Dies Dave Semenko, hockey player who fought with Muhammad Ali

Baku. 30 June. REPORT.AZ/ Legendary NHL tough guy Dave Semenko, force behind the Edmonton Oilers dynasty of the 1980s as well as Wayne Gretzky’s scoring exploits, died Thursday in Edmonton after a brief battle with cancer at the age of 59.

Report informs citing sportsnet.ca, Semenko retired after the 1987-88 NHL season. He had 65 goals, 88 assists and 1,175 penalty minutes in 575 NHL games with Edmonton, Hartford and Toronto, and 16 goals, 20 assists and 298 penalty minutes in 142 WHA games with the Oilers.

A feared pugilist on the ice, Semenko also fought Ali in an exhibition bout in Edmonton on June 12, 1983. The three-round match was judged a draw, though The Associated Press’s report on the fight said Ali, a three-time world heavyweight champion, mostly toyed with Semenko.

Notably, Dave Semenko was the author of the last goal in the (WHA) World Hockey Association. After that WHA changed to NHL.