It seems tonight that the whole world is mourning Muhammad Ali - who passed away on Friday after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. The 74 year old inspired so many fight fans and non fight fans all across the world as one of the first trual global sports icons. But a part of his history is also in Belize - he came her in 1965 for an exhibition at the Palace theater and Santino Castillo remembers it well:...
Santiago Castillo, Jr., Mohammed Ali Fan
"Mohammed Ali came to Belize in July of 1965. He didn't box anyone in Belize, he brought down a sparring partner and his name was Cody Jones. He did some performances at the Palace Theatre where a professional ring was set up, they had ring-side tickets and everyone just crowded to see Mohammed Ali in action at the Palace theatre where he did the shuffle and showed how fast his hands were. Basically that's all it was, an exhibition. I was 9 years old and at ring-side both nights. What I do remember clearly was either one of the nights, he also had a matinee and I think this happened at the matinee, there were a whole bunch of children outside but they couldn't afford, even though at that time it was a small admission, to see Mohammed Ali. Funds, of course which was going to him, the other promoters that made the contact with my father and Mohammed Ali said 'open the doors and let everybody in free, all the kids'. He had a microphone when he spoke to the audience and said that when he was a kid he could not afford going to such a boxing event so he wanted to share him being here with all - one and sundry. He was a great man, he came to Belize and people at ring-side were such as Net Vasquez, Dean Lindo, Joe Carrillo, The Hunter Brothers, Mr. Clive Tucker who worked for my father and his wife Ms. Veronica Tucker."
Daniel Ortiz
"Did you follow up in the years afterwards, catching up....?"
Santiago Castillo, Jr., Mohammed Ali Fan
"Oh yes I'm a Mohammed Ali fanatic. I have seen anything and everything there is to see about Mohammed Ali. In fact I'd like to suggest to you and the viewers to watch one of the recent ones that came out on Netflix called 'I Am Ali' which is one of the newest Mohammed Ali documentaries. Indeed I have followed his entire life and was really shocked when I heard the news of his death on Friday at really the young age of 74. My mother is 82 and strong as can be. Mr. Net Vasquez who was around at that time should be around 85 strong as can be."
Ali - then Cassius Clay - hosted at least two exhibitions at the Palace Theater, and legend has it that in the daytime show for children, he convinced the promoters to let all the children in for free.
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