Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was under investigation by the FBI for allegedly fixing two of his heavyweight title bouts against Leon Spinks, according to a report.
American entertainment outlet Radar Online claims to have seen government documents that detail a probe into allegations the pair fixed the fights - both of which took place in 1978.
36-year-old Ali lost the first fight with the challenger Spinks by split decision in Las Vegas before retaining the lineal heavyweight crown back in December on all three judges scorecards.
Text from the documents published by Radar states the FBI had reason to believe promotion Top Rank at least attempted to convince Ali to throw the first fight wih Spinks, and for Spinks to throw the rematch.
“Top Rank Inc….planned to induce Muhammad Ali to throw the 2/15/78 fight with Spinks as well as a possibility of inducing Spinks to throw a subsequent rematch with Ali," Radar quotes the papers as saying.
The documents are also said to show that the FBI, under director J. Edgar Hoover, monitored Ali closely "for years".
Radar say the files do not reveal the outcome of the investigation.
After regaining his title against Spinks, Ali returned two years later - losing to Larry Holmes and then Trevor Berbick a year later in his final fight.
Spinks, who was just 24 when he won the world title from Ali, would fight for the title once more against Larry Holmes in 1981 - but never regained it.
