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| Date | 11 December 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Venue | Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, Nassau, Bahamas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Berbick wins by unanimous decision in 10 rounds (99–94, 99–94, 97–94) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick , billed as "Drama in Bahama", was a ten-round professional boxing match that took place in Nassau, Bahamas on 11 December 1981. [1]
The fight went the distance with Berbick winning through a unanimous decision on points. This was Ali's last boxing match. [2] [3] [4]
Prior to the fight, Ali claimed that he had been declared fit by "even the best white doctors." [3] Nevertheless, the venue for the fight—Nassau in the Bahamas—was chosen because no American state would grant Ali a boxing license after his performance in the match with Larry Holmes. [3]
The promoter of this fight was James Cornelius, a convicted felon with links to the Nation of Islam. However, a problem arose since Don King had signed up Berbick for a three-fight deal. When King arrived in Nassau to demand his share of the profits from this fight, he was greeted by two friends of Cornelius who administered a sound beating to King. [3]
Ali had hoped to use this fight to earn a title bid against Mike Weaver the World Boxing Association Champ. Ali said "The stage is set for me. I love this sort of situation".
Ali's weight just before and during the fight was 236 pounds (107 kilograms). One reporter described him as Michelin Man. Ticket sales for the fight were so slow that the promoters ended up offering them at a heavy discounted price. Ultimately, fewer than 7,500 people witnessed this fight. There was no pay-per-view television; no American network had even made a bid. However, ONTV aired the fight, with it airing at least in Cincinnati, Ohio. [3]
The fight took place in the unfinished Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre. When people arrived to see the fight they found they could not get in because the key to the main gate had been misplaced. When the key was found, it was discovered that there were no boxing gloves at the venue. There was also no bell to signal the end of a round; ultimately a hastily procured cowbell had to be used for this purpose. Because of the paucity of paying spectators Berbick refused to fight unless he was paid upfront. The fight started more than two hours behind schedule. [3]
In the early rounds, Ali tried putting together some combinations, but these proved ineffectual and he was pushed back on the ropes. In the fifth round, Ali landed some solid jabs and then a right-left-right combination on Berbick, but by the sixth round Ali got tired and started getting hit. By the last round, Ali was completely exhausted. [3] Sportswriter Hugh McIlvanney, who witnessed the fight, wrote:
Berbick is the kind of lumbering, slow-armed swinger [Ali] would have first embarrassed and then demolished in his dazzling prime...To see [Ali] lose to such a moderate fighter in such a grubby context was like watching a king riding into permanent exile on the back of a garbage truck. The one blessing was that he was steadily exhausted rather than violently hurt by the experience. [4]
Muhammad Ali said after the bout: "I think I'm too old. I was slow. I was weak. Nothing but Father Time. The things I wanted to do, I couldn't do. I was doing my best. I did good for a 39-year-old. I think I'm finished. I know it's the end. I'm not crazy. After Holmes, I had excuses. I was too light. Didn't breathe right. No excuses this time. I'm happy. I'm still pretty. I could have a black eye. Broken teeth. Split lips. I think I came out all right for an old man."[ citation needed ]
Confirmed bouts: [5]
| Winner | Loser | Weight division/title belt(s) disputed | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
 Greg Page | Scott LeDoux | USBA Heavyweight Title | 4th round TKO. |
| Thomas Hearns | Ernie Singletary | Super Welterweight (10 rounds) | Unanimous decision. |
| Earnie Shavers | Jeff Sims | Heavyweight (10 rounds) | 5th round KO. |
| Eddie Mustafa Muhammad | Michael Hardin | Heavyweight (10 rounds) | 8th round TKO. |
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 Mexico | Televisa |
 Philippines | MBS 4 |
 United Kingdom | ITV |
| United States | ONTV |
Larry Holmes is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 2002 and was world heavyweight champion from 1978 until 1985. He is often considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which led to his boxing nickname of the "Easton Assassin".
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