josh Gross is considered a pioneer of mixed martial arts journalism. His reporting spans MMA's shift from an underground, counterculture free-for-all to a multibillion dollar industry regarded as one of the world's fastest growing sports today. During 15 years in the business, Gross can claim to be the only reporter who covered MMA full-time for Sports Illustrated and ESPN. Josh is known for investigative works, and he hosts a popular podcast, Gross Point Blank.