Angelo Dundee & then Cassius Clay
SAD DAY FOR THE BOXING WORLD INDEED
San Francisco, CA– Having known Angelo Dundee personally for some 30+ years, I always considered him an immortal soul who would live on forever. Yesterday, at the age of 90, the trainer that sprang to fame after being hired to train the then Cassius Clay by a group of Louisville, KY businessmen, died. Cassius, who became Muhammad X and then Muhammad Ali in 1964, this before being exiled from boxing by the “establishment” for refusing to take part in the Vietnam war, was not Dundee’s first world champion as many believe. That honor belonged to light heavyweight Willie Pastrano.
ALWAYS CHRIS DUNDEE’S LITTLE BROTHER!
Angelo was never connected with Organized Crime, the Mob, or the Syndicate, as were a number of trainers who broke into boxing in the 40s and 50s. He was always coveted by his older brother Chris Dundee, the Miami based promoter who was one of the most powerful men in the boxing game for decades. Chris, who passed away in 1998 at 91, kept the sharks away from his younger sibling until Angelo learned the ins and outs of the boxing game.
ANGELO WORKED WITH MANY FIGHTERS
But the two fighters that most people remember Angelo being involved with were the aforementioned Ali and “Sugar Ray” Leonard. When Ali was on the verge of being KO’d by Henry Cooper, this after being dropped with a left hook in 1962, Dundee either punctured a hole in one of Ali’s (still Cassius Clay) gloves, or he increased the size of a hole that had occurred in the prior round. With confusion reigning, the British boxing officials went in search of another glove. Ten minutes later, with no replacement glove available, the fight continued and Clay went on to stop Sir Henry Cooper.
PROPELLED LEONARD TO VICTORY OVER HEARNS
With his eye nearly swollen shut, Leonard was on the verge of having referee Davey Pearl stop the Tommy Hearns fight in 1981. Between the 13th and 14th rounds, Dundee screamed at Leonard. “You’re blowing it son.” Knowing defeat was at hand, Leonard got off the stool and went out and stopped Hearns by battering Tommy on the ropes. When Pearl did stop the fight, neither Hearns nor his cornerman Emanuel Steward balked at the call.
STAYED WITH ALI UNTIL THE BITTER END
Having had conversations with Dundee many times over the years, I asked him why he allowed a 38-year old Muhammad Ali to fight Larry Holmes, and why he didn’t quit Ali’s corner after Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, Ali’s personal physician noted the neurological problems that would later all but silence one of the greatest voices of the 20th century. “He (Ali) got in the best shape he could, but I knew it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t about the money, I stayed with Muhammad because I felt it would be better with me there, than to not be. I stopped the Holmes fight after ten rounds, that night was one of the most painful in my life.”
BECAME A HIRED GUN OF SORTS IN LATER YEARS
Two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman utilized Dundee in the corner during a number of his “comeback” fights in the 1990s. Oscar De La Hoya also brought in Angelo as an “advisor” when Oscar was at the top of his game. A great motivator in the gym and corner, Angelo, although he died at yesterday at 90, was never the same after his wife Helen passed a couple of years ago.
PEDRO PULLS A “BOOT” WHILE INTERVIEWING ANGELO
One night, circa 1991, I was doing a two-hour live edition of “Ring Talk” at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY with Dundee being my premier guest. Alongside Angelo was his wife Helen. All throughout the broadcast I kept referring to her by another name. Instead of correcting me, Angelo introduced me after the show to, “my wife Helen,” whom I had met several times over the years. I think I was calling her Mary, or something to that effect. While I was mortified, both Mr. & Mrs. Dundee laughed it off.
LAST TALKED TO ANGELO SIX MONTHS AGO!
After offering my condolences on the phone after Helen’s passing, Dundee, who told that while my writing was “outstanding,” I would never make a dime because of my brutal honesty in regards to boxing and the heathens that control it. Six months ago, I called him out of the blue and asked him to do some radio. Angie told he couldn’t that week, but that I could call him the following week. Something came up, I forgot, and never spoke to the “Great One” again.
THE GOLDEN RULE OF ANGELO DUNDEE
I once asked Dundee what was the toughest thing about training fighters. His response, “Wives and girlfriends.” When I pressed him he said, “I never get involved, never offer an opinion regarding a wife or girlfriend for I thought it was a ‘lose-lose’ situation. Either way I went, somebody would get upset and I risked alienating a fighter (or the wife) forever. So when guys asked me about domestic issues, I never got involved.”
Wali Muhammad, Bundini Brown & Ali
FERDIE LAST MEMBER OF ALI TEAM ALIVE
Dundee, Drew “Bundini” Brown, Wali Muhammad (Walter Youngblood) and Ferdie Pacheco were the principles in the corner of Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali. Bundini died at 59 in 1987 after a fall in his Los Angeles apartment. Wali Muhammad passed just a few weeks ago. Ferdie Pacheco and Muhammad Ali are the only surviving members of the Ali corner.
THE ANGELO DUNDEE EPITAPH
“Here lies Angelo Dundee, an honest man who prospered and gained notoriety in a dishonest game.”
Pedro Fernandez