Update On Antonio Inoki’s Health

Antonio Inoki, a legendary figure in Japanese pro wrestling, has shared an update on his health with Tokyo Sports.

"As you can see, there's no way to fake it... I've almost died about four times, to the surprise of even the doctors, and yet I'm still alive like this," Inoki said.

The interviewer noted that Antonio Inoki was looking well to which Inoki voiced his own optimism about the current state of his health.

"You can't transmit energy unless you are really healthy, so I take care of myself every day," Inoki said. "Hospitalization? I've been in and out of the hospital for about three years now (laughs)."

Antonio Inoki spent much of last year in a hospital. He was treated for deterioration in his lower back, as well as diabetes and amyloidosis, a buildup of abnormal amyloid proteins in the heart, kidneys, liver, or other organs. Inoki reportedly underwent emergency surgery last June for volvulus – a twisting of the intestines.

Antonio Inoki was asked about the serious injury recently suffered by Shinjiro Otani, who idolized Inoki as a child. Otani suffered a cervical spinal cord injury during a match at a ZERO1 event in Tokyo in April which left him unable to move his arm or legs.

"I heard the details a couple of days ago," Inoki said. "I can't say that such an accident can't be helped, but I guess a wrestler's neck is the foundation of a wrestler. 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 parts."

h/t to DeepL.com for the translation.