Filipino boxing fans pay tribute to Ali with 'A Thrilla in Manila' exhibition

 

Filipino boxing fans paid tribute to Muhammad Ali at a mall in Quezon City named after him on Friday, at an exhibition showcasing his renowned match in the Philippines.

 

The tribute was held in Ali Mall, which was constructed near the Araneta Coliseum where in 1975 the heavyweight boxing champion fought for the third and final time against challenger Joe Frazier in a fight dubbed 'A thrilla in Manila'. Ali won by a technical knockout, giving him a 2-1 record against Frazier.

 

Photographs of the match were on display, as well as posters and memorabilia that fans had obtained 41 years ago.

 

Some artists made paintings and caricatures of Ali to pay tribute to the boxer.

 

Rowell Recinto, management consultant of Ali Mall, said the tribute showed how Ali was more than a boxer.

 

"Ali is a man of different facets. He is not only a boxer. He had his advocacies, he worked with poor children, he worked with disadvantaged people, so he used his popularity, his fame, and I'm sure part of his wealth and pressure, to improve the well-being of people," he said.

 

"His memory will never be erased from the people, especially to us and the older generation who know the history of a Muhammad Ali fight and boxing," said Fernando Nidoy, a 55-year-old boxing fan who watched Ali's fight in Manila.

 

Ali, who had long suffered from Parkinson's Disease which impaired his speech and made the once-graceful athlete almost a prisoner in his own body, died on June 3 at the age of 74.

 

His death triggered a worldwide outpouring of affection and admiration for one of the best-known figures of the 20th century.

 

Along with a fearsome reputation as a fighter, Ali spoke out against racism, war and religious intolerance, while projecting an unshakable confidence that became a model for African-Americans at the height of the civil rights era and beyond. — Reuters