During a recent interview with Tokyo Sports, Japanese pro wrestling legend and WWE Hall Of Famer Antonio Inoki commented on his health issues in recent years.
As we previously reported here on eWn, Inoki was diagnosed with systemic transthyretin amyloidosis several years ago and the legend claims he’s nearly died four times since then.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On his current health and nearly dying four times: “As you can see, I can’t fake it… I’ve almost died about four times, to the surprise of even the doctors, but I’m still alive. That ‘you look fine’ was the selling point. I can’t exert energy unless I’m really healthy, so I take care of myself every day. Hospitalization? I’ve been in and out of the hospital for about three years now (laughs).”
On Shinjiro Otani’s spinal injury: “I heard the details a couple of days ago. I can’t say, ‘Accidents like this can’t be helped,’ but I guess a wrestler’s neck is the most important thing. I used to bridge with hundreds of kilograms of weights, and I was probably the heaviest man in the world. Conversely, wrestling is sometimes seen as a very lenient sport, but on the other hand, it has its own harsh side. I’ve been sent to the hospital several times in my nearly 60 years, and there are many bad places…
“I can’t say sweet words. I can’t say anything sweet, like, ‘Please get better soon.’ I heard that he is very seriously injured. Cervical vertebrae injuries are scary, you know. Even though I exercise my neck, it still depends on the angle at which I catch myself.”
