Pakistan’s Prime Minister expressed grief over the death of famous Japanese wrestler Muhammad Hussain Inoki…….By;Asghar Ali Mubarak …Islamabad……….Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his grief over the death of Japan’s famous wrestler Antonio Inoki. In a tweet today, he said that Antonio Inoki has enthralled an entire generation through his unparalleled bravery in wrestling. The Prime Minister condoled with the bereaved family. And also condoled with the people of Japan. Earlier according to his organization New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)‘s announcement the former Japanese professional wrestler Antonio Inoki has died aged 79.Antonio Inoki was very famous wrestler among the peoples of Pakistan. In 1976 wrestler Antonio Inoki was challenged by Pakistani wrestler Akram Aka “Akki”. More then 60,000 spectators watched the two greats at the historic National Stadium Karachi. Late Pakistani wrestler Akram Aka “Akki” was 46-year-old and well past his prime. His managers, the Bholu Brothers, booked the biggest fight in the country’s history against Inoki. The fight took place despite a difference in the styles and rules of wrestling between the two sides,” Inokithat the match became so intense that it turned into a battle for survival. Pakistani fans were expecting that their national hero would beat the Japanese great, however, due to the difference of fighting style and lack of knowledge about then modern techniques the result was quite difrent.Akram’s lack of understanding of professional wrestling and the miscommunication between the two competitors, the fight turned from a work into a shoot midway through the match. Pakistani wrestler bit Inoki on his arm, which led to Inoki responding to this unprofessional attitude by poking his adversary in the eye.In the same interview Inoki termed the bout as fight for survival and revealed that he still have 1976 battle scars on his wrist. “I still have marks on my wrist that Akki gave me when he wrenched at it with his teeth. I had to poke my fingers in his eyes to get him away.” The Japanese maestro said he was never happy about defeating Akki.
The bout saw an abrupt finish when Inoki locked Iki in the double wrist lock but broke his arm due to Akram refusing to tap out. In 2012, Inoki wished that had been wanting to visit Akki’s grave for a long time but never got the opportunity to do it earlier. He was one of Japan’s most well-known wrestlers – famously faced boxing great Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) – an organization promoting Japanese wrestling that Inoki founded in 1972 – tweeted Saturday that it was “deeply saddened at the passing of our founder, Antonio Inoki.” “His achievements, both in professional wrestling and the global community, are without parallel and will never be forgotten,” the tweet added, saying the organization’s thoughts “are with Inoki’s family, friends and fans.” Born Kanji Inoki in February 20, 1943, in Yokohama, a city south of Tokyo, he moved to Brazil with his family when he was 13 years old, according to a NJPW statement. In Brazil, he met his mentor and pro-wrestling star Rikidozan, who scouted him. His debut in 1960, Inoki became one of most well-known wrestlers in the world, and would go on to fight Ali in a rare match between a wrestler and a boxer in a contest that, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) said in a statement, “paved the way for the advent of Mixed Martial Arts, which would explode in popularity decades later.” He was the first in his sport to enter politics and was elected as an upper house Diet member – Japan’s national assembly – in both 1989 and 2013, Japan’s media reported. He also promoted peace through sports and made multiple trips to North Korea during his time as a lawmaker to improve relations between Pyongyang and Tokyo, NHK added. He organized a wrestling match in Pyongyang in 2014, involving American professional wrestling stars. The trip came at a time of thawing relations between Japan and North Korea over the issue of abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and ’80s. Inoki had battled a rare disease called amyloidosis – which affects the body’s organs – before his death, according to his organization New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Moreover on October 9, 2013 while addressing a press conference at National Press Club Islamabad Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki expressed his desire to mediate peace talks between the government and the Pakistani Taliban militants. Inoki was visiting Pakistan for promoting peace in the country through sports.“I am hurt to see Muslims fighting with each other. I have come to Pakistan to facilitate talks between the government and the Taliban to restore peace and stop killings,” said, the Japanese parliamentarian who now prefers to be called Muhammad Hussain Inoki.“I am sure peace will soon come to the country,” he said.Inoki said he was ready to sacrifice even his life to make his peace mission successful. He said the purpose of his current visit was to promote peace in Pakistan through sport. “If someone wants to fight, he should fight inside the ring.”Regarding launching development projects in FATA, he said he had met tribal parliamentarians and officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in this regard. “I have decided to launch projects for clean drinking water, building schools and health facilities in the area.”
Replying to a question, he said there was great potential for wrestling in Pakistan, which had produced great wrestlers in the past. “With the support of Punjab government, I am setting up an academy in Lahore to train young wrestlers.”
