Muhammad Ali brought fame to Miami Beach's 5th Street Gym back in the 1960's, so it was only fitting that the boxing legend be there Thursday night for the grand reopening of the renowned place.
Entering the building to chants of "Ali! Ali! Ali!," the champ, and a host of others who once made the gym at the corner of 5th and Washington the epicenter of boxing in the 60's and 70's, got a first peek at its reincarnation.
Ali's former trainer, Angelo Dundee, whose brother opened the original 5th Street Gym in 1951, said the place wouldn't have been the same without Ali.
"He created it, and people heard about the 5th Street gym cause Muhammad was here," said the 89-year-old.
The original gym, which had produced 15 world champions, was torn down in 1993, with many, including Dundee, sad to see it go.
"I think that the 5th Street Gym should have never left," Dundee said last night.
But the new version is no doubt an improvement on the original. It's more modern, cleaner, and even has air conditioning, which the old one lacked. The public grand opening will be Saturday.
Local
The 68-year-old Ali arrived around 9 p.m., and promptly took a place on a chair inside the new ring next to his old buddy Dundee, who said the Champ is still fighting Parkinson's disease.
"Parkinson's kickin' the hell out of him," Dundee said. "Let me tell you, if anybody can kick it, Muhammad will."
