DECEMBER 11 has been a date historians have been analyzing.
That was the day that Edward VIII, a sadistic King, announced to an astonished nation that he would be giving up his crown to marry Wallis Simpson.
Muhammad Ali took off his gloves following his 1981 fight with Trevor Berbick
It will also be the 40th anniversary on Saturday of boxing's King's announcement that he would abdicate after 21 remarkable, significant, mesmerizing, and highly controversial years within the ring.
The moment that Muhammad Ali, the legendary world heavyweight champion, finally unlaced his gloves was on December 11, 1981.
It was a great relief for those of us who were once part of Ali's flying circus but had seen him decline slowly but surely into mediocrity.
It was heartbreaking to see that the man who was voted the best sports personality of the 20th Century ended his glittering 61-fight career with the Caribbean in the most bizarre circumstances.
In what was called the Drama in Bahama, he lost unanimously to Trevor Berbick in a ten-round points decision. The sexy occasion should have been called Nonsense at Nassau, which is more appropriate.
The Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre was the venue, which sounds great -- it was actually a baseball field.
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Because nobody was able to find the keys that would open the arena's gates, proceedings were delayed by two hours.
It is amazing that it wasn't even equipped with gloves or a bell for the main event.
One of the grazing cows was being dragged to the next field, where he received a bell.
Angelo Dundee, Ali's trainer, contacted his Miami office secretary to arrange for a new pair.
Muhammad Ali's defeat against Larry Holmes one year prior meant that the name was no longer available for sale.
The clash with Berbick was boycotted by three major American television networks: ABC, CBS, and NBC. Closed-circuit operators weren't interested in any of it.
the December 1981 clash
It is possible that James Cornelius was the promoter. He was a Los Angeles car dealer and was a convicted felon who was also under FBI investigation.
It was really depressing to see Ali, the hero at the Rumble in the Jungle, and the Thrilla in Manila reduced to insignificance.
His speed and audaciousness had been long lost. What was left was a middle-aged flabby man, a month shy of his 40th birthday.
Gone forever was the supreme sportsman that inspired Jim Murray, the Pulitzer-prize-winning LA Times columnist and LA Times sports columnist to write: "I would like to borrow Ali's body" -- there are six men who I want to beat up, and six women whom I want to fall in love with.
Ali became subdued and philosophical as we all crowded into the dressing room. Ali said, "Father Time has caught up to me -- I'm done." It's time to face the facts.
"We all age and this is the end. This has been my life since I was 12.
It's a relief and a joy to know it's done.
After his third and brutal fight in Manila with Joe Frazier, he should have retired.
He continued fighting for six more years, ten more victories and continued to fight against Ferdie Pacheco's advice.
Even if Ali had listened Pacheco, Ali might still be alive today.
Ed Schuyler, one of America's most respected boxing writers, said that Ali was his last and best friend. We had a great ride.
As I flew back from Nassau, the festive season was looming, I realized that I had just witnessed the Ghost of Christmas Past.
