Muhammad Ali-Pedro Fernandez
MUHAMMAD ALI & THE UNBRIDLED ADULATION
San Francisco, CA– A multitude of promotional entities lay claim to have been the first to bring boxing to the Peoples Republic of China. While I’ve heard an Asian-American promoter of no consequence conjure up this falsehood and others. Truth be told in 1993 promoter Harold Smith made me a part of a three-man TV team with Hugh Malay and Arnie Rosenthal that televised the Leonzer Barber-Mike Sedillo WBO 168 lb. title bout in Beijing. Dubbed the “The Brawl At The Wall,” this was the first boxing event since the takeover Mao Tse Tung and the Communists in 1949 and Muhammad Ali was in the arena. So was Bob Arum with whom Smith was tight.
THREE TRIPS TO CHINA
Of my three trips to China, this picture with Muhammad Ali was on my second Chinese excursion as we are on our own private railroad car nearing Hong Kong after a week on the mainland.
ALI’S BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK!
“To Pedro with Love, Muhammad Ali.” Ever seen Ali sign a photo with that verbiage? He was quite and still is an inspiration. A man who can speak to millions sometimes without uttering a single word. Few men like Muhammad Ali as we approach his 39th Jack Benny-like birthday.
Pedro Fernandez