1.
Cameramen taking photographs PAN TO Inoki (3 shots)
0.14

2.
SV Inoki punching bed
0.32

3.
CU Inoki, ZOOM OUT TO Inoki leaving room
0.48

4.
SV Inoki enters lounge and walks around
1.02

5.
CU Inoki scated in lounge
1.07


Muhammad Ali beat an American pro-wrestler, Kenny Jay in Chicago on Thursday (10 June). But Inoki feels professional wrestling as he practises it is far the superior all-encompassing form of combat that includes many other forms of martial arts such as karate or judo. He admits if the fight was limited to boxing rules and techniques then he would probably lose to Ali. But using his martial art skills, Inoki feels he is merely taking Ali up on his comments that he can beat anyone any way. Inoki weighs in at 108 killogrammes (238 pounds), six killogrammes (13.2 pounds) more that Ali. He is the same height at six foot 3.2 inches (191 centimetres).




Initials CL/1904


SPORT: BOXING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki who is going to wrestle and box world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, told a news conference in Tokyo yesterday (11 June) that he has "a few secret weapons" for the fight.

SYNOPSIS: Professional wrestler 33-year-old Inoki has been training with a Japanese heavyweight boxer to sharpen his skills for the big match on the 26th of June. He is confident Muhammad Ali will meet his match in the East when he arrives in Tokyo for the 10 million dollar (GBP5.6 million sterling) fight next Wednesday (16 June). Just to back up his beast, Inoki tried his punching skill on the 400 dollar (GBP 225 sterling) a night hotel bed where Ali will sleep.

The idea for the fight started when Muhammad Ali made a challenge last year that he would give one million dollars (GBP 560 thousand sterling) to anyone in the Orient who could beat him "any time, any place, any way". This was too much bait for Inoki who took up the offer. What's upsetting Inoki now is that he will not be allowed to tackle or hit Ali from the floor. In his usual fashion, Ali has already given his Oriental opponent a nickname. It's the "pelican" because of his large, protruding jaw. Ali threatens to shatter the pelican's jaw because he claims to be in the best shape over.