Popular wrestler and politician Antonio Inoki dies at 79


              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japanese pro wrestler Antonio Inoki clamps leg hold on boxer Chuck Wepner of Bayonne, New Jersey, during the sixth round of a bout at Tokyo's Budokan hall on Oct. 26, 1977. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - World heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali is shown trying to evade kicks by wrestler Antonio Inoki during their 15-round World Martial Arts match on July 26, 1976, in Tokyo. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japan's pro-wrestler-turned-parliamentarian Kanji "Antonio" Inoki prepares to leave Hong Kong on Sept. 7, 2018, for North Korea via Beijing, China. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japanese pro-wrestler turned politician Kanji "Antonio" Inoki waves as he arrives at the Sunan International Airport on Aug. 28, 2014, in Pyongyang, North Korea. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japanese pro wrestler Antonio Inoki kicks the back of Muhammad Ali's leg during their boxing-wrestling bout at the Budokan hall in Tokyo, June 26, 1976. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japanese pro-wrestler-turned-politician Kanji "Antonio" Inoki bows at the end of a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on Aug. 21, 2014. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Wrestler Antonio Inoki, left, and world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali shake hands after a 15-round boxing- wrestling fight on June 26, 1976, at Tokyo's Budokan hall. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japanese pro wrestler Antonio Inoki clamps leg hold on boxer Chuck Wepner of Bayonne, New Jersey, during the sixth round of a bout at Tokyo's Budokan hall on Oct. 26, 1977. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - World heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali is shown trying to evade kicks by wrestler Antonio Inoki during their 15-round World Martial Arts match on July 26, 1976, in Tokyo. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japan's pro-wrestler-turned-parliamentarian Kanji "Antonio" Inoki prepares to leave Hong Kong on Sept. 7, 2018, for North Korea via Beijing, China. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japanese pro-wrestler turned politician Kanji "Antonio" Inoki waves as he arrives at the Sunan International Airport on Aug. 28, 2014, in Pyongyang, North Korea. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japanese pro wrestler Antonio Inoki kicks the back of Muhammad Ali's leg during their boxing-wrestling bout at the Budokan hall in Tokyo, June 26, 1976. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Japanese pro-wrestler-turned-politician Kanji "Antonio" Inoki bows at the end of a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on Aug. 21, 2014. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
            
              CORRECTS TO 1976, NOT 1979 - FILE - Wrestler Antonio Inoki, left, and world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali shake hands after a 15-round boxing- wrestling fight on June 26, 1976, at Tokyo's Budokan hall. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              FILE - Japanese pro wrestler Antonio Inoki kicks the back of Muhammad Ali's leg during their boxing-wrestling bout at the Budokan hall in Tokyo, June 26, 1976. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1979, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
            
              FILE - Japanese pro-wrestler-turned-politician Kanji "Antonio" Inoki bows at the end of a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on Aug. 21, 2014. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1979, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
            
              FILE - Wrestler Antonio Inoki, left, and world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali shake hands after a 15-round boxing- wrestling fight on June 26, 1976, at Tokyo's Budokan hall. A popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1979, has died at 79. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co. says Inoki, who was battling an illness, died earlier Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo, File)
Popular wrestler and politician Antonio Inoki dies at 79