# Muhammad Ali near death? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 4, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279 "2013-02-04T02:19:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279/1 "2013-02-04T02:19:55Z")
[http://gawker.com/5981270/pray-for-the-champ](http://gawker.com/5981270/pray-for-the-champ) I hope not but I fear it is true. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279/2 "2013-02-04T02:31:57Z")
He’s still _alive?_ ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279/3 "2013-02-04T03:52:38Z")
Not near death, watching the SB. Source: [Yahoo Sports](http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/family-says-muhammad-ali-watching-super-bowl-rooting-014851864--nfl.html) ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279/4 "2013-02-04T03:54:20Z")
[Yahoo sports](http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/family-says-muhammad-ali-watching-super-bowl-rooting-014851864--nfl.html)says his demise is greatly exaggerated. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279/5 "2013-02-04T04:21:05Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > [Yahoo sports](http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/family-says-muhammad-ali-watching-super-bowl-rooting-014851864--nfl.html)says his demise is greatly exaggerated. _The Greatest_ly exaggerated. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279/6 "2013-02-04T05:13:54Z")
Probably nobody is wrong here. It sounds like he is in the late stages of dementia which can play out in days or months. Still, I find it sad. He is one the unarguably most important athletes of the 20th century. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279/7 "2013-02-04T17:29:03Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > Probably nobody is wrong here. It sounds like he is in the late stages of dementia which can play out in days or months. Or years, like my mom. I think she eventually just forgot how to breathe. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muhammad-ali-near-death/649279/8 "2013-02-04T17:40:19Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > Probably nobody is wrong here. It sounds like he is in the late stages of dementia which can play out in days or months. Still, I find it sad. He is one the unarguably most important athletes of the 20th century. He’s an unusual case. He has Parkinson’s Syndrome, which is not the same as Parkinson’s Disease. In his case it appears to be a result of injuries to the brain stem. He’s suffered some a lot of concussions as well. He’s also been on medications for a long time, for the Parkinson’s and hypoglycemia as well. It’s all a guess for this unusual case. And I’d say he is one of the most important people of the 20th century, his athletic career was a place to stand for more important acts that he performed. At least in my case, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong.” had a lasting impact on my life.